[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 681 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 681
To prohibit a State from receiving Federal education funds unless the
State has certain policies and procedures regarding the purchase or
acquisition of library and classroom-based reference, instructional,
and other print materials for use in elementary schools, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 24, 2007
Mr. Jones of North Carolina introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To prohibit a State from receiving Federal education funds unless the
State has certain policies and procedures regarding the purchase or
acquisition of library and classroom-based reference, instructional,
and other print materials for use in elementary schools, and for other
purposes.
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 ``Parental Empowerment Act of 2007''.
SEC. 2. REQUIRED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
Beginning not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of
this Act, a State may not receive any funds under any program or
activity administered by the Secretary of Education unless, with regard
to the purchase or acquisition of any library or classroom-based
reference, instructional, or other print material for use in any
elementary school, the State is implementing policies and procedures
that--
(1) require each local educational agency in the State to
maintain a parent review and empowerment council in accordance
with this Act; or
(2) if the State purchases most library or classroom-based
reference, instructional, or other print materials for use in
elementary schools served by the State's local educational
agencies, require the State educational agency to maintain such
a council.
SEC. 3. PARENT REVIEW AND EMPOWERMENT COUNCIL.
(a) Membership.--Each council shall be composed of not less than 5
nor more than 15 members (unless a lesser or greater number of members
is determined by the State (or its designee) to be necessary for
organizational purposes), of which--
(1) a majority of the members must have a child who is
enrolled, or was enrolled within the previous 2 school years,
in an elementary school operated by the applicable educational
agency; and
(2) at least 1 member must have a child who is enrolled in
a kindergarten operated by such agency if the kindergarten
program of the agency is operated as part of a separate
educational program.
(b) Operations.--
(1) In general.--Each council shall provide significant
input into the decision-making process of the applicable
educational agency regarding the purchase or acquisition of any
library or classroom-based reference, instructional, or other
print material for use in any elementary school.
(2) Recommendations.--Each council shall provide
recommendations to the relevant decision-making body on the
purchase or acquisition by the applicable educational agency of
any library or classroom-based reference, instructional, or
other print material for use in any elementary school,
including by majority vote--
(A) recommending the acceptance in whole or in part
of the proposed purchase or acquisition;
(B) recommending the supervised release (such as by
parent or teacher signature) of part of the proposed
purchase or acquisition;
(C) recommending that the relevant decision-making
body review and specifically determine whether part of
the proposed purchase or acquisition is appropriate; or
(D) recommending against part of the proposed
purchase or acquisition.
(3) Timing.--Each council shall provide recommendations
pursuant to paragraph (2) prior to the date of the purchase or
acquisition involved.
(4) Meetings.--Each council shall meet not less than every
6 months to review, consider, and provide recommendations on
the purchase or acquisition by the applicable educational
agency of library or classroom-based reference, instructional,
or other print materials for use in any elementary school.
SEC. 4. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to create a Federal
prohibition against the purchase or acquisition of any library or
classroom-based reference, instructional, or other print material by a
State or local educational agency if the State or agency determines
that such material is appropriate.
SEC. 5. REPORT.
Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Secretary shall conduct a study and submit a report on the
results achieved under this Act to the Committee on Education and the
Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.
SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) The term ``applicable educational agency'' means--
(A) the local educational agency involved; or
(B) in the case of a State described in section
2(2), the State educational agency.
(2) The term ``child'' means a child within the age limits
for which the State involved provides free public education.
(3) The term ``council'' means a parent review and
empowerment council maintained in accordance with this Act.
(4) The term ``elementary school''--
(A) has the meaning given to that term in section
9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801); and
(B) includes a kindergarten operated by the
applicable educational agency, irrespective of whether
the kindergarten is operated as part of a separate
educational program or as a part of the State's
elementary education under applicable State law.
(5) The term ``library or classroom-based reference,
instructional, or other print material'' excludes any school
textbook.
(6) The term ``local educational agency'' has the meaning
given to that term in section 9101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(7) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of
Education.
(8) The term ``State'' includes the several States, the
District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa,
Guam, the Virgin Islands, and any other territory or possession
of the United States.
(9) The term ``State educational agency'' has the meaning
given to that term in section 9101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
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