zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
Makes the amount payable for programs of education at nonpublic institutions of higher education pursued by individuals enrolled in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) post-9/11 educational assistance program (post-9/11 program) during the period beginning on August 1, 2011, and ending on December 31, 2014, the lesser of: (1) the established charges for that program; (2) the established charges payable under a VA maximum payments table published on October 27, 2010; or (3) the amount for the previous academic year, increased by the authorized annual percentage increase. Modifies guaranteed home loan fees for certain veterans.

Date: 2011-04-06
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Literacy Education for All, Results for the Nation Act or LEARN Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants to states for comprehensive planning to improve the literacy of children from birth through grade 12. Directs the Secretary to award grants to states to implement their comprehensive literacy plans for such children through: (1) competitive subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or early childhood education programs to carry out certain high quality early literacy initiatives for children from birth through kindergarten entry; (2) competitive subgrants to LEAs for certain initiatives to improve the literacy of students in kindergarten through grade 12, provided such LEAs have jurisdiction over a significant number or percentage of underperforming schools or have a high number or percentage of underperforming or impoverished students; and (3) state activities that include providing technical assistance to subgrantees, coordinating literacy programs and resources throughout the state, disseminating information on promising literacy programs, and enhancing the credentials of literacy instructors. Gives subgrant priority to applicants serving a high number or percentage of impoverished children and, for those serving students from kindergarten through grade 12, a high number or percentage of students reading and writing below grade level. Requires the Secretary to: (1) contract with an independent organization for a five-year national evaluation of the implementation and effect of the literacy initiatives supported by this Act, and (2) provide technical assistance and information on literacy instruction to educational entities. Authorizes the Secretary to withhold this Act's funding from states and subgrantees, and states to withhold funding from subgrantees, whose initiatives are not making significant progress in improving student literacy.

Date: 2011-05-10
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Office of Rural Education Policy Act - Amends the Department of Education Organization Act to establish an Office of Rural Education Policy (Office) in the Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. Requires the Office to be headed by a Director who advises the Secretary of Education on the characteristics and needs of rural schools, and the effects current policies and proposed statutory, regulatory, administrative, and budgetary changes have on states and local educational agencies (LEAs) that serve such schools. Requires the Director to: (1) establish and maintain a clearinghouse for collecting and disseminating certain information on rural education; (2) identify innovative research and demonstration projects on topics of importance to rural schools; (3) coordinate rural education activities within the Department; (4) inform the Department of other federal agency activities related to rural education; (5) coordinate its activities with Indian schools and the Department of the Interior's responsibilities regarding such schools; (6) provide technical assistance and other support for rural education improvement efforts; and (7) produce an annual report, for Congress and the public, on the condition of rural education. Requires the Director to prepare regulatory impact analyses of the Secretary's proposed and final rules that may have a significant impact on states or LEAs that serve rural schools.

Date: 2011-05-11
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Starting Early Starting Right Act - Amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to authorize appropriations to carry out the Child Care and Development Block Grant program for FY2012-FY2016. Requires the state plan under the Act to certify that the state has in effect: (1) licensing requirements applicable to child care providers within the state that include one annual announced and one annual unannounced visit to each site at which the provider provides child care services, and (2) licensing or registration requirements pertaining to training. Requires the state plan to: (1) demonstrate the manner in which the state will meet the specific child care needs of low-income and working families and how it is implementing practices and procedures to help ensure that children receive continuous care from the same provider, (2) provide information demonstrating that the state is ensuring that payment rates for the provision of child care services for which assistance is provided are equal to or exceed the 75th percentile of the current market rate for all types of child care, and (3) describe efforts to address the need for child care for special populations. Increases from 4% to 15% the maximum amount of child care and development block grant funds that a state may use for specified activities designed to improve the quality of child care. Provides for minimum funding set-asides for: (1) extension of full-day care, and (2) high-quality care for infants and toddlers.

Date: 2011-06-08
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Families
Prepare All Kids Act of 2011 - Creates a part I (High Quality Prekindergarten Programs) under title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Implements such part by requiring the Secretary of Education to establish a Prekindergarten Incentive Fund from which matching grants shall be awarded to states and, through them, subgrants to qualified prekindergarten providers to establish, expand, or enhance voluntary high quality full-day prekindergarten programs serving children ages three through five. Directs state grantees to set aside: (1) at least 15% of their grant for quality early childhood development programs for children ages zero through three, and (2) at least 10% of their grant to extend the hours of early childhood programs to create extended day and year programs. Requires prekindergarten subgrantees to: (1) maintain a maximum class size of 20 children, with at least 1 prekindergarten teacher per classroom; and (2) ensure that the ratio of children to prekindergarten teachers and teacher aides does not exceed 10 to 1.

Date: 2011-06-08
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
English Learning and Innovation Act of 2011 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award renewable, competitive Innovation grants to states, local educational agencies (LEAs), and public charter schools or charter school management organizations to carry out activities that result in English learners becoming proficient in English so that they can access the knowledge needed to meet state college and career readiness standards. Includes among those activities: (1) improving instructional programs, including through the use of dual-language or bilingual education; (2) ensuring that English learners are taught by effective teachers at schools administered by effective principals; (3) increasing the ability of the families of English learners to engage in their child's education and development; and (4) expanding best practices to other schools or LEAs. Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive Capacity Building grants to states and LEAs that have experienced a significant increase in English learners for use in building their capacity to provide quality instruction to English learners and become competitive in applying for an Innovation grant. Directs the Secretary to establish indicators to measure the success of this Act's grant programs. Requires this Act's grantees to: (1) develop, and submit for the Secretary's approval, quantifiable benchmarks for evaluating their grant activities; and (2) provide the Secretary with an annual report on their progress toward those benchmarks.

Date: 2011-06-08
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Ready to Learn Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award competitive matching grants to states and, through them, subgrants to schools, child care entities, Head Start programs, or other community-based prekindergarten providers for high-quality full day voluntary prekindergarten programs that prepare four-year olds for school. Requires that such programs: (1) first serve children whose family income is no higher than 200% of the poverty level or who are limited English proficient; (2) ensure that, within two years of grant receipt, each classroom is taught by a teacher who has at least a baccalaureate degree in early childhood education or such a degree and specialized training in early childhood development; (3) use curricula that are aligned with state early learning standards; and (4) have teacher-child ratios of no more than 1 to 10 and group sizes of no more than 20.

Date: 2011-06-09
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Reengaging Americans in Serious Education by Uniting Programs Act - Directs the Secretary of Labor to award competitive, renewable, five-year grants to eligible partnerships to assist them in providing disconnected youth with the support needed to: (1) attain a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent; (2) attain a postsecondary credential, including those offered by institutions of higher education, industry groups, or registered apprenticeship programs; and (3) secure and succeed in a family-supporting career. Requires each eligible partnership to include: (1) the head of the local government assisted by the grant; (2) a local workforce system serving the community; (3) representatives from certain state and local service agencies; (4) a representative from an institution of higher education; (5) a representative of a community-based organization, from business or industry, and with expertise in labor management relations; and (6) disconnected youth and their caregivers. Requires grantees to award subgrants and contracts to community-based organizations and other entities for the provision of a comprehensive array of coordinated services to disconnected youth that include workforce preparation, education support, and youth support services. Directs the Secretary to award planning grants to eligible partnerships to enable them to submit competitive applications for grants to support disconnected youth. Establishes an accountability system for measuring the performance of each grantee against specified interim, transitional, and long-term indicators of success. Directs the Secretary to: (1) award a grant or contract to an entity outside the Department of Labor for an evaluation of grant-assisted activities; (2) disseminate best practices that emerge from the partnership grant program; and (3) provide training, technical assistance, and professional development for organizations serving disconnected youth, including organizations that do not receive funding under this Act.

