108th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2335
To amend part A of title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to
enhance teacher training and teacher preparation programs, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 22, 2004
Mr. REED (for himself, Mr. KENNEDY, and Mr. BINGAMAN) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions
A BILL
To amend part A of title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to
enhance teacher training and teacher preparation programs, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Preparing, Recruiting, and Retaining Education
Professionals Act of 2004'.
SEC. 2. PURPOSES; DEFINITIONS.
Section 201 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021) is amended
to read as follows:
`SEC. 201. PURPOSES; DEFINITIONS.
`(a) PURPOSES- The purposes of this part are to--
`(1) improve student achievement;
`(2) improve the quality of the current and future teaching force by improving
the preparation of prospective teachers and enhancing ongoing professional
development activities;
`(3) encourage partnerships among institutions of higher education, early
childhood education programs, elementary schools or secondary schools, local
educational agencies, State educational agencies, teacher organizations,
and nonprofit educational organizations;
`(4) hold institutions of higher education and all other teacher preparation
programs (including programs that provide alternative routes to teacher
preparation) accountable in an equivalent manner for preparing--
`(A) teachers who have strong teaching skills, are highly qualified, and
are trained in the effective uses of technology in the classroom; and
`(B) early childhood education providers who are highly competent;
`(5) recruit and retain qualified individuals, including individuals from
other occupations, into the teaching force for early childhood education
programs or in elementary schools or secondary schools;
`(6) improve the recruitment, retention, and capacities of principals to
provide instructional leadership and to support teachers in maintaining
safe and effective learning environments;
`(7) expand the use of research to improve teaching and learning by teachers,
early childhood education providers, principals, and faculty; and
`(8) enhance the ability of teachers, early childhood education providers,
principals, administrators, and faculty to communicate, work with, and involve
parents in ways that improve student achievement.
`(b) DEFINITIONS- In this part:
`(1) ARTS AND SCIENCES- The term `arts and sciences' means--
`(A) when referring to an organizational unit of an institution of higher
education, any academic unit that offers 1 or more academic majors in
disciplines or content areas corresponding to the academic subject matter
areas in which teachers provide instruction; and
`(B) when referring to a specific academic subject matter area, the disciplines
or content areas in which academic majors are offered by the arts and
science organizational unit.
`(2) EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM- The term `early childhood education
program' means a family child care program, center-based child care program,
prekindergarten program, school program, or other out-of-home child care
program that is licensed or regulated by the State serving 2 or more unrelated
children from birth until school entry, or a Head Start program carried
out under the Head Start Act or an Early Head Start program carried out
under section 645A of that Act.
`(3) EXEMPLARY TEACHER- The term `exemplary teacher' has the meaning given
the term in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965.
`(A) IN GENERAL- The term `faculty' means individuals in institutions
of higher education who are responsible for preparing teachers.
`(B) INCLUSIONS- The term `faculty' includes professors of education and
professors in academic disciplines such as the arts and sciences, psychology,
and human development.
`(5) HIGH-NEED LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY- The term `high-need local educational
agency' means a local educational agency that serves an early childhood
education program, elementary school, or secondary school located in an
area in which--
`(A)(i) 15 percent or more of the students served by the agency are from
families with incomes below the poverty line;
`(ii) there are more than 5,000 students served by the agency from families
with incomes below the poverty line; or
`(iii) there are less than 600 students in average daily attendance in
all the schools that are served by the agency and all of whose schools
are designated with a school locale code of 7 or 8, as determined by the
Secretary; and
`(B)(i) there is a high percentage of teachers who are not highly qualified;
or
`(ii) there is a chronic shortage, or high turnover rate, of highly qualified
teachers.
`(6) HIGH-NEED SCHOOL- The term `high-need school' means an early childhood
education program, public elementary school, or public secondary school--
`(A)(i) in which there is a high concentration of students from families
with incomes below the poverty line; or
`(ii) that, in the case of a public elementary school or public secondary
school, is identified as in need of school improvement or corrective action
pursuant to section 1116 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6316); and
`(B) in which there exists--
`(i) in the case of a public elementary school or public secondary school,
a persistent and chronic shortage, or high turnover rate, of highly
qualified teachers; and
`(ii) in the case of an early childhood education program, a persistent
and chronic shortage of early childhood education providers who are
highly competent.
`(7) HIGHLY COMPETENT- The term `highly competent' when used with respect
to an early childhood education provider means a provider--
`(A) with specialized education and training in development and education
of young children from birth until entry into kindergarten;
`(i) a baccalaureate degree in an academic major in the arts and sciences;
or
`(ii) an associate's degree in a related educational area; and
`(C) who has demonstrated a high level of knowledge and use of content
and pedagogy in the relevant areas associated with quality early childhood
education.
`(8) HIGHLY QUALIFIED- The term `highly qualified' has the meaning given
the term in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965.
`(9) MENTORING- The term `mentoring' means a process by which a teacher
mentor who is an exemplary teacher, either alone or in a team with faculty,
provides active support for prospective teachers and new teachers through
a system for integrating evidence-based practice, including rigorous, supervised
training in high-quality teaching settings. Such support includes activities
specifically designed to promote--
`(A) knowledge of the scientific research on, and assessment of, teaching
and learning;
`(B) development of teaching skills and skills in evidence-based educational
interventions;
`(C) development of classroom management skills;
`(D) a positive role model relationship where academic assistance and
exposure to new experiences is provided; and
`(E) ongoing supervision and communication regarding the prospective teacher's
development of teaching skills and continued support for the new teacher
by the mentor, other teachers, principals, and administrators.
