[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3115 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3115

   To establish professional development partnerships to improve the 
quality of America's teachers and the academic achievement of students 
               in the classroom, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 27, 1998

    Ms. Millender-McDonald introduced the following bill; which was 
        referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To establish professional development partnerships to improve the 
quality of America's teachers and the academic achievement of students 
               in the classroom, 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. TEACHER EXCELLENCE IN AMERICA CHALLENGE.

    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--TEACHER EXCELLENCE IN AMERICA CHALLENGE

``SEC. 501. SHORT TITLE.

    ``This part may be cited as the `Teacher Excellence in America 
Challenge Act of 1997'.

``SEC. 502. PURPOSE.

    ``The purpose of this part is to improve the preparation and 
professional development of teachers and the academic achievement of 
students by encouraging partnerships among institutions of higher 
education, elementary schools or secondary schools, local educational 
agencies, State educational agencies, teacher organizations, and 
nonprofit organizations.

``SEC. 503. GOALS.

    ``The goals of this part are as follows:
            ``(1) To support and improve the education of students and 
        the achievement of higher academic standards by students, 
        through the enhanced professional development of teachers.
            ``(2) To ensure a strong and steady supply of new teachers 
        who are qualified, well-trained, and knowledgeable and 
        experienced in effective means of instruction, and who 
        represent the diversity of the American people, in order to 
        meet the challenges of working with students by strengthening 
        preservice education and induction of individuals into the 
        teaching profession.
            ``(3) To provide for the continuing development and 
        professional growth of veteran teachers.
            ``(4) To provide a research-based context for reinventing 
        schools, teacher preparation programs, and professional 
        development programs, for the purpose of building and 
        sustaining best educational practices and raising student 
        academic achievement.

``SEC. 504. DEFINITIONS.

    ``In this part:
            ``(1) Elementary school.--The term `elementary school' 
        means a public elementary school.
            ``(2) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        `institution of higher education' means an institution of 
        higher education that--
                    ``(A) has a school, college, or department of 
                education that is accredited by an agency recognized by 
                the Secretary for that purpose; or
                    ``(B) the Secretary determines has a school, 
                college, or department of education of a quality equal 
                to or exceeding the quality of schools, colleges, or 
                departments so accredited.
            ``(3) 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.
            ``(4) Professional development partnership.--The term 
        `professional development partnership' means a partnership 
        among 1 or more institutions of higher education, 1 or more 
        elementary schools or secondary schools, and 1 or more local 
        educational agency based on a mutual commitment to improve 
        teaching and learning. The partnership may include a State 
        educational agency, a teacher organization, or a nonprofit 
        organization whose primary purpose is education research and 
        development.
            ``(5) Professional development school.--The term 
        `professional development school' means an elementary school or 
        secondary school that collaborates with an institution of 
        higher education for the purpose of--
                    ``(A) providing high quality instruction to 
                students and educating students to higher academic 
                standards;
                    ``(B) providing high quality student teaching and 
                internship experiences at the school for prospective 
                and beginning teachers; and
                    ``(C) supporting and enabling the professional 
                development of veteran teachers at the school, and of 
                faculty at the institution of higher education.
            ``(6) Secondary school.--The term `secondary school' means 
        a public secondary school.
            ``(7) Teacher.--The term `teacher' means an elementary 
        school or secondary school teacher.''

``SEC. 505. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

    ``(a) In General.--From the amount appropriated under section 511 
and not reserved under section 509 for a fiscal year, the Secretary may 
award grants, on a competitive basis, to professional development 
partnerships to enable the partnerships to pay the Federal share of the 
cost of providing teacher preparation, induction, classroom experience, 
and professional development opportunities to prospective, beginning, 
and veteran teachers while improving the education of students in the 
classroom.
    ``(b) Duration; Planning.--The Secretary shall award grants under 
this part for a period of 5 years, the first year of which may be used 
for planning to conduct the activities described in section 506.
    ``(c) Payments; Federal Share; Non-Federal Share.--
            ``(1) Payments.--The Secretary shall make annual payments 
        pursuant to a grant awarded under this part.
            ``(2) Federal share.--The Federal share of the costs 
        described in subsection (a)(1) shall be 80 percent.
            ``(3) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of the 
        costs described in subsection (a)(1) may be in cash or in-kind, 
        fairly evaluated.
    ``(d) Continuing Eligibility.--
            ``(1) 2nd and 3d years.--The Secretary may make a grant 
        payment under this section for each of the 2 fiscal years after 
        the first fiscal year a professional development partnership 
        receives such a payment, only if the Secretary determines that 
        the partnership, through the activities assisted under this 
        part, has made reasonable progress toward meeting the criteria 
        described in paragraph (3).
            ``(2) 4th and 5th years.--The Secretary may make a grant 
        payment under this section for each of the 2 fiscal years after 
        the third fiscal year a professional development partnership 
        receives such a payment, only if the Secretary determines that 
        the partnership, through the activities assisted under this 
        part, has met the criteria described in paragraph (3).
            ``(3) Criteria.--The criteria referred to in paragraphs (1) 
        and (2) are as follows:
                    ``(A) Increased student achievement as determined 
                by increased graduation rates, decreased dropout rates, 
                or higher scores on local, State, or national 
                assessments for a year compared to student achievement 
                as determined by the rates or scores, as the case may 
                be, for the year prior to the year for which a grant 
                under this part is received.
                    ``(B) Improved teacher preparation and development 
                programs, and student educational programs.
                    ``(C) Increased opportunities for enhanced and 
                ongoing professional development of teachers.
                    ``(D) An increased number of well-prepared 
                individuals graduating from a school, college, or 
                department of education within an institution of higher 
                education and entering the teaching profession.
                    ``(E) Increased recruitment to, and graduation 
                from, a school, college, or department of education 
                within an institution of higher education with respect 
                to minority individuals.
                    ``(F) Increased placement of qualified and well-
                prepared teachers in elementary schools or secondary 
                schools, and increased assignment of such teachers to 
                teach the subject matter in which the teachers received 
                a degree or specialized training.
                    ``(G) Increased dissemination of teaching 
                strategies and best practices by teachers associated 
                with the professional development school and faculty at 
                the institution of higher education.
    ``(e) Priority.--In awarding grants under this part, the Secretary 
shall give priority to professional development partnerships serving 
elementary schools, secondary schools, or local educational agencies, 
that serve high percentages of children from families below the poverty 
line.

