[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2698 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2698

  To improve teacher preparation at institutions of higher education.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 22, 1997

  Mrs. McCarthy of New York introduced the following bill; which was 
        referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To improve teacher preparation at institutions of higher education.

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

SECTION 1. TEACHER PREPARATION.

    (a) Initial Teacher Preparation.--Part A of title V of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1102 et seq.) is amended to read as 
follows:

                 ``PART A--INITIAL TEACHER PREPARATION

``SEC. 501. SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS; AND PURPOSES.

    ``(a) Short Title.--This part may be cited as the ``America's 
Teacher Preparation Improvement Act''.
    ``(b) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            ``(1) No child should be placed in a classroom with a 
        teacher who has not been well prepared for the demanding 
        responsibilities of a professional educator.
            ``(2) Federal law provides opportunities for local schools 
        to use Federal funds to upgrade the skills of the teaching 
        force through school-based professional development, yet there 
        has been virtually no Federal commitment to help institutions 
        of higher education upgrade future teachers' preparation 
        programs.
            ``(3) Title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) (as in effect on the day preceding the 
        date of enactment of the America's Teacher Preparation 
        Improvement Act) included 17 programs, that were authorized at 
        $598,000,000 for fiscal year 1993 and such sums as may be 
        necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years, for the 
        initial preparation of teachers.
            ``(4) To maintain the 1997 kindergarten through grade 12 
        service levels in 2006, the Nation will require approximately 
        190,000 additional teaching positions. Teacher excellence must 
        be encouraged, promoted, and supported if our Nation's students 
        are to succeed. Enrollments in elementary and secondary schools 
        are at the highest level in the Nation's history and the 
        enrollments are projected to grow by approximately 10 percent 
        from 1994 to 2006.
            ``(5) The median age of teachers is increasing and many 
        teachers will be approaching retirement age just as the demand 
        for teachers reaches its highest level. Such trends present a 
        historic opportunity for the initial training of teachers to 
        meet the demand for teachers.
    ``(c) Purposes.--The purposes of this part are--
            ``(1) to strengthen the capacity of institutions of higher 
        education offering approved programs to encourage excellence in 
        teachers by assisting the approved programs in meeting or 
        exceeding the highest State or professional standards for 
        teacher preparation;
            ``(2) to encourage partnerships between institutions of 
        higher education and preschools, kindergartens, elementary 
        schools, and secondary schools to provide for systematic and 
        professional student training and induction;
            ``(3) to support programs for school paraprofessionals and 
        school support personnel to become certified or licensed 
        teachers;
            ``(4) to recruit and support nontraditional individuals to 
        enter the teaching profession and achieve careers as certified 
        or licensed teachers;
            ``(5) to encourage the recruitment of individuals to teach 
        in urban and rural areas;
            ``(6) to recruit, and support minorities seeking to enter 
        the teaching profession to achieve careers as certified or 
        licensed teachers; and
            ``(7) to encourage partnerships between institutions of 
        higher education and other entities to meet the purposes 
        described in paragraphs (1) through (6).

``SEC. 502. DEFINITIONS.

