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period of time in which the State educational agency must issue its report, the period of time in which the applicant agency must respond, and the appropriate follow-up by the State educational agency; (4) specify the methods for making monitoring reports available to parents, State and local auditors, and other persons, and (5) specify the methods for insuring that non-compliant prac tices are corrected.

(20 U.S.C. 2814) Enacted Nov. 1, 1978, P.L. 95-561, sec. 101(a), 92 Stat. 2184.

COMPLAINT RESOLUTION

SEC. 168. Each State educational agency shall adopt written procedures for receiving complaints, or reviewing appeals from decisions of local educational agencies with respect to complaints, concerning violations of this title or applicable provisions of the General Education Provisions Act in connection with programs assisted under this title, and for conducting onsite investigations of such complaints which the State educational agency deems necessary. Such procedures shall include

(1) specific time limits for resolving the complaint or completing the review and, if necessary, the independent onsite investigation, which shall not exceed sixty days unless exceptional circumstances exist;

(2) an opportunity for the complainant or the complainant's representative, or both, and the local educational agency involved to present evidence, including the opportunity to question parties to the dispute and any of their witnesses;

(3) the right to appeal the final resolution of the State educational agency to the Commissioner within thirty days after receipt of the written decision; and

(4) dissemination, free of charge, of information concerning these procedures to interested parties, including all district and school advisory councils.

(20 U.S.C. 2815) Enacted Nov. 1, 1978, P.L. 95-561, sec. 101(a), 92 Stat. 2185.

WITHHOLDING OF PAYMENTS

SEC. 169. (a) WITHHOLDING.-Whenever a State educational agency, after reasonable notice and opportunity for a hearing (consistent with the requirements of section 434(b) of the General Education Provisions Act) to any local educational agency or State agency, before an impartial decisionmaker, finds that there has been a failure to comply substantially with any provision of subpart 3 of part A or subpart 2 or 3 of part B, the State educational agency shall notify such agency that further payments, in whole or in part, will not be made to it under this title until it is satisfied that there is no longer any such failure to comply. Until it is so satisfied, no further payments shall be made to such agency under this title, except as may be provided in a compliance agreement entered into under subsection (c). Pending the outcome of any proceeding under this subsection, the State educational agency may suspend, in whole or in part, payments to such agency, after such agency has been given reasonable notice and opportunity to show cause why such action should not be taken.

(b) NOTICE TO PUBLIC OF STATE WITHHOLDING.-Upon submission to a local educational agency or a State agency of a notice that the State educational agency pursuant to subsection (a) is withholding payment, the State educational agency shall inform the district advisory council (if any) and shall take such additional action as may be necessary to bring the State action to the attention of the public.

(c) COMPLIANCE AGREEMENTS.-A State educational agency may suspend the initiation or continuation of its withholding action under subsection (a) while there is in effect a compliance agreement with the local educational agency or State agency under this subsection. Such an agreement shall be deemed to be in effect for the period specified therein, except that if the local educational agency or State agency fails to comply with the terms agreed to, such agreement shall no longer be in effect and subsection (a) shall be fully operative. In implementing such subsection, the State educational agency shall take into account any partial compliance by such agency under such agreement. For purposes of this subsection, the term "compliance agreement" means an agreement which—

(1) sets forth the terms and conditions to which the local educational agency or State agency has agreed in order to comply with the requirements of this title or the General Education Provisions Act and regulations promulgated thereunder, and with the applicable rules, regulations, procedures, guidelines, criteria or other requirements adopted by the State educational agency;

(2) addresses all the matters that formed the basis for the initiation of the withholding action by the State educational agency; and

(3) may consist of a series of agreements that in the aggregate dispose of all such matters.

Within fifteen days after the execution of any compliance agreement, the State educational agency shall send a copy thereof to the district advisory council affected, and to each organization or person who filed a complaint with respect to any failure to comply which is covered by that agreement.