Date: 2011-06-27
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Tutoring for Students Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to require states to: (1) reserve 10% of the school improvement funds they receive under part A of title I of the ESEA; and (2) reallocate 97% of the reserved funds to local educational agencies (LEAs) to provide, or arrange for the provision of, high-quality academic tutoring to impoverished students. Requires states to determine which of their LEAs will participate in the program, but requires the inclusion of their lowest performing LEAs. Allocates the reserve funds among participating LEAs in proportion to their respective share of school improvement funds. Requires states to develop processes for selecting, evaluating, and, if necessary, removing providers of academic tutoring. Requires providers to have a record of increasing student academic achievement and a capacity to do so in a manner that is consistent with the applicable LEA's instructional program and state academic content and achievement standards. Removes providers that fail for two consecutive years to improve the academic proficiency of impoverished students. Requires states to maintain an updated list of approved providers, by school district, from which parents may choose. Requires providers of academic tutoring to keep parents and LEAs apprised of a student's progress, and employ tutors that meet state-determined qualifications. Directs the Secretary of Education to conduct a national evaluation to determine the value of such tutoring and document best practices.

Date: 2011-09-15
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
American Dream Accounts Act of 2012 - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to eligible entities so each can establish and administer American Dream Accounts for a group of at least 30 low-income public school students who, at the time the entities apply for a grant, are attending a grade no higher than ninth grade. Lists as eligible entities: (1) state educational agencies, (2) local educational agencies, (3) charter schools, (4) institutions of higher education (IHEs), (5) nonprofit organizations, (6) entities experienced in educational savings or assisting low-income students attain higher education, and (7) consortia of two or more of these entities. Describes an American Dream Account as a personal online account for low-income students that monitors their progress toward higher education and includes a college savings account that provides some tax-preferred accumulation. Requires American Dream Accounts to provide students with opportunities, either online or in person, to: (1) attain financial literacy; (2) learn about preparing for enrollment in an IHE; and (3) identify their skills or interests, including career interests. Requires grantees, subject to federal privacy laws and regulations, to allow vested stakeholders to have secure Internet access to an American Dream Account, but not the college savings account portion of that Account. Prohibits grantees from using their grant to provide the initial deposit into the college savings account portion of a student's American Dream Account. Prohibits the funds in those college savings accounts from being considered in making federal student financial aid determinations.

Date: 2012-03-15
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Fiscal Fairness Act - Amends part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to condition local educational agency (LEA) receipt of school improvement funds on: (1) an average state and local spending per pupil in each school receiving school improvement funds of at least 97% of such spending per pupil across all of the LEA's schools that are not receiving such funds; and (2) an average state and local spending per pupil in each higher poverty school of at least 97% of such spending per pupil across all lower poverty schools, if the LEA is serving all of its schools under part A.

Allows LEAs to meet such requirement across all schools or among schools serving a particular grade span if they compare schools within no more than three grade spans.

Directs the Inspector General of the Department of Education, in the fourth and fifth years after this Act's enactment, to audit 5 states and 10 LEAs to determine their progress in meeting these requirements.

Requires annual LEA report cards to include certain information on state and local spending per pupil in schools.

Requires states to provide the public with annual up-to-date school-by-school listings of per-pupil state and local spending.

Date: 2013-01-23
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Strengthen and Unite Communities with Civics Education and English Development Act of 2013 - Amends the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (the Act) to allow state leadership activities grants to be used to provide technical assistance to faith and community-based organizations desiring grants under the Act.

Directs the National Institute for Literacy to: (1) disseminate information regarding integrated English literacy, U.S. history, and civics education programs; and (2) study the effectiveness of distance learning or self-study programs for English language learners. Makes integrated English literacy, U.S. history, and civics education programs eligible for assistance under the Secretary of Education's national leadership activities program.

Requires the Secretary to award grants to states for integrated English literacy, U.S. history, and civics education programs, with each state's grant amount tied to the size and growth of their recent immigrant population.

Amends the Act and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to replace references to individuals of limited English proficiency with references to English language learners.