`(10) PARENT- The term `parent' has the meaning given the term in section
9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
`(11) PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT- The term `parental involvement' has the meaning
given the term in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965.
`(12) POVERTY LINE- The term `poverty line' means the poverty line (as defined
by the Office of Management and Budget, and revised annually in accordance
with section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C.
9902(2))) applicable to a family of the size involved.
`(13) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT-
`(A) IN GENERAL- Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the term `professional
development' has the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
`(B) EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROVIDERS- The term `professional development'
when used with respect to an early childhood education provider means
knowledge and skills in all domains of child development (including cognitive,
social, emotional, physical, and approaches to learning) and pedagogy
of children from birth until entry into kindergarten.
`(14) TEACHING SKILLS- The term `teaching skills' means skills--
`(A) grounded in the disciplines of teaching and learning that teachers
use to create effective instruction in subject matter content and that
lead to student achievement and the ability to apply knowledge; and
`(B) that require an understanding of the learning process itself, including
an understanding of--
`(i) the use of teaching strategies specific to the subject matter;
`(ii) the application of ongoing assessment of student learning, particularly
for evaluating instructional practices and curriculum;
`(iii) ensuring successful learning for students with individual differences
in ability and instructional needs;
`(iv) effective classroom management; and
`(v) effective ways to communicate, work with, and involve parents in
their children's education.'.
SEC. 3. STATE GRANTS.
Section 202 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1022) is amended
to read as follows:
`SEC. 202. STATE GRANTS.
`(a) IN GENERAL- From amounts made available under section 211(1) for a fiscal
year, the Secretary is authorized to award grants under this section, on a
competitive basis, to eligible States to enable the eligible
States to carry out the activities described in subsection (d).
`(1) DEFINITION- In this part, the term `eligible State' means--
`(A) a State educational agency; or
`(B) an entity or agency in the State responsible for teacher certification
and preparation activities.
`(2) CONSULTATION- The eligible State shall consult with the Governor, State
board of education, State educational agency, State agency for higher education,
State agency with responsibility for child care, prekindergarten, or other
early childhood education programs, and other State entities that provide
professional development and teacher preparation for teachers, as appropriate,
with respect to the activities assisted under this section.
`(3) CONSTRUCTION- Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to negate
or supersede the legal authority under State law of any State agency, State
entity, or State public official over programs that are under the jurisdiction
of the agency, entity, or official.
`(c) APPLICATION- To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an
eligible State shall, at the time of the initial grant application, submit
an application to the Secretary that--
`(1) meets the requirement of this section and other relevant requirements
for States under this title;
`(2) describes how the eligible State intends to use funds provided under
this section in accordance with State-identified needs;
`(3) describes the eligible State's plan for continuing the activities carried
out with the grant once Federal funding ceases;
`(4) describes how the eligible State will coordinate activities authorized
under this section with other Federal, State, and local personnel preparation
and professional development programs; and
`(5) contains such other information and assurances as the Secretary may
require.
`(d) USES OF FUNDS- An eligible State that receives a grant under this section
shall use the grant funds to reform teacher preparation requirements, and
to ensure that current and future teachers are highly qualified and possess
strong teaching skills and knowledge to assess student academic achievement,
by carrying out 1 or more of the following activities:
`(1) REFORMS- Implementing reforms that hold institutions of higher education
with teacher preparation programs accountable for, and assist such programs
in, preparing teachers who are highly qualified or early childhood education
providers who are highly competent. Such reforms shall include--
`(A) State program approval requirements regarding curriculum changes
by teacher preparation programs that improve teaching skills based on
scientific knowledge--
`(i) about the disciplines of teaching and learning; and
`(ii) about understanding and responding effectively to students with
special needs;
`(B) State program approval requirements for teacher preparation programs
to have in place mechanisms to measure and assess the effectiveness and
impact of teacher preparation programs, including on student achievement;
`(C) assurances from institutions that such institutions have a program
in place that provides a year-long clinical experience for prospective
teachers; and
`(D) collecting and using data, in collaboration with institutions of
higher education, schools, and local educational agencies, on teacher
retention rates, by school, to evaluate and strengthen the effectiveness
of the State's teacher support system.
`(2) CERTIFICATION OR LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS- Ensuring the State's teacher
certification or licensure requirements are rigorous so that teachers have
strong teaching skills and are highly qualified.
`(3) ALTERNATIVE ROUTES TO STATE CERTIFICATION- Carrying out programs that
provide prospective teachers with high-quality alternative routes to traditional
preparation for teaching and to State certification for well-prepared and
qualified prospective teachers, including--
`(A) programs at schools or departments of arts and sciences, schools
or departments of education within institutions of higher education, or
at nonprofit educational organizations with expertise in producing highly
qualified teachers that include instruction in teaching skills;
`(B) a selective means for admitting individuals into such programs;
`(C) providing intensive support during the initial teaching experience,
including mentoring;
`(D) establishing, expanding, or improving alternative routes to State
certification of teachers for qualified individuals, including mid-career
professionals from other occupations, paraprofessionals, former military
personnel and recent college graduates with records of academic distinction,
that have a proven record of effectiveness and that ensure that current
and future teachers possess strong teaching skills and are highly qualified;
and
`(E) providing support in the disciplines of teaching and learning to
ensure that prospective teachers have an understanding of evidence-based
learning practices and possess strong teaching skills.
