Grow Your Own Teacher program

Title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

Grow Your Own Teacher Program

2501.

Grow Your Own Teacher program

(a)

In general

From amounts made available to carry out this part, the Secretary shall carry out a program to make grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities, to be used by such entities to train and employ eligible individuals in hard-to-staff schools or hard-to-staff teaching positions in accordance with subsection (c). (b)

Definitions

In this section: (1)

Eligible entity

The term eligible entity means a consortium consisting of— (A)a local educational agency that is eligible to receive funds under part A of title I; and (B)an institution of higher education that offers a program, accredited by the State, for preparing individuals to fulfill all the requirements for receiving a teaching certificate in the State of the local educational agency described in subparagraph (A). (2)

Eligible individual

The term eligible individual means an individual— (A)who— (i)received a high school diploma from a local educational agency described in paragraph (1)(A); and (ii)is enrolled in a program to receive a teaching certificate in the State of the local educational agency at an institution of higher education described in paragraph (1)(B); and (B)is— (i)a high school graduate who graduated not more than 5 years ago; (ii)a parent of a current or former student of the local educational agency who has a history of working to improve the local educational agency; or (iii)an education support professional in the local educational agency who works with students in an instructional role. (3)

Veteran teacher

The term veteran teacher means a teacher who has taught in a local educational agency described in paragraph (1)(A) for a period of least 15 years. (4)

Student loans

The term student loans means any loans awarded to an eligible individual under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.). (c)

Use of funds

(1)

In general

An eligible entity receiving a grant under this section shall use such grant funds to— (A)conduct a training program for eligible individuals to be teachers, which shall include requiring such individuals to observe and work with a veteran teacher in a classroom for at least one year; (B)employ such individuals in hard-to-staff schools and hard-to-staff teaching positions in the local educational agency of the eligible entity, with priority given to teaching positions in mathematics, science, special education, world languages, and English as a second language; and (C)employ such individuals in a manner that reduces the divergence between the racial diversity of teachers and of students. (2)

Other authorized activities

An eligible entity receiving a grant under this section may use any grant funds that remain after carrying out paragraph (1) for the following activities: (A)Helping an eligible individual trained under this section to cover the costs of childcare and other indirect expenses that are reasonably required by the individual to participate in the training program. (B)Recruiting and counseling eligible individuals, and individuals who are likely to become eligible individuals in the near future (such as students soon to receive a high school diploma from a local educational agency described in subsection (b)(1)(A)), to participate in the training program. (C)Providing space in the community of the eligible entity to carry out the activities described in subparagraph (B). (D)Offering the training program under this section in community settings and to provide tutoring services to supplement the training. (E)Carrying out any other activities consistent with the purposes of this section, as determined by the Secretary. (d)

Student loan forgiveness

(1)

In general

From the amounts made available to carry out this part, the Secretary is authorized to forgive the student loans incurred by an eligible individual who has completed a training program under this section and has been employed as a teacher in a hard-to-staff school or hard-to-staff teaching position, in an amount not to exceed the total amount of students loans incurred by the individual for participating in the program. (2)

Amount of loan forgiveness

The Secretary may forgive— (A)in the case of an eligible individual who has been employed in a hard-to-staff school or hard-to-staff teaching position for at least 5 years, the total amount of the student loans incurred by the student for participating in a training program under this section; or (B)in the case of an eligible individual who has been employed in a hard-to-staff school or hard-to-staff teaching position for less than 5 years, an amount that is less than the total amount of the student loans incurred by the student for participating in a training program under this section. (e)

Regulations

The Secretary is authorized to promulgate any regulations as may be necessary to carry out this section. (f)

Rule of Construction

Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter or otherwise affect the rights, remedies, and procedures afforded school or local educational agency employees under Federal, State, or local laws (including applicable regulations or court orders) or under the terms of collective bargaining agreements, memoranda of understanding, or other agreements between such employees and their employers. (g)

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary.