[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 476 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 476
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide
for a National Teacher Corps and principal recruitment, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 7, 2001
Mrs. Clinton (for herself, Mr. Kennedy, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Leahy, Ms.
Mikulski, Mr. Reed, Mr. Schumer, and Mr. Corzine) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide
for a National Teacher Corps and principal recruitment, 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. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``National Teacher and Principal
Recruitment Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) A severe teacher shortage is expected in the United
States in the next 10 years due to a surge in pupil enrollment
combined with an increase in the average age of the teaching
population that is resulting in teachers retiring at a greater
rate than teachers are being certified or licensed. Over the
next decade, school districts across the United States will
need to hire approximately 2,200,000 new teachers. In New York
City alone, the school district will need to hire up to 35,000
teachers in the next 3 years.
(2) A severe principal shortage is expected in the United
States as more than 40 percent of public school principals are
expected to retire in the next 10 years. In public schools in
New York City, the problem is even more severe with 65 percent
of all principals currently eligible to retire, and 50 percent
of all principals expected to retire in the next 5 years.
(3) Teacher salaries in the highest need school districts
are frequently substantially lower than in school districts in
more affluent surrounding areas. The median salary of teachers
in New York City's school district, for example, is
approximately $20,000 less than in school districts in the
surrounding areas. Lower salaries, combined with less
attractive working conditions, such as larger class sizes and
crumbling school buildings, make it difficult to attract and
retain quality teachers.
(4) Over 80 percent of urban school districts rely on
emergency certification or licensing or use of long-term
substitutes to deal with their severe teacher shortage, often
consigning the most educationally disadvantaged students to
being taught by teachers with little or no qualification and
experience. Annually, more than 50,000 people who lack the
training required for their jobs have entered teaching with
emergency or provisional certification or licensing.
(5) The National Commission on Teaching and America's
Future and the Glenn Commission on Improving Mathematics and
Science Teaching for the 21st Century recognize scholarships
for college and graduate work in education as a powerful
incentive to attract quality teachers, particularly in high-
need school districts and academic subjects.
(6) Providing bonuses, as part of attracting high quality
candidates for alternative routes to teacher certification, has
proven effective in bringing teachers into high-need school
districts experiencing teacher shortages. Evaluations of
programs that provide bonuses or other incentives to attract
teachers demonstrate, however, that the programs must also
provide support for new teachers, including mentoring and
ongoing professional development, in order to retain new
teachers in the highest need school districts.
(7) Thousands of paraprofessionals serve as teacher's aides
in the highest need school districts. Recent surveys have
indicated that 50 to 75 percent of paraprofessionals are
interested in pursuing teaching certification or licensing, but
lack the support or resources to become certified or licensed.
(8) Providing mentoring and sustained professional
development in high-need schools for teachers and principals in
their first 3 years of service increases teacher and principal
quality, increases professional job satisfaction, and lowers
turnover rates in the schools most in need of experienced
teachers and principals.
(9) The National Teacher Recruitment Clearinghouse,
established last year, has provided information to hundreds of
thousands of individuals interested in becoming teachers, but
more needs to be done to reach out and inform prospective
teachers about resources for and routes to teaching.
(10) Conducting outreach to prospective teachers is an
important means of expanding the candidate pool for teaching.
Recruiting teachers for high-need schools is critical for the
Nation's future. The Armed Services spend tens of millions of
dollars each year on recruitment advertising, with great
success in recruiting young men and women to serve. Such
recruitment advertising can expand awareness and use of
resources available through programs established under this Act
to help build a more qualified and diverse pool of prospective
teachers.
(11) Often, a teacher who is certified or licensed in 1
State and moves to a new State finds that the new State does
not accept teacher certification or licensing from other
States. Also, such a teacher may find that the teacher's
pension is not portable and, therefore, may lack an incentive
to become a teacher in the new State.
(12) There is a widespread shortage of qualified candidates
applying to be elementary and secondary school principals,
particularly in urban and rural areas. Principals are critical
in providing instructional leadership in schools in order to
improve teaching and learning. Without qualified principals,
student learning suffers.
SEC. 3. PURPOSE.
