Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 108 Part 1.djvu/192

 108 STAT. 166 PUBLIC LAW 103-227—MAR. 31, 1994 (1) how the State will monitor progress towards implementing the State and local improvement plans; and (2) procedures the State plans to use, consistent with State law, to improve schools that are not meeting the State content standards voluntarily adopted by the State within the established timelines. (n) PEER REVIEW AND SECRETARIAL APPROVAL.— (1) IN GENERAL.— (A) The Secretary shall review, within a reasonable period of time, each State improvement plan prepared under this section, and each application submitted under ^ section 305, through a peer review process involving the assistance and advice of State and local education policymakers, educators, classroom teachers, related services personnel, experts on educational innovation and improvement, parents, advocates, and other appropriate individuals. Such peer review process shall be representative of the diversity of the United States with regard to geography, race, ethnicity, gender and disability characteristics. Such peer review process shall include at least 1 site visit to each State, except during the period when a State improvement plan is being developed. (B) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (A), in the first year that a State educational agency submits an application for development of a State improvement plan under this title the Secretary shall not be required to— (i) review such application through a peer review process; and (ii) conduct a site visit. (2) APPROVAL. —The Secretary shall approve a State improvement plan if such plan is submitted to the Secretary not later than 2 years after the date the State educational agency receives its first allotment under section 304(b), and when the Secretary determines, after considering the peer reviewers' comment, that such plan— (A) reflects a widespread commitment within the State; (B) holds reasonable promise of helping all students to achieve at the high levels called for by this Act; (C) meets the requirements of subsections (a) through (k); and (D) allows local schools, local educational agencies and communities the flexibility to implement local improvement plans in a manner which reflects local needs and requirements in order to promote a 'bottom up' system of school reform. (3) DISAPPROVAL. —The Secretary shall not disapprove a State improvement plan, or any State application submitted under section 305, before offering the State— (A) an opportunity to revise such plan or application; and (B) a hearing. (o) REGULAR REVIEW.—Each State improvement plan shall include a process for periodically reviewing and updating any State content standards, State student performance standards. State opportunity-to-learn standards or strategies, and State assessments, (p) AMENDMENTS TO PLAN. — (1) IN GENERAL.— Each State educational agency shall periodically review its State improvement plan and revise such

