Latest Action: 09/26/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9709-9710)

Bill Text
A bill to improve the calculation of, the reporting of, and the accountability for, secondary school graduation rates. 9/26/2008--Introduced. Every Student Counts Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require, beginning by the 2011-2012 school year, states, local educational agencies (LEAs), and secondary schools annually to include on the report cards required under title I of the Act: (1) their four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate; (2) their cumulative graduation rate; (3) the number of students graduating in more than four years with a regular secondary school diploma; (4) the number of students who have been removed from the adjusted cohort; (5) the percentage of students from an adjusted cohort who remain in secondary school after four years; and (6) the percentage of secondary school students in each grade, except the graduating grade, prepared to advance to the next grade. Requires such data, except for data on students who remain [...]

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Latest Action: 09/26/2008 - Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Bill Text
To amend title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 in order to authorize the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to eligible entities to recruit, select, train, and support Expanded Learning and After-School Fellows that will strengthen expanded learning initiatives, 21st century community learning center programs, and after-school programs, and for other purposes. 9/26/2008--Introduced. Teaching Fellows for Expanded Learning and After-School Act of 2008 or the T-FELAS Act - Amends title IV (21st Century Schools) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to create an Expanded Learning and After-School Fellows program under which the Secretary of Education shall award competitive three-year grants to partnerships between local educational agencies and community organizations, institutions of higher education, community learning centers or other entities to recruit, select, train, and support exemplary recent college graduates [...]

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Latest Action: 09/25/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Bill Text
A bill to establish the Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones Fire Suppression Demonstration Incentive Program within the Department of Education to promote installation of fire sprinkler systems, or other fire suppression or prevention technologies, in qualified student housing and dormitories, and for other purposes. 9/25/2008--Introduced. Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones College Fire Prevention Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to make competitive demonstration grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs), fraternities, and sororities for up to half the cost of installing fire sprinkler systems, or other fire suppression or prevention technologies, in student housing and dormitories owned or controlled by such entities. Gives grant priority to applicants that demonstrate the greatest financial need. Reserves the following portions of grant funds made available for each fiscal year: (1) at least 10% for historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving [...]

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Latest Action: 07/29/2008 - Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the c

Bill Text
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to reform various programs and activities carried out under that Act. 7/29/2008--Introduced. Improving No Child Left Behind for All Students Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (the Act) to revise programs created or amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Allows states to revise their academic content and achievement standards so they are vertically aligned from grade to grade and with what students should know to be successful in postsecondary education and the workplace. Permits states to: (1) incorporate student academic growth into calculations of adequate yearly progress (AYP); (2) determine AYP for limited English proficient (LEP) students by excluding new arrivals and including former LEP students; and (3) use alternate academic achievement standards for disabled students. Requires local educational agencies' (LEAs) student achievement improvement plans [...]

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Latest Action: 07/24/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7289-7290)

Bill Text
A bill to authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to local education agencies to improve college access. 7/24/2008--Introduced. Pathways to College Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive five-year grants to local educational agencies that serve mostly high-need secondary schools for programs to increase the number of students from low-income families who attend college. Defines "high-need secondary schools" as those where at least one-half of the students are from low-income families.Requires grantees to use such funds to: (1) train teachers and counselors to provide students with advice concerning postsecondary education; (2) ensure that each student receives postsecondary information and planning assistance before the end of their first semester of secondary school; (3) inform students and parents regarding the benefits, expenses, and financing of higher education; and (4) ensure that their schools develop comprehensive,[...]

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Latest Action: 02/05/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Bill Text
To amend part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve elementary and secondary education. 12/6/2007--Introduced. Improving Student Testing Act of 2007 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to allow states to use academic indicators other than statewide standardized assessments in determining whether schools need improvement, corrective action, or restructuring. (Currently, such indicators may not be used to reduce the number of schools requiring such interventions.) Permits states to use growth or hybrid growth and status models in determining whether students are making adequate progress toward state standards. Requires growth models and the growth portion of hybrid models to: (1) use statewide education data systems capable of tracking individual student growth; and (2) assess students annually in grades 3 through 8, and once in grades 9 through 12. Allows states to alter their current assessment [...]

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Latest Action: 10/17/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S12990-12991)

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve standards for physical education. 10/17/2007--Introduced. Fitness Integrated with Teaching Kids Act or the FIT Kids Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require annual state and local educational agency report cards to include specified information on school health and physical education programs. Includes the promotion of healthy, active lifestyles by students within ESEA grant programs that support school counseling, smaller learning communities, community learning centers, and parental involvement in their childrens' education. Revises the professional development program for teachers and principals to include training for physical and health education teachers, and training on improving students' health habits and participation in physical activities. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to fund a study by the National Academy of [...]

