Sec. 5006. Accelerated learning
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Title V ( 20 U.S.C. 7201 et seq. ), as amended by section 5001, is further amended by inserting after part D, as added by section 5005, the following: This part may be cited as the . Accelerated Learning Act of 2015 The purposes of this part are— to raise student academic achievement through accelerated learning programs, including Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, and early college high schools that provide postsecondary-level instruction, examinations, or sequences of courses that are widely accepted for credit at institutions of higher education; to increase the number of students attending high-need schools who enroll and succeed in accelerated learning courses, accelerated learning examinations, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, and early college high school courses; to support efforts by States and local educational agencies to increase the availability of, and enrollment in, accelerated learning courses, pre-accelerated learning courses, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, and early college high school courses in high-need schools; and to provide high-quality professional development for teachers of accelerated learning courses, pre-accelerated learning courses, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, and early college high school courses in high-need schools.
From amounts appropriated under section 5508 for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall give priority to funding activities under section 5504 and shall distribute any remaining funds under section 5505. From amounts made available under section 5503 for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall award grants to State educational agencies having applications approved under this section to enable the State educational agencies to reimburse low-income students to cover part or all of the costs of accelerated learning examination fees, if the low-income students— are enrolled in accelerated learning courses; and plan to take accelerated learning examinations.
In determining the amount of the grant awarded to a State educational agency under this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall consider the number of children eligible to be counted under section 1124(c) in the State in relation to the number of such children so counted in all States. A State educational agency that is awarded a grant under this section shall make publicly available information regarding the availability of accelerated learning examination fee payments under this section, and shall disseminate such information to eligible high school students and parents, including through high school teachers and counselors.
Each State educational agency desiring to receive a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. At a minimum, each State educational agency application shall— describe the accelerated learning examination fees the State educational agency will pay on behalf of low-income students in the State from grant funds awarded under this section; provide an assurance that any grant funds awarded under this section will be used only to pay for accelerated learning examination fees; and contain such information as the Secretary may require to demonstrate that the State educational agency will ensure that a student is eligible for payments authorized under this section, including ensuring that the student is a low-income student.
The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as are necessary to carry out this section. Each State educational agency awarded a grant under this section shall, with respect to each accelerated learning course subject, annually report to the Secretary the following data for the preceding year: The number of students in the State who are taking an accelerated learning course in such subject. The number of accelerated learning examinations taken by students in the State who have taken an accelerated learning course in such subject.
The number of students in the State scoring at each level on accelerated learning examinations in such subject, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, sex, English proficiency status, and socioeconomic status. Demographic information regarding students in the State taking accelerated learning courses and accelerated learning examinations in such subject, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, sex, English proficiency status, and socioeconomic status. The Secretary shall annually compile the information received from each State educational agency under paragraph
(1)and report to the authorizing committees of Congress regarding the information. For purposes of this section, the Bureau of Indian Education shall be treated as a State educational agency. From amounts made available under section 5503 for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to enable such entities to carry out the authorized activities described in subsection (e). The Secretary shall award a grant under this section for a period of not more than 3 years. The Secretary may renew a grant awarded under this section for an additional period of not more than 2 years, if an eligible entity— is achieving the objectives of the grant; and has shown improvement against baseline data on the performance measures described in subparagraphs
(A)through
(E)of subsection (g)(1). In this section, the term eligible entity means— a State educational agency; a local educational agency; or a partnership consisting of— a national, regional, or statewide nonprofit organization, with expertise and experience in providing accelerated learning course services, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, and early college high school courses; and a State educational agency or local educational agency. Each eligible entity desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. The application shall, at a minimum, include a description of— the goals and objectives for the project supported by the grant under this section, including— increasing the number of teachers serving high-need schools who are qualified to teach accelerated learning courses, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, and early college high school courses; increasing the number of accelerated learning courses, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, and early college high school courses that are offered at high-need schools; and increasing the number of students attending a high-need school, particularly low-income students, who enroll and succeed in— accelerated learning courses; if offered by the school, pre-accelerated learning courses; dual or concurrent enrollment programs; and early college high school courses; how the eligible entity will ensure that students have access to courses that will prepare them to enroll and succeed in accelerated learning courses, pre-accelerated learning courses, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, and early college high school courses; how the eligible entity will provide professional development for teachers that will further the goals and objectives of the grant project; how the eligible entity will ensure that teachers serving high-need schools are qualified to teach accelerated learning courses, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, and early college high school courses; how the eligible entity will