[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1521 Introduced in Senate (IS)]


109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1521

     To provide for teacher acculturation, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 28, 2005

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To provide for teacher acculturation, 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. TEACHER ACCULTURATION.

    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 ACCULTURATION

``SEC. 231. SHORT TITLE.

    ``This part may be cited as the `Teacher Acculturation Act of 
2005'.

``SEC. 232. FINDINGS.

    ``Congress makes the following findings:
            ``(1) Every person (child, adolescent, or adult) has her or 
        his own cluster of learning modalities.
            ``(2) These individual learning modalities are the result 
        of many factors, including the person's cultural heritage, 
        language, and socioeconomic background.
            ``(3) Research has shown that learning occurs best within a 
        learning environment that closely matches a person's individual 
        learning modalities.
            ``(4) There is a strong correlation between--
                    ``(A) the lack of academic achievement of a 
                student; and
                    ``(B) a lack of congruence between--
                            ``(i) the learning modalities of the 
                        student; and
                            ``(ii) the teaching pedagogy of the 
                        teacher.
            ``(5) One of the factors that significantly impacts 
        learning modalities is a student's culture.
            ``(6) A congruence between the cultural norms embedded in 
        the teaching environment and the culture of a student has been 
        shown to significantly improve the academic achievement of the 
        student.
            ``(7) The teacher has the most control in setting the 
        cultural environment of the classroom.

``SEC. 233. PURPOSE.

    ``It is the purpose of this part to develop a core group of 
teachers who are able to provide instruction in a way that is 
culturally congruent with the learning modalities of the students they 
are teaching, in order to--
            ``(1) ameliorate the lack of cultural congruence between 
        teachers and the students they teach; and
            ``(2) improve student achievement.

``SEC. 234. DEFINITIONS.

    ``In this part:
            ``(1) Induction phase.--The term `induction phase' means 
        the period when a teacher is new to the profession, the 
        classroom, or a school.
            ``(2) In-service phase.--The term `in-service phase' means 
        the period during and throughout the professional life of a 
        teacher.
            ``(3) Practicum phase.--The term `practicum phase' means 
        the period beginning with the last year of a teacher 
        preparation program at an institution of higher education when 
        the student is spending time in a prekindergarten through grade 
        12 classroom, and culminating at the end of the student 
        teaching portion of the student's teacher preparation program.
            ``(4) Supervising academic.--The term `supervising 
        academic' means a member of the faculty of an institution of 
        higher education who--
                    ``(A) is designated to oversee, coordinate, and 
                participate in the field placement or student teaching 
                experience of a preservice teacher; and
                    ``(B) works in conjunction with a supervising 
                practitioner.
            ``(5) Supervising practitioner.--The term `supervising 
        practitioner' means a prekindergarten through grade 12 teacher 
        in a school who--
                    ``(A) is designated to coach, observe, and evaluate 
                a preservice teacher at the school during the 
                preservice teacher's field placement or student 
                teaching experience in the classroom; and
                    ``(B) works in conjunction with the supervising 
                academic.

``SEC. 235. MEASURE OF CULTURAL MISMATCH.

    ``The Secretary, in consultation with relevant educational and 
cultural governmental and nongovernmental entities and not later than 
180 days after the date of enactment of the Teacher Acculturation Act 
of 2005, shall develop a measure of cultural mismatch for purposes of--
            ``(1) the demonstration program under section 236; and
            ``(2) the composition of partnerships described in sections 
        242 and 263.

``SEC. 236. DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to carry out a 
demonstration program to investigate, develop, and test methods to 
attempt to ameliorate the cultural mismatch between teachers and the 
students they teach.
    ``(b) Components.--The demonstration program shall consist of--
            ``(1) professional development activities occurring during 
        3 different phases of a teacher's professional life, including 
        the practicum phase, induction phase, and in-service phase; and
            ``(2) the development of centers of excellence in 
        multicultural education.

                 ``Subpart 1--Induction Phase Component

``SEC. 241. GRANTS AUTHORIZED.

    ``In carrying out the demonstration program under this part, the 
Secretary is authorized to award grants to eligible partnerships to 
enable the eligible partnerships to carry out the induction phase 
component of the teacher preparation assisted under this subpart.

``SEC. 242. ELIGIBLE PARTNERSHIPS.

    ``In this subpart, the term `eligible partnership' means a 
partnership consisting of--
            ``(1) a local educational agency, with a high percentage of 
        students who have a cultural mismatch with the majority of the 
        teaching staff at the schools served by the local educational 
        agency, collaborating with--
                    ``(A) a cohort of induction phase teachers from the 
                local educational agency; and
                    ``(B) members of a school community who are--
                            ``(i) from the cultural background of the 
                        students to be taught by the teachers assisted 
                        under the grant; and
                            ``(ii) knowledgeable about the cultural 
                        norms of the community; and
            ``(2) an institution of higher education or organization 
        with expertise in multicultural education, collaborating with a 
        mentor, coach, or facilitator who will work with the cohort 
        described in paragraph (1)(A).

``SEC. 243. INDUCTION PHASE COMPONENT.

    ``An eligible partnership that receives a grant under this subpart 
shall use the grant funds to carry an induction phase component of the 
demonstration program that may include the following:
            ``(1) A summer workshop held during the summer prior to a 
        program year (as described in paragraph (2)), in which 
        participant teachers study the basics of the following:
                    ``(A) Multicultural education.
                    ``(B) The cultural norms of the students served by 
                the local educational agency where the participant 
                teachers will be teaching.
                    ``(C) The history of the municipality and the 
                cultural groups where the participant teachers will be 
                teaching.
            ``(2) A program year during the school year designed to 
        include--
                    ``(A) a series of classroom-based teaching 
                activities and observations, including pre- and post-
                activity discussion under the coaching of a person 
                experienced in leading such a program and trained in 
                the principles of multicultural education;
                    ``(B) individual one-on-one mentoring by a mentor, 
                coach, or facilitator participating in the eligible 
                partnership;
                    ``(C) classroom visits including possible 
                videotaping of the lessons; and
                    ``(D) group meetings to reflect on--
                            ``(i) a classroom visit described in 
                        subparagraph (C); or
                            ``(ii) the progress of the program.
            ``(3) A workshop or institute during the summer immediately 
        after a program year (as described in paragraph (2)) that may 
        include the following:
                    ``(A) Analysis of lessons developed and taught 
                during the program year.
                    ``(B) Practice lessons presented to the cohort 
                described in section 242(1)(A).
                    ``(C) Analysis of participant teacher growth over 
                the duration of the program.
                    ``(D) Development of a reflective portfolio, for 
                each member of the cohort described in section 
                242(1)(A), of the member's experience in the program.

``SEC. 244. USE OF FUNDS.

    ``Grant funds provided under this subpart may be used for--
            ``(1) stipends and release time for participant teachers;
            ``(2) compensation for mentors, coaches, facilitators, or 
        substitutes;
            ``(3) reimbursement for normal expenses incurred by the 
        eligible partnership during the grant period; and
            ``(4) equipment, supplies, and travel necessary for the 
        program.

``SEC. 245. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this subpart for fiscal year 2006 and each of 
the 5 succeeding fiscal years.

                 ``Subpart 2--Practicum Phase Component

``SEC. 251. GRANTS AUTHORIZED.

    ``In carrying out the demonstration program under this part, the 
Secretary is authorized to award grants to eligible partnerships to 
enable the eligible partnerships to carry out the practicum phase 
component of the teacher preparation assisted under this subpart.

``SEC. 252. ELIGIBLE PARTNERSHIPS.

    ``In this subpart, the term `eligible partnership' means a 
partnership consisting of--
            ``(1) a teacher preparation program approved by a State 
        educational agency and accredited by the National Council for 
        Accreditation of Teacher Education, collaborating with--
                    ``(A) a cohort of practicum phase students; and
                    ``(B) a faculty member who serves as a supervising 
                practitioner;
            ``(2) a local educational agency--
                    ``(A) serving a student population whose cultural 
                norms--
                            ``(i) are different from the cultural norms 
                        of the participating teacher preparation 
                        program students; and
                            ``(ii) are similar to the cultural norms of 
                        the students or community served by a local 
                        educational agency where the participating 
                        teacher preparation program students will be 
                        looking for employment; and
                    ``(B) collaborating with a group of supervising 
                practitioners; and
            ``(3) a support committee for the practicum program, that 
        provides cultural norms to the practicum participants, which 
        may include--
                    ``(A) a center of excellence described in subpart 
                3;
                    ``(B) faculty or staff of a school, local 
                educational agency, or State educational agency;
                    ``(C) parents or family members of a student taught 
                by the student teachers assisted under the grant;
                    ``(D) community stakeholders; or
                    ``(E) organizations with expertise in multicultural 
                education.

``SEC. 253. PRACTICUM PHASE COMPONENT.

