---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 7243"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "7243"
heading: "Applications"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/7243"
units:
  - "Chapter 70 — Strengthening and Improvement of Elementary and Secondary Schools"
  - "Subchapter IV — 21st Century Schools"
  - "Part E — Family Engagement in Education Programs"
---

# §7243. Applications

- (a) **Submissions—** Each statewide organization, or a consortium of such organizations, that desires a grant under this part shall submit an application to the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) at such time and in such manner as the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) may require, which shall include the information described in [subsection (b)](#b).
- (b) **Contents—** Each application submitted under [subsection (a)](#a) shall include, at a minimum, the following:
  - (1) A description of the applicant’s approach to family engagement in education.
  - (2) A description of how the [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) and any partner organization will support the statewide family engagement center that will be operated by the applicant including a description of the [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) and any partner organization’s commitment of such support.
  - (3) A description of the applicant’s plan for building a statewide infrastructure for family engagement in education, that includes—
    - (A) management and governance;
    - (B) statewide leadership; or
    - (C) systemic services for family engagement in education.
  - (4) A description of the applicant’s demonstrated experience in providing training, information, and support to [State educational agencies](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49), [local educational agencies](/usc/20/7801.md?p=30-A), schools, educators, [parents](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38), and organizations on family engagement in education policies and practices that are effective for [parents](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38) (including low-income [parents](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38)) and families, [parents](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38) of [English learners](/usc/20/7801.md?p=20), minorities, students with disabilities, homeless children and youth, children and youth in foster care, and migrant students, including evaluation results, reporting, or other data exhibiting such demonstrated experience.
  - (5) A description of the steps the applicant will take to target services to low-income students and [parents](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38).
  - (6) An assurance that the applicant will—
    - (A) establish a special advisory committee, the membership of which includes—
      - (i) [parents](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38), who shall constitute a majority of the members of the special advisory committee;
      - (ii) representatives of education professionals with expertise in improving services for disadvantaged children;
      - (iii) representatives of local [elementary schools](/usc/20/7801.md?p=19) and [secondary schools](/usc/20/7801.md?p=45), including students;
      - (iv) representatives of the business community; and
      - (v) representatives of [State educational agencies](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) and [local educational agencies](/usc/20/7801.md?p=30-A);
    - (B) use not less than 65 percent of the funds received under this part in each fiscal year to serve [local educational agencies](/usc/20/7801.md?p=30-A), schools, and [community-based organizations](/usc/20/7801.md?p=5) that serve high concentrations of disadvantaged students, including students who are [English learners](/usc/20/7801.md?p=20), minorities, students with disabilities, homeless children and youth, children and youth in foster care, and migrant students;
    - (C) operate a statewide family engagement center of sufficient size, scope, and quality to ensure that the center is adequate to serve the [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49), [local educational agencies](/usc/20/7801.md?p=30-A), and [community-based organizations](/usc/20/7801.md?p=5);
    - (D) ensure that the statewide family engagement center will retain staff with the requisite training and experience to serve [parents](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38) in the [State](/usc/20/7171.md?p=b-6);
    - (E) serve urban, suburban, and rural [local educational agencies](/usc/20/7801.md?p=30-A) and schools;
    - (F) work with—
      - (i) other statewide family engagement centers assisted under this part; and
      - (ii) [parent](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38) training and information centers and community [parent](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38) resource centers assisted under sections [1471](/usc/20/1471.md) and [1472](/usc/20/1472.md) of this title;
    - (G) use not less than 30 percent of the funds received under this part for each fiscal year to establish or [expand](/usc/20/7221i.md?p=7) technical assistance for [evidence-based](/usc/20/7801.md?p=21-A) [parent](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38) education programs;
    - (H) provide assistance to [State educational agencies](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49), [local educational agencies](/usc/20/7801.md?p=30-A), and [community-based organizations](/usc/20/7801.md?p=5) that support family members in supporting student academic achievement;
    - (I) work with [State educational agencies](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49), [local educational agencies](/usc/20/7801.md?p=30-A), schools, educators, and [parents](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38) to determine parental needs and the best means for delivery of services to address such needs;
    - (J) conduct sufficient outreach to assist [parents](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38), including [parents](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38) who the applicant may have a difficult time engaging with a school or [local educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=30-A); and
    - (K) conduct outreach to low-income students and [parents](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38), including low-income students and [parents](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38) who are not proficient in English.
  - (7) An assurance that the applicant will conduct training programs in the community to improve [adult](/usc/20/7491.md?p=1) literacy, including financial literacy.
- (c) **Priority—** In awarding grants for activities described in this part, the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) shall give priority to statewide family engagement centers that will use funds under [section 7244 of this title](/usc/20/7244.md) for [evidence-based](/usc/20/7801.md?p=21-A) activities, which, for the purposes of this part is defined as activities meeting the requirements of [section 7801(21)(A)(i) of this title](/usc/20/7801.md?p=21-A-i).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–10, title IV, § 4503, as added Pub. L. 114–95, title IV, § 4501, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2017.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Prior sections 7243 to 7243c were repealed by Pub. L. 114–95, § 5, title IV, § 4001(b)(1)(C), Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 1806, 1967, effective Dec. 10, 2015, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs.

Section 7243, Pub. L. 89–10, title V, § 5411, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title V, § 501, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1811, related to programs authorized.

Section 7243a, Pub. L. 89–10, title V, § 5412, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title V, § 501, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1812, related to applications for awards.

Section 7243b, Pub. L. 89–10, title V, § 5413, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title V, § 501, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1812, related to program requirements.

Section 7243c, Pub. L. 89–10, title V, § 5414, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title V, § 501, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1813, related to studies of national significance.

### 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.