text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Public School Redefinition Act of 
  1993''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  
      The Congress finds that--
              (1) the ability of the United States to deliver more 
          effective educational services to citizens, especially 
          disadvantaged citizens, is of primary importance to the 
          national and economic security of the United States;
              (2) fundamental reform is needed in our Nation's 
          educational system in order to release the creative energies of 
          teachers, students, parents, and communities;
              (3) market forces of competition and choice can have a 
          positive influence in promoting fundamental reform; however, 
          choice is incomplete without the availability of more 
          educational choices for all students, including disadvantaged 
          students and historically underserved students;
              (4) the exclusive franchise that local educational agencies 
          have traditionally had on the creation of new public schools 
          has served to limit the number and variety of school choices 
          available to parents and students; and
              (5) public education should be defined by outcomes and 
          requirements that protect and promote the public interest, not 
          solely by the ownership or control of facilities and programs 
          by a local educational agency or other public agency.
  
  SEC. 3. PURPOSE.
  
      It is the purpose of this Act to--
              (1) encourage States to offer teachers, parents, and local 
          communities the opportunity to establish new and more effective 
          public schools;
              (2) provide Federal assistance and flexibility to encourage 
          States to assist teachers, parents, and communities to develop 
          such schools; and
              (3) provide criteria for States, teachers, parents, and 
          communities to use in establishing new and more effective 
          public schools.
  
  SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
  
      For the purpose of this Act--
              (1) the term ``eligible partnership'' means a partnership 
          between--
                      (A) a sponsor; and
                      (B) a charter public school;
              (2) the term ``local educational agency'' has the meaning 
          given such term by section 1471(12) of the Elementary and 
          Secondary Education Act of 1965;
              (3) the term ``charter public school'' means a school 
          that--
                      (A) is nonsectarian in its programs, admission 
                  policies, employment practices, and all other 
                  operations and is not affiliated with a nonpublic 
                  sectarian school or religious institution;
                      (B) has a primary focus of providing a 
                  comprehensive program of instruction for at least one 
                  grade from kindergarten to twelfth grade or one age 
                  group from 5 to 18 years of age;
                      (C) does not charge tuition;
                      (D) complies with title VI of the Civil Rights Act 
                  of 1964, title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 
                  section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the 
                  procedural safeguards under the Individuals With 
                  Disabilities Education Act;
                      (E) in the event that more students apply for 
                  admission than may be accommodated, admits students on 
                  the basis of a lottery;
                      (F) is subject to the same Federal and State 
                  financial audits and audit procedures and requirements 
                  as any other school located in the State in which such 
                  school is located;
                      (G) meets all State and local health and safety 
                  requirements; and
                      (H) participates in an eligible partnership;
              (4) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of 
          Education;
              (5) the term ``sponsor'' means a--
                      (A) school board;
                      (B) local educational agency; or
                      (C) State educational agency;
              (6) the term ``State educational agency'' has the meaning 
          given such term by section 1471(23) of the Elementary and 
          Secondary Education Act of 1965.
  
  SEC. 5. PROGRAM AUTHORITY.
  
      (a) Program Authorized.--
              (1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to award 
          grants to State educational agencies having applications 
          approved pursuant to section 6 to enable such agencies to 
          conduct a charter public school program in accordance with this 
          Act.
              (2) Special rule.--If a State elects not to participate in 
          the program assisted under this Act, the Secretary is 
          authorized to award a grant to a charter public school that 
          serves such State and has an application approved pursuant to 
          section 6, as permitted by applicable State laws and 
          regulations in the State in which the school shall operate.
      (b) Use of Grants.--
              (1) State.--Each State educational agency receiving a grant 
          under this Act shall use such grant funds to award grants to 
          one or more charter public schools in the State to enable such 
          schools to plan and implement a charter public school in 
          accordance with this Act.
              (2) Charter public school.--Each charter public school 
          receiving a grant from the Secretary pursuant to subsection 
          (a)(2) shall use such grant funds to plan and implement a 
          charter public school in accordance with this Act.
              (3) Administrative expenses.--Each State educational agency 
          receiving a grant pursuant to subsection (a)(1) may reserve not 
          more than 5 percent of such grant funds for administrative 
          expenses associated with the program assisted under this Act.
      (c) Duration.--A charter public school shall receive a grant under 
  this Act for a period of not more than 3 years.
      (d) Matching Requirement.--In order for a charter public school to 
  receive a grant pursuant to subsection (a), such school shall provide 
  matching funds in the amount of--
              (1) 10 percent of the grant payment received in the first 
          year such school receives a grant under this Act; and
              (2) 25 percent of the grant payment received in the second 
          and third such years.
      (e) Geographic Dispersion.--The Secretary shall ensure that grants 
  awarded pursuant to subsection (a) benefit students in urban and rural 
  areas.
      (f) Construction, Renovation, and Repair.--
              (1) Prohibition.--Grant funds awarded under this Act shall 
          not be used for the construction or major renovation or repair 
          of facilities.
              (2) Start-up costs.--Grant funds awarded under this Act may 
          be used for planning, equipment purchases, and other start-up 
          costs, including minor renovation of facilities necessary to 
          meet applicable State and local health and safety requirements.
  
  SEC. 6. APPLICATION.
  
      (a) State Application.--
              (1) In general.--Each State educational agency desiring a 
          grant under this Act shall submit to the Secretary an 
          application at such time, in such manner, and containing or 
          accompanied by such information as the Secretary may reasonably 
          require.
              (2) Contents.--Each application submitted pursuant to 
          paragraph (1) shall--
                      (A) describe the objectives of the State 
                  educational agency's charter public school program and 
                  a description of how such objectives shall be 
                  fulfilled, including steps taken by the State 
                  educational agency to inform teachers, parents, and 
                  communities of the State educational agency's charter 
                  public school program and the availability of grants 
                  for the establishment of such schools;
                      (B) contain assurances that the State educational 
                  agency shall obtain a waiver of all State and Federal 
                  statutes and regulations applicable to a school board, 
                  local educational agency or school district that are 
                  relevant to and hindering the establishment of a 
                  charter public school in such State;
                      (C) provide a written description of outcomes and 
                  other requirements to be included in each eligible 
                  partnership agreement between a sponsor and a charter 
                  public school;
                      (D) provide a description of how charter public 
                  schools within the State shall be required to meet the 
                  definition of a charter public school as described in 
                  section 4(3);
                      (E) contain specific outcomes to be achieved by the 
                  students attending a charter public school in 
                  accordance with the outcomes agreement described in 
                  section 7;
                      (F) provide an explanation of how progress in 
                  meeting the outcomes described in section 7 shall be 
                  measured; and
                      (G) contain a description of how teachers, parents, 
                  and community members have been, or shall be, involved 
                  in the planning, development and implementation of each 
                  charter public school.
      (b) Eligible Partnership Application.--
              (1) In general.--Each charter public school desiring a 
          grant pursuant to section 5(a)(2) shall submit an application 
          to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied 
          by such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.
              (2) Contents.--Each application submitted pursuant to 
          paragraph (1) shall contain the same information and assurances 
          as the information and assurances described in subparagraphs 
          (B) through (G) of subsection (a)(2).
  
  SEC. 7. OUTCOMES AGREEMENT.
  
      (a) Agreement.--In order to receive a grant under this Act a 
  charter public school shall enter into an outcomes agreement with the 
  sponsor participating in the eligible partnership.
      (b) Contents.--Each agreement referred to in subsection (a) shall--
              (1) be in the form of a written contract between the 
          sponsor and the board of directors of the charter public school 
          participating in the eligible partnership;
              (2) set forth outcomes that such school shall achieve; and
              (3) include information and assurances described in 
          subparagraphs (B) through (G) of section 6(a)(2).
  
  SEC. 8. CONTINUATION OF FUNDING.
  
      Each charter public school receiving a grant under this Act shall 
  be eligible to receive Federal, State, and local education revenue, 
  grants and other aids as though such school were a local educational 
  agency.
  
  SEC. 9. TERMINATION.
  
      The Secretary or a State educational agency receiving a grant under 
  this part shall terminate grant payments under this Act if the 
  Secretary or such State educational agency, at any time, determines 
  that the charter public school is not making acceptable progress toward 
  meeting the outcomes described in section 7.
  
  SEC. 10. REPORTS.
  
      (a) State Report.--
              (1) Reports.--Each charter public school receiving a grant 
          pursuant to section 5(a)(1) shall report at least annually to 
          the State educational agency or other agency designated by the 
          Governor on such school's progress in meeting the outcomes 
          described in section 7.
              (2) Report to the secretary.--Each State educational agency 
          receiving a report under subsection (a) shall annually report 
          to the Secretary on the program assisted under this Act.
      (b) School Reports.--Each charter public school receiving a grant 
  pursuant to section 5(a)(2) shall at least annually report to the 
  Secretary the charter public school's progress in meeting the outcomes 
  described in section 7.
  
  SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
  
      There are authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 for fiscal year 
  1994, $75,000,000 for fiscal year 1995, and such sums as may be 
  necessary for the 3 succeeding fiscal years to carry out the provisions 
  of this Act.
target: Public School Redefinition Act of 1993 - Establishes a demonstration program to provide Federal assistance to encourage States to assist teachers, parents, and local communities to establish and develop outcome-based public schools. 
  Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants to State educational agencies (SEAs) to conduct such outcome-based public school programs (or, if a State elects not to participate, to award such a grant directly to an outcome-based public school). 
  Limits such grants to three years and requires the school to provide matching funds.  Prohibits grant funds from being used for construction or major renovation or repair of facilities, but allows their use for planning, equipment purchases and other start-up costs, including minor renovation of facilities to meet applicable health and safety requirements. 
  Provides that each such outcome-based public school shall be eligible to receive Federal, State, and local education revenue, grants, and other aid as though such school were a local educational agency. 
  Directs the Secretary or the SEA receiving such a grant to terminate grant payments to an outcome-based public school upon determination that it is not making acceptable progress. 
  Authorizes appropriations.
feat_title: Public School Redefinition Act of 1993