The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to create a National Teacher Corps that provides
scholarships and bonuses as incentives to recruit up to 75,000
highly qualified candidates a year to enter the field of
teaching in order to reduce teacher shortages, particularly in
high-need school districts and academic subjects;
(2) to support the teacher corps members in order to
improve teacher retention rates, including providing support
through mentoring and extensive professional development;
(3) to create a public service campaign to inform
interested individuals about resources for and routes to
entering the field of teaching;
(4) to study ways to improve the portability of teaching
credentials and pensions across school district and State
lines; and
(5) to establish a Principal Corps to recruit highly
qualified individuals to become principals in order to ensure
quality instructional leadership in high-need schools.
SEC. 4. NATIONAL TEACHER CORPS.
Title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 6601 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating part E as part G;
(2) by redesignating sections 2401 and 2402 as sections
2601 and 2602, respectively; and
(3) by inserting after part D the following:
``PART E--NATIONAL TEACHER RECRUITMENT
``SEC. 2401. DEFINITIONS.
``In this part:
``(1) High-need school.--The term `high-need school' means
a school in which--
``(A) more than 50 percent of the students are--
``(i) students in poverty; or
``(ii) students who are receiving free or
reduced price lunches under the school lunch
program established under the Richard B.
Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C.
1751 et seq.); or
``(B) there is a significant percentage of--
``(i) teachers who are not certified or
licensed; or
``(ii) teacher vacancies in critical
academic subjects such as mathematics, science,
bilingual education, or special education.
``(2) High-need school district.--The term `high-need
school district' means a school district in which more than 15
percent of the students served by the local educational agency
for the school district are students in poverty.
``(3) Poverty line.--The term `poverty line' means the
income official 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
applicable to a family of the size involved.
``(4) Student in poverty.--The term `student in poverty'
means a student from a family with a family income below the
poverty line.
``SEC. 2403. OFFICE OF NATIONAL TEACHER AND PRINCIPAL RECRUITMENT.
``(a) Establishment.--There is established in the Office of
Elementary and Secondary Education an Office of National Teacher and
Principal Recruitment. The Office shall be headed by a Director of
National Teacher and Principal Recruitment (referred to in this part as
the `Director'). The Director shall be appointed by the Assistant
Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
``(b) Duties.--
``(1) Establishment of program.--The Secretary, acting
through the Director, shall establish and carry out a National
Teacher Corps program, to carry out recruitment and retention
activities to relieve teacher shortages throughout the United
States, particularly in high-need school districts and academic
subjects.
``(2) National activities.--In carrying out the program,
the Secretary shall--
``(A) coordinate all Federal teacher recruitment
efforts, such as the efforts authorized under title II
of the Higher Education Act of 1965;
``(B) develop and carry out a public national
teacher recruitment campaign;
``(C) provide to State educational agencies and
local educational agencies information about the
effectiveness of current (as the date of the provision)
national teacher recruitment efforts; and
``(D) provide to State educational agencies and
local educational agencies research-based information
about proven strategies for teacher recruitment and
retention.
``SEC. 2404. GRANTS FOR LOCAL TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION
ACTIVITIES.
``(a) In General.--In carrying out the National Teacher Corps
program, the Secretary, acting through the Director, shall make grants
to eligible partnerships to enable the partnerships to carry out
recruitment and retention activities to relieve teacher shortages in
school districts served by the partnerships.
``(b) Eligible Partnerships.--To be eligible to receive a grant
under this section, a partnership shall consist of--
``(1) a local educational agency serving a high-need school
district; and
``(2) an institution of higher education.
``(c) Use of Funds.--
``(1) In general.--A partnership that receives a grant
under this section shall use the funds received through the
grant to--
``(A) establish, as an alternative route to teacher
certification, a comprehensive program that will
require teaching candidates to pass State teacher
examinations in the appropriate academic subjects
before entering the classroom, provide pedagogical
course work, monitor candidates' performance in the
classroom, and provide additional services, including
mentoring and ongoing professional development, to
develop effective teaching skills and strategies among
candidates; and
``(B) provide 1 or more of the incentives described
in paragraph subparagraphs (A), (B), (C), and (D) of
paragraph (2) to encourage qualified candidates to
enter teaching.