    ``An eligible partnership that receives a grant under this subpart 
shall use the grant funds to carry out a practicum phase component of 
the demonstration program that may include the following:
            ``(1) A course for the practicum students covering 
        multicultural education, including specifics pertaining to the 
        cultural norms of the students served by the local educational 
        agency where the students will be participating in the 
        practicum.
            ``(2) A program running contemporaneous to the practicum 
        that includes--
                    ``(A) a program under the coaching of a supervising 
                academic where the practicum students interact with 
                each other to discuss their experiences;
                    ``(B) individual one-on-one coaching by a 
                supervising academic;
                    ``(C) classroom visits to the locations of other 
                student teachers in the cohort described in section 
                252(1)(A), including possible videotaping of the 
                lessons; and
                    ``(D) periodic cohort meetings during the practicum 
                to reflect on the progress of the program.
            ``(3) A followup program at the conclusion of the practicum 
        carried out by the teacher preparation program participating in 
        the eligible partnership.

``SEC. 254. USE OF FUNDS.

    ``Grant funds provided under this subpart may be used for--
            ``(1) compensation for a supervising academic or a 
        supervising practitioner;
            ``(2) scholarships for participants; and
            ``(3) equipment, supplies, travel, and other expenses 
        appropriate to the program.

``SEC. 255. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this subpart for fiscal year 2006 and each of 
the 5 succeeding fiscal years.

     ``Subpart 3--Centers of Excellence in Multicultural Education

``SEC. 261. CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE AUTHORIZED.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to establish not 
more than 10 centers to support excellence in multicultural education.
    ``(b) Duties.--Such centers shall--
            ``(1) support participants during the practicum phases and 
        induction phases of their teacher preparation;
            ``(2) develop and implement an in-service phase program;
            ``(3) develop or expand the theory and practice of 
        multicultural education; and
            ``(4) collect appropriate data to allow for the evaluation 
        of the activities implemented under this part.

``SEC. 262. LOCATION OF CENTERS.

    ``The centers shall--
            ``(1) be located within universities, colleges or schools 
        with teacher education programs approved by the appropriate 
        State educational agency and accredited by the National Council 
        for Accreditation of Teacher Education;
            ``(2) be located in geographically diverse areas of the 
        United States; and
            ``(3) be distributed among institutions of higher education 
        serving various cultural communities.

``SEC. 263. PARTNERSHIPS.

    ``The centers may form partnerships, for the purpose of carrying 
out the duties described in section 261(b), with--
            ``(1) a college or school of teacher education;
            ``(2) at least 1 local educational agency with a high 
        degree of cultural mismatch between the local educational 
        agency's teachers and the students they teach;
            ``(3) an academic department, center, or program that 
        focuses on the study of cultural mismatches, such as cultural 
        mismatches related to gender, race, national origin, or other 
        similar areas; or
            ``(4) such additional entities as the centers determine 
        appropriate.

``SEC. 264. USE OF FUNDS.

    ``Funds made available under this subpart may be used for the 
following:
            ``(1) Financial support for researchers, such as doctoral 
        and post-doctoral fellowships.
            ``(2) In-service multicultural education workshops for 
        teachers.
            ``(3) Supporting the programs assisted under subpart 1 or 
        2.
            ``(4) Supporting research into best practices in 
        multicultural education, performing evaluation of the best 
        practices, and carrying out a dissemination program for the 
        best practices that improve student academic achievement.
            ``(5) Evaluation of--
                    ``(A) the activities of the centers; and
                    ``(B) the impact of the activities of the centers 
                on teaching practices and student achievement.

``SEC. 265. ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CENTERS.

    ``The Secretary is authorized to convene an annual meeting of all 
centers assisted under this subpart for the purpose of enabling the 
centers to share information, research, and best practices.

``SEC. 266. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this subpart for fiscal year 2006 and each of 
the 5 succeeding fiscal years.

                    ``Subpart 4--General Provisions

``SEC. 271. ANNUAL REPORTS.

    (a) Report.--Each eligible partnership that receives a grant, and 
each center that receives assistance, under this part shall prepare and 
submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of 
the Senate, and the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the 
House of Representatives, a report on the activities of the eligible 
partnership or center, respectively, that are supported under this 
part.
    (b) Date.--The report described in subsection (a) shall be 
submitted 2 years after the date of enactment of the Teacher 
Acculturation Act of 2005, and annually thereafter for the duration of 
the grant or assistance, as the case may be.''.
                                 <all>