Title 20 — Education
Part F · Chapter 70 — Strengthening and Improvement of Elementary and Secondary Schools
§ 7907. Prohibitions on Federal Government and use of Federal funds
Statutory text
General prohibition
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to authorize an officer or employee of the Federal Government, including through a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, to mandate, direct, or control a State, local educational agency, or school’s curriculum, program of instruction, or allocation of State or local resources, or mandate a State or any subdivision thereof to spend any funds or incur any costs not paid for under this chapter.
Prohibition on endorsement of curriculum
Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal law, no funds provided to the Department under this chapter may be used by the Department, whether through a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, to endorse, approve, develop, require, or sanction any curriculum, including any curriculum aligned to the Common Core State Standards developed under the Common Core State Standards Initiative or any other academic standards common to a significant number of States, designed to be used in an elementary school or secondary school.
Local control
Nothing in this section shall be construed to—
authorize an officer or employee of the Federal Government, whether through a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement to mandate, direct, review, or control a State, local educational agency, or school’s instructional content, curriculum, and related activities;
limit the application of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1221 et seq.);
require the distribution of scientifically or medically false or inaccurate materials or to prohibit the distribution of scientifically or medically true or accurate materials; or
create any legally enforceable right.
Prohibition on requiring Federal approval or certification of standards
In general
Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal law, no State shall be required to have academic standards approved or certified by the Federal Government, in order to receive assistance under this chapter.
Rule of construction
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit a State, local educational agency, or school from using funds provided under this chapter for the development or implementation of any instructional content, academic standards, academic assessments, curriculum, or program of instruction that a State, local educational agency, or school chooses, as permitted under State and local law, as long as the use of such funds is consistent with the terms of the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement providing such funds.
Building standards
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to mandate national school building standards for a State, local educational agency, or school.
Legislative history
Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
Pub. L. 89–10 title VIII § 8527 · 79 Stat. 27
Enacted · 20 U.S.C. § 7907
Pub. L. 89–10, title VIII, § 8527, formerly title IX, § 9527, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title IX, § 901, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1983
Source evidence
Code source credit
Pub. L. 89–10, title VIII, § 8527, formerly title IX, § 9527, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title IX, § 901, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1983Every Student Succeeds Act
Pub. L. 114–95 § 8024 · 129 Stat. 1802
Amended · 20 U.S.C. § 7907
Pub. L. 114–95, § 8024, amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section consisted of subsecs. (a) to (d) relating to prohibitions on Federal Government and use of Federal funds
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Pub. L. 114–95, § 8024, amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section consisted of subsecs. (a) to (d) relating to prohibitions on Federal Government and use of Federal funds.Enacted provision · exact public law section
SEC. 8024. PROHIBITIONS ON FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS. Section 8527, 20 USC 7907. as redesignated by section 8001 of this Act, is amended to read as follows: “SEC. 8527. PROHIBITIONS ON FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS. “(a) General Prohibition.— Nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorize an officer or employee of the Federal Government, including through a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, to mandate, direct, or control a State, local educational agency, or school’s curriculum, program of instruction, or allocation of State or local resources, or mandate a State or any subdivision thereof to spend any funds or incur any costs not paid for under this Act. “(b) Prohibition on Endorsement of Curriculum.— Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal law, no funds provided to the Department under this Act may be used by the Department, whether through a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, to endorse, approve, develop, require, or sanction any curriculum, including any curriculum aligned to the Common Core State Standards developed under the Common Core State Standards Initiative or any other academic standards common to a significant number of States, designed to be used in an elementary school or secondary school. “(c) Local Control.— Nothing in this section shall be construed to— “(1) authorize an officer or employee of the Federal Government, whether through a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement to mandate, direct, review, or control a State, local educational agency, or school’s instructional content, curriculum, and related activities; “(2) limit the application of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1221 et seq.); “(3) require the distribution of scientifically or medically false or inaccurate materials or to prohibit the distribution of scientifically or medically true or accurate materials; or “(4) create any legally enforceable right. “(d) Prohibition on Requiring Federal Approval or Certification of Standards.— “(1) In general.— Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal law, no State shall be required to have academic standards approved or certified by the Federal Government, in order to receive assistance under this Act. “(2) Rule of construction.— Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit a State, local educational agency, or school from using funds provided under this Act for the development or implementation of any instructional content, academic standards, academic assessments, curriculum, or program of instruction that a State, local educational agency, or school chooses, as permitted under State and local law, as long as the use of such funds is consistent with the terms of the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement providing such funds. “(3) Building standards.— Nothing in this Act shall be construed to mandate national school building standards for a State, local educational agency, or school.” .Effective date note
Amendment by Pub. L. 114–95 effective Dec. 10, 2015, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see section 5 of Pub. L. 114–95, set out as a note under section 6301 of this title.
1 of 2 references resolved to an enrolled provision · 1 partial
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The General Education Provisions Act, referred to in subsec. (c)(2), is title IV of Pub. L. 90–247, , 81 Stat. 814, which is classified generally to chapter 31 (§ 1221 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1221 of this title and Tables.
Prior Provisions
A prior section 7907, Pub. L. 89–10, title IX, § 9207, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title I, § 101, , 108 Stat. 3801, related to Native Hawaiian gifted and talented program, prior to the general amendment of former subchapter IX of this chapter by Pub. L. 107–110.
Amendments
2015—Pub. L. 114–95, § 8024, amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section consisted of subsecs. (a) to (d) relating to prohibitions on Federal Government and use of Federal funds.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2015 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 114–95 effective , except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see section 5 of Pub. L. 114–95, set out as a note under section 6301 of this title.
Credits
2002–2015 · 2 acts
- 2002Pub. L. 89–10, title VIII, § 8527, formerly title IX, § 9527, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title IX, § 901, , 115 Stat. 1983
- 2015renumbered title VIII, § 8527, and amended Pub. L. 114–95, title VIII, §§ 8001(a)(6), 8024, , 129 Stat. 2088, 2089, 2113.
Show as published
(Pub. L. 89–10, title VIII, § 8527, formerly title IX, § 9527, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title IX, § 901, , 115 Stat. 1983; renumbered title VIII, § 8527, and amended Pub. L. 114–95, title VIII, §§ 8001(a)(6), 8024, , 129 Stat. 2088, 2089, 2113.)