To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to establish pilot projects to support and evaluate the provision of before-school activities that advance student academic achievement and encourage the establishment of, and increase participation in, school breakfast programs.

March 4, 2004

Mr. KIND (for himself, Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. SCHIFF, and Mr. PETRI) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to establish pilot projects to support and evaluate the provision of before-school activities that advance student academic achievement and encourage the establishment of, and increase participation in, school breakfast programs.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Educational Grants for Great Starts Act'.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROJECTS TO SUPPORT AND EVALUATE BEFORE-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES.

Section 18 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769) is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(h) Pilot Projects to Support and Evaluate Before-School Activities-

`(1) Grants to state agencies-

`(A) Grants- (i) Subject to funds made available under paragraph (5), the Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Education, shall make grants to 7 State agencies to conduct pilot projects in 17 elementary schools in each such State to--

`(I) support the provision of before-school activities that advance student academic achievement and encourage the establishment of, or increase participation in, school breakfast programs; and

`(II) evaluate the effect of providing before-school activities on participation in school breakfast programs.

`(ii) In carrying out clause (i), the Secretary shall make grants to 1 State in each of the 7 geographic regions of the United States (as determined for purposes of programs of the Food and Nutrition Service).

`(B) Application-

`(i) In general- The Secretary may make a grant to a State agency under subparagraph (A) only if the State agency submits to the Secretary an application that contains, at a minimum, the information described in clause (ii).

`(ii) Information- The information described in this clause is the following:

`(I) A description of how the State agency will provide oversight of pilot projects to be conducted in selected elementary schools in the State to ensure that before-school activities under the projects will increase participation in the school breakfast program.

`(II) A description of the methods to be used by the State agency to promote and make available all appropriate information concerning subgrants to be made under paragraph (2) for the conduct of pilot projects in selected elementary schools in the State.

`(III) A description of the methods to be used by the State agency to collect data for the evaluation of the pilot projects in accordance with paragraph (4)(A).

`(C) Selection criteria- In making grants to State agencies under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall ensure that the pilot projects to be conducted in elementary schools under the jurisdiction of the local educational agencies are selected so as to--

`(i)(I) ensure the likelihood that proposed before-school activities under the pilot projects will increase participation in school breakfast programs; and

`(II) ensure coordination of the pilot projects with other programs and activities offered by the elementary schools;

`(ii)(I) provide for an equitable distribution of pilot projects among urban and rural elementary schools; and

`(II) provide for an equitable distribution of pilot projects among elementary schools with and without school breakfast programs; and

`(iii) provide for an equitable distribution of pilot projects among schools of varying family income levels.

`(D) Limitation- Not more than 1.5 percent of the amount of a grant received by a State agency under subparagraph (A) may be used by the State agency for administrative expenses of the pilot projects under this subsection.

`(2) Subgrants to local educational agencies-

`(A) Subgrants-

`(i) In general- A State agency that receives a grant under paragraph (1) shall use amounts from the grant to make subgrants to local educational agencies to conduct pilot projects in accordance with this subsection to support the provision of before-school activities, including the activities described in clause (ii), that advance student academic achievement and encourage the establishment of, or increase participation in, school breakfast programs.

`(ii) Activities- The activities described in this clause are the following:

`(I) Remedial education activities and academic enrichment learning programs.

`(II) Mathematics and science education activities.

`(III) Arts and music appreciation activities.

`(IV) Entrepreneurial education activities.

`(V) Tutoring services and mentoring programs.

`(VI) Telecommunications and technology education programs.

`(VII) Expanded library service hours.

`(VIII) Programs that provide assistance to students who have been truant or suspended to allow the students to improve their academic achievement.

`(IX) Drug and violence prevention programs, counseling programs, and character education programs.

`(B) Application-

`(i) In general- The State agency may make a subgrant to a local educational agency under subparagraph (A) only if the local educational agency submits to the State agency an application that contains, at a minimum, the information described in clause (ii).

`(ii) Information- The information described in this clause is the following:

`(I)(aa) Except as provided in item (bb), a description of the breakfast program of each elementary school under the jurisdiction of the local educational agency within which a pilot project will be conducted, including the number of students who participate in the program and the percentage of students who participate in the program in rural versus urban schools.

`(bb) In the case of an elementary school without a breakfast program and within which a pilot project will be conducted, a description of a plan that outlines how the school will establish and operate a breakfast program in coordination with the pilot project.

`(II) A description of how the local educational agency, in conjunction with the school food authority, will carry out the pilot projects in accordance with this subsection, including a description of (aa) the specific activities that will be carried out by the local educational agency to remove any perceived stigma associated with participation in the breakfast program and to increase participation in the program, and (bb) all other specific activities that will be carried out under the projects.

`(III) A description of a proposed budget to carry out the pilot projects.

`(C) Selection criteria- In making subgrants to local educational agencies under subparagraph (A), the State agency shall ensure that the local educational agencies have under their jurisdiction a sufficient number of elementary schools that are not participating in the pilot projects to permit a valid evaluation of the results of the pilot projects.

`(D) Duration of pilot projects- A local educational agency that receives a subgrant under subparagraph (A) to conduct a pilot project in accordance with this subsection shall conduct the project during a period of not less than 3 successive school years.

`(E) Minimum amount of awards to elementary schools- Subject to the availability of funds of a subgrant provided to a local educational agency under subparagraph (A) to conduct a pilot project in accordance with this subsection, the minimum amount provided to an elementary school under the pilot.

`(3) Prohibition- Amounts provided under a grant or subgrant made under this subsection may not be used to provide a Federal reimbursement for school breakfasts under the school breakfast program.

`(4) Evaluation; report-

`(A) Evaluation- The Secretary shall conduct an evaluation of the pilot projects conducted by local educational agencies under this subsection with respect to the establishment of, and increased participation in, school breakfast programs.

`(B) Report- Not later than September 30, 2006, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to Congress a report that contains the results of the evaluation conducted under subparagraph (A).

`(5) Authorization of appropriations-

`(A) General authorization- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection (other than paragraph (4)) $6,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2005 through 2007.

`(B) Evaluation- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out paragraph (4) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2007.'.

END