 CHAPTER 70--STRENGTHENING AND IMPROVEMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY 
                                 SCHOOLS
 
             SUBCHAPTER X--PROGRAMS OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE
 
              Part A--Fund for the Improvement of Education
 
Sec. 8001. Fund for the improvement of education


(a) Fund authorized

    From funds appropriated under subsection (d) of this section, the 
Secretary is authorized to support nationally significant programs and 
projects to improve the quality of education, assist all students to 
meet challenging State content standards and challenging State student 
performance standards, and contribute to achievement of the National 
Education Goals. The Secretary is authorized to carry out such programs 
and projects directly or through grants to, or contracts with, State and 
local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, and other 
public and private agencies, organizations, and institutions.

(b) Uses of funds

                           (1) In general

        Funds under this section may be used for--
            (A) activities that will promote systemic education reform 
        at the State and local levels, such as--
                (i) research and development related to challenging 
            State content and challenging State student performance 
            standards;
                (ii) the development and evaluation of model strategies 
            for--
                    (I) assessment of student learning;
                    (II) professional development for teachers and 
                administrators;
                    (III) parent and community involvement; and
                    (IV) other aspects of systemic reform;

                (iii) developing and evaluating strategies for 
            eliminating ability-grouping practices, and developing 
            policies and programs that place all students on a college-
            preparatory path of study, particularly in academic fields 
            such as mathematics, science, English, and social studies, 
            including comprehensive inservice programs for teachers and 
            pupil services personnel and academic enrichment programs 
            that supplement regular courses for students;
                (iv) developing and evaluating programs that directly 
            involve parents and family members in the academic progress 
            of their children;
                (v) developing and evaluating strategies for integrating 
            instruction and assessment such that teachers and 
            administrators can focus on what students should know and be 
            able to do at particular grade levels, which instruction 
            shall promote the synthesis of knowledge, encourage the 
            development of problem-solving skills drawing on a vast 
            range of disciplines, and promote the development of higher 
            order thinking by all students; and
                (vi) developing and evaluating strategies for supporting 
            professional development for teachers across all disciplines 
            and for pupil services personnel, guidance counselors, and 
            administrators, including inservice training that improves 
            the skills of pupil services personnel, counselors and 
            administrators for working with students from diverse 
            populations;

            (B) demonstrations at the State and local levels that are 
        designed to yield nationally significant results, including 
        approaches to public school choice and school-based 
        decisionmaking;
            (C) joint activities with other agencies to assist the 
        effort to achieve the National Education Goals, including 
        activities related to improving the transition from preschool to 
        school and from school to work, as well as activities related to 
        the integration of education and health and social services;
            (D) activities to promote and evaluate counseling and 
        mentoring for students, including intergenerational mentoring;
            (E) activities to promote and evaluate coordinated pupil 
        services programs;
            (F) activities to promote comprehensive health education;
            (G) activities to promote environmental education;
            (H) activities to promote consumer, economic, and personal 
        finance education, such as saving, investing, and 
        entrepreneurial education;
            (I) activities to promote programs to assist students to 
        demonstrate competence in foreign languages;
            (J) studies and evaluation of various education reform 
        strategies and innovations being pursued by the Federal 
        Government, States, and local educational agencies;
            (K) activities to promote metric education;
            (L) the identification and recognition of exemplary schools 
        and programs, such as Blue Ribbon Schools;
            (M) programs designed to promote gender equity in education 
        by evaluating and eliminating gender bias in instruction and 
        educational materials, identifying, and analyzing gender 
        inequities in educational practices, and implementing and 
        evaluating educational policies and practices designed to 
        achieve gender equity;
            (N) programs designed to reduce excessive student mobility, 
        retain students who move within a school district at the same 
        school, educate parents about the effect of mobility on a 
        child's education and encourage parents to participate in school 
        activities;
            (O) experiential-based learning, such as service-learning;
            (P) the development and expansion of public-private 
        partnership programs which extend the learning experience, via 
        computers, beyond the classroom environment into student homes 
        through such programs as the Buddy System Computer Project;
            (Q) other programs and projects that meet the purposes of 
        this section;
            (R) activities to promote child abuse education and 
        prevention programs;
            (S) activities to raise standards and expectations for 
        academic achievement among all students, especially 
        disadvantaged students traditionally underserved in schools;
            (T) activities to provide the academic support, enrichment 
        and motivation to enable all students to reach such standards;
            (U) demonstrations relating to the planning and evaluations 
        of the effectiveness of projects under which local educational 
        agencies or schools contract with private management 
        organizations to reform a school or schools;
            (V) demonstrations that are designed to test whether 
        prenatal and counseling provided to pregnant students may have a 
        positive effect on pregnancy outcomes, with such education and 
        counseling emphasizing the importance of prenatal care, the 
        value of sound diet and nutrition habits, and the harmful 
        effects of smoking, alcohol, and substance abuse on fetal 
        development;
            (W) programs under section 8002 of this title;
            (X) programs under section 8003 of this title;
            (Y) programs under section 8004 of this title; and
            (Z) programs under section 8005 of this title; \1\
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    \1\ So in original. The semicolon probably should be a period.
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                         (2) Additional uses

