 
 CHAPTER 70--STRENGTHENING AND IMPROVEMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY 
                                 SCHOOLS
 
    SUBCHAPTER I--HELPING DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN MEET HIGH STANDARDS
 
Part D--Prevention and Intervention Programs for Children and Youth Who 
          Are Neglected, Delinquent, or at Risk of Dropping Out
 
Sec. 6421. Findings; purpose; program authorized


(a) Findings

    Congress finds the following:
        (1) A large percentage of youth in the juvenile justice system 
    have poor academic achievement, are a year or more behind grade 
    level, and have dropped out of school.
        (2) There is a strong correlation between academic failure and 
    involvement in delinquent activities.
        (3) Preventing students from dropping out of local schools and 
    addressing the educational needs of delinquent youth can help reduce 
    the dropout rate and involvement in delinquent activities at the 
    same time.
        (4) Many schools and correctional facilities fail to communicate 
    regarding a youth's academic needs and students often return to 
    their home school ill-prepared to meet current curriculum 
    requirements.
        (5) Schools are often reluctant to deal with youth returning 
    from facilities and receive no funds to deal with the unique 
    educational and other needs of such youth.
        (6) A continuing need exists for activities and programs to 
    reduce the incidence of youth dropping out of school.
        (7) Federal dropout prevention programs have demonstrated 
    effectiveness in keeping children and youth in school.
        (8) Pregnant and parenting teens are a high at-risk group for 
    dropping out of school and should be targeted by dropout prevention 
    programs.
        (9) Such youth need a strong dropout prevention program which 
    provides such youth with high level skills and which provides 
    supports to youth returning from correctional facilities in order to 
    keep such youth in school.

(b) Purpose

    It is the purpose of this part--
        (1) to improve educational services to children in local and 
    State institutions for neglected or delinquent children and youth so 
    that such children and youth have the opportunity to meet the same 
    challenging State content standards and challenging State student 
    performance standards that all children in the State will be 
    expected to meet;
        (2) to provide such children and youth the services needed to 
    make a successful transition from institutionalization to further 
    schooling or employment; and
        (3) to prevent at-risk youth from dropping out of school and to 
    provide dropouts and youth returning from institutions with a 
    support system to ensure their continued education.

(c) Program authorized

    In order to carry out the purpose of this part the Secretary shall 
make grants to State educational agencies to enable such agencies to 
award subgrants to State agencies and local educational agencies to 
establish or improve programs of education for neglected or delinquent 
children and youth at risk of dropping out of school before graduation.

(Pub. L. 89-10, title I, Sec. 1401, as added Pub. L. 103-382, title I, 
Sec. 101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3591.)
