[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2896 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2896

To recruit, support, and prepare principals to improve student academic 
                   achievement at high-need schools.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           December 17, 2009

  Mr. Franken (for himself, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Brown, and Mr. 
    Carper) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To recruit, support, and prepare principals to improve student academic 
                   achievement at high-need schools.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``School Principal Recruitment and 
Training Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to recruit, support, and prepare 
principals to improve student academic achievement at high-need 
schools.

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Research shows that school leadership quality is second 
        only to teacher quality among school-related factors in its 
        impact on student learning.
            (2) While teacher quality has the greatest impact on 
        student learning, principal quality is a key determinant of 
        whether schools can attract and retain effective teachers.
            (3) Many districts have reported shortages of qualified 
        principals. In most areas of the country, the problem is not a 
        shortage of certified principals, but rather a shortage of 
        qualified principals who are willing to take on the challenge 
        of working in high-need schools and underserved communities.
            (4) The quality of preparation that principals receive 
        influences their willingness to take on the challenge of 
        leading high-need schools. It also influences their ability to 
        succeed and their willingness to remain in their positions. 
        Investing in principal preparation is therefore critical to 
        satisfying the demand for qualified principals in high-need 
        schools, and decreasing the turnover rate among principals in 
        those schools.
            (5) The Stanford Educational Leadership Institute recently 
        found that principals who participated in high-quality pre- and 
        in-service leadership development programs feel significantly 
        better prepared for virtually every aspect of principal 
        practice, are more committed to staying in their jobs, spend 
        more time on instructionally focused work, and make developing 
        and supporting their teachers a priority.
            (6) Most high-need school districts lack adequate 
        strategies for identifying school staff who demonstrate the 
        potential to be effective principals, preparing them to lead 
        high-need schools, and supporting them once they commence their 
        work as principals.
            (7) Principals need both management and instructional 
        leadership skills to be effective. Yet most principal 
        preparation programs fail to devote adequate attention and 
        resources to training principals in instructional leadership.
            (8) Without effective principals, struggling schools will 
        have difficulty using resources provided under the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and other Federal laws to 
        improve student learning.

SEC. 4. PROGRAM ESTABLISHMENT AND ACTIVITIES.

    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:

     ``Subpart 6--Principal Recruitment and Training Grant Program

``SEC. 2161. PROGRAM ESTABLISHMENT AND ACTIVITIES.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
                    ``(A) a local educational agency; or
                    ``(B) at least 1 of the following organizations 
                that has a partnership with 1 or more local educational 
                agencies:
                            ``(i) a nonprofit organization;
                            ``(ii) an educational service agency;
                            ``(iii) an institution of higher education; 
                        or
                            ``(iv) a State educational agency.
            ``(2) High-need school.--The term `high-need school' means 
        a public school, including a public charter school, that meets 
        1 or more of the following criteria:
                    ``(A) Not less than 40 percent of the students 
                enrolled are eligible for the school lunch program 
                established under the Richard B. Russell National 
                School Lunch Act.
                    ``(B) In the case of a public high school, has a 
                graduation rate of 65 percent or less.
                    ``(C) In the case of a public school containing 
                middle grades, feeds into a public high school that has 
                a graduation rate of 65 percent or less.
                    ``(D) Is a rural school served by a local 
                educational agency that is eligible within the meaning 
                of section 6211(b)(1) or 6221(b)(1).
            ``(3) High school.--The term `high school' means a 
        secondary school in which the--
                    ``(A) entering grade of the school is not lower 
                than grade 6; and
                    ``(B) highest grade of the school is--
                            ``(i) grade 12; or
                            ``(ii) in the case of a secondary school 
                        approved by a State to issue a regular diploma 
                        concurrently with a postsecondary degree or 
                        with not more than 2 years' worth of 
                        postsecondary academic credit, grade 13.
            ``(4) Middle grades.--The term `middle grades' means any of 
        grades 5 through 8.
            ``(5) Graduation rate.--The term `graduation rate' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 1111(b)(2)(C)(vi), as 
        clarified in section 200.19(b)(1) of title 34, Code of Federal 
        Regulations.
