1.This Act may be cited as the
Preparing, Recruiting, and Retaining
Education Professionals Act of 2007
.
2.Section 201 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1021) is amended to read as follows:
201.
(a)The
purposes of this part are to—
(1)improve student
achievement;
(2)improve the
quality of the current and future teaching force by improving the preparation
of prospective teachers and enhancing ongoing professional development
activities;
(3)encourage
partnerships among institutions of higher education, early childhood education
programs, elementary schools or secondary schools, local educational agencies,
State educational agencies, teacher organizations, and nonprofit educational
organizations;
(4)hold institutions
of higher education and all other teacher preparation programs (including
programs that provide alternative routes to teacher preparation) accountable in
an equivalent manner for preparing—
(A)teachers who have
strong teaching skills, are highly qualified, and are trained in the effective
uses of technology in the classroom; and
(B)early childhood
education providers who are highly competent;
(5)recruit and
retain qualified individuals, including individuals from other occupations,
into the teaching force for early childhood education programs or in elementary
schools or secondary schools;
(6)improve the
recruitment, retention, and capacities of principals to provide instructional
leadership and to support teachers in maintaining safe and effective learning
environments;
(7)expand the use of
research to improve teaching and learning by teachers, early childhood
education providers, principals, and faculty; and
(8)enhance the
ability of teachers, early childhood education providers, principals,
administrators, and faculty to communicate with, work with, and involve parents
in ways that improve student achievement.
(b)In
this part:
(1)The term arts and sciences means—
(A)when referring to
an organizational unit of an institution of higher education, any academic unit
that offers 1 or more academic majors in disciplines or content areas
corresponding to the academic subject matter areas in which teachers provide
instruction; and
(B)when referring to
a specific academic subject matter area, the disciplines or content areas in
which academic majors are offered by the arts and science organizational
unit.
(2)Early childhood
education programThe term early childhood education
program means a family child care program, center-based child care
program, prekindergarten program, school program, or other out-of-home child
care program that is licensed or regulated by the State serving 2 or more
unrelated children from birth until school entry, or a Head Start program
carried out under the Head Start Act
or an Early Head Start program carried out under section 645A of that
Act.
(3)The term exemplary teacher has the meaning
given the term in section 9101 of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
(4)
(A)The term faculty means individuals in
institutions of higher education who are responsible for preparing
teachers.
(B)The
term faculty includes professors of education and professors in
academic disciplines such as the arts and sciences, psychology, and human
development.
(5)High-need local
educational agencyThe term high-need local educational
agency means a local educational agency that serves an early childhood
education program, elementary school, or secondary school located in an area in
which—
(A)(i)15 percent or more of
the students served by the agency are from families with incomes below the
poverty line;
(ii)there are more than 5,000 students
served by the agency from families with incomes below the poverty line;
or
(iii)there are less than 600 students
in average daily attendance in all the schools that are served by the agency
and all of whose schools are designated with a school locale code of 7 or 8, as
determined by the Secretary; and
(B)(i)there is a high
percentage of teachers who are not highly qualified; or
(ii)there is a chronic shortage, or
annual turnover rate of 20 percent or more, of highly qualified
teachers.
(6)The term high-need school means an early
childhood education program, public elementary school, or public secondary
school—
(A)(i)in which there is a
high concentration of students from families with incomes below the poverty
line; or
(ii)that, in the case of a public
elementary school or public secondary school, is identified as in need of
school improvement or corrective action pursuant to section 1116 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965; and
(B)in which there
exists—
(i)in the case of a
public elementary school or public secondary school, a persistent and chronic
shortage, or annual turnover rate of 20 percent or more, of highly qualified
teachers; and
(ii)in the case of
an early childhood education program, a persistent and chronic shortage of
early childhood education providers who are highly competent.
(7)The term highly competent when used with
respect to an early childhood education provider means a provider—
(A)with specialized
education and training in development and education of young children from
birth until entry into kindergarten;
(B)with—
(i)a
baccalaureate degree in an academic major in the arts and sciences; or
(ii)an associate’s
degree in a related educational area; and
(C)who has
demonstrated a high level of knowledge and use of content and pedagogy in the
relevant areas associated with quality early childhood education.
(8)
(A)Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the term
highly qualified has the meaning given the term in section 9101 of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965.
(B)Special
education teachersWhen used with respect to a special education
teacher, the term highly qualified has the meaning given the term
in section 602 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
(9)The
term induction means a formalized program designed to provide
support for, improve the professional performance of, and promote the retention
in the teaching field of, beginning teachers, and that—
(A)shall
include—
(i)mentoring;
(ii)structured
collaboration time with teachers in the same department or field;
(iii)structured
meeting time with administrators; and
(iv)professional
development activities; and
(B)may
include—
(i)reduced teaching
loads;
(ii)support of a
teaching aide;
(iii)orientation
seminars; and
(iv)regular
evaluation of the teacher inductee, the mentors, and the overall formalized
program.
(10)The
term mentoring means a process by which a teacher mentor who is an
exemplary teacher, either alone or in a team with faculty, provides active
support for prospective teachers and new teachers through a system for
integrating evidence-based practice, including rigorous, supervised training in
high-quality teaching settings. Such support includes activities specifically
designed to promote—
(A)knowledge of the
scientific research on, and assessment of, teaching and learning;
(B)development of
teaching skills and skills in evidence-based educational interventions;
(C)development of
classroom management skills;
(D)a positive role
model relationship where academic assistance and exposure to new experiences is
provided; and
(E)ongoing
supervision and communication regarding the prospective teacher’s development
of teaching skills and continued support for the new teacher by the mentor,
other teachers, principals, and administrators.