``(2) Incentives.--
``(A) National teacher corps scholarship program.--
``(i) In general.--The partnership may
establish a scholarship program to provide
scholarships to individuals who have proven
need for the scholarships and have strong
academic records.
``(ii) Amount.--The partnership may provide
scholarships with single awards of not less
than $5,000 and not more than $10,000.
``(iii) Use of funds.--An individual that
receives such a scholarship may use the funds
made available through the scholarship--
``(I) to pay for all or part of the
individual's cost of attendance,
determined in accordance with section
472 of the Higher Education Act of
1965, at an institution of higher
education for the final 2 years of
study in an undergraduate program, or
for a master's degree program, in the
field of education; or
``(II) toward the repayment of a
Federal, federally subsidized, or
federally guaranteed loan made to
enable the individual to attend an
institution of higher education.
``(iv) Agreement.--To be eligible to
receive a scholarship under this subparagraph,
an individual shall enter into an agreement
with the partnership that states that the
individual will--
``(I) teach in a public elementary
or secondary school that is a high-need
school for not less than 3 years; or
``(II) repay the scholarship,
unless the partnership determines that
repayment would pose a particular
hardship for the individual.
``(v) Placement.--In recruiting individuals
for high-need schools under this subparagraph,
the partnership shall give priority to schools
identified for improvement under section
1116(c).
``(B) National teacher corps mid-career
professional recruitment program.--
``(i) In general.--The partnership may
establish a program to recruit mid-career
professionals to serve as teachers by providing
to the professionals--
``(I) bonuses of not less than
$2,000 and not more than $5,000; and
``(II) sufficient training and
development to enable the professionals
to become certified or licensed
teachers.
``(ii) Agreement.--To be eligible to
receive a bonus, and training and development,
under this subparagraph, an individual shall
enter into an agreement with the partnership
that states that the individual will--
``(I) teach in a public elementary
or secondary school that is a high-need
school for not less than 3 years; or
``(II) repay the bonus and the cost
of the training and development, unless
the partnership determines that
repayment would pose a particular
hardship for the individual.
``(C) National teacher corps paraprofessional-to-
teacher program.--
``(i) In general.--The partnership may
establish an accelerated paraprofessional-to-
teacher program that provides to an eligible
paraprofessional--
``(I) sufficient training and
development to enable the
paraprofessional to complete a
bachelor's degree and pass a teacher
certification or licensing examination;
and
``(II) full pay and leave from
paraprofessional duties for the period
necessary to complete the degree and
pass the examination.
``(ii) Eligible paraprofessionals.--To be
eligible to receive assistance under this
subparagraph, a paraprofessional shall
demonstrate that the paraprofessional is
capable of completing a bachelor's degree in
not more than 2 years.
``(iii) Agreement.--To be eligible to
receive leave with pay, and training and
development, under this subparagraph, an
individual shall enter into an agreement with
the partnership that states that the individual
will--
``(I) teach in a public elementary
or secondary school that is a high-need
school for not less than 3 years; or
``(II) repay the cost of the paid
leave, training, and development,
unless the partnership determines that
repayment would pose a particular
hardship for the individual.
``(D) National teacher corps volunteer training and
support program.--The partnership may provide training
and support to volunteers who--
``(i) have recently received teacher
certification or licensing;
``(ii) need support to teach in high-need
school districts; or
``(iii) are qualified candidates, are
taking an alternative route to certification,
and want to volunteer for the National Teacher
Corps rather than receiving assistance under
subparagraph (A), (B), or (C).
``(d) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this
section, a partnership shall submit an application to the Secretary at
such time, in such manner, and containing--
``(1) a needs assessment concerning teacher shortages in
the school district served by the local educational agency in
the partnership;
``(2) a proposed plan for the recruitment and retention of
teachers; and
``(3) such other information as the Secretary may require.
``(e) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary shall give priority to partnerships including local
educational agencies that serve schools that have been identified for
improvement under section 1116(c).
``(f) Supplement not Supplant.--Funds appropriated to carry out
this section shall be used to supplement and not supplant other
Federal, State, and local public funds expended to provide teacher
recruitment and retention activities.
``SEC. 2405. GRANT FOR NATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE CAMPAIGN.
