§ 7231 — Findings And Purpose

(a) Congress makes the following findings: (1) Magnet schools are a significant part of the Nation’s effort to achieve voluntary desegregation in our Nation’s schools. (2) The use of magnet schools has increased dramatically since the inception of the magnet schools assistance program under this chapter, with approximately 2,500,000 students nationwide attending such schools, of whom more than 69 percent are non-white. (3) Magnet schools offer a wide range of distinctive programs that have served as models for school improvement efforts. (4) It is in the best interests of the United States— (A) to continue the Federal Government’s support of local educational agencies that are implementing court-ordered desegregation plans and local educational agencies that are voluntarily seeking to foster meaningful interaction among students of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, beginning at the earliest stage of such students’ education; (B) to ensure that all students have equitable access to a high quality education that will prepare all students to function well in a technologically oriented and a highly competitive economy comprised of people from many different racial and ethnic backgrounds; and (C) to continue to desegregate and diversify schools by supporting magnet schools, recognizing that segregation exists between minority and nonminority students as well as among students of different minority groups. (5) Desegregation efforts through magnet school programs are a significant part of our Nation’s effort to achieve voluntary desegregation in schools and help to ensure equal educational opportunities for all students. (b) The purpose of this part is to assist in the desegregation of schools served by local educational agencies by providing financial assistance to eligible local educational agencies for— (1) the elimination, reduction, or prevention of minority group isolation in elementary schools and secondary schools with substantial proportions of minority students, which shall include assisting in the efforts of the United States to achieve voluntary desegregation in public schools; (2) the development, implementation, and expansion of magnet school programs that will assist local educational agencies in achieving systemic reforms and providing all students the opportunity to meet challenging State academic standards; (3) the development, design, and expansion of innovative educational methods and practices that promote diversity and increase choices in public elementary schools and public secondary schools and public educational programs; (4) courses of instruction within magnet schools that will substantially strengthen the knowledge of academic subjects and the attainment of tangible and marketable career, technological, and professional skills of students attending such schools; (5) improving the capacity of local educational agencies, including through professional development, to continue operating magnet schools at a high performance level after Federal funding for the magnet schools is terminated; and (6) ensuring that all students enrolled in the magnet school programs have equitable access to high quality education that will enable the students to succeed academically and continue with postsecondary education or employment.