Title: AHEAD Act
Policy area: Housing and Community Development

Summary:
Affordable Housing for Educational Achievement Demonstration Act or the AHEAD Act
This bill requires the Department of Education and the Department of Housing and Community Development to jointly award competitive grants to specified partnerships for demonstration projects that (1) improve academic achievement and life outcomes for children from low-income families; and (2) either increase socioeconomic or racial diversity in one or more local educational agencies or create housing and educational stability for homeless children and youths, or both.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1949 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1949

To authorize demonstration projects to improve educational and housing 
                         outcomes for children.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 5, 2017

  Mrs. Murray introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
    referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize demonstration projects to improve educational and housing 
                         outcomes for children.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Affordable Housing for Educational 
Achievement Demonstration Act'' or the ``AHEAD Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are as follows:
            (1) To provide incentives for public housing agencies or 
        tribally designated housing entities, local educational 
        agencies, and community-based or social service organizations 
        to work together to improve educational and life outcomes for 
        students from low-income families, including students 
        experiencing homelessness and students at risk of experiencing 
        homelessness.
            (2) To reduce and prevent child, youth, and family 
        homelessness and increase housing and school stability.
            (3) To reduce socioeconomic and racial disparities in 
        academic, health, and quality of life outcomes by promoting 
        socioeconomic and racial diversity in neighborhoods, local 
        educational agencies, and schools.
            (4) To support and evaluate innovative ideas in the areas 
        of housing stability, socioeconomic and racial diversity, and 
        educational success in order to develop evidence-based 
        practices.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Early childhood education program.--The term ``early 
        childhood education program'' has the meaning given the term in 
        section 103 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1003).
            (2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a 
        partnership that--
                    (A) shall include--
                            (i) a public housing agency or tribally 
                        designated housing entity (which may be 
                        designated as the lead agency);
                            (ii) a local educational agency (which may 
                        be designated as the lead agency); and
                            (iii) a community-based or social service 
                        organization; and
                    (B) may include--
                            (i) a housing developer;
                            (ii) an early childhood education program;
                            (iii) a community development financial 
                        institution;
                            (iv) a program that provides shelter to 
                        unaccompanied youth who are homeless, which may 
                        include a program established or supported 
                        under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 
                        U.S.C. 5701 et seq.);
                            (v) a local transportation authority;
                            (vi) an institution of higher education, as 
                        described in section 101 of the Higher 
                        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001);
                            (vii) a child welfare agency;
                            (viii) a domestic violence organization;
                            (ix) an owner of a property with a project-
                        based rental assistance contract under section 
                        8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (2 
                        U.S.C. 1437f); and
                            (x) other community partners.
            (3) Homeless children and youths.--The term ``homeless 
        children and youths'' has the meaning given the term in section 
        725 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
        11434a).
            (4) Local collaborative applicant.--The term ``local 
        collaborative applicant'' means an entity described in section 
        401(3) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
        11360(3)) that serves the geographic area covered by an 
        eligible entity.
            (5) Local educational agency.--The term ``local educational 
        agency'' has the meaning given the term in section 8101 of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        7801).
            (6) Public housing agency.--The term ``public housing 
        agency'' has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the 
        United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a).
            (7) Secretaries.--The term ``Secretaries'' means the 
        Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
        Development.
            (8) Tribally designated housing entity.--The term 
        ``tribally designated housing entity'' has the meaning given 
        the term in section 4(22) of the Native American Housing 
        Assistance and Self Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 
        4103(22)).
            (9) Unaccompanied youth.--The term ``unaccompanied youth'' 
        has the meaning given the term in section 725 of the McKinney-
        Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a).

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.

    (a) In General.--From the funds authorized under section 9(a) and 
not reserved under section 9(b), the Secretaries, in consultation with 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall jointly award on a 
competitive basis--
            (1) a planning grant to not more than 30 eligible entities 
        to enable such eligible entities to prepare to conduct a 
        demonstration project as described in section 7(a); and
            (2) an implementation grant to not more than 18 eligible 
        entities (which may include eligible entities that received a 
        planning grant under paragraph (1)) to enable such eligible 
        entities to conduct a demonstration project as described in 
        section 7(b).
    (b) Duration of Grants.--
            (1) Planning grants.--A planning grant awarded under this 
        section shall be for a term of not more than 2 years.
            (2) Implementation grants.--An implementation grant awarded 
        under this section shall be for a term of not more than 5 
        years.
    (c) Ratable Reduction.--If the amount made available under section 
9(a) for a fiscal year is less than the amount authorized under such 
provision for such fiscal year, the Secretary shall ratably reduce the 
number of grants awarded under subsection (a).

