article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Smaller Schools, Stronger Communities Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) Since World War II, the conventional wisdom among educators has been that larger schools are better than smaller schools, and as a result the number of secondary schools in the United States has declined by 70 percent and the average school size has grown to 5 times the previous average size. According to the Department of Education, 70 percent of high school students in 2000 attended schools with more than 1,000 students. (2) Over the past few years, educators have begun to question the belief that larger schools are always better. The National Association of Secondary School Principals recently recommended that the high school of the 21st century be much more student-centered and, above all, much more personalized in programs, support services, and intellectual rigor. Underlying this recommendation are the Association's beliefs that students take more interest in school when they have a sense of belonging and that students benefit from a more intimate setting in which their presence is more readily and repeatedly acknowledged. (3) The National Association of Secondary School Principals warns that the ``bigness'' of high schools shrouds many young people in what the Association calls ``a cloak of anonymity''. To counteract this effect, the Association recommends that high schools-- (A) restructure their layouts and schedules so that students are no longer invisible and able to ``melt into their surroundings''; (B) limit their enrollments to units of not more than 600 students, either by constructing new buildings or by creating schools-within-a-school; and (C) change the relationship between teachers and students by reducing the number of class changes students are required to make each day and by allowing teachers to spend more time with smaller numbers of students. (4) Research shows that larger schools tend to stratify students into different tracks, which are often based on children's educational and social backgrounds. The result is inequitable educational outcomes, because at larger schools the gap between the educational achievement of high-achieving and low-achieving students is greater than at smaller schools. (5) Research shows that-- (A) in smaller, more personalized, and less bureaucratic schools, the gap between high-achieving and low-achieving students is smaller; (B) students in smaller schools perform better in the core subjects of reading, mathematics, history, and science; (C) students in smaller schools are more engaged in their courses; (D) smaller schools have higher attendance rates and higher rates of participation in school activities; and (E) because achievement levels in smaller schools are more equitably distributed, students who come from more disadvantaged economic and educational backgrounds show the greatest achievement gains in smaller schools. (6) In 2000, the Bank Street College of Education conducted a study, entitled ``Small Schools: Great Strides'', of more than 150 small schools in Chicago, Illinois. In the study, researchers found the following: (A) Small schools generated measurable benefits (including higher attendance rates, grade point averages, and graduation rates) even among the most academically disadvantaged students. (B) Teachers and parents reported greater satisfaction with small schools. (C) Teachers found that small schools offer a stronger, more collaborative professional learning community and provide opportunities to know students better and to take greater responsibility for their achievement. (D) Parents found that small schools are more accessible, more responsive, and safer. (7) According to a recent study of 13,600 schools in Georgia, Montana, Ohio, and Texas-- (A) in smaller schools the harmful effects of poverty on student achievement were greatly reduced; and (B) in poorer Texas communities, larger schools had significantly lower test scores than smaller schools. (8) Research shows that smaller schools are safer and that students in smaller schools are less likely to join gangs. According to the 1999 report entitled ``Indicators of School Crime and Safety'' issued by the National Center for Education Statistics and the Bureau of Justice Statistics-- (A) the number of criminal acts committed at school and number of incidents of school violence were much lower in schools enrolling between 300 to 1,000 students than in larger schools regardless of location in urban, suburban, or rural areas; and (B) on the urban fringe, at schools within metropolitan areas but not in the areas' central cities, larger schools experienced as many as 4 times as many incidents of serious violence per 1,000 students than smaller schools. (9) Many States and local educational agencies are implementing strategies to reduce the size of their schools, including Florida, where in 2000 Governor Jeb Bush signed a school safety bill that required new schools to serve smaller student populations. The legislation limited new high schools to 900 students. SEC. 3. SMALLER LEARNING COMMUNITIES GRANT PROGRAM. Section 10105 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8005) is amended to read as follows: ``SEC. 10105. SMALLER LEARNING COMMUNITIES. ``(a) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions apply: ``(1) School.--The term `school' means an elementary school or a secondary school. ``(2) School-within-a-school.--The term `school-within-a- school' means a unit within a school that creates a close and consistent academic and administrative relationship between a group of students and a group of teachers such that the unit functions as an individualized smaller school, regardless of how many such schools-within-a-school exist within the larger school. ``(3) Smaller learning community.--The term `smaller learning community' means-- ``(A) an independent, small school within a single building; ``(B) a school-within-a-school; or ``(C) any other grouping of students, teachers, or administrators that uses effective or innovative strategies to create a more personalized school experience for students to improve student achievement or performance, including but not limited to strategies that make use of-- ``(i) career academies or clusters; ``(ii) magnet schools; ``(iii) restructured daily or school-year schedules; or ``(iv) mentoring systems, such as personal adult advocates or teacher advisory systems. ``(b) Authority To Make Grants.--In accordance with this section, the Secretary may-- ``(1) make grants to local educational agencies to enable such agencies to develop plans to create smaller learning communities; and ``(2) make grants to local educational agencies to enable such agencies to implement plans to establish such communities. ``(c) Application.-- ``(1) In general.--In accordance with this subsection, the Secretary shall require that each local educational agency seeking 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. ``(2) Simple, brief application.--In developing applications for the grants described in subsection (b), the Secretary shall develop an application that is simple and brief in form. ``(3) Planning grants.