article: SECTION. 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Classroom Safety Act of 1993''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. (a) Findings.--The Congress finds that-- (1) the violence within elementary and secondary schools across the Nation has increased dramatically during the past decade; (2) the despair, brought about by poverty and disenfranchisement, that affect millions of youth in cities across the Nation is entering schools; (3) almost 3,000,000 crimes occur on or near school campuses every year, 16,000 per school day or one every 6 seconds; (4) one fourth of major urban school districts now use metal detectors; (5) 20 percent of teachers in schools have reported being threatened with violence by a student; (6) greater efforts are needed for counseling and training for teachers in potentially hostile school environments to avert violence in schools; (7) schools are being asked to take on too many responsibilities that society as a whole has neglected forcing teachers to referee fights rather than teach; (8) teachers' unions are staging walk-outs to protest the violence which denies interested students the opportunity to learn; (9) local educational agencies and cities are already financially devastated and need an infusion of Federal funds to help fight violence in schools; and (10) local educational agencies should not have to withdraw funds and resources intended for books, computers, and teachers, to help pay for an increased need for safety mechanisms in schools. (b) Purposes.--The purpose of this Act is to provide assistance to local educational agencies for the prevention and reduction of violent crime in schools throughout the Nation. SEC. 3. GRANT AUTHORIZATION. (a) In General.--The Secretary of Education is authorized to make grants to local educational agencies to provide assistance to such agencies most directly affected by crime and violence. (b) Model Project.--The Secretary shall develop a model for classroom safety written in English and Spanish in a timely fashion and make such model available to any local educational agency that requests such information. SEC. 4. USE OF FUNDS. Grants made by the Secretary under this Act shall be used-- (1) to fund anticrime and safety measures and to develop education and training programs for the prevention of crime, violence, and illegal use of drugs and alcohol; (2) for counseling programs for victims and witnesses of crime in schools; (3) to develop programs for conflict resolution and peer mediation counseling for students, teachers, and other personnel in regular contact with students at school; (4) to purchase crime prevention equipment, including metal detectors and video-surveillance devices; and (5) for the prevention and reduction of the participation of students in organized crime and drug and gang-related activities in schools. SEC. 5. APPLICATIONS. (a) In General.--In order to be eligible to receive a grant under this Act for any fiscal year, a local educational agency shall submit an application to the Secretary in such form and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require. (b) Requirements.--Each application under subsection (a) shall include-- (1) a request for funds for the purposes described in section 4; (2) a description of the schools and communities to be served by the grant, including the nature of the crime and violence problems within such schools; (3) assurances that Federal funds received under this Act shall be used to supplement, not supplant, non-Federal funds that would otherwise be available for activities funded under this Act; and (4) statistical information in such form and containing such information that the Secretary may require regarding crime within the schools served by such local educational agency. (c) Comprehensive Plan.--Each application shall include a comprehensive plan that shall contain-- (1) a description of the crime problems within the schools targeted for assistance; (2) a description of the projects to be developed; (3) a description of the resources available in the community to implement the plan together with a description of the gaps in the plan that cannot be filled with existing resources; (4) an explanation of how the requested grant will be used to fill gaps; (5) a description of the system the applicant will establish to prevent and reduce crime problems; and (6) a description of educational materials to be developed in Spanish. SEC. 6. ALLOCATION OF FUNDS; LIMITATIONS ON GRANTS. (a) Administrative Cost Limitation.--The Secretary shall use not more than 5 percent of the funds available under this Act for the purposes of administration and technical assistance. (b) Renewal of Grants.--A grant under this Act may be renewed for up to 2 additional years after the first fiscal year during which the recipient receives an initial grant under this Act, subject to the availability of funds, if-- (1) the Secretary determines that the funds made available to the recipient during the previous year were used in a manner required under the approved application; and (2) the Secretary determines that an additional grant is necessary to implement the crime prevention program described in the comprehensive plan as required by section 5(c). SEC. 7. AWARD OF GRANTS. (a) Selection of Recipients.--The Secretary shall consider the following factors in awarding grants to local educational agencies: (1) Crime problem.--The nature and scope of the crime problem in the targeted schools. (2) Need and ability.--Demonstrated need and evidence of the ability to provide the services described in the plan required under section 5(c). (3) Population.--The number of students to be served by the plan required under section 5(c). (b) Geographic Distribution.--The Secretary shall attempt, to the extent practicable, to achieve an equitable geographic distribution of grant awards. SEC. 8. REPORTS. (a) Report.--Local educational agencies that receive funds under this Act shall submit to the Secretary a report not later than March 1 of each year that describes progress achieved in carrying out the plan required under section 5(c). (b) Report to Congress.--The Secretary shall submit to the Congress a report by October 1 of each year in which grants are made available under this Act which shall contain a detailed statement regarding grant awards, activities of grant recipients, a compilation of statistical information submitted by applicants under 5(b)(4), and an evaluation of programs established under this Act. SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS. For the purpose of this Act: (1) The term `local educational agency' has the same meaning given such term under section 1471(12) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. (2) The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of Education. SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. There are authorized to be appropriated $100,000,000 for fiscal year 1993 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1994 through 1999 to carry out the projects under this Act.
summary: Classroom Safety Act of 1993 - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to make grants to assist local educational agencies (LEAs) in reducing and preventing violent crime in elementary and secondary schools. Directs the Secretary to develop a model for classroom safety written in English and Spanish and make it available to any LEA upon request. Requires the grants to be used for programs of: (1) anticrime and safety measures, and prevention education and training; (2) counseling for victims and witnesses; (3) conflict resolution and peer mediation; (4) purchasing crime prevention equipment; and (5) preventing and reducing student participation in organized crime and drug and gang-related activities in schools. Requires grant applications to include comprehensive plans. Bases selection of recipients upon crime problem, need and ability, and student population (and equitable geographic distribution, if practicable). Requires annual reports. Authorizes appropriations.