S 950 IS

To award grants for school construction.

May 4, 1999

Mrs. FEINSTEIN introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

To award grants for school construction.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Excellence in Education Act of 1999'.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) CORE CURRICULUM- The term `core curriculum' means curriculum in subjects such as reading and writing, language arts, mathematics, social sciences (including history), and science.

(2) ELEMENTARY SCHOOL; LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY; SECONDARY SCHOOL; SECRETARY- The terms `elementary school', `local educational agency', `secondary school', and `Secretary' have the meanings given the terms in section 14101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8801).

(3) PRACTICE OF SOCIAL PROMOTION- The term `practice of social promotion' means a formal or informal practice of promoting a student from the grade for which the determination is made to the next grade when the student fails to meet State achievement standards in the core academic curriculum, unless the practice is consistent with the student's individualized education program under section 614(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1414(d)).

(4) CONSTRUCTION-

(A) IN GENERAL- Subject to subparagraph (B), the term `construction' means--

(i) preparation of drawings and specifications for school facilities;

(ii) building new school facilities, or acquiring, remodeling, demolishing, renovating, improving, or repairing facilities to establish new school facilities; and

(iii) inspection and supervision of the construction of new school facilities.

(B) RULE- An activity described in subparagraph (A) shall be considered to be construction only if the labor standards described in section 439 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232b) are applied with respect to such activity.

(5) SCHOOL FACILITY- The term `school facility' means a public structure suitable for use as a classroom, laboratory, library, media center, or related facility the primary purpose of which is the instruction of public elementary school or secondary school students. The term does not include an athletic stadium or any other structure or facility intended primarily for athletic exhibitions, contests, or games for which admission is charged to the general public.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $1,000,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2000 through 2004.

SEC. 4. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

The Secretary is authorized to award grants to local educational agencies to enable the local educational agencies to carry out the construction of new public elementary school and secondary school facilities.

SEC. 5. CONDITIONS FOR RECEIVING FUNDS.

In order to receive funds under this Act a local educational agency shall meet the following requirements:

(1) Reduce class and school sizes for public schools served by the local educational agency as follows:

(A) Limit class size to an average student-to-teacher ratio of 20 to 1, in classes serving kindergarten through grade 6 students, in the schools served by the agency.

(B) Limit class size to an average student-to-teacher ratio of 28 to 1, in classes serving grade 7 through grade 12 students, in the schools served by the agency.

(C) Limit the size of public elementary schools and secondary schools served by the agency to--

(i) not more than 500 students in the case of a school serving kindergarten through grade 5 students;

(ii) not more than 750 students in the case of a school serving grade 6 through grade 8 students; and

(iii) not more than 1,500 students in the case of a school serving grade 9 through grade 12 students.

(2) Terminate the practice of social promotion in the public schools served by the agency.

(3) Require that students be subject to State achievement standards in the core curriculum at key transition points, to be determined by the State, for all kindergarten through grade 12 students.

(4) Use tests and other indicators, such as grades and teacher evaluations, to assess student performance in meeting the State achievement standards, which tests shall be valid for the purpose of such assessment.

(5) Provide remedial education for students who fail to meet the State achievement standards, including tutoring, mentoring, summer programs, before-school programs, and after-school programs.

(6) Provide matching funds, with respect to the cost to be incurred in carrying out the activities for which the grant is awarded, from non-Federal sources in an amount equal to the Federal funds provided under the grant.

SEC. 6. APPLICATIONS.

(a) IN GENERAL- Each local educational agency desiring to receive a grant under this Act shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require.

(b) CONTENTS- Each application shall contain--

(1) an assurance that the grant funds will be used in accordance with this Act;

(2) a brief description of the construction to be conducted;

(3) a cost estimate of the activities to be conducted; and

(4) a description of available non-Federal matching funds.

END