[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 438 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 438

To improve the quality of teachers in elementary and secondary schools.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 1, 2001

  Mr. DeWine introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To improve the quality of teachers in elementary and secondary schools.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Teacher Quality Act of 2001''.

         TITLE I--EISENHOWER NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE IMPROVEMENT

SEC. 101. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The most important education tool in any classroom is a 
        qualified, highly trained teacher.
            (2) The collection and effective dissemination of best 
        practices in education is a primary responsibility of the 
        Federal Government.
            (3) The Eisenhower National Clearinghouse is the Nation's 
        repository of kindergarten through grade 12 instructional 
        materials in mathematics and science education, and 
        disseminates information about these materials in a user-
        friendly format for educators.
            (4) The Eisenhower National Clearinghouse collaborates with 
        the national network of Eisenhower Regional Mathematics and 
        Science Education Consortia and the collaboration includes 
        twelve demonstration sites throughout the Nation.
            (5) Since 1992, the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse has 
        distributed 3,714,807 CD-ROM's and print publications. Products 
        are distributed to every school building in the Nation, 
        colleges of education, and various education groups and 
        professional organizations. The Eisenhower National 
        Clearinghouse has received over 40,000,000 hits to their web 
        site since the creation of the web site in 1994. In addition, 
        the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse has established over 100 
        access centers across the Nation to expand direct service to 
        more teachers.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this title is--
            (1) to expand the activities of the Eisenhower National 
        Clearinghouse to include collecting and reviewing instructional 
        and professional development materials and programs for 
        language arts and social studies; and
            (2) to require the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse to 
        collect and analyze the materials and programs.

SEC. 102. EXPANDED ACTIVITIES.

    (a) In General.--Section 2102 of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6622(b)) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ``for Mathematics and 
        Science'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (3)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``and 
                        science'' each place the term appears and 
                        inserting ``, science, language arts, and 
                        social studies'';
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and 
                        science'' and inserting ``, science, language 
                        arts, and social studies'';
                            (iii) in subparagraph (D), by striking 
                        ``and science'' and inserting ``, science, 
                        language arts, and social studies''; and
                            (iv) by amending subparagraph (F) to read 
                        as follows:
                    ``(F) gather (in consultation with the Department, 
                national teacher associations, professional 
                associations, and other reviewers and developers of 
                education materials and programs) qualitative and 
                evaluative materials and programs for the 
                Clearinghouse, review the evaluation of the materials 
                and programs, rank the effectiveness of the materials 
                and programs on the basis of the evaluations, and 
                distribute the results of the reviews to teachers in an 
                easily accessible manner, except that nothing in this 
                subparagraph shall be construed to permit the 
                Clearinghouse to directly conduct an evaluation of the 
                materials or programs.'';
                    (B) in paragraph (4), by striking ``or science'' 
                and inserting ``, science, language arts, or social 
                studies''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(9) Effective use of technology.--In reviewing 
        evaluations of materials and programs under this subsection the 
        Clearinghouse shall give particular attention to the effective 
        use of education technology in mathematics, science, language 
        arts, and social studies.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 13302(10) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8672(10)) is amended by 
striking ``Mathematics and Science''.

                      TITLE II--TEACHER MENTORING

SEC. 201. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The American teaching force is aging. The average 
        school teacher was 43 years old in academic year 1993-1994, an 
        increase of 3 years over the average age of school teachers in 
        academic year 1987-1998. Nearly a quarter of American teachers 
        are over 50 years old and nearing retirement.
            (2) On average public school teachers have slightly more 
        than 15 years teaching experience, and over a third of the 
        public school teachers have 20 or more years of teaching 
        experience.
            (3) The experience of America's veteran teachers should be 
        utilized to help introduce beginning teachers to the profession 
        and to their new school.
            (4) Retention of beginning teachers is a growing problem, 
        with approximately 25 percent of beginning teachers leaving the 
        teaching profession within their first 3 years in the 
        classroom.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this title is to increase teacher 
retention and improve the support and performance of teachers by 
encouraging and assisting States to develop and operate mentoring 
programs for beginning teachers.

SEC. 202. DEFINITIONS.

    The terms used in this title have the meanings given the terms in 
section 14101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 8801).

