Sec. 5501. Voluntary public school choice

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Title V ( 20 U.S.C. 7201 et seq. ) is further amended by adding at the end the following: From funds made available to carry out this part, the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to enable the entities to establish or expand a program of public school choice (referred to in this part as a program ) in accordance with this part in order to increase student academic achievement and student growth by increasing the educational options available to students who are served by high-need local educational agencies. Grants awarded under subsection

(a)may be awarded for a period of 3 years and may be renewed for not more than an additional 2 years if the Secretary finds that the grantee is achieving the objectives of the grant. An eligible entity that receives a grant under this part shall use the grant funds to establish or expand inter- or intra-district public school choice programs for students attending the lowest-performing schools that enable those students to attend high-quality public elementary schools and secondary schools, including charter schools. An eligible entity that receives a grant under this part may use the grant funds for— planning or designing a program (for not more than 1 year); transportation services to and from high-quality schools for participating students; improving public school finance systems to allow school funding to follow students, including tuition transfer payments to high-quality public elementary schools or secondary schools to which students transfer under the program; capacity-enhancing activities that enable high-quality public elementary schools or secondary schools to accommodate transfer requests under the program; public education and recruitment campaigns to inform students attending the lowest-performing schools and their parents about the program and to facilitate their participation; and other costs reasonably necessary to implement the program, such as the development of lottery systems. An eligible entity that receives a grant under this part may not use the grant funds for school construction. The eligible entity may use not more than 5 percent of the funds made available through a grant under this part for any fiscal year for administrative expenses. An eligible entity that desires a grant under this part shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. An application submitted under subsection

(a)shall include a comprehensive plan that describes— the activities to be carried out; how the activities— will increase access to high-quality schools for students attending the lowest-performing schools; will increase the student academic achievement and student growth of students participating in the grant activities, including English learners and students with disabilities; and if applicable, will increase diversity within a school or local educational agency; how students will be selected to participate in grant activities, including the design and implementation of a lottery system if the program is oversubscribed, and how students and parents will be informed of their opportunity to participate; how the program will be coordinated with and leverage other related Federal and non-Federal funding and programs; how the applicant will continue to implement the plan after the period of the grant has expired; if the activities required under section 5505(a)(2) are to be carried out in partnership with a public or other nonprofit organization, a description of the organization’s experience, capacity, responsibilities, and how the eligible entity will monitor the public or other nonprofit organization’s effectiveness in carrying our such activities; and such other information as the Secretary may require. In selecting grantees under this part, the Secretary shall consider— the quality of the applicant’s comprehensive plan; the extent to which the applicant can demonstrate that its grant activities will increase student academic achievement and student growth for students participating in the grant activities, including English learners and students with disabilities; and the extent to which the applicant can demonstrate that its grant activities will ensure that parents and students are informed of the program, in a clear and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, in a language that the parents and students can understand, to increase the likelihood that parents will have their children participate in the grantee's program. In awarding grants under this part, the Secretary shall give priority to an eligible entity that proposes to— establish or expand an inter-district choice program that serves a large percentage of students from low-income families; and establish or expand a program that will increase diversity. In carrying out a program under this part, an eligible entity shall carry out the following: Develop the program with— the involvement of parents and other education stakeholders in the community to be served; and individuals who will carry out the program, including administrators, teachers, principals, and other staff. Develop and carry out the following activities, alone or in partnership with a public or other nonprofit organization that has a record of success in implementing such activities: Disseminating timely and accurate information about the program to parents of students attending the lowest-performing schools, in a clear and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, in a language that they can understand, including through the use of a variety of effective and innovative outreach approaches, such as by sending customized letters to each family about available programs. Providing education and training to parents of students attending the lowest-performing schools to enable the parents to use the information provided under subparagraph

(A)in their decisions about their children’s education. An eligible entity that receives a grant under this part shall select students to participate in a program on the basis of a lottery, if more students apply for admission to the program than can be accommodated. Student participation in a program funded under this part shall be voluntary. Each eligible entity awarded a grant under this part shall establish performance measures and targets that— are approved by the Secretary; are implemented for each program established or expanded with funds provided under this part; and at a minimum, track— the number of students participating; the participating students’ academic achievement and student growth; in the case of participating high school students, their graduation rates; the extent to which students in schools participating in the programs or schools funded under this part are being educated in diverse schools and classrooms; and any other measure required by the Secretary. Each eligible entity awarded a grant under this part shall annually report to the Secretary on its performance on the measures and targets established under paragraph (1), and shall provide that information both in the aggregate and disaggregated for each subgroup of students described in section 1111(a)(2)(B)(x). From the amount reserved for evaluation activities in accordance with section 9601(a), the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences, shall, in consultation with the relevant program office at the Department, evaluate the implementation and impact of the activities supported under this part, consistent with section 9601, including— how, and the extent to which, the programs promote educational equity and excellence; the characteristics of the students participating in the programs; and the effect of the programs on the academic achievement and student growth of students participating in the programs both in the aggregate and disaggregated for each subgroup of students described in section 1111(a)(2)(B)(x). In this part: The term charter school has the meaning given such term in section 5411. The term eligible entity means— 1 or more high-need local educational agencies applying with 1 or more other local educational agencies; or a State educational agency applying with 1 or more high-need local educational agencies. The term lowest-performing school means a public elementary school or secondary school that has been identified as a focus school under section 1116(c) or a priority school under section 1116(d). .

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20 USC 7201

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Sec. 5501

Voluntary public school choice

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