II
111th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3558
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 30, 2010
Mr. Dodd introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
A BILL
To improve the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and for other purposes.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the
No Child Left Behind Reform
Act
.
Adequate yearly progress
Definition of adequate yearly progress
Section 1111(b)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)) is amended—
in subparagraph (C)(vii)—
by striking such as
;
by inserting such as measures of
individual or cohort growth over time based on the academic assessments
implemented in accordance with paragraph (3),
after described in
clause (v),
; and
by striking attendance
rates,
; and
in subparagraph (D)—
by striking clause (ii);
by striking the State
and
all that follows through ensure
and inserting the State
shall ensure
; and
by striking ; and
and
inserting a period.
Academic assessment and local educational agency and school improvement
Section 1116(a)(1)(B) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6316(a)(1)(B)) is amended by striking ,
except that
and all that follows through action or
restructuring
.
Grants for increasing data capacity for purposes of ayp
Subpart 1 of part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
Grants for increasing data capacity for purposes of ayp
Grant authority
The Secretary may award grants, on a competitive basis, to State educational agencies to enable the State educational agencies—
to develop or increase the capacity of data systems for accountability purposes; and
to award subgrants to increase the capacity of local educational agencies to upgrade, create, or manage information databases for the purpose of measuring adequate yearly progress.
Priority
In awarding grants under this section the Secretary shall give priority to State educational agencies that have created, or are in the process of creating, a growth model or proficiency index as part of their adequate yearly progress determination.
State use of funds
Each State that receives a grant under this section shall use—
not more than 20 percent of the grant funds for the purpose of increasing the capacity of, or creating, State databases to collect information related to adequate yearly progress; and
not less than 80 percent of the grant funds to award subgrants to local educational agencies within the State to enable the local educational agencies to carry out the authorized activities described in subsection (d).
Authorized activities
Each local educational agency that receives a subgrant under this section shall use the subgrant funds to increase the capacity of the local educational agency to upgrade databases or create unique student identifiers for the purpose of measuring adequate yearly progress, by—
purchasing database software or hardware;
hiring additional staff for the purpose of managing such data;
providing professional development or additional training for such staff; and
providing professional development or training for principals and teachers on how to effectively use such data to implement instructional strategies to improve student achievement.
State application
Each State educational agency 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.
LEA application
Each local educational agency desiring a subgrant under this section shall submit an application to the State educational agency at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the State educational agency may require. Each such application shall include, at a minimum, a demonstration of the local educational agency’s ability to put such a database in place.
Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part $80,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011, 2012, and 2013.
.
Definition of highly qualified teachers
Section 9101(23)(B)(ii) of the Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(23)(B)(ii)) is amended—
in subclause (I), by striking
or
after the semicolon;
in subclause (II), by striking
and
after the semicolon; and
by adding at the end the following:
in the case of a middle school teacher, passing a State approved middle school generalist exam when the teacher receives the teacher’s license to teach middle school in the State;
obtaining a State social studies certificate that qualifies the teacher to teach history, geography, economics, and civics in middle or secondary schools, respectively, in the State; or
obtaining a State science certificate that qualifies the teacher to teach earth science, biology, chemistry, and physics in middle or secondary schools, respectively, in the State; and
.