Transformational Reforms and Updates to Ensure Educational Quality and Urgent Investments in Today's Youth Act of 2021 or the TRUE EQUITY Act
This bill establishes various grant programs to address educational inequities in elementary and secondary schools.
Specifically, the bill creates grant programs related to (1) early childhood education, (2) high-quality and diverse teachers and leaders, (3) college and career readiness pathways, and (4) additional resources for at-risk students. For each grant program, the Department of Education (ED) must award a single grant to an eligible state.
To be eligible for a grant, a state must establish an independent state oversight board. The oversight board must, among other duties (1) determine whether the state and its local educational agencies (LEAs) have met state educational equity goals, and (2) hold them accountable for failing to meet those goals. ED may renew a grant if the oversight board determines the state has met its goals.
In addition, for each grant program, the bill outlines the activities authorized under the program, maintenance-of-effort requirements, and matching fund requirements.
Finally, the bill permits ED to enter into a local flexibility demonstration agreement, through which a state educational agency may use funds to develop and implement a school funding system based on weighted per-pupil allocations for low-income and disadvantaged students. (Currently, ED may enter into these agreements with LEAs.)
To provide for a Federal partnership to ensure educational equity and 
                                quality.

    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 ``Transformational Reforms and Updates 
to Ensure Educational Quality and Urgent Investments in Today's Youth 
Act of 2021'' or the ``TRUE EQUITY Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The fate of our Nation and the opportunities it creates 
        for our children and grandchildren to enjoy successful careers 
        and rewarding lives depends on the quality, equal access, and 
        effectiveness of pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade 
        education in every local school district across the country.
            (2) Our education systems must prepare students to compete 
        in an interconnected, global economy.
            (3) Despite the current combinations of Federal, State, and 
        local funding and innovative educational policies, States with 
        historically well regarded kindergarten through grade 12 
        education systems may find their students falling behind their 
        peers nationally and internationally. In Maryland, a State with 
        a historically well regarded kindergarten through grade 12 
        education system, fourth and eighth graders placed in the 
        middle of the pack nationally in reading and math scores on the 
        National Assessment of Education Progress.
            (4) The United States as a whole scored well down the 
        second quartile among students from 72 countries on the 
        Programme for International Student Assessment.
            (5) Even in States with reading and math scores higher than 
        the national average, there may be significant and persistent 
        racial, ethnic, and income disparity gaps between students of 
        color and low-income students compared to their higher income 
        and white peers.
            (6) These same disparities carry into college enrollment, 
        with fewer students of color and low-income students enrolling 
        in college than their higher income and white peers.
            (7) The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) health pandemic forced 
        the physical closure of schools nationwide in March 2020, 
        moving students from the classroom to online learning. The 
        public health necessity to turn to online learning further 
        exacerbated the significant and persistent racial, ethnic, and 
        income disparity learning gaps as students struggled to access 
        educational technology devices and the internet.
            (8) At the start of online learning, Maryland school 
        districts reported that on average, nearly 25 percent of 
        Maryland students had not logged into their new online 
        classrooms or picked up paper work packets, falling out of 
        sight and behind their peers.
            (9) Millions of children are falling further behind as a 
        result of opportunity gaps that fail to provide students with 
        ready access to individualized instruction, healthy meals, 
        mental health counseling services, and hands on career training 
        programs.
            (10) In order to address these inequities in education and 
        harm caused by COVID-19, certain States, including Maryland, 
        have researched and proposed bold, transformative Federal, 
        State, and local funding and policy changes to their pre-
        kindergarten through twelfth grade education systems, with five 
        main policy recommendations under the Maryland Commission on 
        Innovation & Excellence in Education that include the 
        following:
                    (A) Investing in high-quality early childhood 
                education and care through a significant expansion of 
                full day pre-school, to be free for all low-income 
                three- and four-year-olds, so that all children have 
                the opportunity to begin kindergarten ready to learn.
                    (B) Investing in teachers and school leaders by 
                elevating the standards and status of the teaching 
                profession, including a performance-based career ladder 
                and salaries comparable to other fields with similar 
                education requirements.
                    (C) Creating a world-class instructional system 
                with an internationally benchmarked curriculum that 
                enables most students to achieve ``college and career 
                ready'' status by 10th grade and then pursue pathways 
                that include early college, Advanced Placement courses, 
                or a rigorous technical education leading to industry-
                recognized credentials and high paying jobs.
                    (D) Providing supports to students that need it the 
                most with broad and sustained support for schools 
                serving high concentrations of poverty, with after 
                school and summer academic programs and student access 
                to needed health and social services.
                    (E) Ensuring excellence for all through an 
                accountability-oversight board that has the authority 
                to ensure transformative education system 
                recommendations are successfully implemented and 
                produce the desired improvements in student 
                achievement.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) no matter a child's zip code, they deserve equal access 
        to a quality, public pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade 
        education;
            (2) no inequities in student achievement, college 
        enrollment, or Federal, State, and local funding should be 
        tolerated;
            (3) the Federal Government should live up to its original 
        commitment in 1975 under the Individuals with Disabilities 
        Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.) to provide 40 percent of 
        the cost to educate children with disabilities and assist State 
        educational agencies and local educational agencies in 
        providing a free appropriate public education; and
            (4) the Federal Government should be an active partner with 
        State educational agencies and local educational agencies that 
        are willing to modify policies and commit additional State and 
        local resources to address education inequities.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Local educational agency.--The term ``local educational 
        agency'' has the meaning given the term in section 8101 of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        7801).
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
            (3) State educational agency.--The term ``State educational 
        agency'' has the meaning given the term in section 8101 of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        7801).

                   TITLE I--EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

SEC. 101. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Authorization.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall award a single grant, 
        on a competitive basis, to an eligible State to enable the 
        State to carry out the authorized activities described in 
        subsection (c).
            (2) Eligible state.--In this section, the term ``eligible 
        State'' means a State--
                    (A) that has established a State Oversight Board as 
                described in section 501; and
                    (B) that commits to educational equity.
            (3) Duration; renewal.--The grant awarded under this 
        section shall be for a 2-year duration, and may be renewed by 
        the Secretary for not more than 4 additional 2-year periods if 
        the State Oversight Board of the State determines that the 
        State has met the educational equity goals of the State, as 
        described in section 501.
            (4) Maintenance of effort.--If the Secretary does not renew 
        a grant awarded under this section to a State for an additional 
        2-year period for failure to meet the educational equity goals 
        of the State, the State shall provide, from non-Federal 
        sources, amounts for such 2-year period that are not less than 
        the sum of the grant amount provided by the Secretary and the 
        matching funds provided by the State under subsection (d) for 
        the initial 2-year grant period.
    (b) Application.--An eligible State that desires to receive a grant 
under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the 
Secretary may require, including providing the State's educational 
equity goals and the accountability consequences for the State and 
local educational agencies in the State if the State Oversight Board 
determines that the State or a local educational agency fails to meet 
the educational equity goals of the State, including the potential 
withholding of funds, as described in section 501.
    (c) Authorized Activities.--
            (1) In general.--An eligible State that receives a grant 
        under this section shall use the grant funds to carry out 
        activities authorized under the following provisions:
                    (A) Section 619 and part C of the Individuals with 
                Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419 and 1431 et 
                seq.).
                    (B) Paragraphs (1)(B)(i), (5)(A), and (5)(B) of 
                section 640(a) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
                9835(1)(B)(i), (5)(A), and (5)(B)).
                    (C) Section 9212 of the Every Student Succeeds Act 
                (42 U.S.C. 9831 note).
            (2) Subgrants.--An eligible State that receives a grant 
        under this section may use the grant funds to award subgrants 
        to local educational agencies to carry out the activities 
        described in paragraph (1).
            (3) Compliance with programs.--In using grant funds 
        provided under this section or subgrant funds provided under 
        paragraph (2) to carry out the activities described in 
        paragraph (1), the eligible State or local educational agency 
        shall comply with the requirements of the programs under which 
        such activities are authorized.
    (d) Matching Requirement.--Each eligible State that receives a 
grant under this section shall provide, from non-Federal sources, an 
amount equal to 200 percent of the amount of the grant (which may be 
provided in cash or in kind) to carry out the activities supported by 
the grant.
    (e) Supplement, Not Supplant.--An eligible State shall use Federal 
funds received under this section only to supplement the funds that 
would, in the absence of such Federal funds, be made available from 
State and local sources for activities described in subsection (c), and 
not to supplant such funds.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section--
            (1) $275,000,000 for fiscal year 2021;
            (2) $288,750,000 for fiscal year 2022;
            (3) $303,187,500 for fiscal year 2023;
            (4) $318,346,875 for fiscal year 2024;
            (5) $334,264,219 for fiscal year 2025;
            (6) $350,977,430 for fiscal year 2026;
            (7) $368,526,301 for fiscal year 2027;
            (8) $386,952,616 for fiscal year 2028;
            (9) $406,300,247 for fiscal year 2029; and
            (10) $426,615,259 for fiscal year 2030.

        TITLE II--HIGH-QUALITY AND DIVERSE TEACHERS AND LEADERS

SEC. 201. HIGH-QUALITY AND DIVERSE TEACHERS AND LEADERS GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Authorization.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall award a single grant, 
        on a competitive basis, to an eligible State to enable the 
        State to carry out the authorized activities described in 
        subsection (c).
            (2) Eligible state.--In this section, the term ``eligible 
        State'' means a State--
                    (A) that has established a State Oversight Board as 
                described in section 501; and
                    (B) that commits to educational equity.
            (3) Duration; renewal.--The grant awarded under this 
        section shall be for a 2-year duration, and may be renewed by 
        the Secretary for not more than 4 additional 2-year periods if 
        the State Oversight Board of the State determines that the 
        State has met the educational equity goals of the State, as 
        described in section 501.
            (4) Maintenance of effort.--If the Secretary does not renew 
        a grant awarded under this section to a State for an additional 
        2-year period for failure to meet the educational equity goals 
        of the State, the State shall provide, from non-Federal 
        sources, amounts for such 2-year period that are not less than 
        the sum of the grant amount provided by the Secretary and the 
        matching funds provided by the State under subsection (d) for 
        the initial 2-year grant period.
    (b) Application.--An eligible State that desires to receive a grant 
under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the 
Secretary may require, including providing the State's educational 
equity goals and the accountability consequences for the State and 
local educational agencies in the State if the State Oversight Board 
determines that the State or a local educational agency fails to meet 
the educational equity goals of the State, including the potential 
withholding of funds, as described in section 501.
    (c) Authorized Activities.--
            (1) In general.--An eligible State that receives a grant 
        under this section shall use the grant funds to carry out 
        activities authorized under the following provisions:
                    (A) Section 2101 of the Elementary and Secondary 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6611).
                    (B) Subpart 1 of part B of title II of the 
                Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 6631 et seq.).
                    (C) Sections 2242, 2243, and 2245 of the Elementary 
                and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6672, 
                6673, and 6675).
                    (D) Section 3131 of the Elementary and Secondary 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6861).
                    (E) Subparts 1 and 2 of part D of the Individuals 
                with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1451 et seq. 
                and 1461 et seq.).
            (2) Subgrants.--An eligible State that receives a grant 
        under this section may use the grant funds to award subgrants 
        to local educational agencies to carry out the activities 
        described in paragraph (1).
            (3) Compliance with programs.--In using grant funds 
        provided under this section or subgrant funds provided under 
        paragraph (2) to carry out the activities described in 
        paragraph (1), the eligible State or local educational agency 
        shall comply with the requirements of the programs under which 
        such activities are authorized.
    (d) Matching Requirement.--Each eligible State that receives a 
grant under this section shall provide, from non-Federal sources, an 
amount equal to 200 percent of the amount of the grant (which may be 
provided in cash or in kind) to carry out the activities supported by 
the grant.
    (e) Supplement, Not Supplant.--An eligible State shall use Federal 
funds received under this section only to supplement the funds that 
would, in the absence of such Federal funds, be made available from 
State and local sources for activities described in subsection (c), and 
not to supplant such funds.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section--
            (1) $340,000,000 for fiscal year 2021;
            (2) $357,000,000 for fiscal year 2022;
            (3) $374,850,000 for fiscal year 2023;
            (4) $393,592,500 for fiscal year 2024;
            (5) $413,272,125 for fiscal year 2025;
            (6) $433,935,731 for fiscal year 2026;
            (7) $455,632,518 for fiscal year 2027;
            (8) $478,414,144 for fiscal year 2028;
            (9) $502,334,851 for fiscal year 2029; and
            (10) $527,451,594 for fiscal year 2030.

            TITLE III--COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS PATHWAYS

SEC. 301. COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS PATHWAYS GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Authorization.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall award a single grant, 
        on a competitive basis, to an eligible State to enable the 
        State to carry out the authorized activities described in 
        subsection (c).
            (2) Eligible state.--In this section, the term ``eligible 
        State'' means a State--
                    (A) that has established a State Oversight Board as 
                described in section 501; and
                    (B) that commits to educational equity.
            (3) Duration; renewal.--The grant awarded under this 
        section shall be for a 2-year duration, and may be renewed by 
        the Secretary for not more than 4 additional 2-year periods if 
        the State Oversight Board of the State determines that the 
        State has met the educational equity goals of the State, as 
        described in section 501.
            (4) Maintenance of effort.--If the Secretary does not renew 
        a grant awarded under this section to a State for an additional 
        2-year period for failure to meet the educational equity goals 
        of the State, the State shall provide, from non-Federal 
        sources, amounts for such 2-year period that are not less than 
        the sum of the grant amount provided by the Secretary and the 
        matching funds provided by the State under subsection (d) for 
        the initial 2-year grant period.
    (b) Application.--An eligible State that desires to receive a grant 
under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the 
Secretary may require, including providing the State's educational 
equity goals and the accountability consequences for the State and 
local educational agencies in the State if the State Oversight Board 
determines that the State or a local educational agency fails to meet 
the educational equity goals of the State, including the potential 
withholding of funds, as described in section 501.
    (c) Authorized Activities.--
            (1) In general.--An eligible State that receives a grant 
        under this section shall use the grant funds to carry out 
        activities authorized under the following provisions:
                    (A) Section 135 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and 
                Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2355).
                    (B) Subpart 11 of part A of title IV of the Higher 
                Education Act of 1965, as added by section 302 of this 
                Act.
            (2) Subgrants.--An eligible State that receives a grant 
        under this section may use the grant funds to award subgrants 
        to local educational agencies to carry out the activities 
        described in paragraph (1).
            (3) Compliance with programs.--In using grant funds 
        provided under this section or subgrant funds provided under 
        paragraph (2) to carry out the activities described in 
        paragraph (1), the eligible State or local educational agency 
        shall comply with the requirements of the programs under which 
        such activities are authorized.
    (d) Matching Requirement.--Each eligible State that receives a 
grant under this section shall provide, from non-Federal sources, an 
amount equal to 200 percent of the amount of the grant (which may be 
provided in cash or in kind) to carry out the activities supported by 
the grant.
    (e) Supplement, Not Supplant.--An eligible State shall use Federal 
funds received under this section only to supplement the funds that 
would, in the absence of such Federal funds, be made available from 
State and local sources for activities described in subsection (c), and 
not to supplant such funds.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section--
            (1) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2021;
            (2) $52,500,000 for fiscal year 2022;
            (3) $55,125,000 for fiscal year 2023;
            (4) $57,881,250 for fiscal year 2024;
            (5) $60,775,312 for fiscal year 2025;
            (6) $63,814,077 for fiscal year 2026;
            (7) $67,004,780 for fiscal year 2027;
            (8) $70,355,019 for fiscal year 2028;
            (9) $73,872,770 for fiscal year 2029; and
            (10) $77,566,408 for fiscal year 2030.

SEC. 302. JUMPSTART TO COLLEGE GRANT PROGRAMS.

    Part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1070 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

                   ``Subpart 11--Jumpstart to College

``SEC. 420T. DEFINITIONS.

    ``In this subpart:
            ``(1) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means an 
        institution of higher education in partnership with one or more 
        local educational agencies (which may be an educational service 
        agency). Such partnership may also include other entities such 
        as nonprofit organizations or businesses, and schools in 
        juvenile detention centers.
            ``(2) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        `institution of higher education' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101.
            ``(3) ESEA terms.--The terms `dual or concurrent enrollment 
        program', `early college high school', `educational service 
        agency', `four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate', `local 
        educational agency', `secondary school', and `State' have 
        meanings given the terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965.
            ``(4) Low-income student.--The term `low-income student' 
        means a student counted under section 1124(c) of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
            ``(5) Recognized postsecondary credential.--The term 
        `recognized postsecondary credential' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 
        Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).

``SEC. 420U. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``To carry out this subpart, there are authorized to be 
appropriated $137,500,000 for fiscal year 2021 and each of the five 
succeeding fiscal years.

``SEC. 420V. GRANTS TO STATES.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall award a single grant to a 
State, on a competitive basis, to assist the State in supporting or 
establishing early college high schools or dual or concurrent 
enrollment programs.
    ``(b) Duration.--The grant under this section shall be awarded for 
a period of 2 years, and may be renewed by the Secretary for not more 
than 4 additional 2-year periods.
    ``(c) Grant Amount.--The Secretary shall ensure that the amount of 
the grant under this section is sufficient to enable the grantee to 
carry out the activities described in subsection (f).
    ``(d) Matching Requirement.--For each year that a State receives a 
grant under this section, the State shall provide, from non-Federal 
sources, an amount equal to 50 percent of the amount of the grant 
received by the State for such year to carry out the activities 
supported by the grant.
    ``(e) Supplement, Not Supplant.--A State shall use a grant received 
under this section only to supplement funds that would, in the absence 
of such grant, be made available from other Federal, State, or local 
sources for activities supported by the grant, not to supplant such 
funds.
    ``(f) Uses of Funds.--
            ``(1) Mandatory activities.--A State shall use grant funds 
        received under this section to--
                    ``(A) support the activities described in its 
                application under subsection (g);
                    ``(B) plan and implement a statewide strategy for 
                expanding access to early college high schools and dual 
                or concurrent enrollment programs for students who are 
                underrepresented in higher education to raise statewide 
                rates of secondary school graduation, readiness for 
                postsecondary education, and completion of recognized 
                postsecondary credentials, with a focus on students 
                academically at risk of not enrolling in or completing 
                postsecondary education;
                    ``(C) identify any obstacles to such a strategy 
                under State law or policy;
                    ``(D) provide technical assistance (either directly 
                or through a knowledgeable intermediary) to early 
                college high schools and other dual or concurrent 
                enrollment programs, which may include--
                            ``(i) brokering relationships and 
                        agreements that forge a strong partnership 
                        between elementary and secondary and 
                        postsecondary partners; and
                            ``(ii) offering statewide training, 
                        professional development, and peer learning 
                        opportunities for school leaders, instructors, 
                        and counselors or advisors;
                    ``(E) identify and implement policies that will 
                improve the effectiveness and ensure the quality of 
                early college high schools and dual or concurrent 
                enrollment programs, such as eligibility and access, 
                funding, data and quality assurance, governance, 
                accountability, and alignment policies;
                    ``(F) update the State's requirements for a student 
                to receive a regular high school diploma to align with 
                the challenging State academic standards and entrance 
                requirements for credit-bearing coursework as described 
                in subparagraphs (A) and (D) of section 1111(b)(1) of 
                the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965;
                    ``(G) incorporate indicators regarding student 
                access to and completion of early college high schools 
                and dual or concurrent enrollment programs into the 
                school quality and student success indicators included 
                in the State system of annual meaningful 
                differentiation as described under section 
                1111(c)(4)(B)(v)(I) of the Elementary and Secondary 
                Education Act of 1965;
                    ``(H) disseminate best practices for early college 
                high schools and dual or concurrent enrollment 
                programs, which may include best practices from 
                programs in the State or other States;
                    ``(I) facilitate statewide secondary and 
                postsecondary data collection, research and evaluation, 
                and reporting to policymakers and other stakeholders; 
                and
                    ``(J) conduct outreach programs to ensure that 
                secondary school students, their families, and 
                community members are aware of early college high 
                schools and dual or concurrent enrollment programs in 
                the State.
            ``(2) Allowable activities.--A State may use grant funds 
        received under this section to--
                    ``(A) establish a mechanism to offset the costs of 
                tuition, fees, standardized testing and performance 
                assessment costs, and support services for low-income 
                students, and students from underrepresented 
                populations enrolled in early college and high schools 
                or dual or concurrent enrollment;
                    ``(B) establish formal transfer systems within and 
                across State higher education systems, including two-
                year and four-year public and private institutions, to 
                maximize the transferability of college courses;
                    ``(C) provide incentives to school districts that--
                            ``(i) assist high school teachers in 
                        getting the credentials needed to participate 
                        in early college high school programs and dual 
                        or concurrent enrollment; and
                            ``(ii) encourage the use of college 
                        instructors to teach college courses in high 
                        schools;
                    ``(D) support initiatives to improve the quality of 
                early college high school and dual or concurrent 
                enrollment programs at participating institutions; and
                    ``(E) reimburse low-income students to cover part 
                or all of the costs of an Advanced Placement or 
                International Baccalaureate examination.
    ``(g) State Applications.--
            ``(1) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        this section, a State shall submit to the Secretary an 
        application at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
        information as the Secretary may require.
            ``(2) Contents of application.--The application under 
        paragraph (1) shall include, at minimum, a description of--
                    ``(A) how the State will carry out the mandatory 
                State activities described in subsection (f)(1);
                    ``(B) how the State will ensure that any programs 
                funded with a grant under this section are coordinated 
                with programs under--
                            ``(i) the Carl D. Perkins Career and 
                        Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 
                        et seq.);
                            ``(ii) the Workforce Innovation and 
                        Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.);
                            ``(iii) the Elementary and Secondary 
                        Education Act of 1965; and
                            ``(iv) the Individuals with Disabilities 
                        Education Act;
                    ``(C) how the State intends to use grant funds to 
                address achievement gaps for each category of students 
                described in section 1111(b)(2)(B)(xi) of the 
                Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965;
                    ``(D) how the State will access and leverage 
                additional resources necessary to sustain early college 
                high schools or other dual or concurrent enrollment 
                programs;
                    ``(E) how the State will identify and eliminate 
                barriers to implementing effective early college high 
                schools and dual or concurrent enrollment programs 
                after the grant expires, including by engaging 
                businesses and nonprofit organizations; and
                    ``(F) such other information as the Secretary 
                determines to be appropriate.''.

     TITLE IV--MORE RESOURCES TO ENSURE ALL STUDENTS ARE SUCCESSFUL

SEC. 401. STUDENT SUCCESS GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Authorization.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall award a single grant, 
        on a competitive basis, to an eligible State to enable the 
        State to carry out the authorized activities described in 
        subsection (c).
            (2) Eligible state.--In this section, the term ``eligible 
        State'' means a State--
                    (A) that has established a State Oversight Board as 
                described in section 501; and
                    (B) that commits to educational equity.
            (3) Duration; renewal.--The grant awarded under this 
        section shall be for a 2-year duration, and may be renewed by 
        the Secretary for not more than 4 additional 2-year periods if 
        the State Oversight Board of the State determines that the 
        State has met the educational equity goals of the State, as 
        described in section 501.
            (4) Maintenance of effort.--If the Secretary does not renew 
        a grant awarded under this section to a State for an additional 
        2-year period for failure to meet the educational equity goals 
        of the State, the State shall provide, from non-Federal 
        sources, amounts for such 2-year period that are not less than 
        the sum of the grant amount provided by the Secretary and the 
        matching funds provided by the State under subsection (d) for 
        the initial 2-year grant period.
    (b) Application.--An eligible State that desires to receive a grant 
under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the 
Secretary may require, including providing the State's educational 
equity goals and the accountability consequences for the State and 
local educational agencies in the State if the State Oversight Board 
determines that the State or a local educational agency fails to meet 
the educational equity goals of the State, including the potential 
withholding of funds, as described in section 501.
    (c) Authorized Activities.--
            (1) In general.--An eligible State that receives a grant 
        under this section shall use the grant funds to carry out 
        activities authorized under the following provisions:
                    (A) Part A of title I of the Elementary and 
                Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311 et 
                seq.).
                    (B) Part C of title I of the Elementary and 
                Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6391 et 
                seq.).
                    (C) Part D of title I of the Elementary and 
                Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6421 et 
                seq.).
                    (D) Part E of title I of the Elementary and 
                Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6491 et 
                seq.).
                    (E) Subparts 2 and 3 of part B of title II of the 
                Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 6641 et seq. and 6661 et seq.).
                    (F) Subpart 1 of part A of title III of the 
                Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 6821 et seq.).
                    (G) Subpart 1 of part A of title IV of the 
                Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 7111 et seq.).
                    (H) Part B of title IV of the Elementary and 
                Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7171 et 
                seq.).
                    (I) Part D of title IV of the Elementary and 
                Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7231 et 
                seq.).
                    (J) Sections 4624 and 4625 of the Elementary and 
                Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7274 and 
                7275).
                    (K) Section 4641 of the Elementary and Secondary 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7291 et seq.).
                    (L) Section 611 of the Individuals with 
                Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1411).
            (2) Subgrants.--An eligible State that receives a grant 
        under this section may use the grant funds to award subgrants 
        to local educational agencies to carry out the activities 
        described in paragraph (1).
            (3) Compliance with programs.--In using grant funds 
        provided under this section or subgrant funds provided under 
        paragraph (2) to carry out the activities described in 
        paragraph (1), the eligible State or local educational agency 
        shall comply with the requirements of the programs under which 
        such activities are authorized.
    (d) Matching Requirement.--Each eligible State that receives a 
grant under this section shall provide, from non-Federal sources, an 
amount equal to 200 percent of the amount of the grant (which may be 
provided in cash or in kind) to carry out the activities supported by 
the grant.
    (e) Supplement, Not Supplant.--An eligible State shall use Federal 
funds received under this section only to supplement the funds that 
would, in the absence of such Federal funds, be made available from 
State and local sources for activities described in subsection (c), and 
not to supplant such funds.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section--
            (1) $750,000,000 for fiscal year 2021;
            (2) $787,500,000 for fiscal year 2022;
            (3) $826,875,000 for fiscal year 2023;
            (4) $868,218,750 for fiscal year 2024;
            (5) $911,629,688 for fiscal year 2025;
            (6) $957,211,172 for fiscal year 2026;
            (7) $1,005,071,731 for fiscal year 2027;
            (8) $1,055,325,318 for fiscal year 2028;
            (9) $1,108,091,584 for fiscal year 2029; and
            (10) $1,163,496,163 for fiscal year 2030.

