Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 102 Part 1.djvu/376

 102 STAT. 338 Fund for the Improvement and Reform of Schools and Teaching Act. note^ ^^^^ 20 USC 4801.

20 USC 4811. Contracts.

PUBLIC LAW 100-297—APR. 28, 1988

PART B—FUND FOR THE IMPROVEMENT AND REFORM OF SCHOOLS AND TEACHING SEC. 3201. SHORT TITLE. This part may be cited as the "Fund for the Improvement and Reform of Schools and Teaching Act". SEC. 3202. ESTABLISHMENT OF FUND. There is established a Fund for the Improvement and Reform of Schools and Teaching. Subpart 1—Grants for Schools and Teachers SEC. 3211. FUND FOR THE IMPROVEMENT AND REFORM OF SCHOOLS AND TEACHING. (a) GENERAL AUTHORITY.—The Secretary is authorized to make grants to, and enter into contracts with, State educational agencies, local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, individual schools, consortia of such schools, and consortia of such schools and institutions, to improve educational opportunities for and the performance of elementary and secondary school students and teachers by— (1) helping educationally disadvantaged or at risk children meet higher educational standards; (2) providing incentives for improved performance; (3) strengthening school leadership and teaching; (4) promoting closer ties among school teachers, administrators, families and the local community; (5) providing opportunities for teacher enrichment and other means to improve the professional status of teachers; (6) encouraging projects that reallocate existing resources (both human and financial) to serve children better by refocusing priorities; (7) allowing local schools to establish closer ties with an institution of higher education to increase educational achievement; (8) incroasing the number and quality of minority teachers; (9) providing entry-year assistance to new teachers and administrators; (10) improving the teacher certification process, especially for schools, school districts, or States facing serious shortages; and (11) encouraging pride in schools by teaching students to be responsible for their school environment, involving students in the care and maintenance of their classrooms and promoting individual responsibility and involvement in civic activities. (b) PRIORITY RULE.—The Secretary shall give priority to proposed projects that— (1) will benefit students or schools with below average academic performance; (2) will lead to increased access of all students to a high quality education; and (3) develop or implement systems for providing incentives to schools, administrators, teachers, students, or others to make measurable progress toward specific goals of improved educational performance.

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