SEC. 5. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) Planning Grant.--An eligible entity that desires a planning 
grant shall submit an application at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Secretaries may reasonably require. 
Such application shall include--
            (1) a comprehensive needs assessment, including information 
        about the number and percentage of homeless children and youths 
        enrolled in schools served by, and the socioeconomic and racial 
        demographics of, the local educational agency that is a partner 
        in the eligible entity;
            (2) a description of how the eligible entity will--
                    (A) conduct sufficient stakeholder outreach within 
                the community, including through public hearings, in 
                order to inform the development of the memorandum of 
                understanding described in subparagraph (B) and the 
                activities carried out through the demonstration 
                project described in subsection (b)(3)(B);
                    (B) develop the memorandum of understanding 
                described in section 7(a)(1);
            (3) a description of the goals of the demonstration 
        project, which shall include--
                    (A) improving academic achievement and life 
                outcomes for children from low-income families; and
                    (B) either increasing socioeconomic or racial 
                diversity in one or more local educational agencies, or 
                creating housing and educational stability for homeless 
                children and youths, or both such goals;
            (4) a description of the target population to be served 
        using grant funds, which may include homeless children and 
        youths, unaccompanied youths, or children or youths living in 
        subsidized housing;
            (5) an assurance that each local educational agency that is 
        a partner in the eligible entity will meet the applicable 
        requirements of paragraphs (3) and (6) of section 722(g) of the 
        McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(3) 
        and (6)); and
            (6) a description, including a timeline and a budget, of 
        how the eligible entity plans to spend planning grant funds 
        consistent with section 7(a).
    (b) Implementation Grant.--An eligible entity that desires an 
implementation grant to conduct a demonstration project shall submit an 
application at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretaries may reasonably require. Such application 
shall include--
            (1) a description of how the eligible entity used funds 
        under section 7(a), if such entity received a planning grant 
        under subsection (a);
            (2) a memorandum of understanding between all partners of 
        the eligible entity, which includes the information described 
        in section 7(a)(1);
            (3) a description of--
                    (A) the goals described in subsection (a)(3), 
                updated as necessary to reflect the results of the 
                planning period, if applicable;
                    (B) the activities the eligible entity plans to 
                conduct, in accordance with section 7(b);
                    (C) how the eligible entity conducted stakeholder 
                outreach that informed the demonstration project; and
                    (D) the outcomes that the eligible entity plans to 
                achieve, including how the eligible entity will collect 
                data in accordance with section 8;
            (4) a description, including a timeline and a budget, of 
        how the eligible entity plans to spend grant funds consistent 
        with section 7(b);
            (5) an assurance that the eligible entity will provide 
        State, local, or private matching funds in an amount equal to 
        not less than 10 percent of the amount of funds awarded under 
        the grant, which may be provided in cash or in kind, to support 
        the demonstration project;
            (6) a description of how the eligible entity will 
        coordinate services with those provided by--
                    (A) the State, the State Coordinator for the 
                Education of Homeless Children and Youths, local 
                educational agencies, and the local educational 
                agencies' homeless liaisons;
                    (B) the public and private child health and welfare 
                systems and Federal housing, early childhood, 
                education, juvenile justice, and child health and 
                welfare programs, such as--
                            (i) the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 
                        U.S.C. 5701 et seq.); and
                            (ii) programs authorized under the Head 
                        Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.), the Child 
                        Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 
                        (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.), and the Elementary 
                        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
                        6301 et seq.); and
                    (C) the local collaborative applicant; and
            (7) an assurance that the eligible entity will participate 
        in the evaluation described in section 8(a).

SEC. 6. SELECTION CRITERIA.

    (a) In General.--In selecting among applications to receive grants 
under this Act, the Secretaries shall take into account--
            (1) the potential of each eligible entity to plan and carry 
        out a demonstration project that meets the goals described in 
        section 5(a)(3);
            (2) the relative performance of the public housing agency 
        that is a partner in the eligible entity, as measured by the 
        Department of Housing and Urban Development Public Housing 
        Assessment System;
            (3) the capacity of the eligible entity to share relevant 
        data between partner agencies, as described in the memorandum 
        of understanding under section 7(a)(1);
            (4) the evidence-based practices the eligible entity plans 
        to adopt to promote housing and educational stability, if 
        applicable;
            (5) the degree to which the eligible entity has conducted 
        sufficient outreach within the community to be served by the 
        implementation grant; and
            (6) whether the local educational agency that is a partner 
        in the eligible entity is a local educational agency with an 
        urban-centric district locale code of 32, 33, 41, 42, or 43.
    (b) Special Rule for Implementation Grants.--In awarding 
implementation grants, the Secretaries shall provide an equal number of 
grants to eligible entities desiring to increase socioeconomic or 
racial diversity in one or more local education agencies as eligible 
entities desiring to create housing and educational stability for 
homeless children and youths.

SEC. 7. USES OF FUNDS.

    (a) Planning Grants.--An eligible entity that receives a planning 
grant under section 4(a)(1) shall use the grant funds--
            (1) to develop a memorandum of understanding (which may be 
        an existing or amended memorandum of understanding) between all 
        partners of the eligible entity describing the demonstration 
        project that the eligible entity plans to conduct, including--
                    (A) the roles and responsibilities of each partner 
                agency;
                    (B) the intended outcomes of the demonstration 
                project;
                    (C) how each partner agency will share relevant 
                data, if applicable, consistent with the requirements 
                of section 444 of the General Education Provisions Act 
                (20 U.S.C. 1232g) (commonly referred to as the ``Family 
                Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974''); and
                    (D) a timeline for the demonstration project;
            (2) to conduct planning, collaboration activities, 
        stakeholder and community outreach, public hearings, and 
        listening sessions, including engagement with the community, 
        parents, teachers, and students;
            (3) to increase the capacity of the eligible entity to 
        share relevant data; and
            (4) to investigate innovative approaches to meeting the 
        goals under section 5(a)(3).
    (b) Implementation Grants.--An eligible entity that receives an 
implementation grant under section 4(a)(2) shall use the grant funds to 
implement a demonstration project that meets the goals identified in 
section 5(a)(3), which shall include for one or more of the following 
activities:
            (1) To provide housing assistance that facilitates 
        homeownership or affordable rental, including downpayment 
        assistance, limited-English proficiency support, or rental 
        vouchers or subsidies.
            (2) To assist families in addressing housing needs, such as 
        through housing counselors or client advocates.
            (3) To increase educational support for children living in 
        public or subsidized housing, emergency shelters, transitional 
        housing, motels, or other living arrangements described in 
        section 725(2)(B) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 11434a(2)(B)).
            (4) To conduct outreach and collaborate with local entities 
        that provide educational and housing supports for unaccompanied 
        youths who are homeless, including entities funded by the 
        Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5701 et seq.).
            (5) To improve access to high-quality early childhood 
        education programs for homeless children or children living in 
        subsidized housing.
            (6) To provide community-based services for low-income 
        children and their families, which may include case management, 
        health, mental health, employment, or other social services 
        provided through a local Continuum of Care program described 
        under subtitle C of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless 
        Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11381 et seq.), as applicable.
            (7) To increase higher education, job training, workforce, 
        adult education, parenting, family engagement, and employment 
        supports for families living in subsidized housing, emergency 
        shelters, or transitional housing.
            (8) To provide professional development activities for 
        staff and administrators, including training on best practices 
        to promote and support socioeconomically and racially diverse 
        classrooms.
            (9) To promote housing stability for youth who leave foster 
        care after the age of 18 or who have left foster care after the 
        age of 16 to adoption or guardianship, which may include 
        intensive case management or coordination with the family 
        unification program described in section 8(x) of the United 
        States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(x)).
            (10) To support programs that focus on building self-
        sufficiency skills, permanent connections, and social and 
        emotional well-being for youth at risk of homelessness.
            (11) To implement strategies to increase socioeconomic or 
        racial diversity in early childhood education programs or 
        public elementary schools or secondary schools.

SEC. 8. EVALUATIONS AND REPORTS.

    (a) Evaluations.--The Secretaries shall conduct a rigorous 
evaluation of each implementation grant awarded under section 4 and 
report the findings of each such evaluation to Congress. Such an 
evaluation shall examine the results of the demonstration project on 
the following outcomes for children:
            (1) Academic achievement or school readiness.
            (2) Housing and educational stability.
            (3) Socioeconomic or racial diversity.
            (4) Other measures of child well-being and neighborhood 
        opportunity, as determined by the Secretaries.
    (b) Reports.--Each eligible entity receiving an implementation 
grant under section 4 shall submit to the Secretaries a report 
detailing the effects of the demonstration project on the outcomes 
described in subsection (a). Such reports shall be submitted--
            (1) at the end of the third year of the 5-year grant 
        period; and
            (2) at the end of such grant period.

SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
$150,000,000 for fiscal year 2018 and such sums as may be necessary for 
each of fiscal years 2019 through 2024 in order to carry out this Act.
    (b) Technical Assistance and Evaluation.--From the amount 
appropriated to carry out this Act for any fiscal year, the Secretaries 
may reserve not more than 5 percent of funds to provide technical 
assistance, conduct an evaluation of a demonstration project under 
section 8(a), and disseminate best practices.
                                 <all>