text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Helping Empower Low-income Parents 
  (HELP) Scholarships Amendments of 1997''.
  
  SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
  
      Section 6003 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
  is amended--
              (1) in the section heading by striking ``definition'' and 
          inserting ``definitions'';
              (2) by striking ``(1)'', ``(2)'', and ``(3)'';
              (3) in the matter proceeding subparagraph (A), by striking 
          `` title the term'' and inserting the following:
  ``title--
              ``(1) the term'';
              (4) by striking the period at the end; and
              (5) by adding at the end the following:
              ``(2) the term `poverty line' means the poverty line (as 
          defined by the Office of Management and Budget, and revised 
          annually in accordance with section 673(2) of the Community 
          Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9902(2)) applicable to a 
          family of the size involved; and
              ``(3) the term `voluntary public and private parental 
          choice program' means a program that meets the requirements of 
          section 6301(b)(9), is authorized by State law, and includes 1 
          or more private schools to allow low-income parents to choose 
          the appropriate school for their children.''.
  
  SEC. 3. ALLOCATION TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES.
  
      Section 6102(a) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
  1965 is amended to read as follows:
      ``(a) Distribution Rule.--
              ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), 
          from the sums made available each year to carry out this title, 
          the State educational agency shall distribute not less than 90 
          percent to local educational agencies within such State 
          according to the relative enrollments in public and private, 
          nonprofit schools within the school districts of such agencies, 
          adjusted, in accordance with criteria approved by the 
          Secretary, to provide higher per pupil allocations to local 
          educational agencies which have the greatest numbers or 
          percentages of children whose education imposes a higher than 
          average cost per child, such as--
                      ``(A) children living in areas with high 
                  concentrations of low-income families;
                      ``(B) children from low-income families; and
                      ``(C) children living in sparsely populated areas.
              ``(2) Exception.--A State that has enacted or will enact a 
          law that establishes a voluntary public and private parental 
          choice program and that complies with the provisions of section 
          6301(b)(9) may reserve an additional 15 percent from the sums 
          made available each year to carry out this title if the 
          additional amount reserved is used exclusively for voluntary 
          public and private parental choice programs.''.
  
  SEC. 4. USES OF FUNDS.
  
      (a) State Uses of Funds.--Section 6201(a)(1) of the Elementary and 
  Secondary Education Act of 1965 is amended--
              (1) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and'' after the 
          semicolon;
              (2) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following:
                      ``(D) establishing voluntary public and private 
                  parental choice programs in accordance with section 
                  6301(b)(9); and''.
      (b) Local Uses of Funds.--Section 6301(b) of the Elementary and 
  Secondary Education Act of 1965 is amended--
              (1) in paragraph (7), by striking ``and'' after the 
          semicolon;
              (2) in paragraph (8), by striking the period and inserting 
          ``; and''; and
              (3) by inserting after paragraph (8) the following:
              ``(9) voluntary public and private parental choice programs 
          that--
                      ``(A) are located in an area that has the greatest 
                  numbers or percentages of children--
                              ``(i) living in areas with a high 
                          concentration of low-income families;
                              ``(ii) from low-income families; or
                              ``(iii) living in sparsely populated areas;
                      ``(B) ensure that participation in such a voluntary 
                  public and private parental choice program is limited 
                  to families whose family income does not exceed 185 
                  percent of the poverty line;
                      ``(C) ensure that--
                              ``(i) the maximum amount of a voluntary 
                          public and private parental choice scholarship 
                          does not exceed the per pupil expenditure of 
  the local educational agency in which an applicant for a voluntary 
  public and private parental choice scholarship resides;
                              ``(ii) the minimum amount of a voluntary 
                          public and private parental choice scholarship 
                          is not less than 60 percent of the per pupil 
                          expenditure of the local educational agency in 
                          which an applicant for a voluntary public and 
                          private parental choice scholarship resides or 
                          the cost of tuition at a private school, 
                          whichever is less;
                      ``(D) ensure that for a private school that chooses 
                  to participate in a voluntary public and private 
                  parental choice program--
                              ``(i) such a school is permitted to impose 
                          the same academic requirements for all 
                          students, including students selected for a 
                          scholarship as provided under this paragraph;
                              ``(ii) receipt of funds under this title is 
                          not conditioned with requirements or 
                          regulations that preclude the use of such funds 
                          for sectarian educational purposes or require 
                          removal of religious art, icons, scripture, or 
                          other symbols; and
                              ``(iii) such a school is in compliance with 
                          all State requirements applicable to the 
                          operation of a private school that are in 
                          effect in the year preceding the date of the 
                          enactment of the Helping Empower Low-income 
                          Parents (HELP) Scholarships Amendments of 1997;
                      ``(E) may allow State, local, and private funds to 
                  be used for voluntary public and private parental 
                  choice programs; and
                      ``(F) ensure priority for students who were 
                  enrolled in a public school in the school year 
                  preceding the school year in which a voluntary public 
                  and private parental choice school begins operation.''.
  
  SEC. 5. EVALUATION.
  
      Part D of title VI of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
  1965 is amended--
              (1) by adding at the end of section 6402 the following new 
          subsection:
      ``(j) Application.--This section shall not apply to a State or 
  local educational agency that uses funds to establish a voluntary 
  public and private parental choice program in accordance with section 
  6301(b)(9).''; and
              (2) by adding at the end of such part the following new 
          sections:
  
  ``SEC. 6404. EVALUATION.
  
      ``(a) Annual Evaluation.--
              ``(1) Contract.--The Comptroller General of the United 
          States shall enter into a contract, with an evaluating agency 
          that has demonstrated experience in conducting evaluations, for 
          the conduct of an ongoing rigorous evaluation of the programs 
          established under section 6301(b)(9).
              ``(2) Annual evaluation requirement.--The contract 
          described in paragraph (1) shall require the evaluating agency 
          entering into such contract to evaluate annually each program 
          established under section 6301(b)(9) in accordance with the 
          evaluation criteria described in subsection (b).
              ``(3) Transmission.--The contract described in paragraph 
          (1) shall require the evaluating agency entering into such 
          contract to transmit to the Comptroller General of the United 
          States the findings of each annual evaluation under paragraph 
          (1).
      ``(b) Evaluation Criteria.--The Comptroller General of the United 
  States, in consultation with the Secretary, shall establish minimum 
  criteria for evaluating each program established under section 
  6301(b)(9). Such criteria shall provide for--
              ``(1) a description of the implementation of each program 
          established under section 6301(b)(9) and the program's effects 
          on all participants, schools, and communities in the program 
          area, with particular attention given to the effect of parent 
          participation in the life of the school and the level of 
          parental satisfaction with the program; and
              ``(2) a comparison of the educational achievement of all 
          students in the program area, including a comparison between--
                      ``(A) students receiving a voluntary public and 
                  private parental choice scholarships under section 
                  6301(b)(9); and
                      ``(B) students not receiving a voluntary public and 
                  private parental choice scholarships under such 
                  section.
      ``(c) Evaluation Funds.--Pursuant to the authority provided under 
  section 14701, the Secretary shall reserve not more than 0.50 percent 
  of the amount of funds made available under section 6002 to carry out 
  this section.
  
  ``SEC. 6405. APPLICABILITY.
  
      ``(a) Not School Aid.--Subject to subsection (b), funds used under 
  this title to establish a voluntary public and private parental choice 
  program shall be considered assistance to the student and shall not be 
  considered as assistance to any school that chooses to participate in 
  such program.
      ``(b) Not Income.--For purposes of Federal tax laws or for 
  determining eligibility for any other Federal program, a voluntary 
  public and private parental choice scholarship provided under this 
  title shall not be treated as income or assistance to the student or 
  the parents of such student.
      ``(c) No Federal Control.--The Secretary is not permitted to 
  exercise any direction, supervision, or control over curricula, program 
  of instruction, administration, or personnel of any school that chooses 
  to participate in a voluntary public and private choice program 
  established under 6309(b)(9).''.
target: Helping Empower Low-income Parents (HELP) Scholarships Amendments of 1997 - Amends title VI (Innovative Education Program Strategies) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to allow any State that has enacted or will enact a law establishing a voluntary public and private school parental choice scholarship program in compliance with specified ESEA requirements to reserve an additional 15 percent from its annual title IV allotment for use exclusively for such parental choice programs.  Requires State educational agencies, except in the case of such programs, to distribute 90 percent (currently 85 percent) of title VI funds to local educational agencies based on criteria which gives priority to low-income families and areas. 
  Includes such parental choice programs among State and local uses of title VI funds. 
  Requires such parental choice programs to be located in an area that has the greatest numbers or percentages of children:  (1) living in areas with a high concentration of low-income families; (2) from low-income families; or (3) living in sparsely populated areas. Requires such programs to ensure that program participation is limited to families whose family income does not exceed 185 percent of the poverty line. 
  Directs the Comptroller General to make contracts for annual evaluation of each parental choice program.  Requires the Secretary of Education to reserve certain funds for such evaluations. 
  Provides that title VI funds to establish a parental choice program shall be considered assistance to the student and shall not be considered as assistance to any school that chooses to participate in such program. 
  Prohibits the Secretary from exercising any direction, supervision, or control over curricula, program of instruction, administration, or personnel of any school that chooses to participate in a parental choice program. 
  Provides that, for purposes of Federal tax laws or for determining eligibility for any other Federal program, a parental choice scholarship shall not be treated as income or assistance to the student or parents.
feat_title: Helping Empower Low-income Parents (HELP) Scholarships Amendments of 1997