`(4) STATE CERTIFICATION RECIPROCITY- Establishing and promoting reciprocity
of certification or licensing between or among States for general
and special education teachers and principals, except that no reciprocity
agreement developed pursuant to this paragraph or developed using funds provided
under this part may lead to the weakening of any State certification or licensing
requirement that is shown through evidence-based research to ensure teacher
and principal quality and student achievement.
`(5) RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION- Developing and implementing effective mechanisms
to ensure that local educational agencies and schools are able to effectively
recruit and retain highly qualified teachers, highly competent early childhood
education providers, and principals, and provide access to ongoing professional
development opportunities for teachers, early childhood education providers,
and principals, including activities described in subsections (d) and (e)
of section 204.
`(6) SOCIAL PROMOTION- Development and implementation of efforts to address
the problem of social promotion and to prepare teachers, principals, administrators,
and parents to effectively address the issues raised by ending the practice
of social promotion.'.
SEC. 4. PARTNERSHIP GRANTS.
Section 203 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1023) is amended
to read as follows:
`SEC. 203. PARTNERSHIP GRANTS.
`(a) GRANTS- From amounts made available under section 211(2) for a fiscal
year, the Secretary is authorized to award grants under this section, on a
competitive basis, to eligible partnerships to enable the eligible partnerships
to carry out the activities described in subsections (d) and (e).
`(1) ELIGIBLE PARTNERSHIP- In this part, the term `eligible partnership'
means an entity that--
`(i) a partner institution;
`(ii) a school or department of arts and sciences within the partner
institution under clause (i);
`(iii) a school or department of education within the partner institution
under clause (i);
`(iv)(I) a department of psychology within the partner institution under
clause (i);
`(II) a department of human development within the partner institution
under clause (i); or
`(III) a department with comparable expertise in the disciplines of
teaching, learning, and child and adolescent development within the
partner institution under clause (i);
`(v) a high-need local educational agency; and
`(vi)(I) a high-need school served by the high-need local educational
agency under clause (v); or
`(II) a consortium of schools of the high-need local educational agency
under clause (v); and
`(B) may include a Governor, State educational agency, the State board
of education, the State agency for higher education, an institution of
higher education not described in subparagraph (A) (including a community
college), a public charter school, other public elementary school or secondary
school, a combination or network of urban, suburban, or rural schools,
a public or private nonprofit educational organization, a business, a
teacher organization, or an early childhood education program.
`(2) PARTNER INSTITUTION- In this section, the term `partner institution'
means a private independent or State-supported public institution of higher
education, or a consortium of such institutions, that has not been designated
under section 208(a) and the teacher preparation program of which demonstrates
that--
`(A) graduates from the teacher preparation program who intend to enter
the field of teaching exhibit strong performance on State-determined qualifying
assessments and are highly qualified; or
`(B) the teacher preparation program requires all the students of the
program to participate in intensive clinical experience, to meet high
academic standards, to possess strong teaching skills, and--
`(i) in the case of prospective elementary school and secondary school
teachers, to become highly qualified; and
`(ii) in the case of prospective early childhood education providers,
to become highly competent.
`(c) APPLICATION- Each eligible partnership desiring a grant under this section
shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner,
and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require. Each such
application shall--
`(1) contain a needs assessment of all the partners with respect to the
preparation, ongoing training, and professional development of early childhood
education providers, general and special education teachers, and principals,
the extent to which the program prepares new teachers with strong teaching
skills, a description of how the partnership will coordinate strategies
and activities with other teacher preparation or professional development
programs, and how the activities of the partnership will be consistent with
State, local, and other education reform activities that promote student
achievement and parental involvement;
`(2) contain a resource assessment that describes the resources available
to the partnership, including the integration of funds from other related
sources, the intended use of the grant funds, including a description of
how the grant funds will be fairly distributed in accordance with subsection
(f), and the commitment of the resources of the partnership
to the activities assisted under this part, including financial support,
faculty participation, time commitments, and continuation of the activities
when the grant ends;
`(3) contain a description of--
`(A) how the partnership will meet the purposes of this part, in accordance
with the needs assessment required under paragraph (1);
`(B) how the partnership will carry out the activities required under
subsection (d) and any permissible activities under subsection (e) based
on the needs identified in paragraph (1) with the goal of improving student
achievement;
`(C) the partnership's evaluation plan pursuant to section 206(b);
`(D) how faculty at the partner institution will work with, over the term
of the grant, principals and teachers in the classrooms of the high-need
local educational agency included in the partnership;
`(E) how the partnership will enhance the instructional leadership and
management skills of principals and provide effective support for principals,
including new principals;
`(F) how the partnership will design, implement, or enhance a year-long,
rigorous, and enriching preservice clinical program component;
`(G) the in-service professional development strategies and activities
to be supported; and
`(H) how the partnership will collect, analyze, and use data on the retention
of all teachers, early childhood education providers, or principals in
schools located in the geographic areas served by the partnership to evaluate
the effectiveness of its educator support system;
`(4) contain a certification from the partnership that it has reviewed the
application and determined that the grant proposed will comply with subsection
(f);
`(5) include, for the residency program described in subsection (d)(3)--
`(A) a demonstration that the schools and departments within the institution
of higher education that are part of the residency program have relevant
and essential roles in the effective preparation of teachers, including
content expertise and expertise in the science of teaching and learning;
`(B) a demonstration of capability and commitment to evidence-based teaching
and accessibility to, and involvement of, faculty documented by professional
development offered to staff and documented experience with university
collaborations;
`(C) a description of how the residency program will design and implement
an induction period to support all new teachers through the first 3 years
of teaching in the further development of their teaching skills, including
use of mentors who are trained and compensated by such program for their
work with new teachers; and
`(D) a description of how faculty involved in the residency program will
be able to substantially participate in an early childhood education program
or an elementary or secondary classroom setting, including release time
and receiving workload credit for their participation; and
`(6) include an assurance that the partnership has mechanisms in place to
measure and assess the effectiveness and impact of the activities to be
undertaken, including on student achievement.
