Innovation and Improvement

Innovation and Improvement For carrying out activities authorized by part G of title I, subpart 5 of part A and parts C and D of title II, parts B, C, and D of title V, and section 1504 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (“ESEA”), and by part F of title VIII of the Higher Education Act of 1965, $1,389,065,000: Provided, That $10,649,000 shall be provided to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards to carry out section 2151(c) of the ESEA: Provided further, That from funds for subpart 4, part C of title II of the ESEA, up to 3 percent shall be available to the Secretary of Education for technical assistance and dissemination of information: Provided further, That $671,570,000 shall be available to carry out part D of title V of the ESEA: Provided further, That $88,791,000 shall be used for the projects, and in the amounts, specified in the statement of the managers on the conference report accompanying this Act: Provided further, That $1,000,000 shall be for a national clearinghouse that will collect and disseminate information on effective educational practices and the latest research regarding the planning, design, financing, construction, improvement, operation, and maintenance of safe, healthy, high-performance public facilities for nursery and pre-kindergarten, kindergarten through grade 12, and higher education: Provided further, That $400,000,000 of the funds for subpart 1 of part D of title V of the ESEA shall be for competitive grants to local educational agencies, including charter schools that are local educational agencies, or States, or partnerships of: (1) a local educational agency, a State, or both; and (2) at least one non-profit organization to develop and implement performance-based compensation systems for teachers, principals, and other personnel in high-need schools: Provided further, That such performance-based compensation systems must consider gains in student academic achievement as well as classroom evaluations conducted multiple times during each school year among other factors and provide educators with incentives to take on additional responsibilities and leadership roles: Provided further, That recipients of such grants shall demonstrate that such performance-based systems are developed with the input of teachers and school leaders in the schools and local educational agencies to be served by the grant: Provided further, That recipients of such grants may use such funds to develop or improve systems and tools (which may be developed and used for the entire local educational agency or only for schools served under the grant) that would enhance the quality and success of the compensation system, such as high-quality teacher evaluations and tools to measure growth in student achievement: Provided further, That applications for such grants shall include a plan to sustain financially the activities conducted and systems developed under the grant once the grant period has expired: Provided further, That up to 5 percent of such funds for competitive grants shall be available for technical assistance, training, peer review of applications, program outreach and evaluation activities: Provided further, That of the funds available for part B of title V of the 123 STAT. 3264 ESEA, the Secretary shall use up to $23,082,000 to carry out activities under section 5205(b) and under subpart 2: Provided further, That of the funds available for subpart 1 of part B of title V of the ESEA, and notwithstanding section 5205(a), the Secretary may reserve up to $50,000,000 to make multiple awards to non-profit charter management organizations and other entities that are not for-profit entities for the replication and expansion of successful charter school models and shall reserve $10,000,000 to carry out the activities described in section 5205(a), including by providing technical assistance to authorized public chartering agencies in order to increase the number of high-performing charter schools: Provided further, That the funds referenced in the preceding proviso shall not be obligated prior to submission of a report to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate detailing the planned uses of such funds: Provided further, That each application submitted pursuant to section 5203(a) shall describe a plan to monitor and hold accountable authorized public chartering agencies through such activities as providing technical assistance or establishing a professional development program, which may include planning, training and systems development for staff of authorized public chartering agencies to improve the capacity of such agencies in the State to authorize, monitor, and hold accountable charter schools: Provided further, That each application submitted pursuant to section 5203(a) shall contain assurances that State law, regulations, or other policies require that: (1) each authorized charter school in the State operate under a legally binding charter or performance contract between itself and the school’s authorized public chartering agency that describes the obligations and responsibilities of the school and the public chartering agency; conduct annual, timely, and independent audits of the school’s financial statements that are filed with the school’s authorized public chartering agency; and demonstrate improved student academic achievement; and (2) authorized public chartering agencies use increases in student academic achievement for all groups of students described in section 1111(b)(2)(C)(v) of the ESEA as the most important factor when determining to renew or revoke a school’s charter: Provided further, That from the funds for subpart 1 of part D of title V of the ESEA, $12,000,000 shall be for competitive awards to local educational agencies located in counties in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas that were designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as counties eligible for individual assistance due to damage caused by Hurricanes Katrina, Ike, or Gustav: Provided further, That such awards shall be used to improve education in areas affected by such hurricanes and shall be for such activities as replacing instructional materials and equipment; paying teacher incentives; modernizing or renovating or repairing school buildings; beginning or expanding Advanced Placement or other rigorous courses; supporting the expansion of charter schools; and supporting after-school or extended learning time activities.