II 109th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1434 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 20, 2005 Mr. DeWine introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To provide grants to teacher preparation programs at institutions of higher education to award scholarships for teachers to receive a graduate level degree.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Master Teacher Scholarship Act of 2005.

2.

Findings

Congress makes the following findings: (1)Programs in title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021 et seq.) address improving the quality of the teaching workforce and holding institutions of higher education accountable for preparing teachers. However, States are still finding it difficult to provide high-quality teachers in the areas of mathematics and science and for secondary schools. (2)Under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107–110, 115 Stat. 1425), States are required to ensure that all teachers teaching in core academic subjects within the State are highly qualified by not later than the end of the 2005–2006 school year. Yet schools in rural areas and high-poverty schools have trouble attracting and retaining such teachers. (3)Teacher retention is at the main root of teacher shortages, and recruitment initiatives alone will not solve this problem.

3.

Definitions

In this Act: (1)

Eligible local educational agency

The term eligible local educational agency means a local educational agency that serves a school that qualifies under section 465(a)(2)(A) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087ee(a)(2)(A)) for loan cancellation for Perkins loan recipients who teach in such schools. (2)

Eligible teacher

The term eligible teacher means a teacher who is employed by the eligible local educational agency included in the partnership with the teacher preparation program and is— (A)an elementary school or secondary school special education teacher; or (B)a middle school or secondary school teacher who teaches in the area of mathematics, science, or foreign languages. (3)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Education. (4)

Teacher preparation program

The term teacher preparation program means a school of education program at an institution of higher education that provides courses of study leading to a graduate degree.

4.

Program authorized

(a)

In general

The Secretary may award grants to teacher preparation programs for the purpose of enabling the teacher preparation programs to award scholarships to assist eligible teachers in obtaining a graduate level degree from the teacher preparation program. (b)

Application

Each teacher preparation program applying for a grant shall submit, in partnership with an eligible local educational agency, an application to the Secretary describing— (1)the partnership between the teacher preparation program and the eligible local educational agency; and (2)how the teacher preparation program is designed to meet the needs of the teachers participating in the program and the partnering local educational agency, including mentoring and alignment of the teacher preparation program with the high academic standards that students of the State where the teacher preparation program is located are expected to meet. (c)

Use of funds

(1)

In general

Each teacher preparation program receiving a grant under this Act shall use the grant funds to award scholarships to eligible teachers pursuing a graduate degree in the area of mathematics, science, foreign language, or special education. (2)

Administrative costs

Each teacher preparation program receiving a grant under this Act may use not more than 1 percent of the grant funds— (A)to administer the scholarship program; (B)to recruit teachers to participate in the program; and (C)to assist in designing the program to meet the needs of the teacher and school. (d)

Scholarships

Each individual awarded a scholarship under this Act shall use the scholarship funds only to pay for the tuition and fees associated with obtaining a graduate level degree.

5.

Scholarship agreement

Each eligible teacher awarded a scholarship under this Act shall enter into an agreement with the eligible local educational agency and the teacher preparation program, under which— (1)the teacher preparation program agrees to award a scholarship of a total of not less than $5,000 and not more than $7,000 to the eligible teacher; and (2)the eligible teacher agrees— (A)to teach for 5 years after receiving the graduate level degree, in the school the eligible teacher previously taught or in a school designated by the eligible local educational agency; (B)to mentor a novice teacher in the eligible local educational agency for 2 years; and (C)to repay a pro rata portion of the scholarship funds received if the teacher fails to comply with subparagraph (A).

6.

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2006 and each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.