§6492. Demonstrations of innovative practices

(a) Demonstration programs to improve achievement

(1) In general

From the funds appropriated for any fiscal year under section 6302(g)(2) of this title, the Secretary may make grants to State educational agencies, local educational agencies, other public agencies, nonprofit organizations, public or private partnerships involving business and industry organizations, and consortia of such entities to carry out demonstration projects that show the most promise of enabling children served under this subchapter to meet challenging State content standards and challenging State student performance standards. Such projects shall include promising strategies such as-

(A) accelerated curricula, the application of new technologies to improve teaching and learning, extended learning time, and a safe and enriched full-day environment for children to provide children the opportunity to reach such standards;

(B) integration of education services with each other and with health, family, and other social services such as mentoring programs, particularly in empowerment zones and enterprise communities;

(C) effective approaches to whole school reform;

(D) programs that have been especially effective with limited-English-proficient children, migratory children and other highly mobile students, children leaving institutions for neglected or delinquent children and returning to school, and homeless children and youth;

(E) programs which are especially effective in recruiting, inducting, and retaining highly qualified teachers for service in schools with low student achievement; and

(F) programs that are built upon partnerships developed between elementary and middle schools, employers, and the community, which emphasize the integration of high quality academic and vocational learning, stress excellence and high expectations for success in academic subjects, instill responsibility, decisionmaking, problem solving, interpersonal skills, and other compentencies ¹ in students, and make school relevant to the workplace and the community, through applied and interactive teaching methodologies, team teaching strategies, learning opportunities connecting school, the workplace, and the community, and career exploration, awareness, and career guidance opportunities.

(2) Evaluation

The Secretary shall evaluate the demonstration projects supported under this subchapter, using rigorous methodological designs and techniques, including control groups and random assignment, to the extent feasible, to produce reliable evidence of effectiveness.

(b) Partnerships

From funds appropriated under section 6302(g)(2) of this title for any fiscal year, the Secretary may, directly or through grants or contracts, work in partnership with State educational agencies, local educational agencies, other public agencies, and nonprofit organizations to disseminate and use the highest quality research and knowledge about effective practices to improve the quality of teaching and learning in schools assisted under this subchapter.

(Pub. L. 89–10, title I, §1502, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title I, §101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3604 .)

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in section 6302 of this title.

¹ So in original.