Requires the Commissioner for Education Research of the National Center for Education Research to establish a national research and development center for adult education and literacy, or include adult education if a center for adult literacy has already been established.

Establishes the Presidential Award for Business Leadership in Promoting United States Citizenship to be awarded to companies and other organizations that make extraordinary efforts in assisting their employees and members to learn English and increase their understanding of U.S. history and civics.

Renames the Office of Citizenship within U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services of the Department of Homeland Security the Office of Citizenship and Immigrant Integration (the Office). Includes among its functions furthering the integration of immigrants into this country. Permits the Office to accept donations in support of its activities.

Authorizes the Chief of the Office to provide grants to states to: (1) form State New American Councils to develop and implement comprehensive immigrant introduction plans and disseminate information pertaining to effective English acquisition and civics education programs; and (2) award subgrants, through such Councils, to local governments to assist them in integrating immigrants into communities pursuant to such plans.

Establishes a New Citizens Award program authorizing the President to present a medal to up to 10 new citizens per year who make an outstanding contribution to this country.

Date: 2013-03-19
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to define a teacher who works in a Head Start program for at least 700 hours during a school year as an eligible educator for purposes of the tax deduction for educational supplies (books, computer equipment, and other equipment and supplementary materials used in the classroom).

Date: 2013-05-23
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Taxation
Promise Neighborhoods Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of Education to award competitive, matching Promise Neighborhood Partnership grants to nonprofit organizations that partner with a local educational agency (LEA) to implement a comprehensive continuum of supports and services that engage community partners in improving the academic achievement, health and social development, and college and career readiness of children who live in distressed neighborhoods with underperforming schools.

Directs the Secretary to award competitive, matching Promise School grants to LEAs that partner with nonprofit organizations, and Indian or charter schools that partner with nonprofit organizations or institutions of higher education, to implement school-centered strategies and integrated student supports that leverage community partnerships to improve student achievement and development in schools with high concentrations of low-income children.

Authorizes the Secretary to renew Promise Neighborhood Partnership grants and Promise School grants if the grantees demonstrate significant success in: (1) ensuring children's school readiness; (2) improving their academic outcomes; (3) increasing their college and career readiness; and (4) improving their health, mental health, and social and emotional well-being.

Requires this Act's grantees to evaluate their programs continuously and improve them based on data and outcomes.

Directs the Secretary to evaluate this Act's grant programs and disseminate research on best practices for improving the academic achievement of children living in our most distressed communities.

Authorizes the Secretary to award matching planning grants to entities eligible for this Act's other grants.

Date: 2013-05-23
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Providing Resources to Improve Dual Language Education Act of 2013 or the PRIDE Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award up to five grants to partnerships of local educational agencies (LEAs), early childhood education programs, and technical assistance providers for the implementation of dual language demonstration programs designed to enhance and assess the biliteracy and bilingualism skills of low-income minority and limited English proficient children from preschool through grade five.

Directs the Secretary to: (1) arrange for an entity that has dual language program experience to provide technical assistance to LEA grantees and evaluate the programs funded by this Act, and (2) disseminate information on model practices implemented under such programs that are appropriate for use by early childhood education providers to improve the school readiness of limited English proficient children.

Date: 2013-06-26
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Families Learning and Understanding English Together Act of 2013 - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to make grants to providers of family literacy services to improve the literacy and English skills of limited English proficient individuals who are parents or children in families where each parent is at least 16 years old and where at least one child is under age 8.

Directs the Secretary to reserve certain funds to: (1) make grants to, or enter contracts with, national organizations that have family literacy service expertise to provide grantees with technical assistance and training; and (2) evaluate and improve the family literacy grant program.

Requires grantees to meet specified outcome measures.

Date: 2013-06-26
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Literacy Education for All, Results for the Nation Act or the LEARN Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants to states to develop or improve a comprehensive plan to improve the literacy of children from birth through grade 12.

Directs the Secretary to award grants to states to implement their comprehensive literacy plans for such children through:

 competitive subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or early learning programs for specified activities that support early language and literacy development in children from birth through kindergarten entry; competitive subgrants to LEAs that have the highest numbers or percentages of disadvantaged students and students reading or writing below grade level for specified activities to improve the literacy of students in kindergarten through grade 12, including the provision of family literacy services; and additional state activities that include providing technical assistance to subgrantees, coordinating literacy programs and resources throughout the state, disseminating information on promising literacy programs, and enhancing the credentials of literacy instructors. Allots implementation grants to states on the basis of each state's share of disadvantaged students.

Requires the Secretary to: (1) perform a five-year national evaluation of the implementation and effect of the literacy initiatives supported by this Act, and (2) provide technical assistance and information on literacy instruction to educational entities.

Authorizes the Secretary to withhold this Act's funding from states and subgrantees, and states to withhold funding from subgrantees, whose initiatives are not making significant progress in improving student literacy.

Date: 2013-07-17
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Total Learning Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to full-service community schools or partnerships between local educational agencies and public or nonprofit social service providers or full-service community schools to implement innovative early learning curricula in preschool and elementary school programs in high-need communities for children from birth through age nine.

Defines "full-service community schools" as public schools which: (1) coordinate educational, developmental, family, health, and other comprehensive services through community-based organizations and public and private partnerships; and (2) provide students, families, and the community with access to such services.

Includes as grant-covered costs, those incurred for: (1) extended school hours and days; (2) staff development, compensation, and retention; (3) comprehensive child and family support services; and (4) other activities the Secretary deems appropriate to promote academic success for impoverished children.

Directs the Secretary to: (1) award funds to a public or nonprofit organization experienced in an innovative early learning curriculum to provide training and technical assistance to grantees on implementing that curriculum, and (2) disseminate information concerning the grant program to potential grant applicants.

Date: 2014-02-03
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
21st Century STEM for Underrepresented Students Act - Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to provide merit-reviewed, competitive grants for research on programming that engages underrepresented students in grades kindergarten through 8 in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in order to prepare these groups to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees or careers in STEM.

Requires such grants to be used toward research to advance the engagement of these students in STEM through providing before-school, after-school, out-of-school, or summer activities designed to encourage interest, engagement, and skills development of underrepresented students in STEM.

Requires the Director to give priority to applicants which, for the purpose of grant activity, include or partner with a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization that has extensive experience and expertise in increasing the participation of underrepresented students in STEM.

Date: 2014-03-06
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Science, technology, communications
Head Start Improvement Act of 2014 - Amends the Head Start Act to eliminate, beginning on the first fiscal year following this Act's enactment, the formula for allotting Head Start program funds to Head Start agencies.

 Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to allot block grants for prekindergarten programs to states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, the Republic of Palau, and each federally recognized Indian tribe on the basis of each jurisdiction's share of children aged five and younger who are from families with incomes below 130% of the poverty level.

Requires the Governor or other chief executive of each grantee to certify that all grant funds will be used to directly or indirectly provide comprehensive education and related services to low-income children and their families.

Requires grantees to: (1) award subgrants to prekindergarten providers of their choosing, (2) establish rules and standards for those subgrantees to follow, and (3) monitor compliance with those rules and standards.

Gives grantees full flexibility to use the grant funds to finance a prekindergarten education provider, service, or program, including to establish a portable voucher system.

Requires grantees to provide matching funds from nonfederal sources equal to 20% of their grant.

Date: 2014-04-10
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Women and Minorities in STEM Booster Act of 2014 - Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), acting through the Human Resources Directorate and not less than one research directorate of the NSF, to award competitive grants to eligible entities to enable them to carry out the activities specified below in order to increase the participation of women and underrepresented minorities in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Requires an eligible entity that receives a grant to use those grant funds to carry out the following activities designed to increase the participation of women and underrepresented minorities in STEM fields: (1) online workshops, (2) mentoring programs that partner STEM professionals with students, (3) internships for undergraduate and graduate students in STEM, and (4) conducting outreach programs providing elementary and secondary school students with opportunities to increase their exposure to STEM.

