---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 12523"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "12523"
heading: "Assistance to States, territories, and Indian tribes"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/12523"
units:
  - "Chapter 129 — National and Community Service"
  - "Subchapter I — National and Community Service State Grant Program"
  - "Division B — School-Based and Community-Based Service-Learning Programs"
  - "Part I — Programs for Elementary and Secondary School Students"
---

# §12523. Assistance to States, territories, and Indian tribes

- (a) **Allotments to States, territories, and Indian tribes—** The [Corporation](/usc/42/2297h.md?p=2), in consultation with the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) of Education, may make allotments to [State educational agencies](/usc/42/12522.md?p=2), territories, and Indian tribes to pay for the Federal share of—
  - (1) planning and building the capacity within the [State](/usc/42/12522.md?p=1), territory, or Indian tribe involved to implement [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9) [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) that are based principally in elementary schools and secondary schools, including—
    - (A) providing training and professional development for teachers, supervisors, personnel from community-based entities (particularly with regard to the recruitment, utilization, and management of participants), and trainers, to be conducted by qualified individuals or organizations that have experience with [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9);
    - (B) developing [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9) curricula, consistent with [State](/usc/42/12522.md?p=1) or local academic content standards, to be integrated into academic [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8), including curricula for an age-appropriate learning component that provides participants an opportunity to analyze and apply their service experiences;
    - (C) forming local partnerships described in paragraph [(2)](#a-2) or [(4)(D)](#a-4-D) to develop school-based [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9) [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) in accordance with this part;
    - (D) devising appropriate methods for research on and evaluation of the educational value of [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9) and the effect of [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9) activities on communities;
    - (E) establishing effective outreach and dissemination of information to ensure the broadest possible involvement of community-based entities with demonstrated effectiveness in working with school-age youth in their communities; and
    - (F) establishing effective outreach and dissemination of information to ensure the broadest possible participation of schools throughout the [State](/usc/42/12522.md?p=1), throughout the territory, or serving the Indian tribe involved with particular attention to schools implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities or targeted support and improvement activities under [section 6311(d) of title 20](/usc/20/6311.md?p=d);
  - (2) implementing, operating, or expanding school-based [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9) [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8), which may include paying for the cost of the recruitment, training, supervision, placement, salaries, and benefits of [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9) coordinators, through distribution by [State educational agencies](/usc/42/12522.md?p=2), territories, and Indian tribes of Federal funds made available under this part to [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) operated by local partnerships among—
    - (A) local educational [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1); and
    - (B) 1 or more community partners that—
      - (i) shall include a public or private [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organization that—
        - (I) has a demonstrated expertise in the provision of services to meet unmet human, education, environmental, or public safety needs;
        - (II) will make [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) available for participants, who shall be students; and
        - (III) was in existence at least 1 year before the date on which the organization submitted an application under [section 12525 of this title](/usc/42/12525.md); and
      - (ii) may include a private for-profit business, private elementary school or secondary school, or Indian tribe (except that an Indian tribe distributing funds to a [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) under this paragraph is not eligible to be part of the partnership operating that [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2));
  - (3) planning of school-based [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9) [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8), through distribution by [State educational agencies](/usc/42/12522.md?p=2), territories, and Indian tribes of Federal funds made available under this part to local educational [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) and Indian tribes, which planning may include paying for the cost of—
    - (A) the salaries and benefits of [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9) coordinators; or
    - (B) the recruitment, training and professional development, supervision, and placement of [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9) coordinators who may be participants in a [program](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) under division C or receive a national service educational award under division D, who may be participants in a [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) under [section 5001 of this title](/usc/42/5001.md), or who may participate in a Youthbuild [program](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) under [section 3226 of title 29](/usc/29/3226.md),

    who will identify the community partners described in [paragraph (2)(B)](#a-2-B) and assist in the design and implementation of a [program](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) described in [paragraph (2)](#a-2);

