II 110th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2212 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES October 19, 2007 Mr. Lieberman (for himself and Mr. Dodd) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To support the establishment and operation of Teachers Professional Development Institutes.

1.

Teachers professional development institutes

(a)

In general

Part A of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 6

Teachers professional development institutes

2161.

Short title

This subpart may be cited as the Teachers Professional Development Institutes Act.

2162.

Findings and purpose

(a)

Findings

The Congress makes the following findings: (1)Teaching is central to the educational process and the ongoing professional development of teachers in the subjects they teach is essential for improved student learning. (2)Attaining the goal of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107–110)—having a classroom teacher who is highly qualified in every academic subject the teacher teaches—will require innovative and effective approaches to improving the quality of teaching. (3)The Teachers Institute Model focuses on the continuing academic preparation of schoolteachers and the application of what they study to their classrooms and potentially to the classrooms of other teachers. (4)The Teachers Institute Model was developed initially by the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute and has successfully operated there for 30 years. (5)The Teachers Institute Model has also been successfully demonstrated over a 3-year period in a national demonstration project in cities larger than New Haven. (b)

Purpose

The purpose of this subpart is to provide Federal assistance to support the establishment and operation of Teachers Institutes for local educational agencies that serve significant low-income student populations in States throughout the Nation— (1)to improve student learning; and (2)to enhance the quality of teaching and strengthen the subject matter mastery and the pedagogical skills of current teachers through continuing teacher preparation.

2163.

Definitions

In this subpart: (1)

Significant low-income population

The term significant low-income population means a population of which not less than 25 percent of the individuals included are from families with incomes below the poverty line, as determined by the Secretary on the basis of the most recent satisfactory data. (2)

Teachers Institute

The term Teachers Institute means a partnership or joint venture between 1 or more institutions of higher education, and 1 or more local educational agencies with significant low-income populations, that is entered into for the purpose of improving the quality of teaching and learning through collaborative seminars designed to enhance both the subject matter and the pedagogical resources of the seminar participants.

2164.

Authority to make grants

(a)

In general

The Secretary is authorized— (1)to award grants to encourage the establishment and operation of Teachers Institutes; and (2)to provide technical assistance, either directly or through the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute, to assist local educational agencies and institutions of higher education in preparing to establish and in operating Teachers Institutes. (b)

Selection criteria

In selecting Teachers Institutes for grants under this subpart, the Secretary shall consider— (1)the extent to which the proposed Institute will serve a community or communities that have a significant low-income population; (2)the extent to which the proposed Institute will follow the understandings and necessary procedures that have been developed following the National Demonstration Project, as described in section 2166; (3)the extent to which the local educational agency has a high percentage of teachers who are unprepared or underprepared to teach the core academic subjects they are assigned to teach; and (4)the extent to which the proposed Teachers Institute will receive a level of support from the community and other sources that will ensure the requisite long-term commitment for the success of a Teachers Institute. (c)

Consultation

(1)

In general

In evaluating applications under subsection (b), the Secretary may request the advice and assistance of the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute or other Teachers Institutes. (2)

State agencies

If the Secretary receives 2 or more applications from local educational agencies within the same State, the Secretary shall consult with the State educational agency regarding the applications. (d)

Fiscal agent

For the purpose of this subpart, an institution of higher education participating in a Teachers Professional Development Institute shall serve as the fiscal agent for the receipt of grant funds under this subpart. (e)

Limitations

A grant under this subpart— (1)shall provide grant funds for a period not to exceed 5 years; and (2)shall not exceed 50 percent of the total costs of the eligible activities, as determined by the Secretary.

2165.

Eligible activities

(a)

In general

Grant funds under this subpart may be used— (1)for the planning and development of proposals for the establishment of Teachers Institutes; (2)for additional assistance to the Teachers Institutes established during the National Demonstration Project for their further development and for their support of the planning and development of proposals under paragraph (1); (3)for the salary and necessary expenses of a full-time director to plan and manage the Teachers Institute and to act as liaison between the local educational agency or agencies and the institution or institutions of higher education participating in the Institute; (4)to provide suitable office space, staff, equipment, and supplies, and to pay other operating expenses, for the Teachers Institute; (5)to provide a stipend for teachers participating in collaborative seminars in the sciences and humanities and to provide remuneration for members of the faculty of the participating institution of higher education leading the seminars; and (6)to provide for the dissemination through print and electronic means of curriculum units prepared in the seminars conducted by the Teachers Institute. (b)

Technical assistance

The Secretary may use not more than 50 percent of the funds appropriated to carry out this subpart to provide technical assistance to facilitate the establishment and operation of Teachers Institutes. For the purpose of this subsection, the Secretary may contract with the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute to provide all or a part of the technical assistance under this subsection.

2166.

Understandings and procedures

A Teachers Institute funded under this subpart shall abide by the following understandings and procedures: (1)

Partnership

The essential relationship of a Teachers Institute is a partnership between a local educational agency and an institution of higher education. A grantee shall demonstrate a long-term commitment on behalf of the participating local educational agency and an institution of higher education to the support, including the financial support, of the work of the Teachers Institute. (2)

Seminars

A Teachers Institute sponsors seminars led by faculty of the institution of higher education partner and attended by teachers from the local educational agency partner. A grantee shall provide participating teachers the ability to play an essential role in planning, organizing, conducting, and evaluating the seminars and in encouraging the future participation of other teachers. (3)

Curriculum unit

The seminar uses a collaborative process, in a collegial environment, to develop a curriculum unit for use by participating teachers that sets forth the subject matter to be presented and the pedagogical strategies to be employed. A grantee shall enable participating teachers to develop a curriculum unit, based on the subject matter presented, for use in their classrooms. (4)

Eligibility and remuneration

Seminars are open to all partnership teachers with teaching assignments relevant to the seminar topics. Seminar leaders receive remuneration for their work and participating teachers receive an honorarium or stipend upon the successful completion of the seminar. A grantee shall provide seminar leaders and participating teachers remuneration to allow them to participate in the Institute. (5)

Direction

The operations of a Teachers Institute are managed by a full-time director who reports to both partners but is accountable to the institution of higher education partner. A grantee shall appoint a director to manage and coordinate the work of the Institute. (6)

Evaluation

A grantee shall annually review the activities of the Institute and disseminate the results to members of the Institute’s partnership community.

2167.

Application, approval, and agreement

(a)

In general

To receive a grant under this subpart, a Teachers Institute shall submit an application to the Secretary that— (1)meets the requirement of this subpart and any regulations under this subpart; (2)includes a description of how the Teachers Institute intends to use funds provided under the grant; (3)includes such information as the Secretary may require to apply the criteria described in section 2164(b); (4)includes measurable objectives for the use of the funds provided under the grant; and (5)contains such other information and assurances as the Secretary may require. (b)

Approval

The Secretary shall— (1)promptly evaluate an application received for a grant under this subpart; and (2)notify the applicant within 90 days of the receipt of a completed application of the Secretary’s determination. (c)

Agreement

Upon approval of an application, the Secretary and the applicant shall enter into a comprehensive agreement covering the entire period of the grant.

2168.

Reports and evaluations

(a)

Report

Each Teachers Institute receiving a grant under this subpart shall report annually to the Secretary on the progress of the Institute in achieving the purpose of this subpart. (b)

Evaluation and dissemination

The Secretary shall evaluate the activities funded under this subpart and submit an annual report regarding the activities assisted under this subpart to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives. The Secretary shall broadly disseminate successful practices developed by Teachers Institutes. (c)

Revocation

If the Secretary determines that a Teachers Institute is not making substantial progress in meeting the purposes of the grant by the end of the second year of the grant under this subpart, the Secretary may take appropriate action, including revocation of further payments under the grant, to ensure that the funds available under this subpart are used in the most effective manner.

2169.

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated for grants, including planning grants, and technical assistance under this subpart— (1)$4,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; (2)$5,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; (3)$6,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; (4)$7,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and (5)$8,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.

. (b)

Table of contents

The table of contents of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 note) is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 2151 the following: SUBPART 6—Teachers professional development institutes Sec. 2161. Short title. Sec. 2162. Findings and purpose. Sec. 2163. Definitions. Sec. 2164. Authority to make grants. Sec. 2165. Eligible activities. Sec. 2166. Understandings and procedures. Sec. 2167. Application, approval, and agreement. Sec. 2168. Reports and evaluations. Sec. 2169. Authorization of appropriations. .