In the case of any State which applies, contracts, or submits a plan for participation in any applicable program in which Federal funds are made available for assistance to local educational agencies through, or under the supervision of, the State educational agency of that State, such State shall submit (subject to the provisions of part D of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 7231 et seq.]) to the Secretary a general application containing the assurances set forth in subsection (b). Such application may be submitted jointly for all programs covered by the application, or it may be submitted separately for each such program or for groups of programs. Each application submitted under this section must be approved by each official, agency, board, or other entity within the State which, under State law, is primarily responsible for supervision of the activities conducted under each program covered by the application.

An application submitted under subsection (a) shall set forth assurances, satisfactory to the Secretary—

(1) that each program will be administered in accordance with all applicable statutes, regulations, program plans, and applications;

(2) that the control of funds provided under each program and title to property acquired with program funds will be in a public agency, or in a nonprofit private agency, institution, or organization if the statute authorizing the program provides for grants to such entities, and that the public agency or nonprofit private agency, institution, or organization will administer such funds and property;

that the State will adopt and use proper methods of administering each applicable program, including—

(A) monitoring of agencies, institutions, and organizations responsible for carrying out each program, and the enforcement of any obligations imposed on those agencies, institutions, and organizations under law,

(B) providing technical assistance, where necessary, to such agencies, institutions, and organizations,

(C) encouraging the adoption of promising or innovative educational techniques by such agencies, institutions, and organizations,

(D) the dissemination throughout the State of information on program requirements and successful practices, and

(E) the correction of deficiencies in program operations that are identified through monitoring or evaluation;

(4) that the State will evaluate the effectiveness of covered programs in meeting their statutory objectives, at such intervals (not less often than once every three years) and in accordance with such procedures as the Secretary may prescribe by regulation, and that the State will cooperate in carrying out any evaluation of each program conducted by or for the Secretary or other Federal official;

(5) that the State will use fiscal control and fund accounting procedures that will ensure proper disbursement of, and accounting for, Federal funds paid to the State under each program;

(6) that the State will make reports to the Secretary (including reports on the results of evaluations required under paragraph (4)) as may reasonably be necessary to enable the Secretary to perform his duties under each program, and that the State will maintain such records, in accordance with the requirements of section 1232f of this title, and afford access to the records as the Secretary may find necessary to carry out his duties;

that the State will provide reasonable opportunities for the participation by local agencies, representatives of the class of individuals affected by each program and other interested institutions, organizations, and individuals in the planning for and operation of each program, including the following:

(A) the State will consult with relevant advisory committees, local agencies, interest groups, and experienced professionals in the development of program plans required by statute;

(B) the State will publish each proposed plan, in a manner that will ensure circulation throughout the State, at least sixty days prior to the date on which the plan is submitted to the Secretary or on which the plan becomes effective, whichever occurs earlier, with an opportunity for public comments on such plan to be accepted for at least thirty days;

(C) the State will hold public hearings on the proposed plans if required by the Secretary by regulation; and

(D) the State will provide an opportunity for interested agencies, organizations, and individuals to suggest improvements in the administration of the program and to allege that there has been a failure by any entity to comply with applicable statutes and regulations; and

(8) that none of the funds expended under any applicable program will be used to acquire equipment (including computer software) in any instance in which such acquisition results in a direct financial benefit to any organization representing the interests of the purchasing entity or its employees or any affiliate of such an organization.

Each general application submitted under this section shall remain in effect for the duration of any program it covers. The Secretary shall not require the resubmission or amendment of that application unless required by changes in Federal or State law or by other significant changes in the circumstances affecting an assurance in that application.

(Pub. L. 90–247, title IV, § 441, formerly § 435, as added Pub. L. 95–561, title XII, § 1231(a)(3), Nov. 1, 1978, 92 Stat. 2343; amended Pub. L. 98–511, title VII, § 706(a), Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2406; Pub. L. 100–297, title III, § 3501(c), Apr. 28, 1988, 102 Stat. 357; renumbered § 441 and amended Pub. L. 103–382, title II, §§ 212(b)(1), (3)(A), 261(f), Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3913, 3928; Pub. L. 107–110, title X, § 1062(2), Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 2087; Pub. L. 114–95, title IX, § 9215(mm)(4), Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2176.)