II 109th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1367 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 1 (legislative day, June 30), 2005 Mr. Alexander (for himself, Mr. Reid, Mr. DeWine, and Mrs. Clinton) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To provide for recruiting, selecting, training, and supporting a national teacher corps in underserved communities.

1.

Purposes

The purposes of this Act are as follows: (1)To grow the number of highly accomplished recent college graduates teaching in underserved urban and rural communities in the United States. (2)To increase the number of school districts and communities served by a nationally recruited corps of outstanding new teachers. (3)To build a broader pipeline of talented and experienced future leaders in public education and education reform.

2.

Definitions

In this Act: (1)

In general

The terms highly qualified, local educational agency, and Secretary have the meanings given the terms in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). (2)

Grantee

The term grantee means Teach For America, Inc. (3)

High need

The term high need, when used with respect to a local educational agency, means a local educational agency experiencing a shortage of highly qualified teachers.

3.

Grant program authorized

The Secretary is authorized to award a grant to Teach For America, Inc., the national teacher corps of outstanding recent college graduates who commit to teach for 2 years in underserved communities in the United States, to implement and expand its program of recruiting, selecting, training, and supporting new teachers.

4.

Grant requirements

In carrying out the grant program under section 3, the Secretary shall enter into an agreement with the grantee under which the grantee agrees to use the grant funds provided under this Act— (1)to provide highly qualified teachers to high need local educational agencies in urban and rural communities; (2)to pay the cost of recruiting, selecting, training, and supporting new teachers; and (3)to serve a substantial number and percentage of underserved students.

5.

Authorized activities

(a)

In general

Grant funds provided under this Act shall be used by the grantee to carry out each of the following activities: (1)Recruiting and selecting teachers through a highly selective national process. (2)Providing preservice training to the teachers through a rigorous summer institute that includes hands-on teaching experience and significant exposure to education coursework and theory. (3)Placing the teachers in schools and positions designated by partner local educational agencies as high need placements serving underserved students. (4)Providing ongoing professional development activities for the teachers' first 2 years in the classroom, including regular classroom observations and feedback, and ongoing training and support. (b)

Limitation

The grantee shall use all grant funds received under this Act to support activities related directly to the recruitment, selection, training, and support of teachers as described in subsection (a).

6.

Evaluation

(a)

Annual report

The grantee shall provide to the Secretary an annual report that includes— (1)data on the number and quality of the teachers provided to local educational agencies through a grant under this Act; (2)an externally conducted analysis of the satisfaction of local educational agencies and principals with the teachers so provided; and (3)comprehensive data on the background of the teachers chosen, the training the teachers received, the placement sites of the teachers, the professional development of the teachers, and the retention of the teachers. (b)

Study

(1)

In general

The Secretary shall provide for a study that examines the achievement levels of the students taught by the teachers assisted under this Act. (2)

Achievement gains compared

The study shall compare, within the same schools, the achievement gains made by students taught by teachers who are assisted under this Act with the achievement gains made by students taught by teachers who are not assisted under this Act. (3)

Requirements

The Secretary shall provide for such a study not less than once every 3 years, and each such study shall include multiple placement sites and multiple schools within placement sites. (4)

Peer review standards

Each such study shall meet the peer review standards of the education research community.

7.

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006 and an amount not to exceed $25,000,000 for each succeeding fiscal year.