agreements with state educational agencies

agreements with state educational agencies Sec. 714. (a) Any State which desires to receive grants under this part shall, through its State educational agency, enter into an agreement with the Commissioner, in such detail as the Commissioner deems necessary, which— (1) designates the State educational agency as the sole agency for administration of the agreement; (2) provides for the establishment of a State advisory council on reading, appointed by the State educational agency, which shall be broadly representative of the educational resources of the State and of the general public, including persons representative of— (A) public and private nonprofit elementary school children, and (B) institutions of higher education, (C) parents of elementary school children, and (D) areas of professional competence relating to instruction in reading, to advise the State educational agency on the formulation of a standard of excellence for reading programs in the elementary schools and on the preparation of, and policy matters arising in the administration of, the agreement (including the criteria for approval of applications for assistance under such agreement) and in the evaluation of results of the program carried out pursuant to the agreement; 88 Stat. 593 (3) describes the reading programs in elementary schools for which assistance is sought under this part and procedures for giving priority to reading programs which are already receiving Federal financial assistance and show reasonable promise of achieving success; (4) sets forth procedures for the submission of applications by local educational agencies within that State, including procedures for an adequate description of the reading programs for which assistance is sought under this part; (5) sets forth criteria for achieving an equitable distribution of that part of the assistance under this part which is made available to local educational agencies pursuant to the second sentence of subsection (b) of this section, which criteria shall— (A) take into account the size of the population to be served, beginning with preschool, the relative needs of pupils in different population groups within the State for the program authorized by this title, and the financial ability of the local educational agency serving such pupils, (B) assure that such distribution shall include grants to local educational agencies having high concentrations of children with low reading proficiency, and (C) assure an equitable distribution of funds among urban and rural areas; (6) sets forth criteria for the selection or designation and training of personnel (such as reading specialists and administrators of reading programs) engaged in programs assisted under this part, including training for private elementary school personnel, which shall include qualifications acceptable for such personnel; (7) provides for the coordination and evaluation of programs assisted under this part; (8) provides for technical assistance and support services for local educational agencies participating in the program; (9) makes provision for the dissemination to the educational community and the general public of information about the objectives of the program and results achieved in the course of its implementation; (10) provides for making an annual report and such other reports, in such form and containing such information, as the Commissioner may reasonably require to evaluate the effectiveness of the program and to carry out his other functions under this title; (11) provides that not more than 5 per centum of the amount allotted to the State under section 713 for any fiscal year may be retained by the State educational agency for purposes of administering the agreement; and (12) provides that programs assisted under this part shall be of sufficient size, scope, and quality so as to give reasonable promise of substantial progress toward achieving the purposes of this title. (b) Grants for projects to carry out the purposes of this part may be made to local educational agencies (subject to the provision of subsection (e) relating to the participation of private elementary and secondary school pupils), institutions of higher education, and other public and nonprofit private agencies and institutions. Not less than 60 per centum of the amount allotted to a State, under section 713 for any fiscal year shall be made available by the State for grants to local educational agencies within that State. 88 Stat. 594 (c) Commissioner shall enter into an agreement which complies with the provisions of subsection (a) with any State which desires to enter into such an agreement. (d) The Commissioner’s final action with respect to entering into an agreement under subsection (a) shall be subject to the provisions of section 207 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, relating to judicial review. (e) The provisions of section 141A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 relating to the participation of children enrolled in private elementary and secondary schools shall apply to programs assisted under this part.