`(d) REQUIRED USES OF FUNDS- An eligible partnership that receives a grant
under this section shall use the grant funds to carry out the following activities,
as applicable to teachers, early childhood education providers, or principals,
in accordance with the needs assessment required under subsection (c)(1):
`(1) REFORMS- Implementing reforms within teacher preparation programs,
where needed, to hold the programs accountable for preparing teachers who
are highly qualified or early childhood education providers who are highly
competent and for promoting strong teaching skills, including integrating
reliable evidence-based teaching methods into the curriculum, which curriculum
shall include parental involvement training and programs designed to successfully
integrate technology into teaching and learning. Such reforms shall include--
`(A) teacher preparation program curriculum changes that improve, and
assess how well all new teachers develop, teaching skills;
`(B) use of scientific knowledge about the disciplines of teaching and
learning so that all prospective teachers understand evidence-based learning
practices and possess teaching skills that enable them to meet the learning
needs of all students;
`(C) assurances that all teachers have a sufficient base of scientific
knowledge to understand and respond effectively to students with special
needs, such as providing instruction to diverse student populations, including
students with disabilities, limited-English proficient students, and students
with different learning styles or other special learning needs;
`(D) assurances that the most recent scientifically based research, including
research relevant to particular fields of teaching, is incorporated into
professional development activities used by faculty; and
`(E) working with and involving parents in their children's education
to improve the academic achievement of their children and in the teacher
preparation program reform process.
`(2) CLINICAL EXPERIENCE AND INTERACTION- Developing and providing sustained
and high-quality preservice clinical education programs to further develop
the teaching skills of all general education teachers and special education
teachers, at
schools within the partnership, at the school or department of education
within the partner institution, or at evidence-based practice school settings.
Such programs shall--
`(A) incorporate a year-long, rigorous, and enriching activity or combination
of activities, including--
`(i) clinical learning opportunities;
`(ii) field experiences; and
`(iii) supervised practice; and
`(B) be offered over the course of a program of preparation and coursework
(that may be developed as a 5th year of a teacher preparation program)
for prospective general and special education teachers, including the
mentoring in instructional skills, classroom management skills, and strategies
to effectively assess student progress and achievement, and substantially
increasing closely supervised interaction between faculty and new and
experienced teachers, principals, and other administrators at early childhood
education programs, elementary schools, or secondary schools, and providing
support, including preparation time and release time, for such interaction.
`(3) RESIDENCY PROGRAMS FOR NEW TEACHERS- Creating a residency program that
provides an induction period for all new general education and special education
teachers for such teachers' first 3 years. Such program shall promote the
integration of the science of teaching and learning in the classroom, provide
high-quality mentoring opportunities, provide opportunities for the dissemination
of evidence-based research on educational practices, and provide for opportunities
to engage in professional development activities offered through professional
associations of educators. Such program shall draw directly upon the expertise
of teacher mentors, faculty, and researchers that involves their active
support in providing a setting for integrating evidence-based practice for
prospective teachers, including rigorous, supervised training in high-quality
teaching settings that promotes the following:
`(A) Knowledge of the scientific research on teaching and learning.
`(B) Development of skills in evidence-based educational interventions.
`(C) Faculty who model the integration of research and practice in the
classroom, and the effective use and integration of technology.
`(D) Interdisciplinary collaboration among exemplary teachers, faculty,
researchers, and other staff who prepare new teachers on the learning
process and the assessment of learning.
`(E) A forum for information sharing among prospective teachers, teachers,
principals, administrators, and participating faculty in the partner institution.
`(F) Application of scientifically based research on teaching and learning
generated by entities such as the Institute of Education Sciences and
by the National Research Council.
