Summer Term Education Programs for Upward Performance Act of 2007, or the STEP UP Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Education to make competitive demonstration grants to state educational agencies to pay the federal share of summer learning grants for eligible students to be summer scholars in summer learning opportunity programs primarily designed to increase the literacy and numeracy of such students.
[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 116 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 116
To authorize resources to provide students with opportunities for
summer learning through summer learning grants.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 4, 2007
Mr. Obama (for himself and Ms. Mikulski) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize resources to provide students with opportunities for
summer learning through summer learning grants.
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 ``Summer Term Education Programs for
Upward Performance Act of 2007'' or the ``STEP UP Act of 2007''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) All students experience learning losses when they do
not engage in educational activities during the summer.
(2) Students on average lose more than 1 month's worth of
academic skills, and 2 months or more in mathematics facts and
skills, during the summer.
(3) The impact of summer learning loss is greatest for
children living in poverty, for children with learning
disabilities, and for children who do not speak English at
home.
(4) While middle-class children's test scores plateau or
even rise during the summer months, scores plummet for children
living in poverty. Disparities grow, so that reading scores of
disadvantaged students can fall more than 2 months behind the
scores of their middle-class peers each summer during the
elementary school years.
(5) Summer learning losses by children living in poverty
accumulate over the elementary school years, so that their
achievement scores fall further and further behind the scores
of their more advantaged peers as the children progress through
school.
(6) Analysis by Professor Karl Alexander and his colleagues
demonstrates that summer learning differences during the
elementary school years substantially account for achievement-
related differences later in students' lives, including rates
of secondary school completion.
(7) This summer slide is costly for American education.
Analysis by Professor Harris Cooper and his colleagues
demonstrates that over 2 months of instruction is lost each
school year due to re-teaching material from the previous year.
(8) Analysis of summer learning programs using independent
randomized controlled trials has demonstrated their impact and
effectiveness. Students participating in the BELL summer
programs in Boston, New York, and Washington, DC, improved
their reading skills by approximately 1 month, took part in
more academic activities, read more books, and were encouraged
to read more by their parents. A randomized, 3-year
longitudinal study of the Teach Baltimore Summer Academy,
designed by the Center for Summer Learning, demonstrates that
students attending a multi-year summer intervention return to
school having gained close to \1/2\ year in reading
comprehension and vocabulary.
(9) Summer learning programs are proven to remedy,
reinforce, and accelerate learning, and can serve to close the
achievement gap in education.
SEC. 3. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to create opportunities for summer
learning by providing summer learning grants to eligible students, in
order to--
(1) provide the students with access to summer learning;
(2) facilitate the enrollment of students in elementary
schools or youth development organizations during the summer;
(3) promote collaboration between teachers and youth
development professionals in order to bridge gaps between
schools and youth programs; and
(4) encourage teachers to try new techniques, acquire new
skills, and mentor new colleagues.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Educational service agency.--The term ``educational
service agency'' has the meaning given the term in section 9101
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 7801).
(2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means an
entity that--
(A) desires to participate in a summer learning
grant program under this Act by providing summer
learning opportunities described in section 6(d)(1)(B)
to eligible students; and
(B) is--
(i) a local educational agency;
(ii) a for-profit educational provider,
nonprofit organization, or summer enrichment
camp, that has been approved by the State
educational agency to provide the summer
learning opportunity described in section
6(d)(1)(B), including an entity that is in good
standing that has been previously approved by a
State educational agency to provide
supplemental educational services; or
(iii) a consortium consisting of a local
educational agency and 1 or more of the
following entities:
(I) Another local educational
agency.
(II) A community-based youth
development organization with a
demonstrated record of effectiveness in
helping students learn.
(III) An institution of higher
education.
(IV) An educational service agency.
(V) A for-profit educational
provider described in clause (ii).
(VI) A nonprofit organization
described in clause (ii).
(VII) A summer enrichment camp
described in clause (ii).
