paragraph (1) after the grant period has ended; 
and 
(B) replicate the effective school model. 
(b) OPTIONAL USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity re-
ceiving a grant under this title may use grant funds to— 
(1) identify and create partnerships needed to 
improve the academic achievement and outcomes of 
the students attending a school assisted under this 
title; 
(2) support family and community engagement 
in the effective school model; and 
(3) carry out any additional activities that the 
Secretary determines are within the purposes de-
scribed in section 201. 
SEC. 207. EVALUATION AND REPORTING. 
(a) CONTENTS OF REPORT.—Each eligible entity re-
ceiving a grant under this title shall annually report to 
the Secretary on— 
(1) the data and information being gathered to 
assess the effective school model’s effectiveness in 
improving student academic achievement and out-
comes for struggling students and dropouts; 
(2) the implementation status of the models, 
any barriers to implementation, and actions taken to 
overcome the barriers; 
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(3) any professional development activities to 
build the capacity of— 
(A) the eligible entity to sustain or rep-
licate the effective school model; or 
(B) the staff of a school assisted under 
this title to implement or improve the effective 
school model; 
(4) the progress made in improving student 
academic achievement and outcomes in the effective 
school models for struggling students and dropouts; 
and 
(5) the use of grant funds by the eligible entity. 
(b) INDEPENDENT EVALUATIONS.—The Secretary 
shall reserve not more than $5,000,000 to carry out an 
independent evaluation of the grant program under this 
title and the progress of the eligible entities receiving 
grants under this title. 
SEC. 208. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this title $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2008 and each of 
the 4 succeeding fiscal years. 
TITLE III—STRENGTHENING 
STATE POLICIES 
SEC. 301. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds the following: 
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(1) Frontrunner States have begun to move 
more aggressively on the dual challenge of raising 
high school graduation rates while also raising the 
standards to the level of a college and work-ready di-
ploma. 
(2) Seven States are publically reporting 4-year 
cohort graduation rates and 20 States plan to pub-
lically report by 2008. 
(3) Thirteen States now require students to 
take a college-and work-ready course of study to 
earn a diploma, up from just three in 2006. Another 
16 States report that they plan to raise require-
ments during 2007. 
(4) States that act aggressively to raise gradua-
tion rates without conceding ground on academic 
proficiency are gaining traction in such cutting-edge 
policy areas as— 
(A) dual enrollment to support early col-
lege high schools that lead to high school diplo-
mas and 2 years of postsecondary credit; 
(B) early warning data systems to enable 
identification of struggling students before or 
early in high school; 
(C) incentives for high schools to keep 
struggling students in school and on track to a 
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college and work-ready high school diploma; 
and 
(D) multiple pathways to high school grad-
uation, including small school models and drop-
out recovery or alternative models. 
(5) Even frontrunner States have not yet 
adopted a comprehensive set of policies and systems 
to support high standards and high graduation 
rates. They lack the supports and resources to track 
implementation of the policies they have put in place 
or to partner with districts to build further capacity 
to carry out evidence-based practices and program-
ming. 
(6) Past Federal educational initiatives have 
been effective in supporting and accelerating bolder, 
more strategic action with positive results, for exam-
ple the National Science Foundation State Systemic 
Initiative. 
(7) Supporting frontrunner States to become 
laboratories of innovation and models for other 
States will accelerate the number of young people 
graduating from high schools across the Nation who 
are college and career ready. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this title are to— 
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(1) provide incentives for States to strengthen 
and develop new State policies in order to substan-
tially raise the graduation rate in the State while en-
suring rigorous secondary education content stand-
ards and assessments; and 
(2) evaluate the effectiveness of such changes to 
the State policies. 
SEC. 302. DEFINITIONS. 
In this title: 
(1) DROPOUT.—The term ‘‘dropout’’ means an 
individual who— 
(A) is not older than 21; 
(B) is not attending any school; and 
(C) has not received a secondary school 
regular diploma or its recognized equivalent. 
(2) STRUGGLING STUDENT.—The term ‘‘strug-
gling student’’— 
(A) means a high school-aged student who 
is not making sufficient progress toward grad-
uation from secondary school with a regular di-
ploma in the standard number of years; and 
(B) includes a student who— 
(i) has been retained in grade level; 
(ii) is under-credited, defined as a 
high school student who lacks either the 
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