`(4) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT- Creating opportunities for enhanced and ongoing
professional development for experienced general education and special education
teachers, early childhood education providers, principals, administrators,
and faculty that--
`(A) improves the academic content knowledge, as well as knowledge to
assess student academic achievement and how to use the results of such
assessments to improve instruction, of teachers in the subject matter
or academic content areas in which the teachers are certified to teach
or in which the teachers are working toward certification to teach;
`(B) promotes strong teaching skills and an understanding of how to apply
scientific knowledge about teaching and learning to their teaching practice
and to their ongoing classroom assessment of students;
`(C) provides mentoring, team teaching, reduced class schedules, and intensive
professional development;
`(D) encourages and supports training of teachers, principals, and administrators
to effectively use and integrate technology--
`(i) into curricula and instruction, including training to improve the
ability to collect, manage, and analyze data to improve teaching, decisionmaking,
school improvement efforts, and accountability;
`(ii) to enhance learning by children, including students with disabilities,
limited-English proficient students, and students with different learning
styles or other special learning needs; and
`(iii) to effectively communicate, work with, and involve parents in
their children's education;
`(E) creates an ongoing retraining loop for experienced teachers, principals,
and administrators, whereby the residency program activities and practices--
`(i) inform the research of faculty and other researchers; and
`(ii) translate evidence-based research findings into improved practice
techniques and improved teacher preparation programs; and
`(F) includes the rotation, for varying periods of time, of experienced
teachers--
`(i) who are associated with the partnership to early childhood education
programs, elementary schools, or secondary schools not associated with
the partnership in order to enable such experienced teachers to act
as a resource for all teachers in the local educational agency or State;
and
`(ii) who are not associated with the partnership to early childhood
education programs, elementary schools, or secondary
schools associated with the partnership in order to enable such experienced
teachers to observe how teaching and professional development occurs in the
partnership.
`(5) SUPPORT FOR PARTICIPANTS- Providing support for those individuals participating
in the required activities under paragraphs (1) through (4) who serve as
role models or mentors for prospective, new, and experienced teachers, based
on such individuals' experience. Such support--
`(A) also may be provided to the preservice clinical experience participants,
as appropriate; and
`(i) release time for such individual's participation;
`(ii) receiving course workload credit and compensation for time teaching
in the partnership activities; and
`(6) LEADERSHIP AND MANAGERIAL SKILLS-
`(A) IN GENERAL- Developing and implementing proven mechanisms to provide
principals, superintendents, early childhood education program directors,
and administrators (and mentor teachers, as practicable) with--
`(i) an understanding of the skills and behaviors that contribute to
effective instructional leadership and the maintenance of a safe and
effective learning environment;
`(ii) teaching and assessment skills needed to support successful classroom
teaching;
`(iii) an understanding of how students learn and develop in order to
increase achievement for all students; and
`(iv) the skills to effectively involve parents.
`(B) MECHANISMS- The mechanisms developed and implemented pursuant to
subparagraph (A) may include any of the following:
`(i) Mentoring of new principals.
`(ii) Field-based experiences, supervised practica, or internship opportunities.
`(iii) Other activities to expand the knowledge base and practical skills
of principals, superintendents, early childhood education program directors,
and administrators (and mentor teachers, as practicable).
`(e) ALLOWABLE USES OF FUNDS- An eligible partnership that receives a grant
under this section may use such funds to carry out the following activities:
`(1) DISSEMINATION AND COORDINATION- Broadly disseminating information on
effective practices used by the partnership, including teaching strategies
and interactive materials for developing skills in classroom management
and assessment and how to respond to individual student needs, abilities,
and backgrounds, to early childhood education providers and teachers in
elementary schools or secondary schools that are not associated with the
partnership. Coordinating with the activities of the Governor, State board
of education, State higher education agency, and State educational agency,
as appropriate.
`(2) CURRICULUM PREPARATION- Supporting preparation time for early childhood
education providers, teachers in elementary schools or secondary schools,
and faculty to jointly design and implement teacher preparation curricula,
classroom experiences, and ongoing professional development opportunities
that promote the acquisition and continued growth of teaching skills.
`(3) COMMUNICATION SKILLS- Developing strategies and curriculum-based professional
development activities to enhance prospective teachers' communication skills
with students, parents, colleagues, and other education professionals.
`(4) COORDINATION WITH OTHER INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION- Coordinating
with other institutions of higher education, including community colleges,
to implement teacher preparation programs that support prospective teachers
in obtaining baccalaureate degrees and State certification or licensure.
`(5) TEACHER RECRUITMENT- Activities described in subsections (d) and (e)
of section 204.
`(f) SPECIAL RULE- No individual member of an eligible partnership shall retain
more than 50 percent of the funds made available to the partnership under
this section.
`(g) CONSTRUCTION- Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit
an eligible partnership from using grant funds to coordinate with the activities
of more than 1 Governor, State board of education, State educational agency,
local educational agency, or State agency for higher education.'.
SEC. 5. RECRUITMENT GRANTS.
Section 204 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1024) is amended
to read as follows:
`SEC. 204. RECRUITMENT GRANTS.
`(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED- From amounts made available under section 211(3)
for a fiscal year, the Secretary is authorized to award grants, on a competitive
basis, to eligible applicants to enable the eligible applicants to carry out
activities described in subsections (d) and (e).
`(b) ELIGIBLE APPLICANT DEFINED- In this part, the term `eligible applicant'
means--
`(1) an eligible State described in section 202(b) that has--
`(A) high teacher shortages or turnover rates; or
`(B) high teacher shortages or turnover rates in high-need local educational
agencies; or
`(2) an eligible partnership described in section 203(b) that--
`(A) serves not less than 1 high-need local educational agency with high
teacher shortages or turnover rates ;
`(B) serves schools that demonstrate great difficulty meeting State challenging
academic content standards; or
`(C) demonstrates great difficulty meeting the requirement that teachers
be highly qualified.