(3) Eligible student.--The term ``eligible student'' means
a student who--
(A) is eligible for a free lunch under the Richard
B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et
seq.);
(B) is served by a local educational agency
identified by the State educational agency in the
application described in section 5(b); or
(C)(i) in the case of a summer learning grant
program authorized under this Act for fiscal year 2008,
2009, or 2010, is eligible to enroll in any of the
grades kindergarten through grade 3 for the school year
following participation in the program; or
(ii) in the case of a summer learning grant program
authorized under this Act for fiscal year 2011 or 2012,
is eligible to enroll in any of the grades kindergarten
through grade 5 for the school year following
participation in the program.
(4) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the
term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001(a)).
(5) Local educational agency.--The term ``local educational
agency'' has the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
7801).
(6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Education.
(7) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several
States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United
States Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated
States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.
(8) State educational agency.--The term ``State educational
agency'' has the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
7801).
SEC. 5. DEMONSTRATION GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Program Authorized.--
(1) In general.--From the funds appropriated under section
8 for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall carry out a
demonstration grant program in which the Secretary awards
grants, on a competitive basis, to State educational agencies
to enable the State educational agencies to pay the Federal
share of summer learning grants for eligible students.
(2) Number of grants.--For each fiscal year, the Secretary
shall award not more than 5 grants under this section.
(b) Application.--A State educational agency that desires to
receive a grant under this section shall submit an application to the
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such
information as the Secretary may require. Such application shall
identify the areas in the State where the summer learning grant program
will be offered and the local educational agencies that serve such
areas.
(c) Award Basis.--
(1) Special consideration.--In awarding grants under this
section, the Secretary shall give special consideration to a
State educational agency that agrees, to the extent possible,
to enter into agreements under section 6(d) with eligible
entities that are consortia described in section 4(2)(B)(iii)
and that include 2 or more of the entities described in
subclauses (I) through (VII) of such section 4(2)(B)(iii) as
partners.
(2) Geographic distribution.--In awarding grants under this
section, the Secretary shall take into consideration an
equitable geographic distribution of the grants.
SEC. 6. SUMMER LEARNING GRANTS.
(a) Use of Grants for Summer Learning Grants.--
(1) In general.--Each State educational agency that
receives a grant under section 5 for a fiscal year shall use
the grant funds to provide summer learning grants for the
fiscal year to eligible students in the State who desire to
attend a summer learning opportunity offered by an eligible
entity that enters into an agreement with the State educational
agency under subsection (d)(1).
(2) Amount; federal and non-federal shares.--
(A) Amount.--The amount of a summer learning grant
provided under this Act shall be--
(i) for each of the fiscal years 2008
through 2011, $1,600; and
(ii) for fiscal year 2012, $1,800.
(B) Federal share.--The Federal share of each
summer learning grant shall be not more than 50 percent
of the amount of the summer learning grant determined
under subparagraph (A).
(C) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of
each summer learning grant shall be not less than 50
percent of the amount of the summer learning grant
determined under subparagraph (A), and shall be
provided from non-Federal sources, such as State or
local sources.
(b) Designation of Summer Scholars.--Eligible students who receive
summer learning grants under this Act shall be known as ``summer
scholars''.
(c) Selection of Summer Learning Opportunity.--
(1) Dissemination of information.--A State educational
agency that receives a grant under section 5 shall disseminate
information about summer learning opportunities and summer
learning grants to the families of eligible students in the
State.
(2) Application.--The parents of an eligible student who
are interested in having their child participate in a summer
learning opportunity and receive a summer learning grant shall
submit an application to the State educational agency that
includes a ranked list of preferred summer learning
opportunities.
(3) Process.--A State educational agency that receives an
application under paragraph (2) shall--
(A) process such application;
(B) determine whether the eligible student shall
receive a summer learning grant;
(C) coordinate the assignment of eligible students
receiving summer learning grants with summer learning
opportunities; and
(D) if demand for a summer learning opportunity
exceeds capacity--
(i) in a case where information on the
school readiness (based on school records and
assessments of student achievement) of the
eligible students is available, give priority
for the summer learning opportunity to eligible
students with low levels of school readiness;
or
(ii) in a case where such information on
school readiness is not available, rely on
randomization to assign the eligible students.
