Title: To provide for adequate and equitable educational opportunities for students in State public school systems, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Fattah, Chaka [3] [D-PA-2] (introduced 5/17/2007)      Cosponsors (64)
Latest Major Action: 7/17/2007 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Highlights: Make annual determinations as to whether each state's public school system provides all its students with educational resources to succeed academically and in life. Requires such education to enable students to: (1) acquire knowledge and skills necessary for responsible citizenship; (2) meet challenging academic achievement standards; and (3) compete and succeed in a global economy.

ASPIRA Policy Position

ASPIRA supports data collection to determine if states are meeting their obligations with regards to providing adequate educational resources.

Title: To improve graduation rates by authorizing the Secretary of Education to make grants to improve adolescent literacy, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Hinojosa, Ruben [5] [D-TX-15] (introduced 3/21/2007)      Cosponsors (31)
Latest Major Action: 6/27/2007 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.Highlights: Establishes a program that will provide grants to state educational agencies (SEAs) and, through them, subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish reading and writing programs to improve overall reading and writing performance among middle and high school students. Limits eligibility for subgrants to LEAs in a state that are among those that have the lowest graduation rates for public secondary school students.

Grant eligibility: Limits eligibility for subgrants to LEAs in a state that are among those that have the lowest graduation rates for public secondary school students. Includes among required uses of LEA subgrant funds: (1) hiring and inservice training of literacy coaches; (2) counseling for at-risk students; and (3) professional development for educators that addresses literacy needs of certain student groups.

ASPIRA Policy Position

ASPIRA supports efforts to improve student academic achievement, especially at the middle and high school levels.