21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act

Bill: 112-hr-3490
Sponsor: Rep. Chandler, Ben [D-KY-6]
Introduced: 2011-11-18 in the House
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Air quality
Border security and unlawful immigration
Buy American requirements
Child health
Child safety and welfare
Congressional oversight
Criminal justice information and records
Disability and paralysis
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Educational facilities and institutions
Educational technology and distance education
Elementary and secondary education
Employment and training programs
Energy efficiency and conservation
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Foreign language and bilingual programs
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Indian social and development programs
Language arts
Minority education
Natural disasters
Noise pollution
Personnel records
Public contracts and procurement
School administration
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Vocational and technical education
Wages and earnings
Youth employment and child labor

Summary:
action_date: 2011-11-18
text: 
21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act - Requires the Secretary of Education to make grants to states for the modernization, renovation, or repair of public schools, including early learning facilities and charter schools, to make them safe, healthy, high-performing, and technologically up-to-date. 
 
Allocates grants among states in proportion to each state's share of school improvement funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. 
 
Reserves 2% of the grant funds for assistance to outlying areas and Indian schools. 
 
Reserves 5% of the grant funds for LEAs serving geographic areas with significant economic distress and those serving geographic areas recovering from a natural disaster.
 
Requires states to reallocate such grant funds to LEAs on the basis of each LEA's share of school improvement funds.
 
Allows LEAs to give priority to projects involving the abatement, removal, or interim control of asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, mold, mildew, lead-based hazards, or a proven carcinogen.
 
 Directs LEA grantees to use a percentage of their grant, rising in 10% increments from 50% in FY2012 to 100% in FY2017, for public school modernization, renovation, repairs, or construction that meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating standards, Energy Star standards, Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) criteria, Green Building Initiative environmental design and rating standards (Green Globes), or equivalent standards adopted by the entities that have jurisdiction over such LEAs.
 
Requires the Secretary to provide outreach and technical assistance to states and LEAs concerning the best practices in school modernization, renovation, repair, and construction. 
 
Requires the Department of Education to evaluate the effect this Act's projects have on student academic achievement.
 
Directs the Secretary to establish an Advisory Council on Green, High-Performing Schools to provide the Secretary with advice on the academic, health, energy, and environmental impact of such schools and assistance in facilitating their creation.
 
Requires the Secretary to work with grant recipients to promote appropriate opportunities for individuals enrolled in a YouthBuild, Job Corps, or community or junior college program to gain employment experience on projects funded under this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-03-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training.
action_date: 2012-03-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
action_date: 2011-11-18
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2011-11-18
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2011-11-18
text: Introduced in House