SEC. 203. GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to award grants to 
State educational agencies to enable the State educational agencies to 
carry out mentoring programs under which public elementary school or 
secondary school teachers with more than 3 years teaching experience 
serve as mentor teachers to public elementary school or secondary 
school teachers with less than 3 years teaching experience.
    (b) Amount.--Each State educational agency having an application 
approved under subsection (d) for a fiscal year shall receive a grant 
in an amount that bears the same relation to the amount appropriated 
under subsection (f) for the fiscal year as the number of elementary 
school and secondary school students in the State for the fiscal year 
bears to the number of such students in all States for the fiscal year.
    (c) Reallocation.--The amount of a State educational agency's grant 
that will not be used by the State educational agency for a fiscal year 
shall be reallotted to the other State educational agency in the same 
manner as grants are awarded under subsection (b).
    (d) Application.--Each State educational agency that desires a 
grant under this section 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 activities and services for which 
        assistance is sought;
            (2) contain an assurance that funds provided under this 
        title will be used to supplement and not supplant State or 
        local public funds available for teacher mentoring programs; 
        and
            (3) contain an assurance that the State educational agency 
        consulted with local educational agencies, school 
        superintendents, school boards, parents, and institutions of 
        higher education in the design and implementation of the 
        teacher mentoring program to be assisted.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this title $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal 
years 2002 and 2003.

     TITLE III--ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION AND LICENSURE OF TEACHERS

SEC. 301. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) the measure of a good teacher is how much and how well 
        the teacher's students learn;
            (2) the main teacher quality problem in 1998 was the lack 
        of subject matter knowledge;
            (3) knowledgeable and eager individuals of sound character 
        and various professional backgrounds should be encouraged to 
        enter the kindergarten through grade 12 classrooms as teachers;
            (4) many talented professionals who have demonstrated a 
        high level of subject area competence outside the education 
        profession may wish to pursue careers in education, but have 
        not fulfilled the traditional requirements to be certified or 
        licensed as teachers;
            (5) States should have maximum flexibility and incentives 
        to create alternative teacher certification and licensure 
        programs in order to recruit well-educated people into the 
        teaching profession; and
            (6) alternative routes can enable qualified individuals to 
        fulfill State teacher certification or licensure requirements 
        and will allow school systems to utilize the expertise of 
        professionals and improve the pool of qualified individuals 
        available to local educational agencies as teachers.
    (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this title to improve the supply 
of well-qualified elementary school and secondary school teachers by 
encouraging and assisting States to develop and implement programs for 
alternative routes to teacher certification or licensure requirements.

SEC. 302. ALLOTMENTS.

    (a) Allotments to States.--
            (1) In general.--From the amount appropriated to carry out 
        this title for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to 
        each State the lesser of--
                    (A) the amount the State applies for under section 
                303; or
                    (B) an amount that bears the same relation to the 
                amount so appropriated as the total population of 
                children ages 5 through 17 in the State bears to the 
                total population of such children in all the States 
                (based on the most recent data available that is 
                satisfactory to the Secretary).
            (2) Reallocation.--If a State does not apply for the 
        State's allotment, or the full amount of the State's allotment, 
        under paragraph (1), the Secretary may reallocate the excess 
        funds to 1 or more other States that demonstrate, to the 
        satisfaction of the Secretary, a current need for the funds.
    (b) Special Rule.--Notwithstanding section 421(b) of the General 
Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1225(b)), funds awarded under this 
title shall remain available for obligation by a recipient for a period 
of 2 calendar years from the date of the grant.

SEC. 303. STATE APPLICATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Any State desiring to receive an allotment under 
this title shall, through the State educational agency, submit an 
application at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information, as the Secretary may reasonably require.
    (b) Requirements.--Each application shall--
            (1) describe the programs, projects, and activities to be 
        undertaken with assistance provided under this title; and
            (2) contain such assurances as the Secretary considers 
        necessary, including assurances that--
                    (A) assistance provided to the State educational 
                agency under this title will be used to supplement, and 
                not to supplant, any State or local funds available for 
                the development and implementation of programs to 
                provide alternative routes to fulfilling teacher 
                certification or licensure requirements;
                    (B) the State educational agency has, in developing 
                and designing the application, consulted with--
                            (i) representatives of local educational 
                        agencies, including superintendents and school 
                        board members (including representatives of 
                        their professional organizations if 
                        appropriate);
                            (ii) elementary school and secondary school 
                        teachers, including representatives of their 
                        professional organizations;
                            (iii) schools or departments of education 
                        within institutions of higher education;
                            (iv) parents; and
                            (v) other interested individuals and 
                        organizations; and
                    (C) the State educational agency will submit to the 
                Secretary, at such time as the Secretary may specify, a 
                final report describing the activities carried out with 
                assistance provided under this title and the results 
                achieved with respect to such activities.
    (c) GEPA Provisions Inapplicable.--Sections 441 and 442 of the 
General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232d and 1232e), except to 
the extent that such sections relate to fiscal control and fund 
accounting procedures, shall not apply to this title.

SEC. 304. USE OF FUNDS.