(11)The
term parent has the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965.
(12)The term parental involvement has the
meaning given the term in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965.
(13)The term poverty line means the 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 (42
U.S.C. 9902(2))) applicable to a family of the size involved.
(14)
(A)Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the term
professional development has the meaning given the term in section
9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965.
(B)Early childhood
education providersThe term professional
development when used with respect to an early childhood education
provider means knowledge and skills in all domains of child development
(including cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and approaches to learning)
and pedagogy of children from birth until entry into kindergarten.
(15)The term teaching skills means skills—
(A)grounded in the
disciplines of teaching and learning that teachers use to create effective
instruction in subject matter content and that lead to student achievement and
the ability to apply knowledge; and
(B)that require an
understanding of the learning process itself, including an understanding
of—
(i)the use of
teaching strategies specific to the subject matter;
(ii)the application
of ongoing assessment of student learning, particularly for evaluating
instructional practices and curriculum;
(iii)ensuring
successful learning for students with individual differences in ability and
instructional needs;
(iv)effective
classroom management; and
(v)effective ways to
communicate with, work with, and involve parents in their children’s
education.
.
3.Section 202 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1022) is amended to read as follows:
202.
(a)From amounts made available under section 211(1) for a
fiscal year, the Secretary is authorized to award grants under this section, on
a competitive basis, to eligible States to enable the eligible States to carry
out the activities described in subsection (d).
(b)
(1)In
this part, the term eligible State means—
(A)a State
educational agency; or
(B)an entity or
agency in the State responsible for teacher certification and preparation
activities.
(2)The
eligible State shall consult with the Governor, State board of education, State
educational agency, State agency for higher education, State agency with
responsibility for child care, prekindergarten, or other early childhood
education programs, and other State entities that provide professional
development and teacher preparation for teachers, as appropriate, with respect
to the activities assisted under this section.
(3)Nothing
in this subsection shall be construed to negate or supersede the legal
authority under State law of any State agency, State entity, or State public
official over programs that are under the jurisdiction of the agency, entity,
or official.
(c)To
be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an eligible State shall, at
the time of the initial grant application, submit an application to the
Secretary that—
(1)meets the
requirements of this section and other relevant requirements for States under
this title;
(2)describes how the
eligible State intends to use funds provided under this section in accordance
with State-identified needs;
(3)describes the
eligible State’s plan for continuing the activities carried out with the grant
once Federal funding ceases;
(4)describes how the
eligible State will coordinate activities authorized under this section with
other Federal, State, and local personnel preparation and professional
development programs; and
(5)contains such
other information and assurances as the Secretary may require.
(d)An eligible State that receives a grant under this section
shall use the grant funds to reform teacher preparation requirements, and to
ensure that current and future teachers are highly qualified and possess strong
teaching skills and knowledge to assess student academic achievement, by
carrying out 1 or more of the following activities:
(1)Implementing
reforms that hold institutions of higher education with teacher preparation
programs accountable for, and assist such programs in, preparing teachers who
have strong teaching skills and are highly qualified or early childhood
education providers who are highly competent. Such reforms shall
include—
(A)State program
approval requirements regarding curriculum changes by teacher preparation
programs that improve teaching skills based on scientific knowledge—
(i)about the
disciplines of teaching and learning, including effective ways to communicate
with, work with, and involve parents in their children’s education; and
(ii)about
understanding and responding effectively to students with special needs,
including students with disabilities, limited-English proficient students,
students with low literacy levels, and students with different learning styles
or other special learning needs;
(B)State program
approval requirements for teacher preparation programs to have in place
mechanisms to measure and assess the effectiveness and impact of teacher
preparation programs, including on student achievement;
(C)assurances from
institutions that such institutions have a program in place that provides a
year-long clinical experience for prospective teachers;
(D)collecting and
using data, in collaboration with institutions of higher education, schools,
and local educational agencies, on teacher retention rates, by school, to
evaluate and strengthen the effectiveness of the State’s teacher support
system; and
(E)developing
methods and building capacity for teacher preparation programs to assess the
retention rates of the programs’ graduates and to use such information for
continuous program improvement.
(2)Certification
or licensure requirementsEnsuring the State’s teacher
certification or licensure requirements are rigorous so that teachers have
strong teaching skills and are highly qualified.
(3)Alternative
routes to state certificationCarrying out programs that provide
prospective teachers with high-quality alternative routes to traditional
preparation for teaching and to State certification for well-prepared and
qualified prospective teachers, including—
(A)programs at
schools or departments of arts and sciences, schools or departments of
education within institutions of higher education, or at nonprofit educational
organizations with expertise in producing highly qualified teachers that
include instruction in teaching skills;
(B)a selective means
for admitting individuals into such programs;
(C)providing
intensive support, including induction, during the initial teaching
experience;
(D)establishing,
expanding, or improving alternative routes to State certification of teachers
for qualified individuals, including mid-career professionals from other
occupations, paraprofessionals, former military personnel and recent college
graduates with records of academic distinction, that have a proven record of
effectiveness and that ensure that current and future teachers possess strong
teaching skills and are highly qualified; and
(E)providing support
in the disciplines of teaching and learning to ensure that prospective
teachers—
(i)have an
understanding of evidence-based effective teaching practices;
(ii)have knowledge
of student learning methods; and
(iii)possess strong
teaching skills, including effective ways to communicate with, work with, and
involve parents in their children’s education.