provide for the involvement of business and community organizations and other entities, including institutions of higher education, in carrying out the activities described in subsection (e); how the eligible entity will use funds received under this section; and how the eligible entity will evaluate the success of the grant project. In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to applications from eligible entities that propose to carry out activities in a local educational agency that is eligible under the small rural school achievement program or the rural and low-income school program authorized under subpart 1 or 2 of part B of title VI. Each eligible entity that receives a grant under this section may use grant funds for— high-quality teacher professional development, in order to expand the pool of teachers in the participating State, local educational agency, or high-need school who are qualified to teach accelerated learning courses, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, and early college high school courses, including through innovative models such as online academies and training institutes; high-quality teacher and counselor professional development to prepare students for success in accelerated learning courses, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, and early college high school courses; coordination and articulation between grade levels to prepare students to enroll and succeed in accelerated learning courses, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, and early college high school courses; the purchase of instructional materials for accelerated learning courses, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, and early college high school courses; activities to increase the availability of, and participation in, online accelerated learning courses, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, and early college high school courses; carrying out the requirements of subsection (g); or in the case of an eligible entity described in subsection (b)(1), awarding subgrants to local educational agencies to enable the local educational agencies to carry out authorized activities described in paragraphs
(1)through (6). An eligible entity that is awarded a grant to provide online courses under this section may enter into a contract with an organization to provide accelerated learning courses, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, and early college high school courses, including contracting for necessary support services. Each eligible entity receiving a grant under this section shall collect and report to the Secretary annually such data regarding the results of the grant as the Secretary may reasonably require, including— the number of students served by the eligible entity enrolling in accelerated learning courses, pre-accelerated learning courses, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, and early college high school courses, disaggregated by grade level of the student, and the grades received by such students in the courses; the number of students taking an accelerated learning examination and the distribution of scores on those examinations, disaggregated by the grade level of the student at the time of examination; the number of teachers who, as of the date of the report, are receiving training to teach accelerated learning courses, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, and early college high school courses, and will teach such courses in the next school year; the number of teachers becoming qualified to teach accelerated learning courses, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, and early college high school courses; and the number of qualified teachers who are teaching accelerated learning courses, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, and early college high school courses in high-need schools served by the eligible entity. Each eligible entity receiving a grant under this section shall report the data required under paragraph (1)— disaggregated by subject area; in the case of student data, disaggregated in the same manner as information is disaggregated under section 1111(b)(2)(B)(xi); and in a manner that allows for an assessment of the effectiveness of the grant program. 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 section, including progress as measured by the performance measures established under subparagraphs
(A)through
(E)of subsection (g)(1). Each eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall provide toward the cost of the activities assisted under the grant, from non-Federal sources, an amount equal to 100 percent of the amount of the grant, except that an eligible entity that is a high-need local educational agency, as determined by the Secretary, shall provide an amount equal to not more than 50 percent of the amount of the grant. The eligible entity may provide the matching funds described in paragraph
(1)in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, but may not provide more than 50 percent of the matching funds in kind. The eligible entity may provide the matching funds from State, local, or private sources. The Secretary may waive all or part of the matching requirement described in paragraph
(1)for any fiscal year for an eligible entity if the Secretary determines that applying the matching requirement to such eligible entity would result in serious hardship or an inability to carry out the authorized activities described in subsection (e). Grant funds provided under this part shall supplement, and not supplant, other non-Federal funds that are available to assist low-income students to pay for the cost of accelerated learning fees or to expand access to accelerated learning and pre-accelerated learning courses. In this part: The term accelerated learning course means— a course of postsecondary-level instruction provided to middle or high school students, terminating in an Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate examination; or another highly rigorous, evidence-based, postsecondary preparatory program terminating in— an examination or sequence of courses that are widely accepted for credit at institutions of higher education; or another examination or sequence of courses approved by the Secretary. The term accelerated learning examination means an Advanced Placement examination administered by the College Board, an International Baccalaureate examination administered by the International Baccalaureate, an examination that is widely accepted for college credit, or another such examination approved by the Secretary. The term high-need school means a high school— with a demonstrated need for Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, or early college high school courses; and that— has a high concentration of low-income students; or is a local educational agency that is eligible, as determined by the Secretary, under the small, rural school achievement program, or the rural and low-income school program, authorized under subpart 1 or 2 of part B of title VI. The term low-income student means a student who is eligible for a free or reduced price lunch under the school lunch program established under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq. ). There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2021. .
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- 20 USC 7201
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