and effective programs aimed at improving the men-
tal health of America’s children. 
(16) Twenty percent of the 53 million children 
attending school in the United States will, at some 
point, meet the criteria for a diagnosable mental ill-
ness at a level of impairment that requires some 
type of intervention. Thus, there is the potential that 
over 10 million children will need some type of help 
to meet the goals relating to emotional well-being in 
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.). 
(17) More than three-quarters of schools have 
a coordinator of mental health and social services in 
the school; nearly two-thirds of school districts have 
a coordinator who serves this role; and one-half of 
the States have a coordinator of school mental 
health and social services. However, there is cur-
rently no person responsible for overseeing or pro-
moting these services and supports in the Depart-
ment of Education. 
SEC. 3. OFFICE OF SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTIONAL SUP-
PORT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Department of Education 
Organization Act (20 U.S.C. 3401 et seq.) is amended by 
redesignating sections 219 and 220 as sections 220 and 
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221, respectively, and by inserting after section 218 the 
following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 219. OFFICE OF SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTIONAL SUP-
PORT. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There shall be, in the De-
partment, an Office of Specialized Instructional Support 
(referred to in this section as the ‘Office’). 
‘‘(b) DIRECTOR.— 
‘‘(1) APPOINTMENT AND REPORTING.—The Of-
fice shall be under the direction of the Director of 
Specialized Instructional Support who shall be ap-
pointed by the Secretary and who shall report di-
rectly to the Deputy Secretary. 
‘‘(2) FUNCTIONS.—The Director of Specialized 
Instructional Support, through the Office, shall 
carry out the following activities: 
‘‘(A) Improve specialized instructional sup-
port services in schools in order to better ad-
dress barriers to student learning and improve 
academic achievement and educational results 
for students. 
‘‘(B) Identify scientifically based practices 
in specialized instructional support services that 
effectively address barriers to education and im-
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prove both academic achievement and edu-
cational results for students. 
‘‘(C) Provide continuous training and pro-
fessional development opportunities for special-
ized instructional support services personnel 
and other personnel in the use of effective tech-
niques to address academic, behavioral, and 
functional needs. 
‘‘(D) Provide technical assistance to State 
specialized instructional support coordinators, if 
any, as well as to local and State educational 
agencies in the provision of effective, scientif-
ically based specialized instructional support 
services. 
‘‘(E) Coordinate specialized instructional 
support services programs and services in 
schools between the Department and other Fed-
eral agencies, as appropriate.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
for such Act is amended by redesignating the items relat-
ing to sections 219 and 220 as relating to sections 220 
and 221, respectively, and by inserting after the item re-
lating to section 218 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 219. Office of Specialized Instructional Support.’’. 
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SEC. 4. GRANTS TO STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES TO RE-
DUCE BARRIERS TO LEARNING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title I of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et 
seq.) is amended by redesignating part I as part J and 
by inserting after part H the following new part: 
‘‘PART I—REDUCED BARRIERS TO LEARNING 
‘‘SEC. 1901. PURPOSES. 
‘‘The purposes of this part are— 
‘‘(1) to build the capacity of States to identify 
and respond to the need for specialized instructional 
support services at the district level in order to pro-
mote student success for all students; 
‘‘(2) to promote comprehensive and coordinated 
delivery of services within and across Federal, State, 
and local educational agencies and in collaboration 
with available community agencies supports and 
services; 
‘‘(3) to promote evidenced-based practices that 
have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing barriers 
to learning and improving student outcomes; 
‘‘(4) to monitor the access, use, availability, and 
adequacy of resources, services, and personnel de-
signed to specifically address barriers to learning at 
the district and individual school level; 
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‘‘(5) to assist in the recruitment, retention, and 
adequate staffing of specialized instructional support 
services to meet the needs of students experiencing 
barriers to learning at the district and individual 
school level; and 
‘‘(6) to improve shared accountability for stu-
dent outcomes by all school personnel. 
‘‘SEC. 1902. GRANTS TO STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES. 
‘‘(a) GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may award 
competitive grants under this part to State edu-
cational agencies— 
‘‘(A) to establish or expand specialized in-
structional support services and programs at 
the State level that are designed to provide 
technical assistance, and coordinate and sup-
port specialized instructional support services 
and programs, for the purpose of addressing 
barriers to learning within local educational 
agencies and individual schools; and 
‘‘(B) to hire and support specialized in-
structional support services coordinators to pro-
vide such assistance, coordination, and support. 
‘‘(2) BARRIERS TO LEARNING.—For purposes 
of this part, the term ‘barriers to learning’ include 
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