``SEC. 506. AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.

    ``(a) In General.--Each professional development partnership 
receiving a grant under this part shall use the grant funds for--
            ``(1) creating, restructuring, or supporting professional 
        development schools;
            ``(2) enhancing and restructuring the teacher preparation 
        program at the school, college, or department of education 
        within the institution of higher education, including--
                    ``(A) coordinating with, and obtaining the 
                participation of, schools, colleges, or departments of 
                arts and science;
                    ``(B) preparing teachers to work with diverse 
                student populations; and
                    ``(C) preparing teachers to implement research-
                based, demonstrably successful, and replicable, 
                instructional programs and practices that increase 
                student achievement;
            ``(3) incorporating clinical learning in the coursework for 
        prospective teachers, and in the induction activities for 
        beginning teachers;
            ``(4) mentoring of prospective and beginning teachers by 
        veteran teachers in instructional skills, classroom management 
        skills, and strategies to effectively assess student progress 
        and achievement;
            ``(5) providing high quality professional development to 
        veteran teachers, including the rotation, for varying periods 
        of time, of veteran teachers--
                    ``(A) who are associated with the partnership to 
                elementary schools or secondary schools not associated 
                with the partnership in order to enable such veteran 
                teachers to act as a resource for all teachers in the 
                local educational agency or State; and
                    ``(B) who are not associated with the partnership 
                to elementary schools or secondary schools associated 
                with the partnership in order to enable such veteran 
                teachers to observe how teaching and professional 
                development occurs in professional development schools;
            ``(6) preparation time for teachers in the professional 
        development school and faculty of the institution of higher 
        education to jointly design and implement the teacher 
        preparation curriculum, classroom experiences, and ongoing 
        professional development opportunities;
            ``(7) preparing teachers to use technology to teach 
        students to high academic standards;
            ``(8) developing and instituting ongoing performance-based 
        review procedures to assist and support teachers' learning;
            ``(9) activities designed to involve parents in the 
        partnership;
            ``(10) research to improve teaching and learning by 
        teachers in the professional development school and faculty at 
        the institution of higher education; and
            ``(11) activities designed to disseminate information, 
        regarding the teaching strategies and best practices 
        implemented by the professional development school, to--
                    ``(A) teachers in elementary schools or secondary 
                schools, which are served by the local educational 
                agency or located in the State, that are not associated 
                with the professional development partnership; and
                    ``(B) institutions of higher education in the 
                State.
    ``(b) Construction Prohibited.--No grant funds provided under this 
part may be used for the construction, renovation, or repair of any 
school or facility.

``SEC. 507. APPLICATIONS.

