Sec. 4. Grant program to increase the number of school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, and other psychologists qualified to work in schools employed by low-income local educational agencies
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The Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible partnerships to conduct demonstration research projects to increase the number of and effectiveness of school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, and other qualified psychologists served by low-income local educational agencies by carrying out any of the activities described in subsection (g). A grant awarded under this section shall be for a 5-year period and may be renewed for additional 5-year periods upon a showing of adequate progress, as the Secretary determines appropriate.
To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an eligible graduate institution, on behalf of an eligible partnership, shall submit a grant application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including— an assessment of the existing ratios of school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, and other qualified psychologists to students enrolled in schools in each low-income local educational agency that is part of the eligible partnership; and a detailed description of— a plan to carry out a pipeline program to train, place, and retain school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, or other qualified psychologists, or any combination thereof, as applicable, in low-income local educational agencies; and the proposed allocation and use of grant funds to carry out activities described in subsection (g).
The Secretary shall establish a peer review panel to evaluate applications for grants submitted under subsection
(c)and make recommendations to the Secretary regarding such applications. In making its recommendations, the peer review panel shall take into account the purpose of this Act and the application requirements under subsection
(c), including the quality of the proposed pipeline program. The Secretary may award grants under this section only to eligible partnerships whose applications receive a recommendation from the peer review panel. The members of panel established under this section shall be school mental health professionals and administrators selected by the Secretary. From among the applications receiving a recommendation by the peer review panel, the Secretary shall— award the first 5 grants to eligible partnerships from 5 different States; to the extent practicable, distribute grants equitably among eligible partnerships that propose to train graduate students in each of the professions of school counseling, school social work, or school psychology, or as other qualified psychologists; and to the extent practicable, equitably distribute the grants among eligible partnerships that include an urban low-income local educational agency and eligible partnerships that include a rural low-income local educational agency, with, at a minimum, a percentage of the funds, equal to the percentage of low-income children in the United States who are served by rural local educational agencies (based on the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates of the Bureau of Census, for the most recent year such information is available), awarded to eligible partnerships that include a rural low-income local educational agency. The Secretary shall give priority to eligible partnerships that— propose to use the grant funds to carry out the activities described under paragraphs
(1)through
(3)of subsection
(g)in schools that have higher numbers or percentages of low-income students and students not meeting the proficient level of achievement (as described by section 1111 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311)) in comparison to other schools that are served by the low-income local educational agency that is part of the eligible partnership; include a low-income local educational agency that has fewer school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, and other qualified psychologists per student than other eligible partnerships; include one or more eligible graduate institutions that offer graduate programs in the greatest number of the following areas: school counseling; school social work; school psychology; and programs that train graduate students as other qualified psychologists; and propose to collaborate with other institutions of higher education with similar programs, including sharing facilities, faculty members, and administrative costs. Grant funds awarded under this section shall be used— to pay the administrative costs (including supplies, office and classroom space, supervision, mentoring, and stipends as necessary and appropriate) related to— having graduate students of school counseling, school social work, school psychology, and programs that train graduate students as other qualified psychologists placed in schools served by participating low-income local educational agencies to complete required field work, credit hours, internships, or related training as applicable for the degree, license, or credential program of each such student; and offering required graduate course work for graduate students of school counseling, school social work, and school psychology, and programs that train graduate students as other qualified psychologists on the site of a participating low-income local educational agency or its schools; for not more than the first 3 years after participating graduates receive a masters or other graduate degree or obtain a State license or credential in school counseling, school social work, school psychology or as other qualified psychologists, to hire and pay all or part of the salaries of such participating graduates to work as school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, and other qualified psychologists in schools served by participating low-income local educational agencies; to increase the number of school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, and other qualified psychologists per student in schools served by participating low-income local educational agencies to work towards the student support personnel target ratios; to recruit, hire, and retain culturally or linguistically under-represented graduate students in school counseling, school social work, or school psychology, or from programs that train graduate