    ``In this part:
            ``(1) 2-year institution of higher education.--The term `2-
        year institution of higher education' means an institution of 
        higher education that awards an associate's degree.
            ``(2) 4-year institution of higher education.--The term `4-
        year institution of higher education' means a public or private 
        postsecondary institution that--
                    ``(A) awards a bachelor's degree or higher degree;
                    ``(B) is an eligible institution for financial 
                assistance under title IV of this Act; and
                    ``(C) has a teacher education program approved by 
                the State.
            ``(3) Approved program.--The term `approved program' means 
        a program of study approved by a State to prepare an individual 
        to become a certified or licensed teacher in the State.
            ``(4) Certified or licensed teacher.--The term `certified 
        or licensed teacher' means an individual who possesses a 
        document certifying that the individual has met the 
        requirements of a State for employment as a teacher in the 
        preschools, kindergartens, elementary schools, or secondary 
        schools, in the State.
            ``(5) Partnership.--The term `partnership' means a teacher 
        preparation school, college, or department in partnership with 
        1 or more of the following entities:
                    ``(A) A local educational agency.
                    ``(B) A preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, 
                or secondary school.
                    ``(C) A 2-year institution of higher education.
                    ``(D) An academic department or division within an 
                institution of higher education.
                    ``(E) A nonprofit agency or organization.
                    ``(F) Any other entity that will assist in the 
                achievement of the purposes of this title as determined 
                by the State educational agency.
            ``(6) Induction.--The term `induction' means the provision 
        of assistance to a student or teacher during the period that 
        begins with the student's training period and ends at the 
        conclusion of the second year of teaching.
            ``(7) Kindergarten.--The term `kindergarten' means a 
        nonprofit institutional day or residential school that provides 
        kindergarten education, as determined by State law.
            ``(8) Preschool.--The term `preschool' means a nonprofit 
        institutional day or residential school that provides preschool 
        education, as determined by State law.
            ``(9) School paraprofessional.--The term `school 
        paraprofessional' means an individual with at least a secondary 
        school diploma or its recognized equivalent who is employed in 
        a preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, or secondary 
        school under the supervision of a certified or licensed 
        teacher.
            ``(10) School support personnel.--The term `school support 
        personnel' means an individual with at least a secondary school 
        diploma or its recognized equivalent who is employed by a local 
        educational agency.
            ``(11) State.--The term `State' means each of the several 
        States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto 
        Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, 
        the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of 
        Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.
            ``(12) Teacher preparation school, college, or 
        department.--The term `teacher preparation school, college, or 
        department' means the school, college, department, or other 
        division within an institution of higher education that 
        specializes in the training of individuals to serve as 
        certified or licensed teachers.

``SEC. 503. PROGRAM AUTHORITY.

    ``(a) Grants by the Secretary.--For any fiscal year for which the 
amount appropriated to carry out this part does not equal or exceed 
$50,000,000, the Secretary is authorized to award grants to enhance 
initial teacher preparation under section 504.
    ``(b) State Grant Program.--
            ``(1) Allotment.--For any fiscal year for which the amount 
        appropriated to carry out this part equals or exceeds 
        $50,000,000, the Secretary is authorized to make allotments to 
        State educational agencies pursuant to paragraph (2) to enable 
        the agencies to award grants under section 504.
            ``(2) Allotment formula.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in 
                subparagraph (B), each State educational agency 
                entering into an agreement under section 505 and having 
                an application approved under section 506 for a fiscal 
                year shall receive an allotment under this part for the 
                fiscal year in an amount that bears as nearly as 
                possible the same relation to the amount appropriated 
                to carry out this part for the fiscal year as the 
                amount the State educational agency received under part 
                B of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
                Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6641 et seq.) for the fiscal 
year bears to the amount received by all State educational agencies 
under such part B for the fiscal year.
                    ``(B) Minimum allotment.--No State educational 
                agency shall receive an allotment under subparagraph 
                (A) for a fiscal year in an amount that is less than 
                $500,000.
    ``(c) Allocation Within States.--
            ``(1) Grants.--Each State educational agency receiving an 
        allotment under subsection (b) shall use not less than 90 
        percent of the allotted funds to award grants under section 
        504.
            ``(2) Consultation.--Each State educational agency awarding 
        grants under this section shall consult with representatives of 
        the higher education community in the State, including the 
        State higher education agency if such an agency exists, with 
        respect to awarding grants under section 504.
            ``(3) Reservation for state activities.--From the amount 
        allotted to a State educational agency under subsection (b) and 
        not used under paragraph (1), not less than 7 percent of the 
        amount shall be used for State activities that the State 
        educational agency determines advance the purposes of this part 
        and are necessary to prepare exceptional teachers, such as--
                    ``(A) assisting local educational agencies in 
                filling teaching vacancies in urban and rural areas, 
                including filling the vacancies with individuals who 
                have become certified or licensed teachers pursuant to 
                activities assisted under this part;
                    ``(B) supporting programs to encourage--
                            ``(i) students to aspire to, and to prepare 
                        for, teaching careers in preschools, 
                        kindergartens, elementary schools, or secondary 
                        schools; and
                            ``(ii) local educational agencies to 
                        recruit qualified individuals for such teaching 
                        careers in rural and urban areas;
                    ``(C) reviewing teacher certification and licensure 
                requirements to facilitate the transfer of academic 
                credit from 2-year institutions of higher education to 
                4-year institutions of higher education; and
                    ``(D) developing new teacher assessments in 
                accordance with higher State standards for teacher 
                certification and licensure.

``SEC. 504. GRANTS TO ENHANCE INITIAL TEACHER PREPARATION.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary or a State educational agency may 
award grants under this section, on a competitive basis, to 4-year 
institutions of higher education to establish or maintain partnerships 
to carry out the activities described in subsection (b).
    ``(b) Authorized Activities.--
            ``(1) Required.--Grants under this section shall be used as 
        follows:
                    ``(A) Teacher preparation.--To strengthen approved 
                programs. Such activities may include--
                            ``(i) cooperative arrangements between 
                        teacher preparation schools, colleges, or 
                        departments and other academic departments or 
                        divisions within an institution of higher 
                        education to strengthen an approved program;
                            ``(ii) programs designed to implement the 
                        successful integration of technology into 
                        teaching and learning;
                            ``(iii) encouraging the improvement of 
                        curriculum to provide additional preparation 
                        for new teachers to work with student 
                        populations; and
                            ``(iv) in consultation with local 
                        educational agencies, creating opportunities 
                        for faculty at institutions of higher education 
                        to engage in professional development, 
                        including strengthening teaching skills by 
                        increased exposure to local preschools, 
                        kindergartens, elementary schools, or secondary 
                        schools, or students attending such schools.
                    ``(B) Induction experience.--To establish and 
                sustain partnerships, for the purpose of creating sites 
                that provide the highest quality induction experience 
                for new teachers, among--
                            ``(i) an institution of higher education; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) 1 or more preschools, kindergartens, 
                        elementary schools, secondary schools, or 
                        nonprofit agencies or organizations.
            ``(2) Permissive.--Grants under this section may be used as 
        follows:
                    ``(A) Targeted programs.--To establish rigorous, 
                targeted programs for nontraditional students who seek 
                to become teachers. Such individuals may include school 
                paraprofessionals, former members of the Armed Forces 
who were discharged or otherwise separated under honorable conditions, 
or other individuals seeking to change careers. Such programs may 
differ from programs for traditional students, but shall meet or exceed 
the highest professional standards for approved programs.
                    ``(B) Recruitment.--To recruit individuals to teach 
                in urban and rural areas. Such activities may include--
                            ``(i) providing extended and multiple 
                        clinical experiences for potential teachers in 
                        urban or rural preschools, kindergartens, 
                        elementary schools, or secondary schools;
                            ``(ii) establishing partnerships between 
                        institutions of higher education offering 
                        approved programs, and community groups in 
                        urban and rural areas, to recruit individuals 
                        into teaching in the areas; and
                            ``(iii) developing partnership agreements 
                        between 4-year institutions of higher education 
                        offering approved programs and 2-year 
                        institutions of higher education to facilitate 
                        movement of future teachers from the 2-year 
                        institutions of higher education to the 4-year 
                        institutions of higher education.
                    ``(C) System of initial teacher preparation.--To 
                support partnerships, for the purpose of establishing a 
                system of initial teacher preparation that meets or 
                exceeds the highest State or professional standards for 
                teacher preparation, among--
                            ``(i) an institution of higher education 
                        offering approved programs; and
                            ``(ii) 1 or more preschools, kindergartens, 
                        elementary schools, secondary schools, 
                        community groups, 2-year institutions of higher 
                        education, or nonprofit organizations.

``SEC. 505. STATE AGREEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS.

    ``(a) Agreements.--Each State educational agency receiving an 
allotment under this part shall enter into an agreement with the 
Secretary. Each such agreement shall include provisions to ensure 
that--
            ``(1) the State educational agency will keep such records 
        and provide such information to the Secretary as may be 
        required for fiscal audit and program evaluation;
            ``(2) the State educational agency will establish a system 
        for the evaluation of the activities assisted under this part; 
        and
            ``(3) all public and private institutions of higher 
        education offering approved programs will be eligible to apply 
        for and receive assistance under section 504.
    ``(b) State Applications.--Each State desiring to receive funds 
under this title shall, through its State educational agency, submit an 
application to the Secretary of Education at such time and in such 
manner as the Secretary shall require. Such application shall 
describe--
            ``(1) the manner in which funds under this title for State 
        activities and competitive grants will be used to fulfill the 
        purposes of this title;
            ``(2) the manner in which the activities and projects 
        supported by this title will advance and be coordinated with 
        statewide, standards-based reform, including improved teaching 
        and learning, by enabling teachers to achieve the highest State 
        or professional teaching standards and increasing the numbers 
        of students who achieve high standards of performance;
            ``(3) the manner in which the activities and projects 
        supported through this title will be coordinated with State 
        plans under Goals 2000: Educate America Act and title I of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as well as 
        other Federal and State sources of funding for professional 
        development; and
            ``(4) the criteria which will be used to determine the 
        impact and effectiveness of the funds used pursuant to this 
        title.

