The purpose of this subpart is to improve literacy skills and academic achievement of students by providing students with increased access to up-to-date school library materials, a well-equipped, technologically advanced school library media center, and well-trained, professionally certified school library media specialists.
(1) one-half of 1 percent to award assistance under this section to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to carry out activities consistent with the purpose of this subpart; and
(2) one-half of 1 percent to award assistance under this section to the outlying areas according to their respective needs for assistance under this subpart.
(1) Competitive grants to eligible local educational agencies
If the amount of funds appropriated under section 6302(b)(4) of this title for a fiscal year is less than $100,000,000, then the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible local educational agencies under subsection (e) of this section.
(2) Formula grants to States
If the amount of funds appropriated under section 6302(b)(4) of this title for a fiscal year equals or exceeds $100,000,000, then the Secretary shall award grants to State educational agencies from allotments under subsection (d) of this section.
(3) Definition of eligible local educational agency
(1) Allotments
From funds made available under subsection (c)(2) of this section and not reserved under subsections (b) and (j) of this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to each State educational agency having an application approved under subsection (f)(1) of this section an amount that bears the same relation to the funds as the amount the State educational agency received under part A of this subchapter for the preceding fiscal year bears to the amount all such State educational agencies received under part A of this subchapter for the preceding fiscal year, to increase literacy and reading skills by improving school libraries.
(2) Competitive grants to eligible local educational agencies
(3) Reallotment
If a State educational agency does not apply for an allotment under this section for any fiscal year, or if the State educational agency’s application is not approved, the Secretary shall reallot the amount of the State educational agency’s allotment to the remaining State educational agencies in accordance with paragraph (1).
(1) In general
From amounts made available under subsection (c)(1) of this section and not reserved under subsections (b) and (j) of this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible local educational agencies that have applications approved under subsection (f)(2) of this section for activities described in subsection (g) of this section.
(2) Duration
The Secretary shall award grants under this subsection for a period of 1 year.
(3) Distribution
The Secretary shall ensure that grants under this subsection are equitably distributed among the different geographic regions of the United States, and among local educational agencies serving urban and rural areas.
(1) State educational agency
(2) Eligible local educational agency
(1) acquire up-to-date school library media resources, including books;
(2) acquire and use advanced technology, incorporated into the curricula of the school, to develop and enhance the information literacy, information retrieval, and critical thinking skills of students;
(3) facilitate Internet links and other resource-sharing networks among schools and school library media centers, and public and academic libraries, where possible;
(4) provide professional development described in section 6372(d)(2) of this title for school library media specialists, and activities that foster increased collaboration between school library media specialists, teachers, and administrators; and
(5) provide students with access to school libraries during nonschool hours, including the hours before and after school, during weekends, and during summer vacation periods.
(1) Local reports
Each eligible local educational agency that receives funds under this section for a fiscal year shall report to the Secretary or State educational agency, as appropriate, on how the funding was used and the extent to which the availability of, the access to, and the use of, up-to-date school library media resources in the elementary schools and secondary schools served by the eligible local educational agency was increased.
(2) State report
Each State educational agency that receives funds under this section shall compile the reports received under paragraph (1) and submit the compiled reports to the Secretary.
Funds made available under this section shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, other Federal, State, and local funds expended to carry out activities relating to library, technology, or professional development activities.
(1) Evaluations
From the funds appropriated under section 6302(b)(4) of this title for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve not more than 1 percent for annual, independent, national evaluations of the activities assisted under this section and their impact on improving the reading skills of students. The evaluations shall be conducted not later than 3 years after January 8, 2002, and biennially thereafter.
(2) Report to Congress
The Secretary shall transmit the State reports received under subsection (h)(2) of this section and the evaluations conducted under paragraph (1) to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives.