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;

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

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.