(4)State
certification reciprocityEstablishing and promoting reciprocity
of certification or licensing between or among States for general and special
education teachers and principals, except that no reciprocity agreement
developed pursuant to this paragraph or developed using funds provided under
this part may lead to the weakening of any State certification or licensing
requirement that is shown through evidence-based research to ensure teacher and
principal quality and student achievement.
(5)Recruitment and
retentionDeveloping and implementing effective mechanisms to
ensure that local educational agencies, schools, and early childhood program
providers are able to effectively recruit and retain highly qualified teachers,
highly competent early childhood education providers, and principals, and
provide access to ongoing professional development opportunities for teachers,
early childhood education providers, and principals, including activities
described in subsections (d) and (e) of section 204.
(6)Development and implementation of efforts to address
the problem of social promotion and to prepare teachers, principals,
administrators, and parents to effectively address the issues raised by ending
the practice of social
promotion.
.
4.Section 203 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1023) is amended to read as follows:
203.
(a)From
amounts made available under section 211(2) for a fiscal year, the Secretary is
authorized to award grants under this section, on a competitive basis, to
eligible partnerships to enable the eligible partnerships to carry out the
activities described in subsections (d) and (e).
(b)
(1)In this part, the term eligible
partnership means an entity that—
(A)shall
include—
(i)a
partner institution;
(ii)a school or
department of arts and sciences within the partner institution under clause
(i);
(iii)a school or
department of education within the partner institution under clause (i);
(iv)(I)a department of
psychology within the partner institution under clause (i);
(II)a department of human development within
the partner institution under clause (i); or
(III)a department with comparable expertise
in the disciplines of teaching, learning, and child and adolescent development
within the partner institution under clause (i);
(v)a
high-need local educational agency; and
(vi)(I)a high-need school
served by the high-need local educational agency under clause (v); or
(II)a consortium of schools of the high-need
local educational agency under clause (v); and
(B)may include a
Governor, State educational agency, the State board of education, the State
agency for higher education, an institution of higher education not described
in subparagraph (A) (including a community college), a public charter school,
other public elementary school or secondary school, a combination or network of
urban, suburban, or rural schools, a public or private nonprofit educational
organization, a business, a teacher organization, or an early childhood
education program.
(2)In this section, the term partner
institution means a private independent or State-supported public
institution of higher education, or a consortium of such institutions, that has
not been designated under section 208(a) and the teacher preparation program of
which demonstrates that—
(A)graduates from
the teacher preparation program who intend to enter the field of teaching
exhibit strong performance on State-determined qualifying assessments and are
highly qualified; or
(B)the teacher
preparation program requires all the students of the program to participate in
intensive clinical experience, to meet high academic standards, to possess
strong teaching skills, and—
(i)in the case of
prospective elementary school and secondary school teachers, to become highly
qualified; and
(ii)in the case of
prospective early childhood education providers, to become highly
competent.
(c)Each
eligible partnership desiring a grant under this section shall submit an
application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by
such information as the Secretary may require. Each such application
shall—
(1)contain a needs
assessment of all the partners with respect to the preparation, ongoing
training, and professional development of early childhood education providers,
general and special education teachers, and principals, the extent to which the
program prepares new teachers with strong teaching skills, a description of how
the partnership will coordinate strategies and activities with other teacher
preparation or professional development programs, and how the activities of the
partnership will be consistent with State, local, and other education reform
activities that promote student achievement and parental involvement;
(2)contain a
resource assessment that describes the resources available to the partnership,
including the integration of funds from other related sources, the intended use
of the grant funds, including a description of how the grant funds will be
fairly distributed in accordance with subsection (f), and the commitment of the
resources of the partnership to the activities assisted under this part,
including financial support, faculty participation, time commitments, and
continuation of the activities when the grant ends;
(3)contain a
description of—
(A)how the
partnership will meet the purposes of this part, in accordance with the needs
assessment required under paragraph (1);
(B)how the
partnership will carry out the activities required under subsection (d) and any
permissible activities under subsection (e) based on the needs identified in
paragraph (1) with the goal of improving student achievement;
(C)the partnership’s
evaluation plan pursuant to section 206(b);
(D)how faculty at
the partner institution will work with, over the term of the grant, principals
and teachers in the classrooms of the high-need local educational agency
included in the partnership;
(E)how the
partnership will enhance the instructional leadership and management skills of
principals and provide effective support for principals, including new
principals;
(F)how the
partnership will design, implement, or enhance a year-long, rigorous, and
enriching preservice clinical program component;
(G)the in-service
professional development strategies and activities to be supported; and
(H)how the
partnership will collect, analyze, and use data on the retention of all
teachers, early childhood education providers, or principals in schools located
in the geographic areas served by the partnership to evaluate the effectiveness
of its educator support system;
(4)contain a
certification from the partnership that it has reviewed the application and
determined that the grant proposed will comply with subsection (f);
(5)include, for the
residency program described in subsection (d)(3)—
(A)a demonstration
that the schools and departments within the institution of higher education
that are part of the residency program have relevant and essential roles in the
effective preparation of teachers, including content expertise and expertise in
the science of teaching and learning;
(B)a demonstration
of capability and commitment to evidence-based teaching and accessibility to,
and involvement of, faculty documented by professional development offered to
staff and documented experience with university collaborations;
(C)a description of
how the residency program will design and implement an induction period to
support all new teachers through not less than the first 2 years of teaching in
the further development of their teaching skills, including use of mentors who
are trained and compensated by such program for their work with new teachers;
and
(D)a description of
how faculty involved in the residency program will be able to substantially
participate in an early childhood education program or an elementary or
secondary classroom setting, including release time and receiving workload
credit for their participation; and
(6)include an
assurance that the partnership has mechanisms in place to measure and assess
the effectiveness and impact of the activities to be undertaken, including on
student achievement.