                 TITLE V--GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

SEC. 501. STATE OVERSIGHT BOARDS.

    (a) In General.--In order to be eligible to receive a grant under 
title I, II, III, or IV, a State shall establish a State Oversight 
Board that is independent of the State educational agency, ensures 
educational equity in the State, and holds the State educational agency 
and local educational agencies in the State accountable for failure to 
meet such educational equity.
    (b) Authority of State Oversight Boards.--A State Oversight Board 
established pursuant to this section shall--
            (1) determine implementation plans and guidelines for the 
        State educational agency and local educational agencies in the 
        State to meet the educational equity goals determined by the 
        State under subsection (c);
            (2) determine whether the State and local educational 
        agencies in the State have met the educational equity goals 
        determined by the State;
            (3) hold the State and local educational agencies in the 
        State accountable for a failure to meet the educational equity 
        goals, pursuant to the accountability consequences described 
        under subsection (c); and
            (4) provide to the Secretary, on an annual basis, the 
        progress of the State and local educational agencies in the 
        State towards meeting the educational equity goals.
    (c) Authority of State.--A State that establishes a State Oversight 
Board under this section shall determine--
            (1) the educational equity goals of the State, that 
        includes a requirement that the State and local educational 
        agencies in the State maintain a level of financial support for 
        elementary and secondary education that is not less than the 
        level of such support for fiscal year 2019; and
            (2) the accountability consequences for the State and local 
        educational agencies in the State if the State Oversight Board 
        determines that the State or a local educational agency fails 
        to meet the educational equity goals of the State, including 
        the potential withholding of funds.
    (d) Technical Assistance and Oversight.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary and the Office for Civil 
        Rights of the Department of Education shall provide technical 
        assistance--
                    (A) to States in implementing the educational 
                equity goals of the State; and
                    (B) to State Oversight Boards in carrying out 
                subsection (b), including in determining whether the 
                State and local educational agencies in the State have 
                met the educational equity goals determined by the 
                State.
            (2) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
        to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $1,000,000 for 
        each fiscal year.

      TITLE VI--STATE FLEXIBILITY FOR EQUITABLE PER-PUPIL FUNDING

SEC. 601. STATE FLEXIBILITY FOR EQUITABLE PER-PUPIL FUNDING.

