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State Innovation Pilot Act of 2011

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Sep 15, 2011

State Innovation Pilot Act of 2011 - Amends part D (Waivers) of title IX (General Provisions) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to revise the process by which states, LEAs, and Indian tribes obtain waivers of the Act's statutory and regulatory requirements.

Requires waiver requests by states, LEAs, or Indian tribes to include a plan that describes how: (1) the waiver will improve instruction and student achievement in accordance with the state's college and career ready academic content and achievement standards; (2) the plan will be evaluated regularly and improved continuously; (3) they will review implementation of the college and career readiness standards; (4) they will identify, support, and intervene in underperforming schools; and (5) they will maintain and improve transparency in reporting to parents and the public on student achievement and school performance.

Requires the Secretary of Education to approve requests that meet such requirements and do not involve certain specified statutory or regulatory requirements.

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Directs the Secretary to establish a multidisciplinary peer review team to review a waiver request if the Secretary requests their input or intends to disapprove the request. Requires peer reviewers to review waiver requests in their totality, in deference to state and local judgment, and with the goal of promoting state and local innovation.

Gives the Secretary a limited amount of time to decide on a waiver request. Gives requesters opportunities to revise their requests.

Prohibits the Secretary from imposing conditions on a waiver that require the state, LEA, or Indian tribe to adopt or drop specific standards or assessment systems.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
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Who introduced it

Sen. Alexander, Lamar [R-TN] · R–TN

Committees

  • Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
9 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

  2. Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5641-5646)

  3. Introduced in Senate

Bill text & related measures

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Related bills identified by Congress.gov

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Source last updated: Aug 14, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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