``SEC. 506. PARTNERSHIP APPLICATIONS; REPORT.

    ``(a) Partnership Applications.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each 4-year institution of higher 
        education desiring a grant under this part shall submit an 
        application to the Secretary or the State educational agency, 
        as appropriate, at such time, in such manner, and accompanied 
        by such information as the Secretary or State educational 
        agency, respectively, may require.
            ``(2) Contents.--Each application submitted under paragraph 
        (1) shall--
                    ``(A) include a description of the members of the 
                partnership, the goals and intended outcomes for the 
                partnership, and the respective roles and 
                responsibilities of each of the members of the 
                partnership, including how grant resources shall be 
                allocated among the members in order to carry out the 
roles and responsibilities of the members under this part;
                    ``(B) include a description of how the members of 
                the partnership will collaborate to provide enhanced 
                learning opportunities for nontraditional students and 
                preservice educators;
                    ``(C) indicate how the proposed activities will 
                lead to meeting or achieving the highest State or 
                professional standards for teacher preparation;
                    ``(D) indicate how the proposed activities will 
                further the alignment of standards for teacher 
                preparation with the State's standards for the 
                kindergarten through grade 12 schools and students;
                    ``(E) indicate how proposed activities are linked 
                to State goals for educational improvement; and
                    ``(F) indicate how the proposed activities will 
                reinforce Federal activities assisted under part A of 
                title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
                of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6621 et seq.).
    ``(b) Report.--
            ``(1) In general.--In order to assure Federal 
        accountability, a 4-year institution of higher education that 
        receives a grant under this part shall submit a progress report 
        to the Secretary or State educational agency, as appropriate, 
        that illustrates the advancements made by the partnership 
        regarding the initial preparation of teachers.
            ``(2) Submission.--The report described in paragraph (1) 
        shall be submitted 3 years after the date of enactment of the 
        America's Teacher Preparation Improvement Act and every 3 years 
        thereafter.

``SEC. 507. MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.

    ``A State educational agency, in utilizing the proceeds of an 
allotment received under this part, shall maintain the expenditures of 
the State for enhancing initial teacher preparation, and for 
encouraging minority students to become teachers, at a level equal to 
not less than the level of such expenditures maintained by the State 
for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which the allotment 
is received.

``SEC. 508. PARTICIPATION OF PRIVATE SCHOOL CHILDREN AND TEACHERS.

    ``Private school children and teachers seeking to participate in 
activities under this part shall be eligible for such participation in 
the same manner and to the same extent as private school children and 
teachers are eligible to participate in activities under the Elementary 
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.). Nothing 
in this section shall affect the eligibility of such children and 
teachers to participate in any program under any other provision of 
this title.

``SEC. 509. CONSTRUCTION.

    ``Nothing in this part shall be construed to affect home schools.

``SEC. 510. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; USE OF FUNDS TO SUPPORT 
              MINORITY TEACHER RECRUITMENT.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part 
$250,000,000 for fiscal year 1998 and such sums as may be necessary for 
each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years. From any amount appropriated to 
carry out this part for any such fiscal year, 5 percent shall be 
available to carry out subpart 2 of part E of title V.''.
    (b) Repeals.--Section 500, parts B, C, D, and F, and subpart 1 of 
part E, of title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1101, 
1103 et seq., 1104 et seq., 1107 et seq., 1113 et seq., and 1111 et 
seq.) are repealed.
    (c) Minority Teacher Recruitment.--Section 580B of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1112e) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 580B. ALLOCATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``From any amount made available to carry out this subpart pursuant 
to section 510, not more than two-thirds shall be available to carry 
out programs under section 578, and not less than one-third shall be 
available to carry out programs under section 580A.''.
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