    Section 1501 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 6491) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by inserting ``and certain State 
        educational agencies on behalf of a State's local educational 
        agencies'' after ``local educational agencies'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting ``and certain 
                State educational agencies on behalf of a State's local 
                educational agencies'' after ``local educational 
                agencies''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``and certain 
                State educational agencies on behalf of a State's local 
                educational agencies'' after ``local educational 
                agencies'';
            (3) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``or 1 State 
                educational agency on behalf of the State's local 
                educational agencies'' after ``local educational 
                agencies'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
                        (A), by inserting ``or State educational 
                        agency'' after ``local educational agency''; 
                        and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``or 
                        consolidated State'' after ``local''; and
                    (C) in paragraph (3)--
                            (i) by striking ``any local'' and inserting 
                        ``any''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``the local'' and 
                        inserting ``the'';
            (4) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
                        (A)--
                                    (I) by striking ``Each local'' and 
                                inserting ``Each''; and
                                    (II) by inserting ``or consolidated 
                                State'' after ``local'';
                            (ii) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking 
                        ``local'';
                            (iii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
                        ``local'';
                            (iv) in subparagraph (C), by striking 
                        ``local educational'' and inserting 
                        ``educational'';
                            (v) in subparagraph (G), by striking 
                        ``local educational'' and inserting 
                        ``educational'';
                            (vi) in subparagraph (H), by striking 
                        ``local educational'' and inserting 
                        ``educational'';
                            (vii) in subparagraph (I), by striking 
                        ``local educational'' and inserting 
                        ``educational''; and
                            (viii) in subparagraph (G), by striking 
                        ``local educational'' and inserting 
                        ``educational'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
                        ``local educational'' each place the term 
                        appears and inserting ``educational'';
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
                        ``local educational'' each place the term 
                        appears and inserting ``educational''; and
                            (iii) in subparagraph (C), by striking 
                        ``local educational'' and inserting 
                        ``educational'';
            (5) in subsection (e), by striking ``local educational'' 
        and inserting ``educational'';
            (6) in subsection (f)--
                    (A) by striking ``local educational'' and inserting 
                ``educational''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``or consolidated State'' after 
                ``local'';
            (7) in subsection (g), by inserting ``or consolidated 
        State'' after ``local'';
            (8) in subsection (h)--
                    (A) by striking ``local educational'' and inserting 
                ``educational''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``or consolidated State'' after 
                ``local'';
            (9) in subsection (i), by striking ``local educational'' 
        each place the term appears and inserting ``educational'';
            (10) in subsection (j), by inserting ``or consolidated 
        State'' after ``local'';
            (11) in subsection (k)--
                    (A) by striking ``local educational'' and inserting 
                ``educational''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``or consolidated State'' after 
                ``local'' each place the term appears;
            (12) in subsection (l)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by inserting ``or State educational 
                        agency'' after ``local educational agency'';
                            (ii) in subparagraph (D), by striking 
                        ``and'' after the semicolon;
                            (iii) in subparagraph (E), by striking the 
                        period at the end and inserting a semicolon; 
                        and
                            (iv) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(F) title I of the TRUE EQUITY Act;
                    ``(G) title II of the TRUE EQUITY Act;
                    ``(H) title III of the TRUE EQUITY Act; and
                    ``(I) title IV of the TRUE EQUITY Act.''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``is in the 
                highest 2 quartiles of schools served by a local 
                educational agency, based on the percentage of enrolled 
                students from low-income families'' and inserting 
                ``serves students not less than 55 percent of whom are 
                students are eligible for a free or reduced price lunch 
                under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act 
                (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.)''; and
            (13) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(m) Funding Flexibility for TRUE EQUITY Act Funds.--
            ``(1) Technical assistance.--A State educational agency 
        that submits a consolidated State flexibility demonstration 
        agreement under this section shall provide technical assistance 
        to local educational agencies in the State that desire to 
        participate in the program under this section in submitting 
        applications to enter into local flexibility demonstration 
        agreements with the Secretary.
            ``(2) Duration and renewal.--Notwithstanding any other 
        provision of this section, the Secretary--
                    ``(A) is authorized to enter into local flexibility 
                demonstration agreements for not more than 2 years with 
                local educational agencies that are selected under 
                subsection (c) and submit proposed agreements that meet 
                the requirements of subsection (d) for flexibility to 
                consolidate eligible Federal funds that are described 
                in subparagraph (F), (G), (H), or (I) of subsection 
                (l); and
                    ``(B) may renew for not more than 4 additional 2-
                year terms a local flexibility demonstration agreement 
                described in subparagraph (A).''.
                                 <all>
TRUE EQUITY Act
To provide for a Federal partnership to ensure educational equity and quality.
TRUE EQUITY Act
Transformational Reforms and Updates to Ensure Educational Quality and Urgent Investments in Today's Youth Act of 2021
Rep. Trone, David J.