reasonably require, including a State middle grades im-
provement plan described in section 103(a)(4). 
(g) PEER
REVIEW
AND
SELECTION.—The Sec-
retary— 
(1) shall establish a peer-review process to as-
sist in the review and approval of proposed State ap-
plications; 
(2) shall appoint individuals to participate in 
the peer-review process who are educators and ex-
perts in identifying, evaluating, and implementing 
effective education programs and practices (includ-
ing the areas of teaching and learning, educational 
standards and assessments, school improvement, and 
academic and behavioral supports for middle grades 
students), which individuals may include recognized 
exemplary middle grades teachers and middle grades 
principals who have been recognized at the State or 
national level for exemplary work or contributions to 
the field; 
(3) shall ensure that States are given the op-
portunity to receive timely feedback, and to interact 
with peer-review panels, in person or via electronic 
communication, on issues that need clarification dur-
ing the peer-review process; 
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(4) shall approve a State application submitted 
under this title not later than 120 days after the 
date of submission of the application unless the Sec-
retary determines that the application does not meet 
the requirements of this title; 
(5) may not decline to approve a State’s appli-
cation before— 
(A) offering the State an opportunity to 
revise the State’s application; 
(B) providing the State with technical as-
sistance in order to submit a successful applica-
tion; and 
(C) providing a hearing to the State; and 
(6) shall direct the Inspector General of the De-
partment of Education to— 
(A) review final determinations reached by 
the Secretary to approve or deny State applica-
tions; 
(B) analyze the consistency of the process 
used by peer-review panels in reviewing and rec-
ommending to the Secretary approval or denial 
of such State applications; and 
(C) report the findings of this review and 
analysis to Congress. 
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SEC. 103. STATE PLAN; AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES. 
(a) MANDATORY ACTIVITIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A State educational agency 
that receives a grant under this title shall use the 
grant funds— 
(A) to prepare and implement the needs 
analysis and middle grades improvement plan, 
as described in paragraphs (3) and (4), of such 
agency; 
(B) to make subgrants to eligible local 
educational agencies or eligible entities under 
section 104; and 
(C) to assist eligible local educational agen-
cies and eligible entities, when determined nec-
essary by the State educational agency or at the 
request of an eligible local educational agency 
or eligible entity, in designing a comprehensive 
schoolwide improvement plan and carrying out 
the activities under section 104. 
(2) FUNDS
FOR
SUBGRANTS.—A State edu-
cational agency that receives a grant under this title 
shall use not less than 80 percent of the grant funds 
to make subgrants to eligible local educational agen-
cies or eligible entities under section 104. 
(3) MIDDLE GRADES NEEDS ANALYSIS.— 
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(A) IN
GENERAL.—A State educational 
agency that receives a grant under this title 
shall enter into a contract, or similar formal 
agreement, to work with entities such as na-
tional and regional comprehensive centers (as 
described in section 203 of the Educational 
Technical Assistance Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 
9602)), institutions of higher education, or non-
profit organizations with demonstrated exper-
tise in high-quality middle grades reform, to 
prepare a plan that analyzes how to strengthen 
the programs, practices, and policies of the 
State in supporting students in the middle 
grades, including the factors, such as local im-
plementation, that influence variation in the ef-
fectiveness of such programs, practices, and 
policies. 
(B) PREPARATION OF PLAN.—In preparing 
the plan under subparagraph (A), the State 
educational agency shall examine policies and 
practices of the State, and of local educational 
agencies within the State, affecting— 
(i) middle grades curriculum instruc-
tion and assessment; 
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(ii) education accountability and data 
systems; 
(iii) teacher quality and equitable dis-
tribution; and 
(iv) interventions that support learn-
ing in school. 
(4) MIDDLE GRADES IMPROVEMENT PLAN.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—A State educational 
agency that receives a grant under this title 
shall develop a middle grades improvement plan 
that— 
(i) shall be a statewide plan to im-
prove student academic achievement in the 
middle grades, based on the needs analysis 
described in paragraph (3); and 
(ii) describes what students are re-
quired to know and do to successfully— 
(I) complete the middle grades; 
and 
(II) make the transition to suc-
ceed in academically rigorous high 
school coursework that prepares stu-
dents for college, independent living, 
and employment. 
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(B) PLAN COMPONENTS.—A middle grades 
improvement plan described in subparagraph 
(A) shall also describe how the State edu-
cational agency will do each of the following: 
(i)(I) Ensure that the curricula and 
assessments for middle grades education 
are aligned with high school curricula and 
assessments and prepare students to take 
challenging high school courses and suc-
cessfully engage in postsecondary edu-
cation. 
(II) Ensure coordination, where appli-
cable, with the activities carried out 
through grants for P–16 education align-
ment under section 6401(c)(1) of the 
America COMPETES Act (20 U.S.C. 
9871(c)(1)). 
(ii) Ensure professional development 
is provided to school leaders, teachers, and 
other school personnel in— 
(I) addressing the needs of di-
verse learners, including students with 
disabilities 
and 
English 
language 
learners; 
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