To provide a model for school districts in the United States using and building on the experience of the District of Columbia in establishing fully accountable public alternatives to traditional public schools.

July 8, 2003

Ms. NORTON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Government Reform

To provide a model for school districts in the United States using and building on the experience of the District of Columbia in establishing fully accountable public alternatives to traditional public schools.

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 `Model Alternative Publicly Accountable Schools Act of 2003'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds as follows:

(1) Because of its extensive use of public charter schools and transformation schools, the District of Columbia has become a leading national model for providing children and parents with alternatives to traditional public schools.

(2) The District of Columbia has the largest number of public charter schools per capita in the Nation.

(3) Despite the unavailability of adequate facilities and play areas at the District of Columbia's public charter schools, they have proved a remarkable success. The attractiveness of these schools to parents has increased exponentially, as demonstrated by the extensive wait lists for admission.

(4) By designating certain low-performing schools as transformation schools and providing these schools with increased resources and specialized attention, the District of Columbia is making a significant difference in the performance of low-income and other children who attend these schools.

(5) Many school districts have failed to establish charter schools, and many are only beginning to consider removing low-performing schools from the procedures applicable to traditional public schools, as the District of Columbia has done in establishing transformation schools from the low-performing traditional public schools.

(6) The District of Columbia experience should be encouraged and further developed so that it can be used by other school districts as a model for offering public school alternatives that provide services similar to the those available to targeted assistance schools under section 1115 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6315) and charter schools under part B of title V of that Act (20 U.S.C. 7221 et seq.).

SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

The purposes of this Act are the following:

(1) To provide a model for school districts in the United States using and building on the experience of the District of Columbia in establishing fully accountable public alternatives to traditional public schools.

(2) To illustrate the range of public education possibilities, including--

(A) public transformation schools that focus on providing low-income children and other children from low-performing schools residing in the District of Columbia and their parents with expanded opportunities and enriched resources; and

(B) public charter schools in the District of Columbia, for children whose parents so choose.

SEC. 4. EXPANSION OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOW-INCOME PARENTS IN D.C. TO ENROLL THEIR CHILDREN IN HIGHER-PERFORMING SCHOOLS.

(a) PUBLIC TRANSFORMATION SCHOOLS-

(1) IN GENERAL- There are authorized to be appropriated for public transformation schools in the District of Columbia $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2004 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the succeeding 4 fiscal years, to be used to expand opportunities for students in the District of Columbia to attend such schools and to fund the additional services that are necessary to achieve continued improvements in the performance of the children in these schools.

(2) PUBLIC TRANSFORMATION SCHOOL DEFINED- In this subsection, the term `public transformation school' means a public elementary or secondary school that--

(A) is designated as a transformation school by the Superintendent of the District of Columbia Public Schools; and

(B) is eligible for a schoolwide program under section 1114 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6314) or targeted assistance under section 1115 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 6315).

(b) PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Direct Loan Fund for Charter School Improvement (established under section 143(b) of the District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 2003 (Public Law 108-7; 117 Stat. 131)) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2004 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the succeeding 4 fiscal years, to be used to expand opportunities for students in the District of Columbia to attend public charter schools in the District of Columbia.

(c) AUTHORIZATIONS IN ADDITIONAL TO OTHER FUNDS- Any authorization of appropriations under this section is in addition to any other authorizations of appropriations available for the purposes of this Act.

SEC. 5. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOLS RECEIVING ASSISTANCE.

Not later than 90 days after the end of each academic year, the State Education Agency for the District of Columbia shall prepare and submit to the Congress and the Mayor and City Council of the District of Columbia a report on the progress for the academic year of all of the public transformation schools and public charter schools in the District that receive funds under this Act.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2004 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the succeeding 4 fiscal years.

END