`(c) APPLICATION- Any eligible applicant desiring to receive a grant under
this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in
such form, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including--
`(1) a description of the assessment that the eligible applicant, and the
other entities with whom the eligible applicant will carry out the grant
activities, have undertaken to determine the most critical needs of the
participating high-need local educational agencies;
`(2) a description of how the eligible applicant will recruit and retain
highly qualified teachers or other qualified individuals, including principals
and early childhood education providers, or both, who are enrolled in, accepted
to, or plan to participate in teacher preparation programs or professional
development activities, as described under section 203, in geographic areas
of greatest need, including data on the retention rate, by school, of all
teachers in schools located within the geographic areas served by the eligible
applicant;
`(3) a description of the activities the eligible applicant will carry out
with the grant; and
`(4) a description of the eligible applicant's plan for continuing the activities
carried out with the grant once Federal funding ceases.
`(d) REQUIRED USES OF FUNDS- An eligible applicant receiving a grant under
this section shall use the grant funds--
`(1)(A) to award scholarships to help students pay the costs of tuition,
room, board, and other expenses of completing a teacher preparation program;
`(B) to provide support services, if needed, to enable scholarship recipients
to complete postsecondary education programs;
`(C) for followup services (including mentoring and professional development
activities) provided to former scholarship recipients during the recipients
first 3 years of teaching; and
`(D) in the case where the eligible applicant also receives a grant under
section 203, for support for mentor teachers who participate in the residency
program; or
`(2) to develop and implement effective mechanisms, including a professional
development system and career ladders, to ensure that high-need local educational
agencies, high-need schools, and early childhood education programs are
able to effectively recruit and retain highly competent early childhood
education providers, highly qualified teachers, and principals.
`(e) ALLOWABLE USE OF FUNDS- An eligible applicant receiving a grant under
this section may use the grant funds to carry out the following:
`(1) OUTREACH- Conducting outreach and coordinating with inner city and
rural secondary schools to encourage students to pursue teaching as a career.
`(2) EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION COMPENSATION- For eligible applicants focusing
on early childhood education, implementing initiatives that increase compensation
of early childhood education providers who attain degrees in early childhood
education.
`(f) SERVICE REQUIREMENTS- The Secretary shall establish such requirements
as the Secretary finds necessary to ensure that recipients of scholarships
under this section who complete teacher education programs subsequently teach
in a high-need local educational agency, for a period of time equivalent to
the period for which the recipients receive scholarship assistance, or repay
the amount of the scholarship. The Secretary shall use any such repayments
to carry out additional activities under this section.'.
SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.
Section 205 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1025) is amended--
(A) in the heading, by striking `ONE-TIME AWARDS;';
(B) by striking paragraph (2); and
(C) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2);
(A) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4);
(B) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
`(2) COMPOSITION OF PANEL- The peer review panel shall be composed of experts
who are competent, by virtue of their training, expertise, or experience,
to evaluate applications for grants under this part. A majority of the panel
shall be composed of individuals who are not employees of the Federal Government.';
(C) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
`(3) EVALUATION AND PRIORITY- The peer review panel shall evaluate the applicants'
proposals to improve the current and future teaching force through program
and certification reforms, teacher preparation program activities (including
implementation and assessment strategies), and professional development
activities described in sections 202, 203, and 204, as appropriate. In recommending
applications to the Secretary for funding under this part, the peer review
panel shall--
`(A) with respect to grants under section 202, give priority to eligible
States that--
`(i) have initiatives to reform State program approval requirements
for teacher preparation programs that are designed to ensure that current
and future teachers are highly qualified and possess strong teaching
skills, knowledge to assess student academic achievement, and the ability
to use this information in such teachers' classroom instruction;
`(ii) include innovative reforms to hold institutions of higher education
with
teacher preparation programs accountable for preparing teachers who are highly
qualified and have strong teaching skills; or
`(iii) involve the development of innovative efforts aimed at reducing
the shortage of--
`(I) highly qualified teachers in high-poverty urban and rural areas;
and
`(II) highly qualified teachers in fields with persistently high teacher
shortages, such as special education;
`(B) with respect to grants under section 203--
`(i) give priority to applications from eligible partnerships that involve
broad participation within the community, including businesses; and
`(ii) take into consideration--
`(I) providing an equitable geographic distribution of the grants
throughout the United States; and
`(II) the potential of the proposed activities for creating improvement
and positive change; and
`(C) with respect to grants under section 204, give priority to eligible
applicants that have in place, or in progress, articulation agreements
between 2- and 4-year public and private institutions of higher education
and nonprofit providers of professional development with demonstrated
experience in professional development activities.'; and
(D) by adding at the end the following:
`(5) PAYMENT OF FEES AND EXPENSES OF CERTAIN MEMBERS- The Secretary may
use available funds appropriated to carry out this part to pay the expenses
and fees of peer review panel members who are not employees of the Federal
Government.'; and
(3) by striking subsection (e) and inserting the following:
`(e) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE- For each fiscal year, the Secretary may expend
not more than $500,000 or 0.75 percent of the funds appropriated to carry
out this title for such fiscal year, whichever amount is greater, to provide
technical assistance to States and partnerships receiving grants under this
part.'.
SEC. 7. ACCOUNTABILITY AND EVALUATION.