Date: 2014-06-10
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
English Learning and Innovation Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award renewable, competitive grants to states, local educational agencies (LEAs), and public charter schools or charter school management organizations to carry out activities that result in English learners becoming proficient in English so that they can access the knowledge needed to meet state academic content standards and be ready for postsecondary education and careers (innovation grants).

Includes among those activities: (1) improving instructional programs, including through the use of dual-language or bilingual education; (2) ensuring that English learners are taught by effective teachers at schools administered by effective principals; (3) increasing the ability of the families of English learners to engage in their child's education and development; and (4) expanding best practices to other schools or LEAs.

Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive capacity building grants to states and LEAs that have experienced a significant increase in English learners for use in building their capacity to provide quality instruction to English learners and their parents and become competitive in applying for an innovation grant.

Directs the Secretary to establish indicators to measure the success of this Act's grant programs.

Requires this Act's grantees to: (1) develop, and submit for the Secretary's approval, quantifiable benchmarks for evaluating their grant activities; and (2) provide the Secretary with an annual report on their progress toward those benchmarks.

Date: 2014-07-28
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Prepare All Kids Act of 2013 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require the Secretary of Education to establish a Prekindergarten Incentive Fund from which matching grants shall be awarded to states and, through them, subgrants to qualified prekindergarten providers to establish, expand, or enhance voluntary high quality full-day prekindergarten programs serving children ages three through five.

Directs state grantees to set aside: (1) at least 15% of their grant for quality early childhood development programs for children from birth through age three, and (2) at least 10% of their grant to extend the hours of early childhood development programs to create extended day and year programs.

Requires prekindergarten subgrantees to: (1) maintain a maximum class size of 20 children, with at least 1 prekindergarten teacher per classroom; and (2) ensure that the ratio of children to prekindergarten teachers and teacher aides does not exceed 10 to 1.

Prohibits the use of program funds for assessments of children in prekindergarten or early childhood development programs if: (1) the assessments are used to reward or sanction individual children, teachers, programs, or schools; or (2) a single assessment is used as the primary or sole method for assessing program effectiveness.

Date: 2013-03-07
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Financial Literacy for Students Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education of 1965 (ESEA) to authorize the Secretary of Education to award matching grants to states to: (1) integrate financial literacy education into each of their public elementary and secondary schools that are eligible for school improvement funds under title I of the ESEA, and (2) train their secondary school financial literacy or entrepreneurship teachers to teach financial literacy in core academic subjects.

Prohibits states from using over 20% of their grant funds to train those teachers, develop curricula, and evaluate the impact of financial literacy or personal finance education.

Date: 2013-04-25
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
English Learning and Innovation Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award renewable, competitive grants to states, local educational agencies (LEAs), and public charter schools or charter school management organizations to carry out activities that result in English learners becoming proficient in English so that they can access the knowledge needed to meet state academic content standards and be ready for postsecondary education and careers (innovation grants).

Includes among those activities: (1) improving instructional programs, including through the use of dual-language or bilingual education; (2) ensuring that English learners are taught by effective teachers at schools administered by effective principals; (3) increasing the ability of the families of English learners to engage in their child's education and development; and (4) expanding best practices to other schools or LEAs.

Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive capacity building grants to states and LEAs that have experienced a significant increase in English learners for use in building their capacity to provide quality instruction to English learners and their parents and become competitive in applying for an innovation grant.

Directs the Secretary to establish indicators to measure the success of this Act's grant programs.

Requires this Act's grantees to: (1) develop, and submit for the Secretary's approval, quantifiable benchmarks for evaluating their grant activities; and (2) provide the Secretary with an annual report on their progress toward those benchmarks.

Date: 2013-05-23
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Office of Rural Education Policy Act - Amends the Department of Education Organization Act to establish an Office of Rural Education Policy (Office) in the Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Requires the Office to be headed by a Director who advises the Secretary of Education on the characteristics and needs of rural schools, and the effects current policies and proposed statutory, regulatory, administrative, and budgetary changes have on states and local educational agencies (LEAs) that serve such schools.