(d)An eligible partnership that receives a grant under this
section shall use the grant funds to carry out the following activities, as
applicable to teachers, early childhood education providers, or principals, in
accordance with the needs assessment required under subsection (c)(1):
(1)Implementing
reforms within teacher preparation programs, where needed, to hold the programs
accountable for preparing teachers who are highly qualified or early childhood
education providers who are highly competent and for promoting strong teaching
skills, including integrating reliable evidence-based teaching methods into the
curriculum, which curriculum shall include parental involvement training and
programs designed to successfully integrate technology into teaching and
learning. Such reforms shall include—
(A)teacher
preparation program curriculum changes that improve, and assess how well all
new teachers develop, teaching skills;
(B)use of scientific
knowledge about the disciplines of teaching and learning so that all
prospective teachers—
(i)understand
evidence-based teaching practices;
(ii)have knowledge
of student learning methods; and
(iii)possess
teaching skills that enable them to meet the learning needs of all
students;
(C)assurances that
all teachers have a sufficient base of scientific knowledge to understand and
respond effectively to students with special needs, such as providing
instruction to diverse student populations, including students with
disabilities, limited-English proficient students, students with low literacy
levels, and students with different learning styles or other special learning
needs;
(D)assurances that
the most recent scientifically based research, including research relevant to
particular fields of teaching, is incorporated into professional development
activities used by faculty; and
(E)working with and
involving parents in their children’s education to improve the academic
achievement of their children and in the teacher preparation program reform
process.
(2)Clinical
experience and interactionDeveloping and providing sustained and
high-quality preservice clinical education programs to further develop the
teaching skills of all general education teachers and special education
teachers, at schools within the partnership, at the school or department of
education within the partner institution, or at evidence-based practice school
settings. Such programs shall—
(A)incorporate a
year-long, rigorous, and enriching activity or combination of activities,
including—
(i)clinical learning
opportunities;
(ii)field
experiences; and
(iii)supervised
practice; and
(B)be offered over
the course of a program of preparation and coursework (that may be developed as
a 5th year of a teacher preparation program) for prospective general and
special education teachers, including mentoring in instructional skills,
classroom management skills, collaboration skills, and strategies to
effectively assess student progress and achievement, and substantially
increasing closely supervised interaction between faculty and new and
experienced teachers, principals, and other administrators at early childhood
education programs, elementary schools, or secondary schools, and providing
support, including preparation time and release time, for such
interaction.
(3)Residency
programs for new teachersCreating a residency program that
provides an induction period for all new general education and special
education teachers for not less than such teachers’ first 2 years. Such program
shall promote the integration of the science of teaching and learning in the
classroom, provide high-quality induction opportunities (including mentoring),
provide opportunities for the dissemination of evidence-based research on
educational practices, and provide for opportunities to engage in professional
development activities offered through professional associations of educators.
Such program shall draw directly upon the expertise of teacher mentors,
faculty, and researchers that involves their active support in providing a
setting for integrating evidence-based practice for prospective teachers,
including rigorous, supervised training in high-quality teaching settings that
promotes the following:
(A)Knowledge of the
scientific research on teaching and learning.
(B)Development of
skills in evidence-based educational interventions.
(C)Faculty who model
the integration of research and practice in the classroom, and the effective
use and integration of technology.
(D)Interdisciplinary
collaboration among exemplary teachers, faculty, researchers, and other staff
who prepare new teachers on the learning process and the assessment of
learning.
(E)A forum for
information sharing among prospective teachers, teachers, principals,
administrators, and participating faculty in the partner institution.
(F)Application of
scientifically based research on teaching and learning generated by entities
such as the Institute of Education Sciences and by the National Research
Council.
(4)Creating opportunities for enhanced and ongoing
professional development for experienced general education and special
education teachers, early childhood education providers, principals,
administrators, and faculty that—
(A)improves the
academic content knowledge, as well as knowledge to assess student academic
achievement and how to use the results of such assessments to improve
instruction, of teachers in the subject matter or academic content areas in
which the teachers are certified to teach or in which the teachers are working
toward certification to teach;
(B)promotes strong
teaching skills and an understanding of how to apply scientific knowledge about
teaching and learning to their teaching practice and to their ongoing classroom
assessment of students;
(C)provides
mentoring, team teaching, reduced class schedules, and intensive professional
development;
(D)encourages and
supports training of teachers, principals, and administrators to effectively
use and integrate technology—
(i)into curricula
and instruction, including training to improve the ability to collect, manage,
and analyze data to improve teaching, decisionmaking, school improvement
efforts, and accountability; and
(ii)to enhance
learning by children, including students with disabilities, limited-English
proficient students, students with low literacy levels, and students with
different learning styles or other special learning needs;
(E)offers teachers,
principals, and administrators training on how to effectively communicate with,
work with, and involve parents in their children’s education;
(F)creates an
ongoing retraining loop for experienced teachers, principals, and
administrators, whereby the residency program activities and practices—
(i)inform the
research of faculty and other researchers; and
(ii)translate
evidence-based research findings into improved practice techniques and improved
teacher preparation programs; and
(G)includes the
rotation, for varying periods of time, of experienced teachers—
(i)who are
associated with the partnership to early childhood education programs,
elementary schools, or secondary schools not associated with the partnership in
order to enable such experienced teachers to act as a resource for all teachers
in the local educational agency or State; and
(ii)who are not
associated with the partnership to early childhood education programs,
elementary schools, or secondary schools associated with the partnership in
order to enable such experienced teachers to observe how teaching and
professional development occurs in the partnership.