  - (4) implementing, operating, or expanding school-based [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9) [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) to utilize adult volunteers in [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9) to improve the education of students, through distribution by [State educational agencies](/usc/42/12522.md?p=2), territories, and Indian tribes of Federal funds made available under this part to—
    - (A) local educational [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1);
    - (B) Indian tribes (except that an Indian tribe distributing funds under this paragraph is not eligible to be a recipient of those funds);
    - (C) public or private [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organizations; or
    - (D) partnerships or combinations of local educational [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), and entities described in subparagraph [(B)](#a-4-B) or [(C)](#a-4-C); and
  - (5) developing, as [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9) [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8), civic engagement [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) that promote a better understanding of—
    - (A) the principles of the Constitution, the heroes of United States history (including military heroes), and the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance;
    - (B) how the Nation’s government functions; and
    - (C) the importance of service in the Nation’s character.
- (b) **Duties of service-learning coordinator—** A [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9) coordinator referred to in paragraph [(2)](#a-2) or [(3)](#a-3) of subsection (a) shall provide services to a local partnership described in [subsection (a)(2)](#a-2) or entity described in [subsection (a)(3)](#a-3), respectively, that may include—
  - (1) providing technical assistance and information to, and facilitating the training of, teachers and assisting in the planning, development, execution, and evaluation of [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9) in their classrooms;
  - (2) assisting local partnerships described in [subsection (a)(2)](#a-2) in the planning, development, and execution of [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9) [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2), including summer of service [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8);
  - (3) assisting schools and local educational [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) in developing school policies and [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) that support the integration of [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9) into the curriculum; and
  - (4) carrying out such other duties as the local partnership or entity, respectively, may determine to be appropriate.
- (c) **Related expenses—** An entity that receives financial assistance under this part from a [State](/usc/42/12522.md?p=1), territory, or Indian tribe may, in carrying out the activities described in [subsection (a)](#a), use such assistance to pay for the Federal share of reasonable costs related to the supervision of participants, [program](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) administration, transportation, insurance, and evaluations and for other reasonable expenses related to the activities.
- (d) **Special rule—** A [State educational agency](/usc/42/12522.md?p=2) described in [section 12522(2)(A) of this title](/usc/42/12522.md?p=2-A) may designate a statewide entity (which may be a community-based entity) with demonstrated experience in supporting or implementing [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9) [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8), to receive the [State educational agency](/usc/42/12522.md?p=2)’s allotment under this part, and carry out the functions of the [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) under this part.
- (e) **Consultation with Secretary of Education—** The [Corporation](/usc/42/2297h.md?p=2) is authorized to enter into agreements with the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) of Education for initiatives (and may use funds authorized under [section 12681(a)(6) of this title](/usc/42/12681.md?p=a-6) to enter into the agreements if the additional costs of the initiatives are warranted) that may include—
  - (1) identification and dissemination of research findings on [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9) and scientifically valid research based [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) for [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9); and
  - (2) provision of professional development opportunities that—
    - (A) improve the quality of [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9) instruction and delivery for teachers both preservice and in-service, personnel from community-based entities and youth workers; and
    - (B) create and sustain effective partnerships for [service-learning](/usc/42/12626.md?p=9) [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) between local educational [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), community-based entities, businesses, and other stakeholders.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 101–610, title I, § 112, as added Pub. L. 111–13, title I, § 1201, Apr. 21, 2009, 123 Stat. 1468; amended Pub. L. 113–128, title V, § 512(u)(1), July 22, 2014, 128 Stat. 1712; Pub. L. 114–95, title IX, § 9215(bbb)(2), Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2185.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 12523, Pub. L. 101–610, title I, § 111B, as added Pub. L. 103–82, title I, § 103(a)(2), Sept. 21, 1993, 107 Stat. 827, granted the Corporation authority to assist public or private nonprofit organizations, prior to the general amendment of this part by Pub. L. 111–13.

Another prior section 12523, Pub. L. 101–610, title I, § 113, Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 3134; Pub. L. 102–384, § 4, Oct. 5, 1992, 106 Stat. 1455, related to State grant applications, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 103–82, § 103(a)(2).

A prior section 112 of Pub. L. 101–610 was classified to section 12524 prior to the general amendment of this part by Pub. L. 111–13.

Another prior section 112 of Pub. L. 101–610 was classified to section 12522 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 103–82.

### Amendments

2015—Subsec. (a)(1)(F). Pub. L. 114–95 substituted “implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities or targeted support and improvement activities under section 6311(d) of title 20” for “not making adequate yearly progress for two or more consecutive years under section 6311 of title 20”.

2014—Subsec. (a)(3)(B). Pub. L. 113–128 substituted “or who may participate in a Youthbuild program under section 3226 of title 29” for “or who may participate in a Youthbuild program under section 2918a of title 29”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2015 Amendment

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 Title 20, Education.

### Effective Date of 2014 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 113–128 effective on the first day of the first full program year after July 22, 2014 (July 1, 2015), see section 506 of Pub. L. 113–128, set out as an Effective Date note under section 3101 of Title 29, Labor.

### Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 2009, see section 6101(a) of Pub. L. 111–13, set out as an Effective Date of 2009 Amendment note under section 4950 of this title.