    ``Each professional development partnership desiring a grant under 
this part 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) describe the composition of the partnership;
            ``(2) describe how the partnership will include the 
        participation of the schools, colleges, or departments of arts 
        and sciences within the institution of higher education to 
        ensure the integration of pedagogy and content in teacher 
        preparation;
            ``(3) identify how the goals described in section 503 will 
        be met and the criteria that will be used to evaluate and 
        measure whether the partnership is meeting the goals;
            ``(4) describe how the partnership will restructure and 
        improve teaching, teacher preparation, and development programs 
        at the institution of higher education and the professional 
        development school, and how such systemic changes will 
        contribute to increased student achievement;
            ``(5) describe how the partnership will prepare teachers to 
        implement research-based, demonstrably successful, and 
        replicable, instructional programs and practices that increase 
        student achievement;
            ``(6) describe how the teacher preparation program in the 
        institution of higher education, and the induction activities 
        and ongoing professional development opportunities in the 
        professional development school, incorporate--
                    ``(A) an understanding of core concepts, structure, 
                and tools of inquiry as a foundation for subject matter 
                pedagogy; and
                    ``(B) knowledge of curriculum and assessment design 
                as a basis for analyzing and responding to student 
                learning;
            ``(7) describe how the partnership will prepare teachers to 
        work with diverse student populations, including minority 
        individuals and individuals with disabilities;
            ``(8) describe how the partnership will prepare teachers to 
        use technology to teach students to high academic standards;
            ``(9) describe how the research and knowledge generated by 
        the partnership will be disseminated to and implemented in--
                    ``(A) elementary schools or secondary schools 
                served by the local educational agency or located in 
                the State; and
                    ``(B) institutions of higher education in the 
                State;
            ``(10)(A) describe how the partnership will coordinate the 
        activities assisted under this part with other professional 
development activities for teachers, including activities assisted 
under titles I and II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq., 6601 et seq.), the Goals 2000: Educate 
America Act (20 U.S.C. 5801 et seq.), the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.), and the Carl D. Perkins 
Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act (20 U.S.C. 2301 et 
seq.); and
            ``(B) describe how the activities assisted under this part 
        are consistent with Federal and State educational reform 
        activities that promote student achievement of higher academic 
        standards;
            ``(11) describe which member of the partnership will act as 
        the fiscal agent for the partnership and be responsible for the 
        receipt and disbursement of grant funds under this part;
            ``(12) describe how the grant funds will be divided among 
        the institution of higher education, the elementary school or 
        secondary school, the local educational agency, and any other 
        members of the partnership to support activities described in 
        section 506;
            ``(13) provide a description of the commitment of the 
        resources of the partnership to the activities assisted under 
        this part, including financial support, faculty participation, 
        and time commitments; and
            ``(14) describe the commitment of the partnership to 
        continue the activities assisted under this part without grant 
        funds provided under this part.

``SEC. 508. ASSURANCES.

    ``Each application submitted under this part shall contain an 
assurance that the professional development partnership--
            ``(1) will enter into an agreement that commits the members 
        of the partnership to the support of students' learning, the 
        preparation of prospective and beginning teachers, the 
        continuing professional development of veteran teachers, the 
        periodic review of teachers, standards-based teaching and 
        learning, practice-based inquiry, and collaboration among 
        members of the partnership;
            ``(2) will use teachers of excellence, who have mastered 
        teaching techniques and subject areas, including teachers 
        certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching 
        Standards, to assist prospective and beginning teachers;
            ``(3) will provide for adequate preparation time to be made 
        available to teachers in the professional development school 
        and faculty at the institution of higher education to allow the 
teachers and faculty time to jointly develop programs and curricula for 
prospective and beginning teachers, ongoing professional development 
opportunities, and the other authorized activities described in section 
506; and
            ``(4) will develop organizational structures that allow 
        principals and key administrators to devote sufficient time to 
        adequately participate in the professional development of their 
        staffs, including frequent observation and critique of 
        classroom instruction.

``SEC. 509. NATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall reserve a total of not more 
than 10 percent of the amount appropriated under section 511 for each 
fiscal year for evaluation activities under subsection (b), and the 
dissemination of information under subsection (c).
    ``(b) National Evaluation.--The Secretary, by grant or contract, 
shall provide for an annual, independent, national evaluation of the 
activities of the professional development partnerships assisted under 
this part. The evaluation shall be conducted not later than 3 years 
after the date of enactment of the Teacher Excellence in America 
Challenge Act of 1997 and each succeeding year thereafter. The 
Secretary shall report to Congress and the public the results of such 
evaluation. The evaluation, at a minimum, shall assess the short-term 
and long-term impacts and outcomes of the activities assisted under 
this part, including--
            ``(1) the extent to which professional development 
        partnerships enhance student achievement;
            ``(2) how, and the extent to which, professional 
        development partnerships lead to improvements in the quality of 
        teachers;
            ``(3) the extent to which professional development 
        partnerships improve recruitment and retention rates among 
        beginning teachers, including beginning minority teachers; and
            ``(4) the extent to which professional development 
        partnerships lead to the assignment of beginning teachers to 
        public elementary or secondary schools that have a shortage of 
        teachers who teach the subject matter in which the teacher 
        received a degree or specialized training.
    ``(c) Dissemination of Information.--The Secretary shall 
disseminate information (including creating and maintaining a national 
database) regarding outstanding professional development schools, 
practices, and programs.

``SEC. 510. SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.

    ``Funds appropriated under section 511 shall be used to supplement 
and not supplant other Federal, State, and local public funds expended 
for the professional development of elementary school and secondary 
school teachers.

``SEC. 511. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part 
$100,000,000 for fiscal year 1999, and such sums as may be necessary 
for each of the fiscal years 2000 through 2003.''.

SEC. 2. REPEALS.

    Part B of title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1103 et seq.), subparts 1 and 3 of part C of such title (20 U.S.C. 1104 
et seq., 1106 et seq.), subparts 3 and 4 of part D of such title (20 
U.S.C. 1109 et seq., 1110 et seq.), subpart 1 of part E of such title 
(20 U.S.C. 1111 et seq.), and part F of such title (20 U.S.C. 1113 et 
seq.), are repealed.
                                 <all>