Parents and Teachers Know Best Act of 1997

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Parents and Teachers Know Best Act 
of 1997''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to repeal the Goals 2000: Educate 
America Act and the National Skill Standards Act of 1994 to allow local 
educational areas to use funds to continue or establish education 
programs that meet the unique needs of such areas.

SEC. 3. REPEALS.

    The Goals 2000: Educate America Act and the National Skill 
Standards Act of 1994 are repealed.

SEC. 4. ALLOTMENT; DISTRIBUTION.

    (a) Reservation.--From the amounts made available to carry out this 
Act, the Secretary of Education shall reserve not more than--
            (1) one-half of one percent for payments to outlying areas 
        to be allotted in accordance with the respective needs of such 
        areas; and
            (2) one-half of one percent for payments to the Secretary 
        of the Interior to carry out programs under this Act for Indian 
        tribes.
    (b) Allotment and Distribution.--
            (1) State allotment.--From the amount appropriated under 
        section 7 and not reserved under subsection (a) in each fiscal 
        year, the Secretary shall make allotments to State educational 
        agencies that request to receive a grant under this Act as 
        follows:
                    (A) 50 percent of such amount shall be allocated in 
                accordance with the relative amounts each State would 
                have received under title I of the Elementary and 
                Secondary Education Act of 1965 for the preceding 
                fiscal year if funds under such title for such 
                preceding fiscal year had not been reserved for 
                outlying areas.
                    (B) 50 percent of such amount shall be allocated in 
                accordance with the relative amounts each State would 
                have received under title VI of the Elementary and 
                Secondary Education Act of 1965 for the preceding 
                fiscal year if funds under such title for such 
                preceding fiscal year had not been reserved for 
                outlying areas.
            (2) Local distribution.--Each State educational agency 
        shall distribute to each local educational agency in such State 
        that requests to receive a grant under this Act an amount which 
        bears the same ratio to the amount such State educational 
        agency received under paragraph (1) as the school-age 
        population of the geographic area under the jurisdiction of the 
        local educational agency bears to the school-age population of 
        such State.

SEC. 5. USES OF FUNDS.

    Funds received under this Act may be used for the following 
purposes:
            (1) Technology.--Technology related to the implementation 
        of school-based reform programs, including professional 
        development to assist teachers and other school officials 
        regarding how to use effectively such equipment and software.
            (2) Educational materials.--Programs for the acquisition 
        and use of instructional and educational materials, including 
        library services and materials (including media materials), 
        assessments, reference materials, computer software and 
        hardware for instructional use, and other curricular materials 
        which are tied to high academic standards and which will be 
        used to improve student achievement and which are part of an 
        overall education reform program.
            (3) Reform.--Promising education reform projects, including 
        effective schools and magnet schools.
            (4) Improved thinking skills.--Programs to improve the 
        higher order thinking skills of disadvantaged elementary and 
        secondary school students and to prevent students from dropping 
        out of school.
            (5) Literacy programs.--Programs to combat illiteracy in 
        the student and adult population, including parent illiteracy.
            (6) Gifted and talented programs.--Programs to provide for 
        the educational needs of gifted and talented children.
            (7) School improvement programs.--School improvement 
        programs or activities under sections 1116 and 1117 of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act--
            (1) the term ``Indian tribe'' means any Indian tribe, band, 
        nation, or other organized group or community, including any 
        Alaska Native village or regional corporation as defined in or 
        established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement 
        Act, which is recognized as eligible for the special programs 
        and services provided by the United States to Indians because 
        of their status as Indians;
            (2) the term ``local educational agency'' shall have the 
        meaning given such term in section 14101 of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965;
            (3) the term ``outlying areas'' means Guam, American Samoa, 
        the Virgin Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the 
        Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, and the 
        Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands;
            (4) the term ``school-age population'' means the population 
        in a geographic area aged 5 through 17;
            (5) the term ``State'' means each of the 50 States, the 
        District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, but does 
        not include the outlying areas or Indian tribes; and
            (6) the term ``State educational agency'' means the agency 
        in a State primarily responsible for the State supervision of 
        public elementary and secondary schools.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act an 
amount equal to the amounts most recently appropriated to carry out the 
Goals 2000: Educate America Act and the National Skill Standards Act of 
1994 as of the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 8. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act shall take effect on the first day of the first fiscal 
year following the fiscal year in which this Act is enacted.

Summary: Parents and Teachers Know Best Act of 1997 - Repeals the Goals 2000:  Educate America Act and the National Skill Standards Act of 1994. 
Directs the Secretary of Education to make grants to requesting State educational agencies, which shall distribute grant funds to local educational agencies according to a specified formula, for:  (1) technology related to the implementation of school-based reform programs, including professional development to assist teachers to use such equipment and software; (2) acquisition and use of instructional and educational materials related to such reform programs; (3) education reform projects, including effective schools and magnet schools; (4) programs to improve the higher order thinking skills of disadvantaged elementary and secondary school students and to prevent students from dropping out of school; (5) literacy programs for student and adults, including parents; (6) gifted and talented programs; and (7) school improvement programs or specified activities under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. 
Authorizes appropriations.