--Each application from a local educational agency for a grant under subsection (b)(1) shall include information relating to each of the following: ``(A) The need in the area administered by the local educational agency for 1 or more smaller learning communities. ``(B) The process the local educational agency intends to follow in establishing 1 or more smaller learning communities. ``(C) The steps the local educational agency intends to follow in order to ensure the viability of each smaller learning community to be assisted with the grant. ``(D) For each smaller learning community to be assisted with the grant, the non-Federal resources that will be available to the local educational agency from each of the following: ``(i) Any existing school at which the smaller learning community will be located. ``(ii) The school district, or area administered by the local educational agency, in which the smaller learning community will be located. ``(4) Implementation grants.--Each application from a local educational agency for a grant under subsection (b)(2) shall include information relating to each of the following: ``(A) The strategies and methods the local educational agency intends to use to create each smaller learning community. ``(B) The curriculum and instructional practices, including any particular themes or emphases, to be used in the learning environment. ``(C) The degree of involvement of teachers, and other school personnel, in investigating, designing, implementing, and sustaining each smaller learning community. ``(D) The process to be used for involving students, parents, and other stakeholders in the development and implementation of each smaller learning community. ``(E) Any cooperation or collaboration among community agencies, organizations, businesses, and others to develop or implement a plan to create each smaller learning community. ``(F) The training and professional development activities that will be offered to teachers and others involved in the activities for which the grant is sought. ``(G) The goals and objectives of the activities for which the grant is sought, including a description of how such activities will better enable all students to reach challenging State content standards and State student performance standards. ``(H) The methods by which the local educational agency will assess progress in meeting the goals and objectives described in subparagraph (G). ``(I) With respect to any smaller learning community that will be a school-within-a-school, the relationship, including governance and administration, between the smaller learning community and the rest of the school. ``(J) The administrative and managerial relationship between the local educational agency and each smaller learning community, including how such agency intends to ensure the continuity of the smaller learning community and the continuity of student and teacher assignment to such community. ``(K) How the local educational agency intends to coordinate the use of the proceeds of the grant with the use of other funds provided under this Act or under other Federal laws. ``(L) The grade levels or ages of students who will participate in each smaller learning community. ``(M) The method of placing students in each smaller learning community. ``(d) Use of Grant Funds.-- ``(1) Planning grants.--The proceeds of a grant made under subsection (b)(1) may be used for any of the following: ``(A) Study of the feasibility of creating a smaller learning community. ``(B) Study of effective and innovative organizational and instructional strategies for use in 1 or more smaller learning communities. ``(C) Research on and development of strategies for creating 1 or more smaller learning communities. ``(D) Research on and development of, for 1 or more smaller learning communities, effective and innovative curriculums and methods of instruction designed to meet high State content standards and State student performance standards. ``(E) Provision of professional development in innovative teaching methods that challenge and engage students to the staff of 1 or more smaller learning communities. ``(F) Development of strategies for the participation in 1 or more smaller learning communities of parents, business representatives, local institutions of higher education, community-based organizations, and other community members, as facilitators of activities that provide professional development for teachers or that provide links between students and their local community. ``(G) Any other reasonable expense, including architectural fees to design or remodel school facilities, but not including the costs directly associated with the renovation of existing facilities or the purchase or construction of new facilities. ``(2) Implementation grants.--The proceeds of a grant made under subsection (b)(2) may be used for any of the following: ``(A) Implementing strategies for creating 1 or more smaller learning communities. ``(B) Implementing within 1 or more smaller learning communities effective and innovative curriculums and methods of instruction designed to meet high State content standards and State student performance standards. ``(C) Implementing strategies for the participation in 1 or more smaller learning communities of parents, business representatives, local institutions of higher education, community-based organizations, and other community members, as facilitators of activities that provide professional development for teachers or that provide links between students and their local community. ``(D) Any other reasonable expense, including architectural fees to design or remodel school facilities, but not including the costs directly associated with the renovation of existing facilities or the purchase or construction of new facilities. ``(e) Equitable Distribution.--In making grants under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that the recipients of grants under subsection (b)(1) and the recipients of grants under subsection (b)(2) are equitably distributed among urban, suburban, and rural areas of the United States. ``(f) Report to the Secretary.--The Secretary shall require as a condition of receipt of each grant under this section that the grant recipient transmit to the Secretary a report on how the proceeds of the grant were used. ``(g) Additional Authority.--To further assist local educational agencies with respect to planning for or implementation of smaller learning communities, the Secretary may-- ``(1) provide technical assistance to such local educational agencies ; and ``(2) participate in networking activities. ``(h) Secretary's Use of Funds.--In each fiscal year, the Secretary may use not more than a total of 5 percent of the amount authorized under subsection (j) for-- ``(1) evaluation of the program authorized by this section; ``(2) the provision of technical assistance under subsection (g)(1); and ``(3) networking activities under subsection (g)(2). ``(i) Study.--The Secretary shall conduct a study to-- ``(1) build on existing research in the smaller learning communities field; ``(2) evaluate and compare outcomes at various types of smaller learning communities, including smaller learning communities in urban, suburban, and rural school districts; and ``(3) track the effectiveness of smaller learning communities. ``(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2002 and such sums as may be necessary for the 4 succeeding fiscal years.''.
summary: Smaller Schools, Stronger Communities Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants to local educational agencies to develop and implement plans to create smaller learning communities.