I
103D CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3950
To provide grants to local entities to improve the academic performance
and social development of at-risk children.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 3, 1994
Mr. GEPHARDT (for himself, Mr. FORD of Michigan, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia,
Mr. WASHINGTON, Mr. GLICKMAN, Mr. MILLER of California, Mr.
OWENS, Mr. JOHNSTON of Florida, Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey, Ms.
DELAURO, Ms. NORTON, Mr. TUCKER, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, Mr. TOWNS,
Mr. RUSH, Mrs. SCHROEDER, Mr. RANGEL, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHN-
SON of Texas, Mr. REYNOLDS, Mr. NADLER, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. MAR-
TINEZ, and Mr. WHEAT) introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Education and Labor
A BILL
To provide grants to local entities to improve the academic
performance and social development of at-risk children.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION. 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Family and Commu-
nity Endeavor Schools Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that—
(1) children in areas with high incidences of
poverty are more likely to be exposed to problems
created by economic depreciation, poor housing,
overwhelming family responsibilities, inadequate pa-
rental educational background or parental substance
abuse and are at risk of failure;
(2) students from poor families are 3 times
more likely to drop out of school than students from
more advantaged homes;
(3) without social intervention, at-risk children
are often unable to improve academic performance;
(4) schools are accessible, central resources in
every community where social and educational serv-
ices can be coordinated and disseminated to at-risk
children and their families;
(5) schools are most effective at serving a com-
munity when the people of the community are in-
volved in school management and help design activi-
ties to fulfill the needs of children in the community;
and
(6) many schools have successfully improved the
academic performance and social development of at-
risk children by instituting an organizational and
management plan that incorporates parental involve-
ment in school management and incorporates mental
health and social intervention services in the daily
academic curriculum.
(b) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this Act to im-
prove the overall development of at-risk children who re-
side in eligible communities as defined in section 12.
SEC. 3. PROGRAM AUTHORITY.
The Secretary may award grants on a competitive
basis to eligible local entities to pay for the Federal share
of assisting eligible communities to develop and carry out
programs in accordance with this Act. No local entity shall
receive a grant of less than $250,000 in a fiscal year.
Amounts made available through such grants shall remain
available until expended.
SEC. 4. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.
(a) IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS.—A local entity that
receives funds under this Act shall develop or expand pro-
grams that are designed to improve academic and social
development by instituting a collaborative structure that
trains and coordinates the efforts of teachers, administra-
tors, social workers, guidance counselors, parents, and
school volunteers to provide concurrent social services for
at-risk students at selected public schools in eligible com-
munities.
(b) OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES.—A local entity that re-
ceives funds under this Act may develop a variety of pro-
grams to serve the comprehensive needs of students, in-
cluding—
(1) homework assistance and after-school pro-
grams, including educational, social, and athletic ac-
tivities;
(2) nutrition services;
(3) mentoring programs;
(4) family counseling; and
(5) parental training programs.
SEC. 5. ELIGIBLE COMMUNITY IDENTIFICATION.
The Secretary through regulation shall define the cri-
teria necessary to qualify as an eligible community as de-
fined in section 12(3).
SEC. 6. GRANT ELIGIBILITY.
To be eligible to receive a grant under this section,
a local entity shall—
(1) identify an eligible community to be as-
sisted;
(2) develop a community planning process that
includes—
(A) parents and family members;
(B) local school officials;
(C) teachers employed at schools within
the eligible community;
(D) public housing resident organization
members, where applicable; and
(E) public and private nonprofit organiza-
tions that provide education, child protective
services or other human services to low-income,
at-risk children and their families; and
(3) develop a concentrated strategy for imple-
mentation of the community planning process devel-
oped under paragraph (2) that targets clusters of at-
risk children in the eligible community.
SEC. 7. APPLICATIONS.
(a) APPLICATION REQUIRED.—To be eligible to re-
ceive a grant under this Act, a local entity shall submit
an application to the Secretary at such time, in such man-
ner, and accompanied by such information, as the Sec-
retary may reasonably require, and obtain approval of
such application.
(b) CONTENTS OF APPLICATION.—Each application
submitted under subsection (a) shall—
(1) contain a comprehensive plan for the pro-
gram that is designed to improve the academic and
social development of at-risk children in schools in
the eligible community;
(2) provide evidence of support for accomplish-
ing the objectives of such plan from—
(A) community leaders;
(B) a school district;
(C) local officials; and
(D) other organizations that the local en-
tity determines to be appropriate;
(3) provide an assurance that the local entity
will use grant funds received under this section to
implement the program requirements listed in sec-
tion 4;
(4) include an estimate of the number of chil-
dren in the eligible community expected to be served
under the program;
(5) provide an assurance that the local entity
will comply with any evaluation requested under sec-
tion 11, any research effort authorized under Fed-
eral law, and any investigation by the Secretary;
(6) provide an assurance that the local entity
shall prepare and submit to the Secretary an annual
report regarding any program conducted under this
Act;
(7) provide an assurance that funds made avail-
able under this section shall be used to supplement,
not supplant, other Federal funds that would other-
wise be available for activities funded under this Act;
and
(8) provide an assurance that the local entity
will maintain separate accounting records for the
program.
(c) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants to carry out pro-
grams under this Act, the Secretary shall give priority to
local entities which submit applications that demonstrate
the greatest effort in generating local support for the
programs.
SEC. 8. PEER REVIEW PANEL.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish
a peer review panel not to exceed 8 members that shall
be comprised of individuals with demonstrated experience
in designing and implementing programs to improve the
academic and social development of at-risk children.
(b) FUNCTIONS.—Such panel shall make rec-
ommendations to the Secretary regarding—
(1) an illustrative model that effectively
achieves the program requirements indicated in sec-
tion 4 and a process whereby local entities can re-
quest such model; and
(2) a design for the evaluation of programs as-
sisted under this section.
SEC. 9. INVESTIGATIONS AND INSPECTIONS.
The Secretary may conduct such investigations and
inspections as may be necessary to ensure compliance with
the provisions of this Act.
SEC. 10. FEDERAL SHARE.
(a) PAYMENTS.—The Secretary shall, subject to the
availability of appropriations, pay to each local entity hav-
ing an application approved under section 7 the Federal
share of the costs of developing and carrying out programs
referred to in section 4.
(b) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of such
costs shall be 70 percent.
(c) NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The non-Federal share of
such costs may be in cash or in kind, fairly evalu-
ated, including personnel, plant, equipment, and
services.
(2) SPECIAL RULE.—Not less than 15 percent
of the non-Federal share of such costs shall be pro-
vided from private or nonprofit sources.
SEC. 11. EVALUATION.
The Secretary shall require a thorough evaluation of
the programs assisted under this Act, which shall include
an assessment of the academic and social achievement of
children assisted with funds provided under this Act.