---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 7117"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "7117"
heading: "Activities to support well-rounded educational opportunities"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/7117"
units:
  - "Chapter 70 — Strengthening and Improvement of Elementary and Secondary Schools"
  - "Subchapter IV — 21st Century Schools"
  - "Part A — Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants"
  - "Subpart 1 — student support and academic enrichment grants"
---

# §7117. Activities to support well-rounded educational opportunities

- (a) **In general—** Subject to [section 7116(f) of this title](/usc/20/7116.md?p=f), each [local educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=30-A), or consortium of such agencies, that receives an allocation under [section 7115(a) of this title](/usc/20/7115.md?p=a) shall use a portion of such funds to develop and implement programs and activities that support access to a [well-rounded education](/usc/20/7801.md?p=52) and that—
  - (1) are coordinated with other schools and community-based services and programs;
  - (2) may be conducted in partnership with an [institution of higher education](/usc/20/7801.md?p=29), business, nonprofit organization, [community-based organization](/usc/20/7801.md?p=5), or other public or private entity with a demonstrated record of success in implementing activities under this section; and
  - (3) may include programs and activities, such as—
    - (A) college and career guidance and counseling programs, such as—
      - (i) postsecondary education and career awareness and exploration activities;
      - (ii) training counselors to effectively use labor market information in assisting students with postsecondary education and career planning; and
      - (iii) financial literacy and Federal financial aid awareness activities;
    - (B) programs and activities that use music and the arts as tools to support student success through the promotion of constructive student engagement, problem solving, and conflict resolution;
    - (C) programming and activities to improve instruction and student engagement in science, [technology](/usc/20/7801.md?p=50), engineering, and mathematics, including computer science, (referred to in this section as “STEM subjects”) such as—
      - (i) increasing access for students through grade 12 who are members of groups underrepresented in such subject fields, such as female students, minority students, [English learners](/usc/20/7801.md?p=20), children with disabilities, and economically disadvantaged students, to high-quality courses;
      - (ii) supporting the participation of low-income students in nonprofit competitions related to STEM subjects (such as robotics, science research, invention, mathematics, computer science, and [technology](/usc/20/7801.md?p=50) competitions);
      - (iii) providing hands-on learning and exposure to science, [technology](/usc/20/7801.md?p=50), engineering, and mathematics and supporting the use of field-based or service learning to enhance the students’ understanding of the STEM subjects;
      - (iv) supporting the creation and enhancement of [STEM-focused specialty schools](/usc/20/7112.md?p=8);
      - (v) facilitating collaboration among school, after-school program, and informal program personnel to improve the integration of programming and instruction in the identified subjects; and
      - (vi) integrating other academic subjects, including the arts, into STEM subject programs to increase participation in STEM subjects, improve attainment of skills related to STEM subjects, and promote [well-rounded education](/usc/20/7801.md?p=52);
    - (D) efforts to raise student academic achievement through accelerated learning programs described in [section 7114(b)(3)(A)(i)(IV) of this title](/usc/20/7114.md?p=b-3-A-i-IV), such as—
      - (i) reimbursing low-income students to cover part or all of the costs of accelerated learning examination fees, if the low-income students are enrolled in accelerated learning courses and plan to take accelerated learning examinations; or
      - (ii) increasing the availability of, and enrollment in, accelerated learning courses, accelerated learning examinations, [dual or concurrent enrollment programs](/usc/20/7801.md?p=15), and [early college high school](/usc/20/7801.md?p=17) courses;
    - (E) activities to promote the development, implementation, and strengthening of programs to teach traditional American history, civics, economics, geography, or government education;
    - (F) foreign language instruction;
    - (G) environmental education;
    - (H) programs and activities that promote volunteerism and community involvement;
    - (I) programs and activities that support educational programs that integrate multiple disciplines, such as programs that combine arts and mathematics; or
    - (J) other activities and programs to support student access to, and success in, a variety of [well-rounded education](/usc/20/7801.md?p=52) experiences.
- (b) **Special rule—** A [local educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=30-A), or consortium of such agencies, that receives a subgrant under this subpart for fiscal year 2017 may use such funds to cover part or all of the fees for accelerated learning examinations taken by low-income students during the 2016-2017 school year, in accordance with [subsection (a)(3)(D)](#a-3-D).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–10, title IV, § 4107, as added Pub. L. 114–95, title IV, § 4101, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 1977.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 7117, Pub. L. 89–10, title IV, § 4117, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title IV, § 401, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1750, related to programs for Native Hawaiians, prior to the general amendment of this subpart by Pub. L. 114–95.

Another prior section 7117, Pub. L. 89–10, title IV, § 4117, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title I, § 101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3685, related to evaluation and reporting, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 107–110.

A prior section 4107 of Pub. L. 89–10 was classified to section 3067 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.