Section 206 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1026) is amended--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking `Committee on Labor
and Human Resources' and inserting `Committee on Health, Education, Labor,
and Pensions';
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking `, including,' and all that follows
through the period and inserting `as a highly qualified teacher.';
(i) by striking `highly'; and
(ii) by striking the period at the end and inserting `that meet the
same standards and criteria of State certification or licensure programs.';
(D) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
`(4) TEACHER AND PROVIDER QUALIFICATIONS-
`(A) ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL CLASSES- Increasing the percentage
of elementary school and secondary school classes taught by teachers--
`(i) who are highly qualified;
`(ii) who have completed preparation programs that provide such teachers
with the scientific knowledge about the disciplines of teaching, learning,
and child and adolescent development so the teachers understand and
use evidence-based teaching skills to meet the learning needs of all
students; or
`(iii) who have completed a residency program throughout their first
3 years of teaching that includes mentoring by faculty who are trained
and compensated for their work with new teachers.
`(B) EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMS- Increasing the percentage of
classrooms in early childhood education programs taught by providers who
are highly competent.';
(E) by striking paragraph (5) and inserting the following:
`(5) DECREASING SHORTAGES- Decreasing shortages of--
`(A) qualified teachers and principals in poor urban and rural areas;
and
`(B) qualified teachers in fields with persistently high teacher shortages,
such as special education.'; and
(F) by striking paragraph (6) and inserting the following:
`(6) INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT- Increasing opportunities
for enhanced and ongoing professional development that--
`(i) the knowledge and skills of early childhood education providers;
`(ii) the knowledge of teachers in special education;
`(iii) the knowledge and skills to assess student academic achievement
and use the results of such assessments to improve instruction; or
`(iv) the knowledge of subject matter or academic content areas--
`(I) in which the teachers are certified or licensed to teach; or
`(II) in which the teachers are working toward certification or licensure
to teach;
`(B) promotes strong teaching skills and an understanding of how to apply
scientific knowledge about teaching and learning to teachers' teaching
practice and to teachers' ongoing classroom assessment of students; and
`(C) provides enhanced instructional leadership and management skills
for principals.';
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking `for' and inserting
`for teachers, early childhood education providers, or principals, as
appropriate, according to the needs analysis required under section 203(c)(1),
for'; and
(B) by striking paragraphs (1) through (6) and inserting the following:
`(1) increased demonstration by program graduates of teaching skills grounded
in scientific knowledge about the disciplines of teaching and learning;
`(2) increased student achievement for all students as measured by the partnership,
including mechanisms to measure student achievement due to the specific
activities conducted by the partnership;
`(3) increased teacher retention in the first 3 years of a teacher's career
based, in part, on teacher retention data collected as described in section
203(c)(3)(H);
`(4) increased success in the pass rate for initial State certification
or licensure of teachers;
`(5) increased percentage of elementary school and secondary school classes
taught by teachers who are highly qualified;
`(6) increased percentage of early childhood education program classes taught
by providers who are highly competent;
`(7) increased percentage of early childhood education programs and elementary
school and secondary school classes taught by providers and teachers who
demonstrate clinical judgment, communication, and problem-solving skills
resulting from participation in a residency program;
`(8) increased percentage of qualified special education teachers;
`(9) increased number of general education teachers trained in working with
students with disabilities, limited-English proficient students, and students
with different learning styles or other special learning needs;
`(10) increased number of teachers trained in technology; and
`(11) increased number of teachers, early childhood education providers,
or principals prepared to work effectively with parents.'; and
(A) by inserting `, with particular attention to the reports and evaluations
provided by the eligible States and eligible partnerships pursuant to
this section,' after `funded under this part'; and
(B) by striking `Committee on Labor and Human Resources' and inserting
`Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions'.
SEC. 8. ACCOUNTABILITY FOR PROGRAMS THAT PREPARE TEACHERS.
Section 207 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1027) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (a);
(2) by redesignating subsections (b) through (f) as subsections (a) through
(e), respectively;
(3) in subsection (a), as redesignated by paragraph (2)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking `, within 2 years'
and all that follows through `the following' and inserting `, on an annual
basis and in a uniform and comprehensible manner that conforms with the
definitions and reporting methods previously developed for teacher preparation
programs by the Commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics,
a State report card on the quality of teacher preparation in the State,
which shall include not less than the following';
(i) by striking `teaching candidates' and inserting `prospective teachers';
and
(ii) by striking `candidate' and inserting `prospective teacher';
(i) by striking `teaching candidates' and inserting `prospective teachers';
(ii) by striking `teacher candidate' and inserting `prospective teacher';
and
(iii) by striking `candidate's' and inserting `teacher's';
(D) in paragraph (7), by inserting `how the State has ensured that the
alternative certification routes meet the same State standards and criteria
for teacher certification or licensure,' after `if any,';
(i) by striking `teacher candidate' and inserting `prospective teacher';
and
(ii) by inserting `(including the ability to provide instruction to
diverse student populations, including students with disabilities, limited-English
proficient students, and students with different learning styles or
other special learning needs)' after `skills';
(F) by adding at the end the following:
`(10) Information on the extent to which teachers or prospective teachers
in each State are prepared to work in partnership with parents and involve
parents in their children's education.';
(4) in subsection (b)(1), as redesignated by paragraph (2)--
(A) by striking `not later than 6 months of the date of enactment of the
Higher Education Amendments of 1998 and';
(B) by striking `subsection (b)' and inserting `subsection (a)';
(C) by striking `Committee on Labor and Human Resources' and inserting
`Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions'; and
(D) by striking `not later than 9 months after the date of enactment of
the Higher Education Amendments of 1998';
(5) in subsection (c)(1), as redesignated by paragraph (2)--
(A) by striking `(9) of subsection (b)' and inserting `(10) of subsection
(a)'; and
(B) by striking `and made available not later than 2 years 6 months after
the date of enactment of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 and annually
thereafter' and inserting `, and made available annually'; and
(6) in subsection (e)(1), as redesignated by paragraph (2)--
(A) by striking `not later than 18 months after the date of enactment
of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 and annually thereafter, shall
report' and inserting `shall report annually'; and
(B) by striking `methods established under subsection (a)' and inserting
`reporting methods developed for teacher preparation programs'.
SEC. 9. STATE FUNCTIONS.
Section 208 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1028) is amended--
(A) by striking `, not later than 2 years after the date of enactment
of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998,';
(B) by inserting `and within entities providing alternative routes to
teacher preparation' after `institutions of higher education';
(C) by inserting `and entities' after `low-performing institutions';
(D) by inserting `and entities' after `those institutions'; and
(E) by striking `207(b)' and inserting `207(a)';
(2) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections (c) and (d),
respectively;
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
`(b) TEACHER QUALITY PLAN- In order to receive funds under this Act, a State
shall submit a State teacher quality plan that--
`(1) details how such funds will ensure that all teachers are highly qualified;
and
`(2) indicates whether each teacher preparation program in the State that
has not been designated as low-performing under subsection (a) is of sufficient
quality to meet all State standards and produce highly qualified teachers
with the teaching skills needed to teach effectively in the schools of the
State.';
(4) in subsection (c), as redesignated by paragraph (2)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking `of Education'; and
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking `of this Act'; and
(5) in subsection (d), as redesignated by paragraph (2), by striking `subsection
(b)(2)' and inserting `subsection (c)(2)'.
SEC. 10. ACADEMIES FOR FACULTY EXCELLENCE.
Part A of title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021 et
seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating section 210 as section 211; and
(2) by inserting after section 209 the following:
`SEC. 210. ACADEMIES FOR FACULTY EXCELLENCE.
`(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED- From amounts made available under subsection (e),
the Secretary is authorized to award grants to eligible entities to enable
such entities to create Academies for Faculty Excellence.
`(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITY- In this section:
`(1) IN GENERAL- The term `eligible entity' means a consortium composed
of institutions of higher education that--
`(A) award doctoral degrees in education; and
`(B) are partner institutions (as such term is defined in section 203).
`(2) INCLUSIONS- The term `eligible entity' may include the following:
`(A) Institutions of higher education that--
`(i) do not award doctoral degrees in education; and
`(ii) are partner institutions (as such term is defined in section 203).
`(B) Nonprofit entities with expertise in preparing highly qualified teachers.
`(c) APPLICATION- An eligible entity desiring to receive a grant under this
section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such
manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including--
`(1) a description of how the eligible entity will provide professional
development that is grounded in scientifically based research to faculty;
`(2) evidence that the eligible entity is well versed in current scientifically
based research related to teaching and learning across content areas and
fields;
`(3) a description of the assessment that the eligible entity will undertake
to determine the most critical needs of the faculty who will be served by
the Academies for Faculty Excellence; and
`(4) a description of the activities the eligible entity will carry out
with grant funds received under this section, how the entity will include
faculty in the activities, and how the entity will conduct these activities
in collaboration with programs and projects that receive Federal funds from
the Institute of Education Sciences.
`(d) REQUIRED USE OF FUNDS- Each eligible entity that receives a grant under
this section shall use the grant funds to enhance the caliber of teaching
undertaken in preparation programs for teachers, early childhood education
providers, and principals and other administrators through the establishment
and maintenance of a postdoctoral system of professional development by carrying
out the following:
`(1) RECRUITMENT- Recruit a faculty of experts who are knowledgeable about
scientifically based research related to teaching and learning, who have
direct experience working with teachers and students in school settings,
who are capable of implementing scientifically based research to improve
teaching practice and student achievement in school settings, and who are
capable of providing professional development to faculty and others responsible
for preparing teachers, early childhood education providers, principals,
and administrators.
`(2) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CURRICULA- Develop a series of professional
development curricula to be used by the Academies for Faculty Excellence
and disseminated broadly to teacher preparation programs nationwide.
`(3) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCES- Support the development of a
range of ongoing professional development experiences (including the use
of the Internet) for faculty to ensure that such faculty are knowledgeable
about effective evidence-based practice in teaching and learning. Such experiences
shall promote joint faculty activities that link content and pedagogy.
`(4) DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS- Provide fellowships, scholarships, and stipends
for teacher educators to participate in various faculty development programs
offered by the Academies for Faculty Excellence.
`(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated
to carry out this section $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2005 and such sums as
may be necessary for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.'.
SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 211 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as redesignated by section
10, is amended--
(1) by striking `part $300,000,000 for fiscal year 1999' and inserting `part,
other than section 210, $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2005';
(2) by striking `4 succeeding' and inserting `5 succeeding';
(3) in paragraph (1), by striking `45' and inserting `20';
(4) in paragraph (2), by striking `45' and inserting `60'; and
(5) in paragraph (3), by striking `10' and inserting `20'.
END
