special programs and projects

special programs and projects Sec. 708. (a) (1) Amounts reserved by the Assistant Secretary pursuant to section 704(b)(2), which are not designated for the purposes of clause (A) or (B) thereof, or for section 713 shall be available to him for grants and contracts under this subsection. (2) The Assistant Secretary is authorized to make grants to, and contracts with, State and local educational agencies, and other public agencies and organizations (or a combination of such agencies and organizations) for the purpose of conducting special programs and projects carrying out activities otherwise authorized by this title, which the Assistant Secretary’ determines will make substantial progress toward achieving the purposes of this title. (b) (1) From not more than one-half of the sums reserved pursuant to section 705 (a)(3), the Assistant Secretary, in cases in which he finds that it would effectively carry out the purpose of this title stated in section 702(b), may assist by grant or contract any public or private nonprofit agency, institution, or organization (other than a local educational agency) to carry out programs or projects designed to support the development or implementation of a plan, program, or activity described in section 706(a). (2) From the remainder of the sums reserved pursuant to section 705 (a)(3), the Assistant Secretary is authorized to make grants to, and contracts with, public and private nonprofit agencies, institutions, and organizations (other than local educational agencies and non public elementary and secondary schools) to carry out programs or projects designed to support the development or implementation of a plan, program, or activity described in section 706(a). (c) (1) The Assistant Secretary shall carry out a program to meet the needs of minority group children who are from an environment in which a dominant language is other than English and who, because of language barriers and cultural differences, do not have equality of educational opportunity. From the amount reserved pursuant to section 704(b)(2)(A), the Assistant Secretary is authorized to make grants to, and contracts with— (A) private nonprofit agencies, institutions, and organizations to develop curricula, at the request of one or more educational agencies which are eligible for assistance under section 706, designed to meet the special educational needs of minority group children who are from environments in which a dominant language is other than English, for the development of reading, writing, and speaking skills, in the English language and in the language of their parents or grandparents, and to meet the educa-86 Stat. 361tional needs of such children and their classmates to understand the history and cultural background of the minority groups of which such children are members; (B) local educational agencies eligible for assistance under section 706 for the purpose of engaging in such activities; or (C) local educational agencies which are eligible to receive assistance under section 706, for the purpose of carrying out activities authorized under section 707(a) of this title to implement curricula developed under clauses (A) and (B) or curricula otherwise developed which the Assistant Secretary determines meets the purposes stated in clause (A). In making grants and contracts under this paragraph, the Assistant Secretary shall assure that sufficient funds from the amount reserved pursuant to section 704(b)(2)(A) remain available to provide for grants and contracts under clause (C) of this paragraph for implementation of such curricula as the Assistant Secretary determines meet the purposes stated in clause (A) of this paragraph. In making a grant or contract under clause (C) of this paragraph, the Assistant Secretary shall take whatever action is necessary to assure that the implementation plan includes provisions adequate to insure training of teachers and other ancillary educational personnel. (2) (A) In order to be eligible for a grant or contract under this subsection— (i) a local educational agency must establish a program or project committee meeting the requirements of subparagraph (B), which will fully participate in the preparation of the application under this subsection and in the implementation of the program or project and join in submitting such application; and (ii) a private nonprofit agency, institution, or organization must (I) establish a program or project board of not less than ten members which meets the requirements of subparagraph (B) and which shall exercise policy making authority with respect to the program or project and (II) have demonstrated to the Assistant Secretary that it has the capacity to obtain the services of adequately trained and qualified staff. (B) A program or project committee or board, established pursuant to subparagraph (A) must be broadly representative of parents, school officials, teachers, and interested members of the community or communities to be served, not less than half of the members of which shall be parents and not less than half of the members of which shall be members of the minority group the educational needs of which the program or project is intended to meet. (3) All programs or projects assisted under this subsection shall be specifically designed to complement any programs or projects carried out by the local educational agency under section 706. The Assistant Secretary shall insure that programs of Federal financial assistance related to the purposes of this subsection are coordinated and carried out in a manner consistent with the provisions of this subsection, to the extent consistent with other law.