    ``(b) Program Authorized.--
            ``(1) National principal recruitment and training grant 
        program.--The Secretary shall establish a multiyear national 
        principal recruitment and training grant program to award 
        grants to eligible entities to enable such entities to carry 
        out activities described in subsection (e).
            ``(2) Duration.--
                    ``(A) In general.--
                            ``(i) 5 year duration.--A grant awarded 
                        under this section shall be 5 years in 
                        duration.
                            ``(ii) Renewal.--The Secretary may--
                                    ``(I) renew a grant awarded under 
                                this section based on performance; and
                                    ``(II) in renewing a grant under 
                                subclause (I), award the grantee 
                                increased funding to scale up or 
                                replicate the grantee's program.
                    ``(B) Performance.--The primary consideration in 
                determining performance shall be the impact of the 
                grantee's program, as evidenced by improved student 
                learning and outcomes, and improved school functioning 
                in high-need schools led by principals who have 
                received training or other support from a program 
                carried out with funds from a grant awarded under this 
                section. With respect to schools led for 3 or more 
                years by such principals, the Secretary shall examine 
                whether such schools are making greater gains in 
                student learning and outcomes, as evidenced by multiple 
                measures, including secondary school graduation rates, 
                academic assessments, Advanced Placement and 
                International Baccalaureate enrollment rates and test 
                scores, and other student-level outcome data, than 
                similar schools elsewhere. In determining performance, 
                the Secretary shall consider information provided in 
                accordance with subsections (f) and (i).
    ``(c) Application.--An eligible entity that desires a grant under 
this section shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, 
in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary 
may require. Such application shall include--
            ``(1) a demonstration that the entity has sufficient 
        capacity to implement the activities described in subsection 
        (e) that the entity proposes to implement;
            ``(2) a demonstration that the entity has a track record or 
        a clear plan for preparing principal trainees and principals to 
        improve student academic achievement in high-need schools; and
            ``(3) a demonstration that the entity has a track record or 
        a clear plan for providing principals trained by the entity 
        with the guidance, support, and tools they need to improve 
        student academic achievement in high-need schools, which may 
        include providing principals with tangible resources, such as 
        funding to ensure supports for quality teaching, and 
        decisionmaking authority over areas such as personnel, budget, 
        curriculum, or scheduling.
    ``(d) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that are focused on 
high-need schools in urban or rural areas.
    ``(e) Activities.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each eligible entity that receives a 
        grant under this section shall use grant funds for the 
        following:
                    ``(A) To recruit, select, train, and support 
                aspiring or current principals, or both, for work in 
                high-need schools, which may include identifying 
                current principals with track records of transforming 
                student learning and outcomes, and preparing such 
                principals to lead the highest-need schools.
                    ``(B) To provide aspiring principals selected by 
                the entity with a pre-service residency that is not 
                less than 1 year in length, combined with focused 
                coursework on instructional leadership, organizational 
                management, and the use of a variety of data for 
                purposes of instructional leadership and organizational 
                management, as well as ongoing support and professional 
                development for at least 2 years after the aspiring 
                principals complete the residency and commence work as 
                school leaders.
                    ``(C) To provide mentoring and professional 
                development to current principals selected by the 
                entity to strengthen the principals' capacity to--
                            ``(i) engage in effective instructional 
                        leadership practices; and
                            ``(ii) use a variety of data for purposes 
                        of instruction, supervision, evaluation, and 
                        development of teachers and development of 
                        highly-effective school organizations.
            ``(2) Specific activities.--Each eligible entity that 
        receives a grant under this section shall carry out the 
        following activities:
                    ``(A)(i) Recruiting, selecting, and providing 
                training and professional development to individuals 
                who--
                            ``(I) are or aspire to be principals in 
                        high-need schools;
                            ``(II) share the belief that every student, 
                        regardless of background, can achieve at high 
                        levels;
                            ``(III) with respect to aspiring 
                        principals, have been effective teachers, 
                        school counselors, or assistant principals, 
                        have knowledge of effective instruction, and 
                        have demonstrated a capacity for leadership; 
                        and
                            ``(IV) sign an agreement to serve for not 
                        less than 4 years in a high-need school, and 
                        upon qualification for and placement in 
                        principalships, work to ensure that the schools 
                        they will lead improve student academic 
                        achievement substantially within 3 to 6 years.
