Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 108 Part 5.djvu/375

 PUBLIC LAW 103-382—OCT. 20, 1994 108 STAT. 3865 "(10) funding constraints as well as the strong pull of tradition have made extending the school year difficult for most States and school districts; and "(11) experiments with extended and multi-track school years have been associated with both increased learning and more efficient use of school facilities. "(b) PURPOSES.— It is the purpose of this part to— "(1) provide seed money to schools and local educational agencies to enable such agencies to devise and implement strategies and methods for upgrading the quality of, and extending, challenging, engaging learning time geared to high standards for all students; and "(2) allow the Secretary to provide financial incentives and assistance to States or local educational agencies to enable such States or agencies to substantially increase the amount of time that students spend participating in quality academic programs, and to promote flexibility in school scheduling. " (c) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.— "(1) IN GENERAL.— The Secretary is authorized to award Grants, grants to local educational agencies having applications approved under subsection (d) to enable such agencies to carry out the authorized activities described in subsection (e) in public elementary and secondary schools. "(2) AMOUNT. —The Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, provide an equitable distribution of grants under this section. "(3) DURATION. —Each grsmt under subsection (a) shall be awarded for a period of not more than three years. "(4) PRIORITY.— The Secretary shall give priority to awarding grants under this part to local educational agencies that serve schools with high percentages of students in poverty. "(d) APPLICATION. —Each local educational agency desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require. Each such application shall describe— "(1) the activities for which assistance is sought; "(2) any study or other information-gathering project for which funds will be used; "(3) strategies and methods the applicant will use to enrich and extend learning time for all students and to maximize the percentage of common core learning time in the school day, such as block scheduling, team teaching, longer school days or years, and extending learning time through new distance-learning technologies; "(4) the strategies and methods the applicant will use, including changes in curriculum and instruction, to challenge and engage students and to maximize the productiveness of common core learning time, as well as the total time students spend in school and in school-related enrichment activities; "(5) the strategies and methods the applicant intends to employ to provide continuing flnancial support for the implementation of any extended school day or school year; "(6) with respect to any application seeking assistance for activities described under subsection (e)(4), a description of any feasibility or other studies demonstrating the sustainability of a longer school year;

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