(d) REVIEW BY THE COMMISSIONER.-A local educational agency or State agency may, in accordance with section 425(a) of the General Education Provisions Act, appeal a final determination of the State educational agency under subsection (a) to the Commissioner.

(20 U.S.C. 2816) Enacted Nov. 1, 1978, P.L. 95-561, sec. 101(a), 92 Stat. 2185, 2186.

AUDITS AND AUDIT RESOLUTION

SEC. 170. (a) AUDITING.-Each State shall make provision for audits of the expenditure of funds received under this title to determine, at a minimum, the fiscal integrity of grant or subgrant financial transactions and reports, and the compliance with applicable statutes, regulations, and terms and conditions of the grant or subgrant. Such audits shall be made with reasonable frequency considering the nature, size, and complexity of the activity.

(b) AUDIT RESOLUTION.-Each State educational agency shall have in effect written procedures meeting minimum standards established by the Commissioner, to assure timely and appropriate resolutions of audit findings and recommendations arising out of

audits provided for in subsection (a). Such procedures shall include a description of the audit resolution process, timetables for each step of the process, and an audit appeals process. Whenever under such procedures, the audit resolution process requires the repayment of Federal funds which were misspent or misapplied, such repayment may be made in either a single payment or in installments over a period not to exceed three years.

(c) REQUIREMENt for RepaymeNT.-A local educational agency or State agency shall repay from non-Federal sources or from Federal funds, no accountability for which is required to the Federal Government, the amount of funds under this title which have been finally determined through the audit resolution process to have been misspent or misapplied.

(d) REVIEW BY THE COMMISSIONER.-A local educational agency or State agency may, in accordance with section 425(a) of the General Education Provisions Act, appeal a final determination of the State educational agency under subsection (b) to the Commissioner.

(e) FAILURE TO REPAY.-If, following an affirmation by the Commissioner of a final determination of a State educational agency under subsection (b) or failure by a local educational agency or State agency to seek timely review by the Commissioner, such Íocal educational agency or State agency refuses to repay from non-Federal sources, or from Federal funds no accountability for which is required to the Federal Government, funds which have been misspent or misapplied under this title, the State educational agency shall promptly notify the Commissioner and the Commissioner shall promptly initiate collection action.

(20 U.S.C. 2817) Enacted Nov. 1, 1978, P.L. 95-561, sec. 101(a), 92 Stat. 2186, 2187.

Subpart 3-Responsibilities of State Educational Agencies to

Commissioner

STATE MONITORING AND ENFORCEMENT PLANS

SEC. 171. (a) STATE PLAN.-Each State educational agency participating in programs under this title shall submit, at such times (at least once every three years) and in such detail as the Commissioner shall prescribe, a State monitoring and enforcement plan. Such plan shall set forth

(1) a program of regular visits by State educational agency personnel to projects assisted under this title;

(2) the matters to be reviewed during such visits;

(3) procedures for verifying information provided by local educational agencies and State agencies, including the use of other information available to the State to cross-check that information;

(4) procedures for regular audits of local educational agency and State agency expenditures under this title, and procedures for the recovery of any expenditure determined not to be allowable under this title;

(5) procedures for resolving each complaint received by the State relating to programs assisted under this title, including complaints referred to the State by the Commissioner and complaints by representatives of children enrolled in private

schools that those children are not receiving the services to which they are entitled under this title; and

(6) a description of the means by which the State educational agency has determined, and will continue to determine, the compliance by local educational agencies with the requirements of section 130 relating to the equitable provision of services to children enrolled in private schools.

(b) REPORT.-Each plan submitted by a State educational agency under this section shall include a report, in such form as the Commissioner shall prescribe, of the activities undertaken by the State in the years since the previous plan was filed to carry out its monitoring and enforcement efforts under this title.

(20 U.S.C. 2821) Enacted Nov. 1, 1978, P.L. 95-561, sec. 101(a), 92 Stat. 2187.

