Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 108 Part 5.djvu/201

 PUBLIC LAW 103-382—OCT. 20, 1994 108 STAT. 3691 must assist school districts to improve their capacity to continue to operate magnet schools at a high level of performance; and "(5) it is in the best interest of the Federal Government to— "(A) continue the Federal Government's support of school districts implementing court-ordered desegregation plans and school districts seeking to foster meaningful interaction among students of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, beginning at the earliest stage of such students' education; "(B) ensure that all students have equitable access to quality education that will prepare such students to function well in a culturally diverse, technologically oriented, and highly competitive, global community; and "(C) maximize the ability of local educational agencies to plan, develop, implement and continue effective and innovative magnet schools that contribute to State and local systemic reform. "SEC. 5102. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE. 20 USC 7202. "The purpose of this part is to assist in the desegregation of schools served by local educational agencies by providing financial assistance to eligible local educational agencies for— "(1) the elimination, reduction, or prevention of minority group isolation in elementary and secondary schools with substantial proportions of minority students; "(2) the development and implementation of magnet school projects that will assist local educational agencies in achieving systemic reforms and providing all students the opportunity to meet challenging State content standards and challenging State student performance standards; "(3) the development and design of innovative educational methods and practices; and "(4) courses of instruction within magnet schools that will substantially strengthen the knowledge of academic subjects and the grasp of tangible and marketable vocational skills of students attending such schools. "SEC. 5103. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED. 20 USC 7203. "The Secretary, in accordance with this part, is authorized to make grants to eligible local educational agencies, and consortia of such agencies where appropriate, to carry out the purpose of this part for magnet schools that are— "(1) part of an approved desegregation plan; and "(2) designed to bring students from different social, economic, ethnic, and racial backgrounds together. "SEC. 5104. DEFINITION. 20 USC 7204. "For the purpose of this part, the term 'magnet school' means a public elementary or secondary school or public elementary or secondary education center that offers a special curriculum capable of attracting substantial numbers of students of different racial backgrounds.

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