The Secretary is authorized to make up to a total of ten grants annually to partnerships of State educational agencies and local educational agencies for the design and implementation of character education programs that incorporate the elements of character listed in subsection (d) of this section, as well as other character elements identified by applicants.
No State educational agency shall receive more than a total of $1,000,000 in grants under this part.
Each grant under this section shall be awarded for a period not to exceed five years, of which the State educational agency shall not use more than one year for planning and program design.
Each State educational agency desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require.
Each State educational agency desiring a grant under this section shall form a partnership with at least one local educational agency to be eligible for funding. The partnership shall pursue State and local initiatives to meet the objectives of this section.
Each application under this section shall include—
(A) a list of the local educational agencies entering into the partnership with the State educational agency;
(B) a description of the goals of the partnership;
(C) a description of activities that will be pursued by the participating local educational agencies, including—
(i) how parents, students, and other members of the community, including members of private and nonprofit organizations, will be involved in the design and implementation of the program;
(ii) curriculum and instructional practices;
(iii) methods of teacher training and parent education that will be used or developed; and
(iv) examples of activities that will be carried out under this part;
(D) a description of how the State educational agency will provide technical and professional assistance to its local educational agency partners in the development and implementation of character education programs;
(E) a description of how the State educational agency will evaluate the success of local programs and how local educational agencies will evaluate the progress of their own programs;
(F) a description of how the State educational agency will assist other interested local educational agencies that are not members of the original partnership in designing and establishing programs;
(G) a description of how the State educational agency will establish a clearinghouse for information on model programs, materials, and other information the State and local educational agencies determine to be appropriate;
(H) an assurance that the State educational agency will annually provide to the Secretary such information as may be required to determine the effectiveness of the program; and
(I) any other information that the Secretary may require.
Any local educational agency that was not a partner with the State when the application was submitted may become a partner by submitting an application for partnership to the State educational agency, containing such information that the State educational agency may require.
Each State educational agency receiving a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary a comprehensive evaluation of the program assisted under this part, including the impact on students, teachers, administrators, parents, and others—
(A) by the mid-term of the program; and
(B) not later than one year after completion of such program.
Each State educational agency receiving a grant under this section may contract with outside sources, including institutions of higher education, and private and nonprofit organizations, for purposes of evaluating their program and measuring the success of the program toward fostering in students the elements of character listed in subsection (b) of this section.
Factors which may be considered in evaluating the success of the program may include—
(A) discipline problems;
(B) students’ grades;
(C) participation in extracurricular activities;
(D) parental and community involvement;
(E) faculty and administration involvement; and
(F) student and staff morale.
Local educational agencies, after consulting with the State educational agency, may contract with outside sources, including institutions of higher education, and private and nonprofit organizations, for assistance in developing curriculum, materials, teacher training, and other activities related to character education.
Applicants desiring funding under this part shall develop character education programs that incorporate the following elements of character:
(A) Caring.
(B) Civic virtue and citizenship.
(C) Justice and fairness.
(D) Respect.
(E) Responsibility.
(F) Trustworthiness.
(G) Any other elements deemed appropriate by the members of the partnership.
A local educational agency participating under this section may, after consultation with schools and communities of such agency, define additional elements of character that the agency determines to be important to the schools and communities of such agency.
Of the total funds received by a State educational agency in any fiscal year under this section—
(1) not more than 30 percent of such funds may be retained by the State educational agency, of which—
(A) not more than 10 percent of such funds may be used for administrative purposes; and
(B) the remainder of such funds may be used for—
(i) collaborative initiatives with local educational agencies;
(ii) the establishment of the clearinghouse, preparation of materials, teacher training; and
(iii) other appropriate activities; and
(2) the remaining of such funds shall be used to award subgrants to local educational agencies, of which—
(A) not more than 10 percent of such funds may be retained for administrative purposes; and
(B) the remainder of such funds may be used to—
(i) award subgrants to schools within the local educational agency; and
(ii) pursue collaborative efforts with the State educational agency.
The Secretary shall select, through peer review, partnerships to receive grants under this section on the basis of the quality of the applications submitted under subsection (b) of this section, taking into consideration such factors as—
(A) the quality of the activities proposed by local educational agencies;
(B) the extent to which the program fosters in students the elements of character;
(C) the extent of parental, student, and community involvement;
(D) the number of local educational agencies involved in the effort;
(E) the quality of the plan for measuring and assessing success; and
(F) the likelihood that the goals of the program will be realistically achieved.
The Secretary shall approve applications under this section in a manner that ensures, to the extent practicable, that programs assisted under this section—
(A) serve different areas of the Nation, including urban, suburban, and rural areas; and
(B) serve schools that serve minorities, Native Americans, students of limited-English proficiency, and disadvantaged students.
(Pub. L. 89–10, title X, §10103, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title I, §101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3815.)
This section is referred to in section 8001 of this title.