II
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2194
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 18, 2007
Mr. Salazar (for himself and Mr. Conrad) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
A BILL
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to establish a partnership between the Department of Education and the National Park Service to provide educational opportunities for students and teachers, and for other purposes.
National Park Ranger School Partnership Program
Program authorized
In general
Part D of title V of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7241 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
National Park Ranger School Partnerships
Program authorized
In general
The Secretary, in cooperation with the Director of the National Park Service, may award grants, on a competitive basis, to local educational agencies to enable the local educational agencies to carry out the authorized activities described in subsection (c).
Required partnership
A local educational agency that receives a grant under this subpart shall carry out the activities described in subsection (c) through a partnership that includes the National Park Service and may include a not-for-profit partner of the National Park Service.
Authorized activities
A local educational agency shall use funds provided under this subpart to carry out, through the partnership, both of the following activities:
Providing, for students in kindergarten through grade 12, educational programs (including programs under which instruction is provided by National Park Service Rangers) that emphasize science, the environment, natural resources, mathematics, history, and civics.
Providing, for educators of students in kindergarten through grade 12, professional development opportunities (such as summer institutes) that emphasize science, the environment, natural resources, mathematics, history, and civics.
Duration and amounts
Each grant under this subpart shall be for a period of 3 years, for an aggregate amount of not more than $25,000.
Eligibility
To be eligible to receive a grant under this subpart, a local educational agency shall—
be adjacent to a facility of the National Park Service;
be close to a Research and Learning Center of the National Park Service;
have a partnership with or be capable of partnering with a unit of the National Park System; or
have, or agree to develop, a technology-based distance learning link to the National Park Service;
be identified for improvement under subsection (c) of section 1116; and
be a high need local educational agency.
Criteria
Grants under this subpart shall be awarded on a competitive basis using criteria established by the Secretary, in collaboration with the Director of the National Park Service.
Reports by grantees
Upon completing the grant period for a grant under this section, the local educational agency receiving the grant shall submit to the Secretary a report that identifies—
the number of students participating in the activities described in subsection (c)(1) that were carried out under the grant;
the achievement attained by those students in mathematics, science, and any other academic areas relevant to the activities carried out under the grant, as measured against benchmarks established by the Secretary, in coordination with the National Park Service;
the number of educators participating in the activities described in subsection (c)(2) that were carried out under the grant; and
the professional development received by those educators in mathematics, science, civics, and any other academic areas relevant to the activities carried out under the grant.
Report by Secretary
Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary, in coordination with the Director of the National Park Service, shall submit a report to Congress on the implementation of this subpart. The report shall include recommendations on whether and to what extent the program should be continued or expanded.
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Authorization of appropriations
Section 5401 of that Act (20 U.S.C. 7241) is amended—
by striking
There are
and inserting the following:
In general
There are
; and
by adding at the end the following:
National park ranger school partnerships
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out subpart 22, such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008 and each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.
.
Clerical amendment
The table of contents in section 2 of that Act (20 U.S.C. 6301 note) is amended by adding after the items relating to subpart 21 of part D of title V the following:
Subpart 22—National Park Ranger School Partnerships
Sec. 5621. Program authorized.
.
National Park Service eligibility for certain programs
Mathematics and science partnerships
Section 2201(b)(1)(B) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6661(b)(1)(B)) is amended—
by redesignating clauses (iii) and (iv) as (iv) and (v), respectively; and
by adding after clause (ii) the following:
the National Park Service;
.
Teaching of traditional american history
Section 2351(b) of that Act (20 U.S.C. 6721(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
An educational service agency.
A Federal agency that serves as an educational service provider.
.