20 U.S.C. § 6421: Purpose and program…

§6421 Purpose and Program Authorization

Title 20 › CHAPTER 70 — STRENGTHENING AND IMPROVEMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS › SUBCHAPTER I — IMPROVING THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF THE DISADVANTAGED › Part D — Prevention and Intervention Programs for Children and Youth Who Are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk › § 6421

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Creates a grant program to improve schooling for neglected, delinquent, or at-risk children and youth. The program helps students in local, tribal, and State institutions meet the same State academic standards as other students, helps them move from institutions into more school or work, and works to keep at-risk kids from dropping out while supporting dropouts and those returning from correctional facilities. The Secretary must use money provided under section 6302(d) of this title to give grants to State educational agencies. Those agencies then give subgrants to State agencies and local educational agencies to start or improve these education programs.

Title 20, §6421

Education, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Purpose

It is the purpose of this part—

(1)to improve educational services for children and youth in local, tribal, and State institutions for neglected or delinquent children and youth so that such children and youth have the opportunity to meet the same challenging State academic standards that all children in the State are expected to meet;

(2)to provide such children and youth with the services needed to make a successful transition from institutionalization to further schooling or employment; and

(3)to prevent at-risk youth from dropping out of school, and to provide dropouts, and children and youth returning from correctional facilities or institutions for neglected or delinquent children and youth, with a support system to ensure their continued education and the involvement of their families and communities.

(b)Program authorized

In order to carry out the purpose of this part and from amounts appropriated under section 6302(d) of this title, the Secretary shall make grants to State educational agencies to enable such agencies to award subgrants to State agencies and local educational agencies to establish or improve programs of education for neglected, delinquent, or at-risk children and youth.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 6421, Pub. L. 89–10, title I, § 1401, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title I, § 101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3591, set out findings and purpose and authorized program, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 107–110. A prior section 1401 of Pub. L. 89–10 was classified to section 2821 of this title, prior to the general amendment of Pub. L. 89–10 by Pub. L. 103–382.

Amendments

2015—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 114–95, § 1401(1)(A), inserted “, tribal,” after “youth in local” and substituted “challenging State academic standards” for “challenging State academic content standards and challenging State student academic achievement standards”. Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 114–95, § 1401(1)(B), inserted “and the involvement of their families and communities” after “to ensure their continued education”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2015 AmendmentAmendment 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.