Uses of Funds

(a) Required uses of funds A local educational agency receiving a grant or subgrant under this Act shall use the grant or subgrant funds to carry out 2 or more of the following activities: (1) Conducting community engagement (including by assembling a local advisory council) with regard to changes to advanced courses or programs. (2) Not later than 1 year after funding is received, training school leaders, academic counselors or advisors, and teachers on strategies for bridging inequities (according to race and ethnicity, sex, socioeconomic status, disability status, and status as an English learner) in advanced coursework or program participation and performance. (3) Expanding enrollment in advanced courses or programs for underrepresented students. (4) Not later than 1 year after funding is received, implementing open enrollment or universal screening for all advanced courses and programs, including— (A) gifted and talented programs, 8th grade Algebra I, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, dual enrollment, early college high school, and any similarly advanced courses or programs; and (B) training individuals involved in the assessment process in the administration of the assessments and the interpretation of the results. (5) Launching advanced courses or programs, or expand enrollment capacity in advanced courses or programs, which may include gifted and talented programs, 8th grade Algebra I, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, dual enrollment, early college high school, or any similarly advanced courses or programs. (6) Providing direct services, such as tutoring, to students from underrepresented groups to enable those students to thrive academically in advanced courses and programs, and if applicable, prioritize services to be delivered by paraprofessionals or other qualified school personnel. (b) Permitted uses of funds A local educational agency receiving a grant or subgrant under this Act may (in addition to the required uses described in subsection (a)) use the grant or subgrant funds to carry out one or more of the following activities: (1) Launching innovative advanced coursework models that allow all students to benefit from advanced coursework, such as embedded enrichment (for elementary and middle school students), and open honors (for high school students). (2) Purchasing curricula and materials for advanced courses and programs, such as calculators, books, and laboratory materials. (3) Covering the cost of advanced coursework fees for low-income students. (4) Using funds to train or hire teachers to teach advanced coursework. (5) Strengthening or developing a positive school climate through teacher training and professional development, including implicit bias training, identity-affirming curricula, peer mentoring, programs to recruit and retain diverse educators, engaging and supporting families, and expanding alternatives to punitive and exclusionary discipline practices. (c) Nonprofit entity An institution of higher education or other nonprofit entity receiving a grant under section 5(a)(1)(C) may use the grant to carry out one or more of the following activities for students in rural areas and students who otherwise lack access to advanced courses or programs: (1) Providing direct services, such as tutoring, to students from underrepresented groups to enable those students to thrive academically in advanced courses and programs, which may include gifted and talented programs, 8th grade Algebra I, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, dual enrollment, early college high school, embedded enrichment (for elementary and middle school students), open honors (for high school students), or any similarly advanced courses or programs. (2) Purchasing curricula and materials for advanced courses and programs, such as calculators, books, and laboratory materials. (3) Covering the cost of advanced coursework exams for low-income students.