Current Legislation

Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended, Title V, Part D, Subpart 4, Sec. 5441 - Title V, Part D, Subpart 4 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act as reauthorized by The No Child Left Behind Act 0f 2001 authorizes Smaller Learning Community grantees to use their funds to, among other things: (1) study the feasibility of creating smaller learning communities; (2) research, develop, and implement strategies for creating smaller learning communities; (3) provide professional development for school staff in the teaching methods that would be used in the smaller learning community; and (4) develop and implement strategies to include parents, business representatives, community-based organizations, and other community members in the activities of the smaller learning communities.

20 U.S.C. 7249

Congress appropriated $125 million to the Smaller Learning Communities program for FY 2001. In December of 2001, Congress appropriated $142 million to the Smaller Learning Communities program for FY 2002 funds for the 2003 SLC competition.

Previous Legislation

Title X, Part A, Section 10105 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act as reauthorized by the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994; - Smaller Learning Communities:

(a) In General.--Each local educational agency desiring 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. Each such application shall describe--

(1) strategies and methods the applicant will use to create the smaller learning community or communities;

(2) curriculum and instructional practices, including any particular themes or emphases, to be used in the learning environment;

(3) the extent of involvement of teachers and other school personnel in investigating, designing, implementing and sustaining the smaller learning community or communities;

(4) the process to be used for involving students, parents and other stakeholders in the development and implementation of the smaller learning community or communities;

(5) any cooperation or collaboration among community agencies, organizations, businesses, and others to develop or implement a plan to create the smaller learning community or communities;

(6) the training and professional development activities that will be offered to teachers and others involved in the activities assisted under this part;

(7) the goals and objectives of the activities assisted under this part, including a description of how such activities will better enable all students to reach challenging State content standards and State student performance standards;

(8) the methods by which the applicant will assess progress in meeting such goals and objectives;

(9) if the smaller learning community or communities exist as a school-within-a-school, the relationship, including governance and administration, of the smaller learning community to the rest of the school;

(10) a description of the administrative and managerial relationship between the local educational agency and the smaller learning community or communities, including how such agency will demonstrate a commitment to the continuity of the smaller learning community or communities, including the continuity of student and teacher assignment to a particular learning community;

(11) how the applicant will coordinate or use funds provided under this part with other funds provided under this Act or other Federal laws;

(12) grade levels or ages of students who will participate in the smaller learning community or communities; and

(13) the method of placing students in the smaller learning community or communities, such that students are not placed according to ability, performance or any other measure, so that students are placed at random or by their own choice, not pursuant to testing or other judgments.

(b) Authorized Activities.--Funds under this section may be used--

(1) to study the feasibility of creating the smaller learning community or communities as well as effective and innovative organizational and instructional strategies that will be used in the smaller learning community or communities;

(2) to research, develop and implement strategies for creating the smaller learning community or communities, as well as effective and innovative changes in curriculum and instruction, geared to high State content standards and State student performance standards;

(3) to provide professional development for school staff in innovative teaching methods that challenge and engage students to be used in the smaller learning community or communities; and

(4) to develop and implement strategies to include parents, business representatives, local institutions of higher education, community-based organizations, and other community members in the smaller learning communities, as facilitators of activities that enable teachers to participate in professional development activities, as well as to provide links between students and their community.

Regulations