                    ``(ii) The Secretary shall establish, by 
                regulation, categories of extenuating circumstances 
                under which an individual who is unable to fulfill all 
                or part of the individual's service obligation under 
                clause (i)(IV) may be excused from fulfilling that 
                portion of the service obligation.
                    ``(B) Assessing the skills of each aspiring 
                principal prior to the individual's pre-service 
                residency to determine the individual's strengths and 
                improvement needs, and using such data to assist in 
                developing and refining a data-based professional 
                development plan that guides the individual's year-long 
                residency. Such assessment may occur through the 
                aspiring principal selection process described in 
                subparagraph (A).
                    ``(C) For selected aspiring principals, providing 
                training during a year-long pre-service residency that 
                includes coaching from an effective principal, hands-on 
                instructional leadership experience, and a curriculum 
                that may include topics such as--
                            ``(i) effective instructional practices;
                            ``(ii) recruiting, supporting, and 
                        retaining effective staff;
                            ``(iii) improving instructional practices 
                        through the purposeful observation and 
                        evaluation of teachers, and through the 
                        provision of regular and direct feedback to 
                        teachers;
                            ``(iv) providing teachers and staff with 
                        focused, sustained, and research-based 
                        professional development, including job-
                        embedded professional development that supports 
                        teachers and staff in setting their own goals 
                        and working in collaboration with fellow 
                        teachers and staff to meet those goals;
                            ``(v) developing distributed leadership 
                        teams, which may include principals, assistant 
                        principals, and effective teachers and staff, 
                        to implement school improvement strategies;
                            ``(vi) facilitating the development and 
                        implementation of a school vision and strategic 
                        plan using a variety of data providing evidence 
                        of student and school outcomes;
                            ``(vii) aligning all aspects of a school 
                        culture to student and adult learning;
                            ``(viii) monitoring and improving the 
                        alignment and effectiveness of curriculum, 
                        instruction, and assessment, using a variety of 
                        data providing evidence of student and school 
                        outcomes;
                            ``(ix) addressing the needs of specific 
                        student populations served, such as students 
                        with disabilities, students who are limited 
                        English proficient, rural students, and 
                        students who have experienced trauma, 
                        homelessness, or placement in the child welfare 
                        system;
                            ``(x) using technology and multiple sources 
                        of data to improve classroom instruction;
                            ``(xi) ensuring the integration of high-
                        quality formative and summative assessments 
                        into classroom instruction;
                            ``(xii) developing and managing school 
                        organizations, including managing budget 
                        resources and school time to support high-
                        quality instruction and student academic 
                        achievement, such as by extending the school 
                        day and year and providing common planning time 
                        to teachers and staff; and
                            ``(xiii) engaging community members, 
                        including parents, the local educational 
                        agency, and other community leaders, to 
                        leverage additional resources to improve 
                        student success.
                    ``(D) Providing targeted professional development 
                and training on topics which may include the topics 
                described in subparagraph (C), to individuals who have 
                completed the year-long pre-service residency for at 
                least 2 years after the individuals commence their work 
                as school leaders in high-need schools or to 
                participating current principals of high-need schools, 
                or to both.
                    ``(E) Developing and delivering high-quality, 
                differentiated, school-level support services to meet 
                the specific needs of high-need schools led by 
                individuals described in subparagraph (D), which may 
                include--
                            ``(i) support for the design of school-wide 
                        improvement plans based on the diagnosis of 
                        school conditions and needs informed by data 
                        and analysis of classroom and school practices;
                            ``(ii) support in conducting successful 
                        school-wide assessments;
                            ``(iii) support in organizing and training 
                        distributed leadership teams; and
                            ``(iv) other assistance from expert mentors 
                        or coaches to support--
                                    ``(I) analysis and evaluation of 
                                school practices;
                                    ``(II) development of strong 
                                instructional and organizational 
                                capacity;
                                    ``(III) productive use of 
                                assessments and data; and
                                    ``(IV) professional development for 
                                staff.