(5)Support and
training for participantsProviding support and training for
those individuals participating in the required activities under paragraphs (1)
through (4) who serve as role models or mentors for prospective, new, and
experienced teachers, based on such individuals’ experience. Such
support—
(A)also may be
provided to the preservice clinical experience participants, as appropriate;
and
(B)may
include—
(i)release time for
such individual’s participation;
(ii)receiving course
workload credit and compensation for time teaching in the partnership
activities; and
(iii)stipends.
(6)Leadership and
managerial skills
(A)Developing and implementing proven mechanisms to provide
principals, superintendents, early childhood education program directors, and
administrators (and mentor teachers, as practicable) with—
(i)an understanding
of the skills and behaviors that contribute to effective instructional
leadership and the maintenance of a safe and effective learning
environment;
(ii)teaching and
assessment skills needed to support successful classroom teaching;
(iii)an
understanding of how students learn and develop in order to increase
achievement for all students; and
(iv)the skills to
effectively involve parents.
(B)The
mechanisms developed and implemented pursuant to subparagraph (A) may include
any of the following:
(i)Mentoring of new
principals.
(ii)Field-based
experiences, supervised practica, or internship opportunities.
(iii)Other
activities to expand the knowledge base and practical skills of principals,
superintendents, early childhood education program directors, and
administrators (and mentor teachers, as practicable).
(e)An eligible partnership that receives a grant under this
section may use such funds to carry out the following activities:
(1)Dissemination
and coordinationBroadly disseminating information on effective
practices used by the partnership, including teaching strategies and
interactive materials for developing skills in classroom management and
assessment and how to respond to individual student needs, abilities, and
backgrounds, to early childhood education providers and teachers in elementary
schools or secondary schools that are not associated with the partnership.
Coordinating with the activities of the Governor, State board of education,
State higher education agency, and State educational agency, as
appropriate.
(2)Supporting preparation time for early childhood
education providers, teachers in elementary schools or secondary schools, and
faculty to jointly design and implement teacher preparation curricula,
classroom experiences, and ongoing professional development opportunities that
promote the acquisition and continued growth of teaching skills.
(3)Developing strategies and curriculum-based professional
development activities to enhance prospective teachers’ communication skills
with students, parents, colleagues, and other education professionals.
(4)Coordination
with other institutions of higher educationCoordinating with
other institutions of higher education, including community colleges, to
implement teacher preparation programs that support prospective teachers in
obtaining baccalaureate degrees and State certification or licensure.
(5)Activities described in subsections (d) and (e) of
section 204.
(6)Developing, for teacher preparation program
improvement purposes, methods and infrastructure to assess retention rates in
the teaching field of teacher preparation program graduates and the achievement
outcomes of such graduates’ students.
(f)No individual member of an eligible partnership shall retain
more than 50 percent of the funds made available to the partnership under this
section.
(g)Nothing
in this section shall be construed to prohibit an eligible partnership from
using grant funds to coordinate with the activities of more than 1 Governor,
State board of education, State educational agency, local educational agency,
or State agency for higher
education.
.
5.Section 204 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1024) is amended to read as follows:
204.
(a)From amounts made available under section 211(3) for a
fiscal year, the Secretary is authorized to award grants, on a competitive
basis, to eligible applicants to enable the eligible applicants to carry out
activities described in subsections (d) and (e).
(b)Eligible
Applicant DefinedIn this part, the term eligible
applicant means—
(1)an eligible State
described in section 202(b) that has—
(A)high teacher
shortages or annual turnover rates; or
(B)high teacher
shortages or annual turnover rates of 20 percent or more in high-need local
educational agencies; or
(2)an eligible
partnership described in section 203(b) that—
(A)serves not less
than 1 high-need local educational agency with high teacher shortages or annual
turnover rates of 20 percent or more;
(B)serves schools
that demonstrate great difficulty meeting State challenging academic content
standards; or
(C)demonstrates
great difficulty meeting the requirement that teachers be highly
qualified.
(c)Any
eligible applicant desiring to receive a grant under this section shall submit
an application to the Secretary at such time, in such form, and containing such
information as the Secretary may require, including—
(1)a description of
the assessment that the eligible applicant, and the other entities with whom
the eligible applicant will carry out the grant activities, have undertaken to
determine the most critical needs of the participating high-need local
educational agencies;
(2)a description of
how the eligible applicant will recruit and retain highly qualified teachers or
other qualified individuals, including principals and early childhood education
providers, or both, who are enrolled in, accepted to, or plan to participate in
teacher preparation programs or professional development activities, as
described under section 203, in geographic areas of greatest need, including
data on the retention rate, by school, of all teachers in schools located
within the geographic areas served by the eligible applicant;
(3)a description of
the activities the eligible applicant will carry out with the grant; and
(4)a description of
the eligible applicant’s plan for continuing the activities carried out with
the grant once Federal funding ceases.