(4) Flexibility.--A State educational agency may assign a
summer scholar to a summer learning opportunity program that is
offered in an area served by a local educational agency that is
not the local educational agency serving the area where such
scholar resides.
(5) Requirement of acceptance.--An eligible entity shall
accept, enroll, and provide the summer learning opportunity of
such entity to, any summer scholar assigned to such summer
learning opportunity by a State educational agency pursuant to
this subsection.
(d) Agreement With Eligible Entity.--
(1) In general.--A State educational agency shall enter
into an agreement with the eligible entity offering a summer
learning opportunity, under which--
(A) the State educational agency shall agree to
make payments to the eligible entity, in accordance
with paragraph (2), for a summer scholar; and
(B) the eligible entity shall agree to provide the
summer scholar with a summer learning opportunity
that--
(i) provides a total of not less than the
equivalent of 30 full days of instruction (or
not less than the equivalent of 25 full days of
instruction, if the equivalent of an additional
5 days is devoted to field trips or other
enrichment opportunities) to the summer
scholar;
(ii) employs small-group, research-based
educational programs, materials, curricula, and
practices;
(iii) provides a curriculum that--
(I) emphasizes reading and
mathematics;
(II) is primarily designed to
increase the literacy and numeracy of
the summer scholar; and
(III) is aligned with the standards
and goals of the school year curriculum
of the local educational agency serving
the summer scholar;
(iv) applies assessments to measure the
skills taught in the summer learning
opportunity and disaggregates the results of
the assessments for summer scholars by race and
ethnicity, economic status, limited English
proficiency status, and disability category, in
order to determine the opportunity's impact on
each subgroup of summer scholars;
(v) collects daily attendance data on each
summer scholar; and
(vi) meets all applicable Federal, State,
and local civil rights laws.
(2) Amount of payment.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph
(B), a State educational agency shall make a payment to
an eligible entity for a summer scholar in the amount
determined under subsection (a)(2)(A).
(B) Adjustment.--In the case in which a summer
scholar does not attend the full summer learning
opportunity, the State educational agency shall reduce
the amount provided to the eligible entity pursuant to
subparagraph (A) by a percentage that is equal to the
percentage of the summer learning opportunity not
attended by such scholar.
(e) Use of School Facilities.--State educational agencies are
encouraged to require local educational agencies in the State to allow
eligible entities, in offering summer learning opportunities, to make
use of school facilities in schools served by such local educational
agencies at reasonable or no cost.
(f) Access of Records.--An eligible entity offering a summer
learning opportunity under this Act is eligible to receive, upon
request, the school records and any previous supplemental educational
services assessment records of a summer scholar served by such entity.
(g) Administrative Costs.--A State educational agency or eligible
entity receiving funding under this Act may use not more than 5 percent
of such funding for administrative costs associated with carrying out
this Act.
SEC. 7. EVALUATIONS; REPORT; WEBSITE.
(a) Evaluation and Assessment.--For each year that an eligible
entity enters into an agreement under section 6(d), the eligible entity
shall prepare and submit to the Secretary a report on the activities
and outcomes of each summer learning opportunity that enrolled a summer
scholar, including--
(1) information on the design of the summer learning
opportunity;
(2) the alignment of the summer learning opportunity with
State standards; and
(3) data from assessments of student mathematics and
reading skills for the summer scholars and on the attendance of
the scholars, disaggregated by the subgroups described in
section 6(d)(1)(B)(iv).
(b) Report.--For each year funds are appropriated under section 8
for this Act, the Secretary shall prepare and submit a report to
Congress on the summer learning grant programs, including the
effectiveness of the summer learning opportunities in improving student
achievement.
(c) Summer Learning Grants Website.--The Secretary shall make
accessible, on the Department of Education website, information for
parents and school personnel on successful programs and curricula, and
best practices, for summer learning opportunities.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act
$100,000,000 for fiscal year 2008 and such sums as may be necessary for
each of the fiscal years 2009 through 2012.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5177)
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