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Latest Action: 10/17/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S13000)

Bill Text
A bill to provide for educational opportunities for all students in State public school systems, and for other purposes. 10/17/2007--Introduced. Student Bill of Rights - Directs the Secretary of Education to make annual determinations as to whether each state's public school system provides all its students with educational resources to succeed academically and in life. Requires such education to enable students to: (1) acquire knowledge and skills necessary for responsible citizenship; (2) meet challenging academic achievement standards; and (3) compete and succeed in a global economy. Requires each system to do so by: (1) providing specified fundamentals of educational opportunity to students at each public elementary and secondary school; (2) providing educational services in school districts that receive funds for disadvantaged students that are at least comparable to educational services provided in school districts not receiving such funds; and (3) complying with [...]

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Latest Action: 10/04/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Bill Text
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to foster community involvement, and for other purposes. 10/4/2007--Introduced. Working to Encourage Community Action and Responsibility in Education Act or the WE CARE Act - Amends title I (Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require states and local educational agencies (LEAs) to assess the nonacademic factors affecting student academic performance and work with other public, private, nonprofit, and community-based entities to address those factors. Requires the annual report cards issued by states and LEAs to include additional performance data, including information on their efforts to increase community and parental involvement in students' education. Establishes a new program requiring the Secretary of Education to award matching grants to LEAs for the development and implementation of community involvement policies [...]

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Latest Action: 10/04/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Bill Text
To award competitive grants to eligible partnerships to enable the partnerships to implement innovative strategies at the secondary school level to improve student achievement and prepare at-risk students for postsecondary education and the workforce. 10/4/2007--Introduced. Getting Retention and Diplomas Up Among Today's Enrolled Students Act or the GRADUATES Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to establish a Secondary School Innovation Fund program awarding competitive matching grants to partnerships, which must include at least one state or local educational agency, for the implementation of innovative strategies to improve the achievement of at-risk students in secondary schools. Permits partnerships to award subgrants to schools for the implementation of such strategies. Lists activities, one or more of which grantees or subgrantees must implement, that include: (1) creating multiple pathways that [...]

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Latest Action: 10/01/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Bill Text
A bill to amend title V of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to reduce class size through the use of highly qualified teachers, and for other purposes. 10/1/2007--Introduced. Facilitating Outstanding Classrooms Using Size reduction Act (FOCUS Act) - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to require the Secretary of Education to award formula grants to states for allocation to their local educational agencies (LEAs) to: (1) reduce class size, particularly in the early elementary grades, by using highly qualified teachers; and (2) create a continuum of small classes from kindergarten through third grade for all their students. Permits LEAs to use such funds to recruit highly qualified teachers, test new teachers, and provide professional development that enables teachers to teach effectively in their content areas. Requires 80% of an LEA's allocation to be based on its proportion of the state's low-income students, with the remainder [...]

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Latest Action: 10/17/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.

Bill Text
To conduct 1 or more higher education and career readiness demonstration projects for rural, low-income students.

9/25/2007--Introduced.

Rural Students College, Career, and Community Readiness Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Education to award grants to up to two nonprofit organizations to conduct higher education and career readiness demonstration projects.

Requires grantees to partner with rural local educational agencies and schools to enroll a cohort of seventh grade students and a cohort of ninth grade students into the demonstration projects, which are to provide such students with approximately 25 hours of informational and educational services in each grade through grade 12 that prepare them for higher education and a successful career.

Latest Action: 09/17/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11589-11592)

Bill Text
A bill to amend part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve elementary and secondary education. 9/17/2007--Introduced. Improving Student Testing Act of 2007 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to allow states to use academic indicators other than statewide standardized assessments in determining whether schools need improvement, corrective action, or restructuring. (Currently, such indicators may not be used to reduce the number of schools requiring such interventions.) Permits states to use growth or hybrid growth and status models in determining whether students are making adequate progress toward state standards. Requires growth models and the growth portion of hybrid models to: (1) use statewide education data systems capable of tracking individual student growth; and (2) assess students annually in grades 3 through 8, and once in grades 9 through 12. Allows states to alter their current assessment [...]