Requires the Director to:

 establish and maintain a clearinghouse for collecting and disseminating certain information on rural education; identify innovative research and demonstration projects on topics of importance to rural schools; coordinate rural education activities within the Department; inform the Department of other federal agency activities related to rural education; coordinate its activities with Indian schools and the Department of the Interior's responsibilities regarding such schools; provide technical assistance and other support for rural education improvement efforts; and produce an annual report, for Congress and the public, on the condition of rural education. Requires the Director to prepare regulatory impact analyses of the Secretary's proposed and final rules that may have a significant impact on states or LEAs that serve rural schools.

Date: 2013-06-04
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Head Start Improvement Act of 2014 - Amends the Head Start Act to eliminate, beginning on the first fiscal year following this Act's enactment, the formula for allotting Head Start program funds to Head Start agencies.

 Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to allot block grants for prekindergarten programs to states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, the Republic of Palau, and each federally recognized Indian tribe on the basis of each jurisdiction's share of children aged five and younger who are from families with incomes below 130% of the poverty level.

Requires the Governor or other chief executive of each grantee to certify that all grant funds will be used to directly or indirectly provide comprehensive education and related services to low-income children and their families.

Requires grantees to: (1) award subgrants to prekindergarten providers of their choosing, (2) establish rules and standards for those subgrantees to follow, and (3) monitor compliance with those rules and standards.

Gives grantees full flexibility to use the grant funds to finance a prekindergarten education provider, service, or program, including to establish a portable voucher system.

Requires grantees to provide matching funds from nonfederal sources equal to 20% of their grant.

Date: 2014-03-12
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Supporting Early Learning Act

Directs the Secretary of Education to award competitive, matching Quality Pathways grants to states that demonstrate the greatest progress toward establishing a high-quality system of early learning that includes:

 state early learning standards; preservice and ongoing training for staff; the systematic review, rating, and monitoring of early learning programs for ameliorative purposes; parental involvement; health, disability, and family support services and referrals for participating children; an early learning data system; and a process for evaluating children's school readiness and ensuring their effective transition to the public school system. Requires the grant to be used to further such progress and move more disadvantaged children into higher quality programs. Permits grantees to apply to the Secretary to reserve up to 25% of their grant to expand disadvantaged children's access to the highest quality early learning programs offering full-day, full-year services.

Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive Development grants to states that were not awarded a Pathways grant, but commit to developing a high-quality system of early learning that includes the components listed above.

Directs the Secretary to establish indicators to measure state progress in meeting grant objectives, and states to establish Secretary-approved benchmarks for success that are based on those indicators.

Requires the Secretary to use certain reserved funds to: (1) establish a competitive grant demonstration program for Native American school readiness programs; (2) provide technical assistance to states to help them qualify for, apply for, and maintain this Act's grants; and (3) support the Institute of Education Sciences' research into, and evaluation of, this Act's grant-related activities.

Date: 2015-01-14
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Total Learning Act

Directs the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to full-service community schools or partnerships between local educational agencies and public or nonprofit social service providers or full-service community schools to implement innovative early learning curricula in preschool and elementary school programs in high-need communities for children from birth through age nine.

Defines "full-service community schools" as public schools which: (1) coordinate educational, developmental, family, health, and other comprehensive services through community-based organizations and public and private partnerships; and (2) provide students, families, and the community with access to such services.

Includes as grant-covered costs, those incurred for: (1) extended school hours and days; (2) staff development, compensation, and retention; (3) comprehensive child and family support services; and (4) other activities the Secretary deems appropriate to promote academic success for impoverished children.

Directs the Secretary to: (1) award funds to a public or nonprofit organization experienced in an innovative early learning curriculum to provide training and technical assistance to grantees on implementing that curriculum, and (2) disseminate information concerning the grant program to potential grant applicants.

Date: 2015-01-14
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Transition-to-Success Mentoring Act

Amends title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to reauthorize appropriations under part H (School Dropout Prevention).