(d)An eligible applicant receiving a grant under this
section shall use the grant funds—
(1)(A)to award scholarships
to help students pay the costs of tuition, room, board, and other expenses of
completing a teacher preparation program;
(B)to provide support services, if
needed, to enable scholarship recipients to complete postsecondary education
programs;
(C)for followup services (including
induction opportunities, mentoring, and professional development activities)
provided to former scholarship recipients during not less than the recipients'
first 2 years of teaching; and
(D)in the case where the eligible
applicant also receives a grant under section 203, for support and training for
mentor teachers who participate in the residency program; or
(2)to develop and
implement effective mechanisms, including a professional development system and
career ladders, to ensure that high-need local educational agencies, high-need
schools, and early childhood education programs are able to effectively recruit
and retain highly competent early childhood education providers, highly
qualified teachers, and principals.
(e)An eligible applicant receiving a grant under this
section may use the grant funds to carry out the following:
(1)Conducting
outreach and coordinating with urban and rural secondary schools to encourage
students to pursue teaching as a career.
(2)Early childhood
education compensationFor eligible applicants focusing on early
childhood education, implementing initiatives that increase compensation of
early childhood education providers who attain degrees in early childhood
education.
(3)Developing, for teacher preparation program
improvement purposes, methods and infrastructure to assess retention rates in
the teaching field of teacher preparation program graduates and the achievement
outcomes of such graduates’ students.
(f)The Secretary shall establish such requirements as
the Secretary finds necessary to ensure that recipients of scholarships under
this section who complete teacher education programs subsequently teach in a
high-need local educational agency, for a period of time equivalent to the
period for which the recipients receive scholarship assistance, or repay the
amount of the scholarship. The Secretary shall use any such repayments to carry
out additional activities under this
section.
.
6.Administrative
provisionsSection 205 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1025) is amended—
(1)in subsection
(a)—
(A)in the heading,
by striking One-Time
Awards;
;
(B)by striking
paragraph (2); and
(C)by redesignating
paragraph (3) as paragraph (2);
(2)in subsection
(b)—
(A)by redesignating
paragraph (3) as paragraph (4);
(B)by striking
paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
(2)The peer review panel shall be composed of experts who are
competent, by virtue of their training, expertise, or experience, to evaluate
applications for grants under this part. A majority of the panel shall be
composed of individuals who are not employees of the Federal
Government.
;
(C)by inserting
after paragraph (2) the following:
(3)The peer review panel shall evaluate the applicants’
proposals to improve the current and future teaching force through program and
certification reforms, teacher preparation program activities (including
implementation and assessment strategies), and professional development
activities described in sections 202, 203, and 204, as appropriate. In
recommending applications to the Secretary for funding under this part, the
peer review panel shall—
(A)with respect to
grants under section 202, give priority to eligible States that—
(i)have initiatives
to reform State program approval requirements for teacher preparation programs
that are designed to ensure that current and future teachers are highly
qualified and possess strong teaching skills, knowledge to assess student
academic achievement, and the ability to use this information in such teachers’
classroom instruction;
(ii)include
innovative reforms to hold institutions of higher education with teacher
preparation programs accountable for preparing teachers who are highly
qualified and have strong teaching skills; or
(iii)involve the
development of innovative efforts aimed at reducing the shortage of—
(I)highly qualified
teachers in high-poverty urban and rural areas; and
(II)highly qualified
teachers in fields with persistently high teacher shortages, including special
education;
(B)with respect to
grants under section 203—
(i)give priority to
applications from eligible partnerships that involve broad participation within
the community, including businesses; and
(ii)take into
consideration—
(I)providing an
equitable geographic distribution of the grants throughout the United States;
and
(II)the potential of
the proposed activities for creating improvement and positive change;
and
(C)with respect to
grants under section 204, give priority to eligible applicants that have in
place, or in progress, articulation agreements between 2- and 4-year public and
private institutions of higher education and nonprofit providers of
professional development with demonstrated experience in professional
development activities.
;
and
(D)by adding at the
end the following:
(5)Payment of fees
and expenses of certain membersThe Secretary may use available
funds appropriated to carry out this part to pay the expenses and fees of peer
review panel members who are not employees of the Federal
Government.
;
and
(3)by striking
subsection (e) and inserting the following:
(e)For each fiscal year, the Secretary may expend not
more than $500,000 or 0.75 percent of the funds appropriated to carry out this
title for such fiscal year, whichever amount is greater, to provide technical
assistance to States and partnerships receiving grants under this
part.
.
7.Accountability
and evaluationSection 206 of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1026) is amended—
(1)in subsection
(a)—
(A)in the matter
preceding paragraph (1)—
(i)by
striking Committee on Labor and Human Resources
and inserting
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
; and
(ii)by
striking Committee on Education and the Workforce
and inserting
Committee on Education and Labor
;
(B)in paragraph (2),
by striking , including,
and all that follows through the period
and inserting as a highly qualified teacher.
;
(C)in paragraph
(3)—
(i)by
striking highly
; and
(ii)by
striking the period at the end and inserting that meet the same
standards and criteria of State certification or licensure
programs.
;
(D)by striking
paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
(4)Teacher and
provider qualifications
(A)Elementary and
secondary school classesIncreasing the percentage of elementary
school and secondary school classes taught by teachers—
(i)who have strong
teaching skills and are highly qualified;
(ii)who have
completed preparation programs that provide such teachers with the scientific
knowledge about the disciplines of teaching, learning, and child and adolescent
development so the teachers understand and use evidence-based teaching skills
to meet the learning needs of all students; or
(iii)who have
completed a residency program through not less than their first 2 years of
teaching that includes mentoring by faculty who are trained and compensated for
their work with new teachers.
