Federal Payment for School Improvement

Federal Payment for School Improvement For a Federal payment for a school improvement program in the District of Columbia, $40,000,000, to be allocated as follows: for the District of Columbia Public Schools, $13,000,000 to improve public school education in the District of Columbia; for the State Education Office, $13,000,000 to expand quality public charter schools in the District of Columbia, to remain available until September 30, 2006; for the Secretary of the Department of Education, $14,000,000 to provide opportunity scholarships for students in the District of Columbia in accordance with division C, title III of the District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 2004 (Public Law 108–199; 118 Stat. 126), of which up to $1,000,000 may be used to administer and fund assessments: Provided, That of the $13,000,000 for the District of Columbia Public Schools, not less than $2,000,000 shall be for a new incentive fund to reward high performing or significantly improved public schools; not less than $2,000,000 shall be to support the Transformation School Initiative directed to schools in need of improvement: Provided further, That of the remaining amounts, the Superintendent of the District of Columbia Public Schools shall use such sums as necessary to provide grants to schools which are not eligible for other programs referenced under this heading, and to contract for management consulting services and implement recommended reforms: Provided further, That the Comptroller General shall conduct a financial audit of the District of Columbia Public Schools: Provided further, That of the $13,000,000 provided for public charter schools in the District of Columbia, $2,000,000 shall be for the City Build Initiative to create neighborhood-based charter schools; $2,750,000 shall be for the Direct Loan Fund for Charter Schools; $150,000 shall be for administrative expenses of the Office of Charter School Financing and Support to expand outreach and support of charter schools; $100,000 shall be for the D.C. Public Charter School Association to enhance the quality of charter schools; $4,000,000 shall be for the development of an incubator facility for public charter schools; $2,000,000 shall be for a charter school college preparatory program; and $2,000,000 shall be for a new incentive fund to reward high performing or significantly improved public charter schools: Provided further, That the District of Columbia government shall establish a dedicated account for the Office of Charter School Financing and Support (the Office) that shall consist of the Federal funds appropriated in this Act, any subsequent appropriations, any unobligated balances from prior fiscal years, any additional grants, and any interest and principal derived from 118 STAT. 1328 loans made to Charter Schools, and repayment of dollars utilized to support credit enhancement earned in this or any fiscal year: Provided further, That the account shall be under the control of the District of Columbia Chief Financial Officer who shall use those funds solely for the purposes of carrying out the Credit Enhancement Program, Direct Loan Fund Grant Program, and any other charter school financing under the management of the Office: Provided further, That in this and subsequent fiscal years the Office of the Chief Financial Officer shall conduct an annual audit of the funds expended by the Office and provide an annual financial report to the Mayor, the Council of the District of Columbia, the Office of the District of Columbia Treasurer and the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and Senate for these funds showing, by object class, the expenditures made and the purpose therefor: Provided further, That not more than $250,000 of the total amount appropriated for this program may be used for administrative expenses and training expenses related to the cost of the National Charter School Conference(s) to be hosted by December 2006; and no more than 5 percent of the funds appropriated for the direct loan fund may be used for administrative expenses related to the administration and annual audit of the direct loan, grant, and credit enhancement programs.