[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2156 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2156

   To amend title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to enhance 
           teacher training programs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 2, 2004

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to enhance 
           teacher training programs, 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 ``Community College Teacher 
Preparation Enhancement Act of 2004''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Well qualified teachers and paraprofessionals are 
        critical to the success of the Nation's students.
            (2) In order to meet the changing demands of their jobs and 
        the Federal requirements under the No Child Left Behind Act of 
        2001 (Public Law 107-110), teachers and prospective teachers 
        must have access to high-quality teacher training.
            (3) The 1,200 community colleges across the United States 
        play an important role in training teachers, offering 
        professional development, and continuing education.
            (4) Community colleges enroll more than 6,000,000 credit 
        students or 44 percent of all undergraduates in the United 
        States.
            (5) At least 25 percent of undergraduates receiving a 
        teaching degree began their postsecondary education at a 
        community college.
            (6) Due to teacher attrition, teacher retirement, and a 
        growing student population, the Nation will require an 
        additional 2,400,000 teachers over the next decade.
            (7) If left unchanged, the production rate of teachers is 
        200,000 short of meeting the expected future demand.
            (8) In subjects such as mathematics, science, special 
        education, and bilingual education, the Nation risks a severe 
        teacher shortfall.
            (9) Community colleges offer accessibility and a link to 
        education opportunities present at 4-year institutions of 
        higher education.
            (10) There is no systematic infrastructure or resources in 
        place to advance more students from community colleges to 4-
        year institutions of higher education and into the teaching 
        profession.
            (11) Many 4-year institutions of higher education and 
        community colleges have engaged in collaborative agreements for 
        teacher training.
            (12) To meet the Nation's needs for highly qualified 
        teachers, it is appropriate that the community college role in 
        teacher training be enhanced and that cooperation between 
        community colleges and 4-year institutions of higher education 
        be increased.

SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are to--
            (1) foster collaboration between 4-year institutions of 
        higher education and community colleges to enhance teacher 
        preparation as required under the No Child Left Behind Act of 
        2001 (Public Law 107-110);
            (2) enhance the opportunity for community college students 
        in teacher training programs to complete a baccalaureate degree 
        in kindergarten through grade 12 education;
            (3) promote the development of best practices for 
        coordinating teacher training between community colleges and 4-
        year institutions of higher education; and
            (4) expand community college teaching infrastructure to 
        provide, among other things, professional development as called 
        for under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-
        110) to existing teachers.

SEC. 4. TEACHER TRAINING ENHANCEMENT.

    Title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021 et 
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

                 ``PART C--TEACHER TRAINING ENHANCEMENT

``SEC. 231. DEFINITIONS.

    ``In this part:
            ``(1) 4-year institution of higher education.--The term `4-
        year institution of higher education' means an institution of 
        higher education, as defined in section 101(a), whose highest 
        undergraduate degree offered is predominantly the baccalaureate 
        degree.
            ``(2) Community college.--The term `community college' has 
        the meaning given the term `junior or community college' in 
        section 312(f).
            ``(3) Eligible entity.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `eligible entity' 
                means--
                            ``(i) a statewide governing or coordinating 
                        board with jurisdiction over community colleges 
                        and 4-year institutions of higher education;
                            ``(ii) a partnership between a statewide 
                        governing or coordinating board with 
                        jurisdiction over community colleges and a 
                        statewide governing or coordinating board with 
                        jurisdiction over 4-year institutions of higher 
                        education;
                            ``(iii) a partnership between 1 or more 
                        community colleges and 1 or more 4-year 
                        institutions of higher education; or
                            ``(iv) a community college offering a 
                        teacher preparation program that provides all, 
                        or a significant portion of, teacher training, 
                        postbaccalaureate certification, and 
                        professional development.
                    ``(B) Inclusions.--The term `eligible entity' under 
                clauses (i) and (ii) of subparagraph (A) may include 
                other institutions with responsibility for teacher 
                preparation or teacher standards.
            ``(4) Highly qualified.--The term `highly qualified' has 
        the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
            ``(5) Professional development.--The term `professional 
        development' has the meaning given the term in section 9101 of 
        the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.

``SEC. 232. GRANT PROGRAM.

    ``The Secretary is authorized to award grants to eligible entities 
to enable such entities to pay the Federal share of the costs of 
carrying out teacher training or preparation programs.

``SEC. 233. APPLICATION.

    ``An eligible entity that desires to receive a grant under this 
part shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information or assurances as the Secretary 
may require.

``SEC. 234. AWARDING OF GRANTS.

    ``(a) Priority.--In awarding grants under this part, the Secretary 
shall give priority to eligible entities that propose any of the 
following:
            ``(1) Grant funds will be used to provide for teacher 
        preparation in geographic areas with shortages of highly 
        qualified teachers.
            ``(2) Grant funds will be used to prepare teachers in 
        kindergarten through grade 12 subject content areas that have a 
        shortage of highly qualified teachers.
            ``(3) Grant funds will be used to carry out innovative 
        programs to address teacher training or teacher preparation.
            ``(4) Grant funds will be used to conduct outreach into 
        secondary schools.
            ``(5) Grant funds will be used to carry out a plan to 
        disseminate information.
    ``(b) Geographic Diversity.--The Secretary shall ensure that grants 
are awarded in a geographically diverse manner.
    ``(c) Duration.--Grants awarded under this part shall be for 5 
years in duration.

``SEC. 235. USES OF FUNDS.

    ``(a) Mandatory Use.--An eligible entity that receives a grant 
under this section shall use the grant funds to carry out not less than 
1 of the following:
            ``(1) Enhancing the collaboration of teacher training 
        between community colleges and 4-year institutions of higher 
        education.
            ``(2) The development of programs that provide 
        opportunities for community college students to complete a 
        baccalaureate degree in kindergarten through grade 12 
        education.
            ``(3) The establishment of partnerships in teacher training 
        between community colleges and 4-year institutions of higher 
        education.
            ``(4) The establishment of programs at community colleges 
        that prepare students to enter teacher preparation programs at 
        4-year institutions of higher education.
            ``(5) Developing programs to provide pathways for secondary 
        school students to pursue careers in teaching.
            ``(6) Establishing postbaccalaureate teacher certification 
        programs.
    ``(b) Permissive Use of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives a 
grant under this section may use the grant funds to carry out any of 
the following:
            ``(1) The creation of kindergarten through grade 12 teacher 
        education programs and teacher aid programs to meet 
        requirements under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
        of 1965.
            ``(2) The coordination of teacher and paraprofessional 
        curricula for use at community colleges and 4-year institutions 
        of higher education.
            ``(3) The establishment of curricula and programs for 
        professional development for teachers.

``SEC. 236. REPORT AND EVALUATION.

    ``(a) Annual Report.--An eligible entity that receives a grant 
under this section shall submit an annual report to the Secretary on--
            ``(1) the progress made toward the goals of the grant;
            ``(2) the activities supported by the grant;
            ``(3) the number of students served;
            ``(4) when applicable, the ability to place students 
        graduating from schools supported by a grant under this part; 
        and
            ``(5) when applicable, the number of students graduating 
        from schools supported by a grant under this part who meet the 
        requirements for highly qualified teachers under the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
    ``(b) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall review and evaluate the 
reports submitted under subsection (a).

``SEC. 237. MATCHING REQUIREMENT.

    ``(a) In General.--The Federal share of the costs of carrying out a 
teacher training or preparation program shall be--
            ``(1) 65 percent for the first year of the grant;
            ``(2) 60 percent for the second year of the grant;
            ``(3) 55 percent for the third year of the grant;
            ``(4) 50 percent for the fourth year of the grant; and
            ``(5) 45 percent for the fifth year of the grant.
    ``(b) In Cash or In-Kind.--The non-Federal share of the costs of 
carrying out a teacher training or preparation program may be provided 
in cash or in the form of in-kind contributions.

``SEC. 238. REPORT BY THE SECRETARY.

    ``The Secretary shall review and submit an annual report to 
Congress on the activities supported under this part and the impact of 
this part with respect to--
            ``(1) producing highly qualified teachers and teachers 
        aids;
            ``(2) helping address teacher shortages, particularly in 
        rural and urban areas; and
            ``(3) enhancing the diversity of the Nation's teaching 
        force.

``SEC. 239. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part 
$25,000,000 for fiscal year 2005 and such sums as may be necessary for 
each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.''.
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