        The Secretary may also use funds under this section to complete 
    the project periods for direct grants or contracts awarded under the 
    provisions of this Act, the Fund for the Improvement and Reform of 
    Schools and Teaching Act, or title III of the Education for Economic 
    Security Act [20 U.S.C. 3981 et seq.], as such Acts were in effect 
    on the day preceding October 20, 1994.

                          (3) Special rule

        The Secretary shall not make available more than $1,000,000 to 
    carry out paragraph (1)(R), nor more than $1,000,000 to carry out 
    paragraph (1)(V) during the period beginning on October 1, 1994, 
    through September 30, 1999.

(c) Awards

                           (1) In general

        The Secretary may--
            (A) make awards under this section on the basis of 
        competitions announced by the Secretary; and
            (B) support meritorious unsolicited proposals.

                          (2) Special rule

        The Secretary shall ensure that programs, projects, and 
    activities supported under this section are designed so that the 
    effectiveness of such programs, projects, and activities is readily 
    ascertainable.

                           (3) Peer review

        The Secretary shall use a peer review process in reviewing 
    applications for assistance under this section and may use funds 
    appropriated under subsection (d) of this section for the cost of 
    such peer review.

(d) Authorization

    For the purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized 
to be appropriated $50,000,000 for fiscal year 1995 and such sums as may 
be necessary for each of the four succeeding fiscal years.

(Pub. L. 89-10, title X, Sec. 10101, as added Pub. L. 103-382, title I, 
Sec. 101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3809; amended Pub. L. 104-134, title 
I, Sec. 101(d) [title VII, Sec. 703(b)(4)], Apr. 26, 1996, 110 Stat. 
1321-211, 1321-255; renumbered title I, Pub. L. 104-140, Sec. 1(a), May 
2, 1996, 110 Stat. 1327.)

                       References in Text

    This Act, as in effect on the day preceding October 20, 1994, 
referred to in subsec. (b)(2), is Pub. L. 89-10, as added by Pub. L. 
100-297, title I, Sec. 1001, Apr. 28, 1988, 102 Stat. 140, as amended, 
known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, which was 
classified generally to chapter 47 (Sec. 2701 et seq.) of this title 
prior to the general amendment of that Act by Pub. L. 103-382, title I, 
Sec. 101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3519.
    The Fund for the Improvement and Reform of Schools and Teaching Act, 
as in effect on the day preceding October 20, 1994, referred to in 
subsec. (b)(2), is part B (Secs. 3201-3243) of title III of Pub. L. 100-
297, Apr. 28, 1988, 102 Stat. 338, which was classified generally to 
chapter 60 (Sec. 4801 et seq.) of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 
103-382, title III, Sec. 365, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3975.
    The Education for Economic Security Act, referred to in subsec. 
(b)(2), is Pub. L. 98-377, Aug. 11, 1984, 98 Stat. 1267, as amended. 
Title III of the Act, as in effect on the day preceding October 20, 
1994, is classified generally to subchapter III (Sec. 3981 et seq.) of 
chapter 52 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the 
Code, see Short Title note set out under section 3901 of this title and 
Tables.


                               Amendments

    1996--Subsec. (b)(1)(A)(i). Pub. L. 104-134 struck out ``and 
opportunity-to-learn standards or strategies for student learning'' 
after ``student performance standards''.
