HR 966 IH

To prohibit the Federal Government from planning, developing, implementing, or administering any national teacher test or method of certification and from withholding funds from States or local educational agencies that fail to adopt a specific method of teacher certification.

March 8, 2001

Mr. PAUL (for himself, Mr. GRAHAM, Mr. HILLEARY, Mr. TANCREDO, Mr. SHADEGG, Mr. DOOLITTLE, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. DEMINT, and Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

To prohibit the Federal Government from planning, developing, implementing, or administering any national teacher test or method of certification and from withholding funds from States or local educational agencies that fail to adopt a specific method of teacher certification.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:

(1) State and local governments have the responsibility for the training and certification of teachers not the Federal Government.

(2) The Coalition of Independent Education Associations (CIEA), which represents the majority of the over 300,000 teachers who belong to independent educators associations, has passed a resolution opposing the monopolization of teacher education and certification by the National Council on Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) or any other federally supported organization.

(3) Many States are implementing a rigorous framework for preparing, certifying, and recognizing the professional growth of educators.

(4) Having the Federal Government require States, local governments, or local educational agencies to engage in any type of teacher testing or certification requires Federal oversight of what knowledge is necessary to be a teacher.

(5) Giving the Federal Government power to determine what knowledge is necessary to be a teacher will lead to a national curriculum.

(6) National teacher testing or certification will make teachers de facto employees of the Federal Government.

(7) Establishment of a national curriculum will destroy any control remaining in the American education system and is not in the interest of either teachers or students.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON TESTING OR CERTIFICATION.

Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal law, the Department of Education is prohibited from using Federal funds to plan, develop, implement, or administer any national teacher test or certification.

SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON WITHHOLDING FUNDS.

The Department is prohibited from withholding funds from any State or local educational agency if such State or local educational agency fails to adopt a specific method of teacher certification.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

For purposes of this Act:

(1) The terms `teacher testing' and `teacher test' mean any test or examination required by any unit of government that requires passage of such test or examination as a condition of obtaining a license to teach.

(2) The term `teacher certification' means any process of education or training required by any unit of government as a condition of obtaining a license to teach.

END