Establishes a transition-to-success mentoring program under part H of the ESEA requiring the Secretary of Education to award grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or partnerships between LEAs and community-based nonprofit organizations to establish, expand, or provide technical support to school-based mentoring programs to assist at-risk students in transitioning from middle to high school.

Requires grantees to assign to each at-risk student in his or her middle school a success coach who:

 creates a plan of success for the student; enters into an agreement with the student's parents regarding their role in implementing such plan; meets with the student at least once a month to assess and assist the student's progress; meets at least once a month with the student and the student's parents, teachers, or counselors to evaluate the student's progress and revise or establish new goals for the next academic year; and serves as the student's advocate between the student's parents and teachers. Authorizes the use of grant funds to: (1) train success coaches, (2) cover the cost of any materials they use under the mentoring program, and (3) hire staff to perform or support program objectives.

Date: 2015-01-27
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Providing Resources Early for Kids Act of 2015 or the PRE-K Act

Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award matching grants to enhance or improve state-funded preschool programs to states that: (1) have curricula aligned with state early learning standards; (2) use nationally-established, or better, best practices for class size and teacher-to-student ratios; (3) require each teacher to have at least an associate degree in early childhood education or a related field; (4) require such programs to operate for at least a full academic year; and (5) have a plan for meeting the requirement, within five years of receiving such grant, that teachers have at least a baccalaureate degree in early childhood education or have such degree in a related field, but have also completed specialized training in early childhood education.

Directs the Secretary to establish a competitive process for awarding grants to other states that demonstrate that they will meet such requirements within two fiscal years.

Prohibits state grantees from reducing their preschool or child care expenditures.

Requires states to give priority, in using grant funds, to preschool programs in communities with high concentrations of impoverished children.

 Includes among grant uses: (1) increasing the qualifications of, and benefits provided to, teachers, teacher aides, and program directors; (2) decreasing class size and improving teacher-to-student ratios; (3) providing certain comprehensive services that support healthy child development; (4) extending program duration; (5) improving program monitoring and learning environments; and (6) providing classroom supplies or equipment.

Reserves funds for competitive grants to Indians for their preschool programs.

Date: 2015-01-28
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Diverse Teachers Recruitment Act of 2015

Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award competitive matching grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or nonprofits, educational service agencies, institutions of higher education, or states that enter into partnerships with such LEAs to: (1) recruit individuals from underrepresented groups as public elementary and secondary school teachers, and (2) provide training and retention incentives to public elementary and secondary school teachers.

Prohibits grants to applicants that do not serve schools that have difficulty recruiting, training, and retaining individuals from underrepresented groups as teachers.

Gives priority to applicants that serve the most high-need schools and those that serve schools with high concentrations of poor, minority, disabled, or limited English proficient students.

Requires the Secretary to evaluate the success of the grantees and compile a database of best practices for recruiting, training, and retaining individuals from underrepresented groups as public elementary and secondary school teachers.

Date: 2015-02-10
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
STEM Gateways Act

This bill directs the Department of Education to award competitive grants for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) elementary and secondary school programs that:

 encourage interest in the STEM fields; motivate engagement in the STEM fields by providing relevant hands-on learning opportunities; support classroom success in the STEM disciplines; support STEM workforce training and career preparation for secondary school students; or improve the access of secondary school students to STEM career and continuing education opportunities.

Date: 2015-02-10
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education
Amends part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to eliminate the current reservation of 1% of the school improvement funds for outlying areas and Indian education. Reserves .67% of the school improvement funds for Indian education, but raises that reservation to .75% beginning with the fiscal year the allocations to states equal or surpass FY2015 levels after subtracting .75% of those allocations for Indian education.

Establishes formulae for determining the minimum allotment to American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands of school improvement funds for: (1) basic grants to local educational agencies (LEAs), (2) concentration grants to LEAs, (3) targeted grants to LEAs, and (4) grants under the education finance incentive grant program.

Date: 2015-02-10
Topic: Education (Underprivileged)
Subject: Education