Education Express Act

Education Express Act - Title I: Direct Check - Directs each State Governor to notify the Secretary of Education regarding its election to receive its portion of funding for various education programs (applicable funding) under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) according to: (1) a Direct Check option, through a State allotment based on its relative funding under part B (State and Local Activities) of title II (Dwight D. Eisenhower Professional Development Program) of ESEA; or (2) a Federal statute option, according to the various ESEA provisions for the applicable funding programs or activities.

(Sec. 101) Applies such options to all funds appropriated for the Department of Education for FY 2000 through 2004 to carry out such programs or activities under various ESEA provisions.

(Sec. 102) Sets forth requirements for allotment and use of Direct Check funds. Requires States to use at least 98 percent of Direct Check allotments to award assistance to local educational agencies (LEAS) for authorized educational improvement activities, according to a formula developed by the Governor that targets the funds to the lowest achieving school districts according to most recent State assessments. Allows States to use not more than two percent of such allotments for administrative expenses.

(Sec. 103) Authorizes the Secretary to make awards to States selecting the Federal statute option, according to the specified ESEA provisions for the various applicable funding programs and activities, from the applicable funding that remains after making the Direct Check allotments.

Title II: Challenge Fund - Establishes a Challenge Fund. Directs the Secretary to reserve a portion of Fund appropriations for assistance to outlying areas or Bureau of Indian Affairs schools.

(Sec. 201) Authorizes the Secretary to award amounts from such Fund allotments to State Governors for use by LEAS. Requires such allotments to be made to each State on the basis of its relative funding under ESEA title II part B. Requires a ten percent increase in such Fund allotment for States selecting the Direct Check option (paid for by ratable reductions in allotments for States that do not select such option).

Requires States to use at least 98 percent of Challenge Fund allotments to award assistance to local educational agencies (LEAS) for authorized educational improvement activities.

Authorizes appropriations.

Title III: Teacher Quality Fund - Establishes a Teacher Quality Fund. Directs the Secretary to reserve a portion of such Fund appropriations for assistance to outlying areas or Bureau of Indian Affairs schools.

(Sec. 301) Authorizes the Secretary to award amounts from such Fund allotments to State Governors for use by LEAS. Requires such allotments to be made to each State on the basis of its relative funding under ESEA title II part B. Requires a ten percent increase in such Fund allotment for States selecting the Direct Check option (paid for by ratable reductions in allotments for States that do not select such option).

Requires States to use at least 85 percent of Teacher Quality Fund allotments to award assistance to local educational agencies (LEAS) for authorized teacher quality improvement activities. Allows States to use not more than 13 percent of such allotments for statewide efforts to improve elementary and secondary school teacher quality.

Authorizes appropriations.

Title IV: Academic Opportunity Fund - Establishes an Academic Opportunity Fund. Directs the Secretary to reserve a portion of such Fund appropriations for assistance to outlying areas or Bureau of Indian Affairs schools.

(Sec. 401) Authorizes the Secretary to award funds from such Fund allotments to State Governors for use by LEAS. Requires such allotments to be made to each State on the basis of its relative funding under ESEA title II part B. Requires a ten percent increase in such Fund allotment for any States that: (1) agrees to devote 25 percent or more of the allotted funds to meet the educational needs of children with disabilities in a manner that supplements and does not supplant existing Federal, State, and local funding for such children; (2) demonstrates that it has improved the educational performance of limited English proficient students, students who at one time or another have dropped out of school, and students who are eligible for a free school lunch; or (3) adopts or shows improved performance on the State-level National Assessment of Educational Progress (paid for by ratable reductions in allotments for States that do not qualify for such increase).

Requires State Governors to use at least 98 percent of Academic Opportunity Fund allotments to: (1) implement statewide education reforms such as implementing standards and assessments; or (2) provide bonus payments to elementary schools, secondary schools, or LEAS that adopt reforms or achieve goals determined important by the Governor, including rewarding schools that encourage more students to take honors courses or the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), or rewarding LEAS that improve discipline policies or teacher training. Allows States to use not more than 13 percent of such allotments for statewide efforts to improve elementary and secondary school teacher quality.

Authorizes appropriations.

Title V: General Provisions - Sets forth requirements for State five-year educational reform plans and annual progress reports.

(Sec. 502) Requires LEAS receiving assistance under title I or II of this Act to: (1) use such funds to design and implement programs to improve student learning; (2) set yearly targets for how to achieve the goals in the State plan and describe plans for corrective action if the targets are not met; and (3) use not more than 25 percent of the total amount of funds it receives under titles I and II for a fiscal year to carry out any one of specified authorized activities. Includes among authorized activities any activity focused on improved student learning, new books, additional technology, high standards and assessments, teacher hiring and quality improvements, class size reduction, alternative schools, school-to-work programs or partnerships with institutions of higher education, school construction, special education, vouchers, charter schools or other school choice initiatives, character education, dropout prevention, tutoring and remedial help for struggling students, or any activity determined by the Governor or LEA to improve the educational achievement of all children.

(Sec. 503) Sets forth requirements relating to: (1) supplementation, rather than supplanting, of other funds; and (2) civil rights.

Directs the Commissioner of Education Statistics to: (1) develop key definitions for terms and uniform and comparable reporting methods related to core indicators of State education performance; (2) report to Congress and the American people regarding such core indicators; and (3) provide technical assistance to States in developing accountability systems relating to the academic performance goals that States establish under this Act. Authorizes the Commissioner to make awards, at the Commissioner's discretion, through the National Cooperative Educational Statistics System to assist States in developing such measures. Directs the Secretary to work with the Commissioner to provide any necessary personnel support to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to carry out such activities. Authorizes appropriations to NCES for such activities.