``(a) In General.--In carrying out the National Teacher Corps
program, the Secretary, acting through the Director, shall award a
grant, on a competitive basis, to 1 national coalition of teacher and
media organizations, including the National Teacher Recruitment
Clearinghouse, to enable the organizations to jointly conduct a
national public service campaign.
``(b) Use of Funds.--A coalition that receives a grant under
subsection (a) shall use the funds made available through the grant to
conduct a national public service campaign about resources for and
routes to entering the field of teaching. In conducting the campaign,
the coalition shall focus on providing information both to a national
audience and in specific media markets, and shall specifically expand
on, promote, and link the coalition's outreach efforts to, the
information referral activities and resources of the National Teacher
Recruitment Clearinghouse.
``(c) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this
section, a coalition shall submit an application to the Secretary at
such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the
Secretary may require.
``SEC. 2406. STUDIES.
``(a) Portability of Teaching Credentials.--
``(1) Study.--In carrying out the National Teacher Corps
program, the Secretary, acting through the Director, shall
conduct a study of the feasibility of requiring or promoting
the portability of teaching credentials between States.
``(2) Report.--The Secretary shall submit to Congress a
report containing the results of the study, including specific
legislative and policy recommendations.
``(b) Portability of Pensions.--
``(1) Study.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary,
acting through the Director, shall conduct a study of the
feasibility of promoting the portability of teacher pensions--
``(A) between school districts in the same State;
and
``(B) between school districts in different States.
``(2) Report.--The Secretary shall submit to Congress a
report containing the results of the study, including specific
legislative and policy recommendations.
``SEC. 2407. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry
out this part (other than sections 2405 and 2406) $500,000,000 for
fiscal year 2002 and each subsequent fiscal year.
``(b) National Public Service Campaign.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out section 2405 $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2002
and each subsequent fiscal year.
``(c) Portability Studies.--There is authorized to be appropriated
for fiscal year 2002 and each subsequent fiscal year--
``(1) $100,000 to carry out section 2406(a); and
``(2) $100,000 to carry out section 2406(b).''.
SEC. 5. PRINCIPAL CORPS.
Title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 6601 et seq.), as amended in section 4, is further amended by
inserting after part E the following:
``PART F--PRINCIPAL RECRUITMENT
``SEC. 2501. ESTABLISHMENT.
``The Secretary, acting through the Director of National Teacher
and Principal Recruitment, shall establish and carry out a national
principal recruitment program.
``SEC. 2502. GRANTS.
``(a) In General.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall
make grants, on a competitive basis, to local educational agencies that
seek to recruit and train principals (including assistant principals).
``(b) Use of Funds.--An agency that receives a grant under
subsection (a) may use the funds made available through the grant to
carry out principal recruitment and training activities that may
include--
``(1) providing stipends for master principals who mentor
new principals;
``(2) using funds innovatively to recruit new principals,
including recruiting the principals by providing pay incentives
or bonuses;
``(3) developing career mentor ship and professional
development ladders for teachers who want to become principals;
and
``(4) developing incentives, and professional development
and instructional leadership training programs, to attract
individuals from other fields, including business and law, to
serve as principals.
``(c) Application and Plan.--To be eligible to receive a grant
under this section, a local educational agency shall submit an
application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Secretary may require. The
application shall include--
``(1) a needs assessment concerning the shortage of
qualified principals in the school district involved and an
assessment of the potential for recruiting and retaining
prospective and aspiring leaders, including teachers who are
interested in becoming principals; and
``(2) a comprehensive plan for recruitment and training of
principals, including plans for mentorship programs, ongoing
professional development, and instructional leadership
training, for high-need schools served by the agency.
``(d) Priority.--In making grants under this section, the Secretary
shall give priority to local educational agencies that demonstrate that
the agencies will carry out the activities described in subsection (b)
in partnership with nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher
education.
``(f) Supplement not Supplant.--Funds appropriated to carry out
this section shall be used to supplement and not supplant other
Federal, State, and local public funds expended to provide principal
recruitment and retention activities.
``SEC. 2503. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
$50,000,000 for fiscal year 2002 and each subsequent fiscal year.''.
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