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Latest Action: 08/03/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Bill Text
A bill to provide for statewide longitudinal data systems to improve elementary and secondary education, and for other purposes. 8/3/2007--Introduced. Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive five-year matching grants to states to build or upgrade statewide pre- through high-school longitudinal data systems that include: (1) unique and consistent statewide student identifiers; (2) the ability to track student participation and performance over time; (3) unique and consistent statewide teacher identifiers that match student records to the appropriate teacher; and (4) the ability to link their data to data from higher education, workforce development, unemployment insurance, child welfare, juvenile justice, and military services information systems. Increases the state match required as a grant matures. Authorizes the Secretary to award matching grants to states to build the capacity of educators and policymakers, at the local educational agency [...]

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Latest Action: 08/03/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10908-10909, S10928-10929)

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes. 8/3/2007--Introduced. All Students Can Achieve Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to revise and augment programs created or amended under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Requires states to implement: (1) data systems capable of tracking individual student performance over time and linking such performance to teachers, programs, and services; and (2) highly effective teacher and principal rating systems based primarily on objective measures of student achievement. Allows states that meet these requirements to use a growth model in calculating students' adequate yearly progress (AYP) toward academic performance standards. Requires local educational agencies (LEAs) to: (1) provide professional development and support to teachers and principals not rated as highly effective; and (2) remove them if they fail to attain such rating over specified periods.[...]

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Latest Action: 09/19/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.

Bill Text
To establish a demonstration loan program for nontraditional students. 8/3/2007--Introduced. College Affordability for Working Students Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to carry out a Demonstration Loan program providing guaranteed and direct loans to less than half-time students for not more than six terms, semesters, or substantially equivalent periods of enrollment over the duration of the students' studies. Limits program participation to up to 100 institutions of higher education or consortia of IHEs. Requires program loans to be: (1) subject to deferral of repayment while the borrower is enrolled as a student, even if less than half-time; and (2) repaid pursuant to a repayment plan selected by the borrower that commences six months after the borrower's enrollment ends. Authorizes the Secretary to waive, for IHE participants, certain requirements limiting what may be included in the cost of attendance [...]

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Latest Action: 08/01/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S10610-10612)

Bill Text
A bill to award competitive grants to eligible partnerships to enable the partnerships to implement innovative strategies at the secondary school level to improve student achievement and prepare at-risk students for postsecondary education and the workforce. 8/1/2007--Introduced. Getting Retention and Diplomas Up Among Today's Enrolled Students Act or the GRADUATES Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to establish a Secondary School Innovation Fund program awarding competitive matching grants to partnerships, which must include at least one state or local educational agency, for the implementation of innovative strategies to improve the achievement of at-risk students in secondary schools. Permits partnerships to award subgrants to schools for the implementation of such strategies. Lists activities, one or more of which grantees or subgrantees must implement, that include: (1) creating multiple pathways [...]

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Latest Action: 09/19/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Bill Text
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide for the use of longitudinal data systems. 7/31/2007--Introduced. Measuring and Evaluating Trends for Reliability, Integrity, and Continued Success Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require each state receiving school improvement funds to implement, within four years of this Act's enactment, a pre- through high-school longitudinal data system that includes: (1) a unique and consistent statewide student identifier; (2) the ability to track student participation and performance over time; (3) a unique and consistent statewide teacher identifier that matches student records to the appropriate teacher; and (4) the ability to link its data to data from higher education, workforce development, unemployment insurance, child welfare, juvenile justice, and military services information systems. Allots funds to states to operate, upgrade, and optimize the use of their data systems.[...]

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Latest Action: 09/19/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Bill Text
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve standards for physical education. 7/31/2007--Introduced. Fitness Integrated with Teaching Kids Act or the FIT Kids Act - Requires state accountability systems, required under part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), to measure not only student academic progress, but their progress toward a national goal of 150 minutes of weekly physical education in elementary school and 225 minutes of weekly physical education in middle and high schools. Amends the ESEA to require annual state and local educational agency report cards to include specified information on school health and physical education programs. Includes the promotion of healthy, active lifestyles by students within ESEA grant programs that support school counseling, safe and drug-free schools and communities, smaller learning communities, community learning centers, parental involvement in their [...]

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Latest Action: 09/19/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Bill Text
To amend the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act to include bullying and harassment prevention programs.

7/23/2007--Introduced.

Safe Schools Improvement Act of 2007 - Amends the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act to require: (1) states to use grants for safe and drug-free schools to collect and report information on the incidence of bullying and harassment; and (2) local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools to use subgrants to prevent and respond to incidents of bullying and harassment.

Requires such LEAs or schools to: (1) notify parents and students annually of conduct prohibited in their school discipline policies, that now must include bullying and harassment; and (2) establish grievance procedures for students and parents to register complaints regarding such conduct.

Includes bullying and harassment within the the Act's definition of violence.