(B)Early childhood
education programsIncreasing the percentage of classrooms in
early childhood education programs taught by providers who are highly
competent.
;
(E)by striking
paragraph (5) and inserting the following:
(5)Decreasing shortages of—
(A)qualified
teachers and principals in poor urban and rural areas; and
(B)qualified
teachers in fields with persistently high teacher shortages, including special
education.
;
and
(F)by striking
paragraph (6) and inserting the following:
(6)Increasing
opportunities for professional developmentIncreasing
opportunities for enhanced and ongoing professional development that—
(A)improves—
(i)the knowledge and
skills of early childhood education providers;
(ii)the knowledge of
teachers in special education;
(iii)the knowledge
of general education teachers, principals, and administrators about special
education content and instructional practices;
(iv)the knowledge
and skills to assess student academic achievement and use the results of such
assessments to improve instruction;
(v)the knowledge of
subject matter or academic content areas—
(I)in which the
teachers are certified or licensed to teach; or
(II)in which the
teachers are working toward certification or licensure to teach; or
(vi)the knowledge
and skills to effectively communicate with, work with, and involve parents in
their children’s education;
(B)promotes strong
teaching skills and an understanding of how to apply scientific knowledge about
teaching and learning to teachers’ teaching practice and to teachers’ ongoing
classroom assessment of students; and
(C)provides enhanced
instructional leadership and management skills for
principals.
;
(2)in subsection
(b)—
(A)in the matter
preceding paragraph (1), by striking for
and inserting
for teachers, early childhood education providers, or principals, as
appropriate, according to the needs assessment required under section
203(c)(1), for
; and
(B)by striking
paragraphs (1) through (6) and inserting the following:
(1)increased
demonstration by program graduates of teaching skills grounded in scientific
knowledge about the disciplines of teaching and learning;
(2)increased student
achievement for all students as measured by the partnership, including
mechanisms to measure student achievement due to the specific activities
conducted by the partnership;
(3)increased teacher
retention in the first 3 years of a teacher’s career based, in part, on teacher
retention data collected as described in section 203(c)(3)(H);
(4)increased success
in the pass rate for initial State certification or licensure of
teachers;
(5)increased
percentage of elementary school and secondary school classes taught by teachers
who are highly qualified;
(6)increased
percentage of early childhood education program classes taught by providers who
are highly competent;
(7)increased
percentage of early childhood education programs and elementary school and
secondary school classes taught by providers and teachers who demonstrate
clinical judgment, communication, and problem-solving skills resulting from
participation in a residency program;
(8)increased
percentage of highly qualified special education teachers;
(9)increased number
of general education teachers trained in working with students with
disabilities, limited-English proficient students, and students with different
learning styles or other special learning needs;
(10)increased number
of teachers trained in technology; and
(11)increased number
of teachers, early childhood education providers, or principals prepared to
work effectively with parents.
;
and
(3)in subsection
(d)—
(A)by inserting
, with particular attention to the reports and evaluations provided by
the eligible States and eligible partnerships pursuant to this section,
after funded under this part
;
(B)by striking
Committee on Labor and Human Resources
and inserting
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
; and
(C)by striking
Committee on Education and the Workforce
and inserting
Committee on Education and Labor
.
8.Accountability
for programs that prepare teachersSection 207 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1027) is amended—
(1)by striking
subsection (a);
(2)by redesignating
subsections (b) through (f) as subsections (a) through (e),
respectively;
(3)in subsection
(a), as redesignated by paragraph (2)—
(A)in the matter
preceding paragraph (1), by striking , within 2 years
and all
that follows through the following
and inserting , on an
annual basis and in a uniform and comprehensible manner that conforms with the
definitions and reporting methods previously developed for teacher preparation
programs by the Commissioner for Education Statistics, a State report card on
the quality of teacher preparation in the State, which shall include not less
than the following
;
(B)in paragraph
(4)—
(i)by
striking teaching candidates
and inserting prospective
teachers
; and
(ii)by
striking candidate
and inserting prospective
teacher
;
(C)in paragraph
(5)—
(i)by
striking teaching candidates
and inserting prospective
teachers
;
(ii)by
striking teacher candidate
and inserting prospective
teacher
; and
(iii)by striking
candidate’s
and inserting teacher’s
;
(D)in paragraph (7),
by inserting how the State has ensured that the alternative
certification routes meet the same State standards and criteria for teacher
certification or licensure,
after if any,
; and
(E)in paragraph
(8)—
(i)by
striking teacher candidate
and inserting prospective
teacher
; and
(ii)by
inserting (including the ability to provide instruction to diverse
student populations (including students with disabilities, limited-English
proficient students, and students with different learning styles or other
special learning needs) and the ability to effectively communicate with, work
with, and involve parents in their children’s education)
after
skills
;
(F)by adding at the
end the following:
(10)Information on
the extent to which teachers or prospective teachers in each State are prepared
to work in partnership with parents and involve parents in their children’s
education.