    ``(f) Reports.--
            ``(1) Annual report to secretary.--An eligible entity that 
        receives a grant under this section shall submit an annual 
        report to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
        containing such information as the Secretary may require, 
        including at minimum--
                    ``(A) data on the number and characteristics of 
                individuals who have received training or other support 
                from the grantee's program;
                    ``(B) data on the schools led by such individuals, 
                including--
                            ``(i) characteristics of the schools and 
                        the students they serve, including the number 
                        and percentage of students in each of the 
                        subgroups listed in section 
                        1111(b)(2)(C)(v)(II);
                            ``(ii) student academic achievement growth 
                        and other evidence of student academic success, 
                        disaggregated, where possible, by the subgroups 
                        listed in section 1111(b)(2)(C)(v);
                            ``(iii) student attendance;
                            ``(iv) student secondary school graduation 
                        and college-going rates, if applicable;
                            ``(v) Advanced Placement and International 
                        Baccalaureate enrollment rates and test scores, 
                        if applicable; and
                            ``(vi) recruitment, development, and 
                        retention of teachers who are deemed to be 
                        effective based on multiple measures;
                    ``(C) evidence that high-need schools led by 
                individuals described in subparagraph (A) have improved 
                in areas in which those individuals received training 
                or other support from the grantee's program; and
                    ``(D) data on the policies, systems, and processes 
                developed by the eligible entity for--
                            ``(i) identifying and recruiting aspiring 
                        or current principals, or both;
                            ``(ii) identifying schools with the highest 
                        need for effective school leaders; and
                            ``(iii) providing aspiring or current 
                        principals, or both, with training, support, 
                        and tools to improve student learning and 
                        outcomes at high-need schools.
            ``(2) Disaggregation of data.--In providing the information 
        pursuant to paragraph (1), each grantee that serves both 
        aspiring and current principals shall disaggregate the 
        information relating to principals who were trained to lead 
        high-need schools by the grantee's program before they 
        commenced their work as principals and principals who were in 
        principal positions before they received training or other 
        support from the grantee's program.
            ``(3) Permissible.--An eligible entity that receives a 
        grant under this section may include in the annual report under 
        paragraph (1) other evidence of progress in schools led by 
        principals trained by the entity.
    ``(g) Matching Requirement.--
            ``(1) Matching requirement.--
                    ``(A) In general.--An eligible entity that receives 
                a grant under this section shall contribute to the 
                activities assisted under such grant matching funds in 
                an amount equal to not less than 20 percent of the 
                amount of the grant from non-Federal sources.
                    ``(B) Matching funds.--The matching funds 
                requirement under subparagraph (A) may be met by--
                            ``(i) contributions that are--
                                    ``(I) in cash or in kind, fairly 
                                evaluated; and
                                    ``(II) from any private source, 
                                State educational agency, or local 
                                educational agency-determined 
                                allocation of public funding; and
                            ``(ii) payments of a salary or stipend to 
                        an aspiring principal during the aspiring 
                        principal's residency year.
                    ``(C) Indirect cost.--An eligible entity that 
                anticipates using matching funds for a programmatic 
                cost that is not directly tied to the application's 
                proposed project shall include in the entity's 
                application a request to the Secretary to do so, along 
                with a statement of the basis for the request.
            ``(2) Waiver.--The Secretary may waive or reduce the 
        matching requirement under paragraph (1) if the eligible entity 
        demonstrates a need for such waiver or reduction due to 
        financial hardship.
    ``(h) Supplement, Not Supplant.--Grant funds provided under this 
section shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, any other 
Federal or State funds otherwise available to carry out the activities 
described in this section.
    ``(i) Research, Evaluation, and Dissemination.--
            ``(1) Available funds.--Of the amounts appropriated to 
        carry out this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary may use 
        not more than 5 percent to carry out this subsection.
            ``(2) In general.--
                    ``(A) Research, evaluation, and dissemination 
                program.--The Secretary shall award a grant to 1 or 
                more research groups for the development of a high-
                quality evaluation and information clearinghouse system 
                to facilitate a sharing of best practices and inform--
                            ``(i) the recruitment, selection, training, 
                        and ongoing development of principals for high-
                        need schools;
                            ``(ii) the development of standards and 
                        definitions of principal effectiveness; and
                            ``(iii) the development of system-wide 
                        supports and policies critical to fostering the 
                        school and principal-level actions known to 
                        most often differentiate the most dramatically 
                        improved schools from others.
                    ``(B) Specific activities.--The evaluation and 
                information clearinghouse system described in 
                subparagraph (A) shall accomplish the following:
                            ``(i) Assessment of program.--
                                    ``(I) In general.--Assess the 
                                impact of each grantee's program, using 
                                evidence of program outcomes, 
                                including--
                                            ``(aa) the movement of 
                                        principals who received 
                                        training or other support 
                                        through a grant awarded under 
                                        this section into principal 
                                        positions in high-need schools;
                                            ``(bb) the retention of 
                                        such individuals in those 
                                        positions; and
                                            ``(cc) evidence that 
                                        principals who have received 
                                        training or other support 
                                        through a grant awarded under 
                                        this section are prepared to 
                                        lead high-need schools, and are 
                                        effective in improving and 
                                        leading such schools.
                                    ``(II) Examination.--The assessment 
                                described in subclause (I) shall--
                                            ``(aa) examine school 
                                        improvement and success based 
                                        on multiple indicators, 
                                        including student academic 
                                        achievement, student 
                                        attendance, and graduation and 
                                        college-going rates;
                                            ``(bb) include an analysis 
                                        of gains which, where possible, 
                                        should include a value-added 
                                        analysis of gains on the 
                                        indicators described in item 
                                        (aa) as compared to gains on 
                                        such indicators in similar 
                                        schools;
                                            ``(cc) include, where 
                                        possible, an examination of the 
                                        recruitment, development, and 
                                        retention of teachers who are 
                                        determined to be effective 
                                        based on multiple measures in 
                                        high-need schools led by 
                                        principals who have received 
                                        training or other support 
                                        through a grant awarded under 
                                        this section; and
                                            ``(dd) include an 
                                        examination of the changed 
                                        policies and practices 
                                        instituted by such principals 
                                        at the principals' schools, and 
                                        the relationship between such 
                                        policies and practices to 
                                        indicators of improved student 
                                        learning and outcomes at such 
                                        schools.
                            ``(ii) Factors that foster or hinder the 
                        success of programs.--Identify factors that 
                        foster or hinder the successful implementation 
                        of each grantee's program.
                            ``(iii) School-level support.--Evaluate the 
                        school-level support provided through each 
                        grantee's program.
                            ``(iv) Alignment of internal and external 
                        factors.--Identify the internal and external 
                        factors, including principal characteristics 
                        and skills, as well as principal 
                        accountability, supports, and decisionmaking 
                        authority, that need to be aligned in order to 
                        improve student learning and school success.
                            ``(v) Principal and program attributes and 
                        actions associated with dramatic school 
                        improvement.--Identify the attributes and 
                        actions of principals and training programs 
                        that appear to be associated with dramatic 
                        school improvement.
                            ``(vi) Principal and program attributes and 
                        actions associated with minimal school 
                        improvement.--Identify the attributes and 
                        actions of principals and training programs 
                        that appear to be associated with minimal or no 
                        school improvement.
                            ``(vii) Feedback to grantees.--Utilize the 
                        data described in clauses (i) through (vi) to 
                        provide information to each grantee that the 
                        grantee can use to drive program improvement.
                            ``(viii) Generate and disseminate 
                        information.--Generate and disseminate 
                        information to the field about what types of 
                        principal recruitment, selection, training, 
                        tools, supports, attributes, and actions are 
                        associated with--
                                    ``(I) substantial school 
                                improvement and student academic 
                                achievement growth at the elementary 
                                school, middle school, and high school 
                                levels; and
                                    ``(II) minimal or no school 
                                improvement and student academic 
                                achievement growth at the elementary 
                                school, middle school, and high school 
                                levels.
                    ``(C) Reporting schedule.--The Secretary shall work 
                with each research group awarded a grant under this 
                paragraph to develop a reporting schedule for a 
                research, evaluation, and dissemination plan that is 
                approved by the Secretary.
            ``(3) Report to congress.--The Secretary shall submit an 
        annual report to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
        Pensions of the Senate, the Committee on Appropriations of the 
        Senate, the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of 
        Representatives, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
        House of Representatives on the lessons learned through 
        programs funded with grants awarded under this section.
    ``(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary 
for fiscal year 2011 and each of the succeeding 9 fiscal years.''.
                                 <all>