students as other qualified psychologists for placement in schools served by participating low-income educational agencies; to recruit, hire, and pay faculty as necessary to increase the capacity of a participating eligible graduate institution— to train graduate students in the fields of school counseling, school social work, and school psychology; and to increase the capacity of programs that train graduate students as other qualified psychologists; to develop coursework that will— encourage a commitment by graduate students in school counseling, school social work, or school psychology, or programs that train graduate students as other qualified psychologists to work for low-income local educational agencies; give participating graduates the knowledge and skill sets necessary to meet the needs of— students and families served by low-income local educational agencies; and teachers, administrators, and other staff who work for low-income local educational agencies; enable participating graduates to meet the unique needs of students at risk of negative educational outcomes, including students who— are English language learners; have a parent or caregiver who is a migrant worker; have a parent or caregiver who is a member of the Armed Forces or National Guard who has been deployed or returned from deployment; are homeless, including unaccompanied youth; have come into contact with the juvenile justice system or adult criminal justice system, including students currently or previously held in juvenile detention facilities or adult jails and students currently or previously held in juvenile correctional facilities or adult prisons; have been identified as eligible for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ( 20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq. ) or the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.); have been a victim to or witnessed domestic violence or violence in their community; and are foster care youth, youth aging out of foster care, or former foster youth; and utilize, subject to approval by the Secretary— peer-reviewed best practices and best evidence from the fields of school counseling, school social work, and school psychology; or other best practices that have been published through a peer review process; to provide tuition credits to graduate students participating in the program; for student loan forgiveness for participating graduates who are employed as school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, or other qualified psychologists by participating low-income local educational agencies for a minimum of 5 consecutive years; and for similar activities to fulfill the purpose of this Act, as the Secretary determines appropriate. Funds made available under this section shall be used to supplement, not supplant, other Federal, State, or local funds for the activities described in subsection (g). Each eligible partnership that receives a grant under this section shall submit an annual report to the Secretary on the progress of such partnership in carrying out the purpose of this Act. Such report shall include a description of— actual service delivery provided through grant funds, including— characteristics of each participating eligible graduate institution, including descriptive information on the model used and actual program performance; characteristics of graduate students participating in the program, including performance on any tests required by the State educational agency for credentialing or licensing, demographic characteristics, and graduate student retention rates; characteristics of students of the participating low-income local educational agency, such as performance on any tests required by the State educational agency, demographic characteristics, and promotion, persistence, and graduation rates, as appropriate; an estimate of the annual implementation costs of the program; and the numbers of students, schools, and graduate students participating in the program; outcomes that are consistent with the purpose of the grant program, including— internship and post-graduation placement; graduation and professional career readiness indicators; and characteristics of the participating low-income local educational agency, including changes in hiring and retention of highly qualified teachers and school counselors, school psychologists, school social workers, and other qualified psychologists; the instruction, materials, and activities being funded under the grant program; and the effectiveness of any training and ongoing professional development provided— to students and faculty in the appropriate departments or schools of the participating eligible graduate institution; to the faculty, administration, and staff of the participating low-income local educational agency; and to the broader community of providers of social, emotional, behavioral, and related support to students and to those who train such providers. The Secretary may conduct interim evaluations to determine whether each eligible partnership receiving a grant is making adequate progress as the Secretary considers appropriate. The contents of the annual report submitted to the Secretary under subsection
(i)may be used by the Secretary to determine whether an eligible partnership receiving a grant is demonstrating adequate progress. The Secretary shall conduct a final evaluation to— determine the effectiveness of the grant program in carrying out the purpose of this Act; and compare the relative effectiveness of each of the various activities described by subsection
(g)for which grant funds may be used. Not sooner than 5 years nor later than 6 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report containing the findings of the evaluation conducted under subsection (j)(2), and such recommendations as the Secretary considers appropriate. There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2014 through 2024. From the total amount appropriated to carry out this section each fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve not more than 3 percent of that appropriation for evaluations under subsection (j).
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Sec. 4
Grant program to increase the number of school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, and other psychologists qualified to work in schools employed by low-income local educational agencies
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