    (a) Use of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--A State educational agency shall use funds 
        provided under this title to support programs, projects, or 
        activities that develop and implement new, or expand and 
        improve existing, programs that enable individuals to move to a 
        teaching career in elementary or secondary education from 
        another occupation through an alternative route to teacher 
        certification or licensure.
            (2) Types of assistance.--A State educational agency may 
        carry out such programs, projects, or activities directly, 
        through contracts, or through grants to local educational 
        agencies, intermediate educational agencies, institutions of 
        higher education, or consortia of such agencies or 
        institutions.
    (b) Uses.--Funds received under this title may be used for--
            (1) the design, development, implementation, and evaluation 
        of programs that enable qualified professionals who have 
        demonstrated a high level of subject area competence outside 
        the education profession and are interested in entering the 
        education profession to fulfill State teacher certification or 
        licensure requirements;
            (2) the establishment of administrative structures 
        necessary for the development and implementation of programs to 
        provide alternative routes to fulfilling State teacher 
        certification or licensure requirements;
            (3) training of staff, including the development of 
        appropriate support programs, such as mentor programs, for 
        teachers entering the school system through alternative routes 
        to teacher certification or licensure;
            (4) the development of recruitment strategies;
            (5) the development of reciprocity agreements between or 
        among States for the certification or licensure of teachers; or
            (6) other programs, projects, and activities that--
                    (A) are designed to meet the purpose of this title; 
                and
                    (B) the Secretary determines appropriate.

SEC. 305. DEFINITIONS.

    In this title:
            (1) Elementary school; local educational agency; secondary 
        school; secretary; and state educational agency.--The terms 
        ``elementary school'', ``local educational agency'', 
        ``secondary school'', ``Secretary'', and ``State educational 
        agency'' have the meanings given the terms in section 14101 of 
        the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        8801).
            (2) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001).
            (3) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several 
        States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the 
        Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, 
        Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern 
        Mariana Islands.

SEC. 306. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title 
$15,000,000 for fiscal year 2002 and each of the 4 succeeding fiscal 
years.

                       TITLE IV--TEACHER QUALITY

SEC. 401. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) individuals entering a classroom should have a sound 
        grasp of the subject the individuals intend to teach, and the 
        individuals should know how to teach;
            (2) the quality of teachers impacts student achievement;
            (3) people who enter the teaching profession through 
        alternative certification programs can benefit from having the 
        opportunity to attend a teacher training facility;
            (4) teachers need to increase their subject matter 
        knowledge;
            (5) less than 40 percent of the individuals teaching the 
        core subjects (English, mathematics, science, social studies, 
        and foreign languages) majored or minored in the core subjects; 
        and
            (6) according to the Third International Mathematics and 
        Science Study, American high school seniors finished near the 
        bottom of the study in both science and mathematics.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this title is to strengthen teacher 
training programs by establishing a private and public partnership to 
create the best teacher training facilities in the world to ensure that 
teachers receive unlimited access to the most updated technology and 
skills training in education, so that students can benefit from the 
teachers' knowledge and experience.

SEC. 402. DEFINITIONS.

    In this title:
            (1) Local educational agency.--The term ``local educational 
        agency'' has the meaning given the term in section 14101 of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        8801).
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.

SEC. 403. GRANTS.

    (a) In General.--From amounts appropriated under section 404 for a 
fiscal year the Secretary shall award grants to local educational 
agencies to enable the local educational agencies to establish teacher 
training facilities for elementary and secondary school teachers.
    (b) Competitive Basis.--The Secretary shall award grants under this 
title on a competitive basis.
    (c) Partnership Contract Required.--In order to receive a grant 
under this title, a local educational agency shall enter into a 
contract with a nongovernmental organization to establish a teacher 
training facility.
    (d) Applications.--Each local educational agency desiring a grant 
under this title shall submit to the Secretary an application at such 
time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the 
Secretary may require. Each such application shall contain an assurance 
that the local educational agency--
            (1) will raise matching funds, from public or private 
        sources, for the support of the teacher training facility in an 
        amount equal to the amount of funds provided under the grant;
            (2) will train the teachers employed by the local 
        educational agency at the teacher training facility for a 
        period of 10 years after the date the agency enters into the 
        contract described in subsection (c); and
            (3) will spend not less than 0.5 percent of the local 
        educational agency's total school budget for each fiscal year 
        to support the teacher training facility.
    (e) Amount.--The Secretary shall award each grant under this 
section in an amount that is not less than $1,000,000 and not more than 
$4,000,000.

SEC. 404. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title 
$8,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2003, 
$12,000,000 for fiscal year 2004, and $16,000,000 for fiscal year 2005.
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