Educator Preparation Reform Act 2015-12-17 Introduced in Senate Educator Preparation Reform Act

This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to add as purposes of teacher quality partnership grants: (1) recruiting profession ready individuals, including minorities and individuals from other occupations, as teachers, principals, and other educators; and (2) meeting the staffing needs of high-need local education agencies and high-need schools through close partnerships with educator preparation programs within institutions of higher education.

An eligible partnership that receives a partnership grant shall use grant funds to carry out a program for the pre-baccalaureate or post-baccalaureate preparation of teachers, a teaching residency program (as in current law) or a principal residency program, or a combination of such programs.

An eligible partnership carrying out a principal residency program must perform specified activities for high-need schools.

The bill revises requirements for teacher residency programs and prescribes requirements for the establishment of principal residency programs.

An eligible partnership that receives a partnership grant may carry out, instead of a leadership development program, effective educator development programs for other educators besides teachers and principals.

The bill revises requirements for state reporting on the quality of teacher preparation.

As a condition for receiving funds under this Act or under title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, a state must conduct an assessment to identify at-risk (as well as low-performing) teacher preparation programs.

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