---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 6361"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "6361"
heading: "Grants for State assessments and related activities"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/6361"
units:
  - "Chapter 70 — Strengthening and Improvement of Elementary and Secondary Schools"
  - "Subchapter I — Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged"
  - "Part B — State Assessment Grants"
---

# §6361. Grants for State assessments and related activities

- (a) **Grants authorized—** From amounts made available in accordance with [section 6363 of this title](/usc/20/6363.md), the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) shall make grants to [State educational agencies](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) to enable the [States](/usc/20/7171.md?p=b-6) to carry out 1 or more of the following:
  - (1) To pay the costs of the development of the [State](/usc/20/7171.md?p=b-6) assessments and standards adopted under [section 6311(b) of this title](/usc/20/6311.md?p=b), which may include the costs of working in voluntary partnerships with other [States](/usc/20/7171.md?p=b-6), at the sole discretion of each such [State](/usc/20/7171.md?p=b-6).
  - (2) If a [State](/usc/20/7171.md?p=b-6) has developed the assessments adopted under [section 6311(b) of this title](/usc/20/6311.md?p=b), to administer those assessments or to carry out other assessment activities described in this part, such as the following:
    - (A) Ensuring the provision of appropriate accommodations available to [English learners](/usc/20/7801.md?p=20) and children with disabilities to improve the rates of inclusion in regular assessments of such children, including [professional development](/usc/20/7801.md?p=42) activities to improve the implementation of such accommodations in instructional practice.
    - (B) Developing challenging [State](/usc/20/7171.md?p=b-6) academic standards and aligned assessments in academic subjects for which standards and assessments are not required under [section 6311(b) of this title](/usc/20/6311.md?p=b).
    - (C) Developing or improving assessments for [English learners](/usc/20/7801.md?p=20), including assessments of English language proficiency as required under [section 6311(b)(2)(G) of this title](/usc/20/6311.md?p=b-2-G) and academic assessments in languages other than English to meet the [State](/usc/20/7171.md?p=b-6)’s obligations under [section 6311(b)(2)(F) of this title](/usc/20/6311.md?p=b-2-F).
    - (D) Ensuring the continued validity and reliability of [State](/usc/20/7171.md?p=b-6) assessments.
    - (E) Refining [State](/usc/20/7171.md?p=b-6) assessments to ensure their continued alignment with the challenging [State](/usc/20/7171.md?p=b-6) academic standards and to improve the alignment of curricula and instructional materials.
    - (F) Developing or improving balanced assessment systems that include summative, interim, and formative assessments, including supporting [local educational agencies](/usc/20/7801.md?p=30-A) in developing or improving such assessments.
    - (G) At the discretion of the [State](/usc/20/7171.md?p=b-6), refining science assessments required under [section 6311(b)(2) of this title](/usc/20/6311.md?p=b-2) in order to integrate engineering design skills and practices into such assessments.
    - (H) Developing or improving models to measure and assess student progress or student growth on [State](/usc/20/7171.md?p=b-6) assessments under [section 6311(b)(2) of this title](/usc/20/6311.md?p=b-2) and other assessments not required under [section 6311(b)(2) of this title](/usc/20/6311.md?p=b-2).
    - (I) Developing or improving assessments for children with disabilities, including alternate assessments aligned to alternate academic achievement standards for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities described in [section 6311(b)(2)(D) of this title](/usc/20/6311.md?p=b-2-D), and using the principles of [universal design for learning](/usc/20/7801.md?p=51).
    - (J) Allowing for collaboration with institutions of higher education, other research institutions, or other organizations to improve the quality, validity, and reliability of [State](/usc/20/7171.md?p=b-6) academic assessments beyond the requirements for such assessments described in [section 6311(b)(2) of this title](/usc/20/6311.md?p=b-2).
    - (K) Measuring student academic achievement using multiple measures of student academic achievement from multiple sources.
    - (L) Evaluating student academic achievement through the development of comprehensive academic assessment instruments (such as performance and [technology](/usc/20/7801.md?p=50)-based academic assessments, computer adaptive assessments, projects, or extended performance task assessments) that emphasize the mastery of standards and aligned competencies in a competency-based education model.
    - (M) Designing the report cards and reports under [section 6311(h) of this title](/usc/20/6311.md?p=h) in an easily accessible, user friendly-manner that cross-tabulates student information by any category the [State](/usc/20/7171.md?p=b-6) determines appropriate, as long as such cross-tabulation—
      - (i) does not reveal personally identifiable information about an individual student; and
      - (ii) is derived from existing [State](/usc/20/7171.md?p=b-6) and local reporting requirements.
- (b) **Rule of construction—** Nothing in [subsection (a)(2)(M)](#a-2-M) shall be construed as authorizing, requiring, or allowing any additional reporting requirements, data elements, or information to be reported to the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) unless such reporting, data, or information is explicitly authorized under this chapter.
- (c) **Annual report—** Each [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) receiving a grant under this section shall submit an annual report to the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) describing the [State](/usc/20/7171.md?p=b-6)’s activities under the grant and the result of such activities.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–10, title I, § 1201, as added Pub. L. 114–95, title I, § 1201, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 1879.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 6361, Pub. L. 89–10, title I, § 1201, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title I, § 101, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1535, stated purpose of former subpart 1 of this part, prior to the general amendment of this part by Pub. L. 114–95.

Another prior section 6361, Pub. L. 89–10, title I, § 1201, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title I, § 101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3578; amended Pub. L. 106–554, § 1(a)(4) [div. B, title XVI, § 1604(b)], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2763, 2763A–328, stated purpose of Even Start family literacy program, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 107–110.

A prior section 1201 of Pub. L. 89–10 was classified to section 2781 of this title, prior to the general amendment of Pub. L. 89–10 by Pub. L. 103–382.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section 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 an Effective Date of 2015 Amendment note under section 6301 of this title.