REPORTING

- SEC. 172. Each State educational agency shall make to the Commissioner (1) periodic reports (including the results of objective measurements required by section 124(g) and of research and replication studies) evaluating the effectiveness of payments under this title and of particular programs assisted under it in improving the educational attainment of educationally deprived children, and (2) such other reports as may be reasonably necessary to enable the Commissioner to perform his duties under this title (including such reports as he may require to determine the amounts which the local educational agencies of that State are eligible to receive for any fiscal year).

(20 U.S.C. 2822) Enacted Nov. 1, 1978, P.L. 95-561, sec. 101(a), 92 Stat. 2187, 2188.

RECORDKEEPING, FISCAL CONTROL, AND FUND ACCOUNTING

SEC. 173. Each State educational agency which receives funds under this title shall use fiscal control and fund accounting procedures that will ensure proper disbursement of, and accounting for, funds made available under this title, and keep such records, and afford access thereto, as the Commissioner shall prescribe, including records which fully disclose the amount and disposition by such agency of such funds, the total cost of programs and projects in connection with which such funds are used, the amount of that portion of the cost of the program and project supplied by other sources, and such other records as will facilitate an effective audit. (20 U.S.C. 2823) Enacted Nov. 1, 1978, P.L. 95-561, sec. 101(a), 92 Stat. 2188.

PROHIBITION OF CONSIDERATION OF FEDERAL AID IN DETERMINING

STATE AID

SEC. 174. No State shall take into consideration payments under this title in determining the eligibility of any local educational agency in that State for State aid, or the amount of State aid, with respect to free public education of children.

(20 U.S.C. 2824) Enacted Nov. 1, 1978, P.L. 95-561, sec. 101(a), 92 Stat. 2188.

PART D-FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION OF Programs and PROJECTS

APPLICABILITY

SEC. 181. In addition to other requirements contained in this part, the requirements of the General Education Provisions Act which relate to Federal administration of elementary and secondary education programs shall apply to programs carried out under this title.

(20 U.S.C. 2831) Enacted Nov. 1, 1978, P.L. 95-561, sec. 101(a), 92 Stat. 2188.

APPROVAL OF APPLICATIONS

SEC. 182. (a) REQUIREMENT FOR APPROVAL.-The Commissioner shall not approve an application under section 162 until he has made specific findings, in writing, that (1) the application and the State monitoring and enforcement plan required under section 171 comply with this title, and (2) that he is satisfied that the assurances in such application and the assurances contained in its general application under section 435 of the General Education Provisions Act (where applicable) will be carried out.

(b) HEARINGS.-The Commissioner shall, in accordance with the procedures set forth in section 453 of the General Education Provisions Act, not finally disapprove an application under section 142 or section 162 except after notice and opportunity for a hearing to the State educational agency.

(20 U.S.C. 2832) Enacted Nov. 1, 1978, P.L. 95-561, sec. 101(a), 92 Stat. 2188.

PROGRAM EVALUATION

SEC. 183. (a) INDEPENDENT EVALUATIONS.-The Commissioner shall provide for independent evaluations which describe and measure the impact of programs and projects assisted under this title. Such evaluations may be provided by contract or other arrangements, and all such evaluations shall be made by competent and independent persons, and shall include, whenever possible, opinions obtained from program or project participants about the strengths and weaknesses of such programs and projects.

(b) EVALUATION STANDARDS AND SCHEDULE.-The Commissioner shall (1) develop and publish standards for evaluation of program or project effectiveness in achieving the objectives of this title, and (2) develop, in consultation with State educational agencies and representatives of local educational agencies, a schedule for conducting evaluations under section 124(g) designed to ensure that evaluations are conducted in representative samples of the local educational agencies in any State each year. Such standards will be developed only after widespread consultation and hearings with practicing State and local agency evaluators, and the Commissioner's standards will reflect the input of these groups.

(c) JOINTLY SPONSORED STUDIES.-The Commissioner shall consult with State and local educational agencies in order to provide for jointly sponsored objective evaluation studies of programs and projects assisted under this title within a State.

(d) EVALUATION MODELS.-The Commissioner shall provide to State educational agencies, models for evaluations of all programs

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