;
(4)in subsection
(b)(1), as redesignated by paragraph (2)—
(A)by striking
not later than 6 months of the date of enactment of the Higher Education
Amendments of 1998 and
;
(B)by striking
subsection (b)
and inserting subsection
(a)
;
(C)by striking
Committee on Labor and Human Resources
and inserting
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
;
(D)by striking
Committee on Education and the Workforce
and inserting
Committee on Education and Labor
; and
(E)by striking
not later than 9 months after the date of enactment of the Higher
Education Amendments of 1998
;
(5)in subsection
(c)(1), as redesignated by paragraph (2)—
(A)by striking
(9) of subsection (b)
and inserting (10) of subsection
(a)
; and
(B)by striking
and made available not later than 2 years 6 months after the date of
enactment of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 and annually
thereafter
and inserting , and made available annually
;
and
(6)in subsection
(e)(1), as redesignated by paragraph (2)—
(A)by striking
not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of the Higher
Education Amendments of 1998 and annually thereafter, shall report
and
inserting shall report annually
; and
(B)by striking
methods established under subsection (a)
and inserting
reporting methods developed for teacher preparation
programs
.
9.Section 208 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1028) is amended—
(1)in subsection
(a)—
(A)by striking
, not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of the Higher
Education Amendments of 1998,
;
(B)by inserting
and within entities providing alternative routes to teacher
preparation
after institutions of higher
education
;
(C)by inserting
and entities
after low-performing
institutions
;
(D)by inserting
and entities
after those institutions
; and
(E)by striking
207(b)
and inserting 207(a)
;
(2)by redesignating
subsections (b) and (c) as subsections (c) and (d), respectively;
(3)by inserting
after subsection (a) the following:
(b)In order to receive funds under this Act, a State shall
submit a State teacher quality plan that—
(1)details how such
funds will ensure that all teachers are highly qualified; and
(2)indicates whether
each teacher preparation program in the State that has not been designated as
low-performing under subsection (a) is of sufficient quality to meet all State
standards and produce highly qualified teachers with the teaching skills needed
to teach effectively in the schools of the
State.
;
(4)in subsection
(c), as redesignated by paragraph (2)—
(A)in paragraph (1),
by striking of Education
; and
(B)in paragraph (2),
by striking of this Act
; and
(5)in subsection
(d), as redesignated by paragraph (2), by striking subsection
(b)(2)
and inserting subsection (c)(2)
.
10.Academies for
Faculty ExcellencePart A of
title II of the Higher Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021 et seq.) is amended—
(1)by redesignating
section 210 as section 211; and
(2)by inserting
after section 209 the following:
210.Academies for
Faculty Excellence
(a)From amounts made available under subsection (e), the
Secretary is authorized to award grants to eligible entities to enable such
entities to create Academies for Faculty Excellence.
(b)In this section:
(1)The term eligible entity means a consortium
composed of institutions of higher education that—
(A)award doctoral
degrees in education; and
(B)are partner
institutions (as such term is defined in section 203).
(2)The
term eligible entity may include the following:
(A)Institutions of
higher education that—
(i)do not award
doctoral degrees in education; and
(ii)are partner
institutions (as such term is defined in section 203).
(B)Nonprofit
entities with expertise in preparing highly qualified teachers.
(c)An
eligible entity desiring to receive a grant under this section shall submit an
application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information as the Secretary may require, including—
(1)a description of
how the eligible entity will provide professional development that is grounded
in scientifically based research to faculty;
(2)evidence that the
eligible entity is well versed in current scientifically based research related
to teaching and learning across content areas and fields;
(3)a description of
the assessment that the eligible entity will undertake to determine the most
critical needs of the faculty who will be served by the Academies for Faculty
Excellence; and
(4)a description of
the activities the eligible entity will carry out with grant funds received
under this section, how the entity will include faculty in the activities, and
how the entity will conduct these activities in collaboration with programs and
projects that receive Federal funds from the Institute of Education
Sciences.
(d)Each eligible entity that receives a grant under this
section shall use the grant funds to enhance the caliber of teaching undertaken
in preparation programs for teachers, early childhood education providers, and
principals and other administrators through the establishment and maintenance
of a postdoctoral system of professional development by carrying out the
following:
(1)Recruit
a faculty of experts who are knowledgeable about scientifically based research
related to teaching and learning, who have direct experience working with
teachers and students in school settings, who are capable of implementing
scientifically based research to improve teaching practice and student
achievement in school settings, and who are capable of providing professional
development to faculty and others responsible for preparing teachers, early
childhood education providers, principals, and administrators.
(2)Professional
development curriculaDevelop a series of professional
development curricula to be used by the Academies for Faculty Excellence and
disseminated broadly to teacher preparation programs nationwide.
(3)Professional
development experiencesSupport the development of a range of
ongoing professional development experiences (including the use of the
Internet) for faculty to ensure that such faculty are knowledgeable about
effective evidence-based practice in teaching and learning. Such experiences
shall promote joint faculty activities that link content and pedagogy.
(4)Provide fellowships, scholarships, and stipends for
teacher educators to participate in various faculty development programs
offered by the Academies for Faculty Excellence.
(e)Authorization
of AppropriationsThere are authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this section $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2008 and such sums as may be
necessary for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal
years.
.
11.Authorization
of appropriationsSection 211
of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1030), as redesignated by section 10, is amended—
(1)by striking
part $300,000,000 for fiscal year 1999
and inserting
part, other than section 210, $500,000,000 for fiscal year
2008
;
(2)by striking
4 succeeding
and inserting 5 succeeding
;
(3)in paragraph (1),
by striking 45
and inserting 20
;
(4)in paragraph (2),
by striking 45
and inserting 60
; and
(5)in paragraph (3),
by striking 10
and inserting 20
.