1.Professional development for
elementary school principals in early childhood education and
development
(a)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:
6Professional
development for elementary school principals in early childhood education and
development
2161.The purpose of this subpart is to improve
the knowledge of elementary school principals in areas related to early
childhood education and development in order to—
(1)create high
quality early learning environments;
(2)provide a
continuum of learning through the third grade with developmentally effective
and appropriate curricula and teaching practices;
(3)establish
partnerships and collaboration with community-based early childhood education
providers and families to better support—
(A)learning at each
stage;
(B)effective
transition among settings; and
(C)continuous family
engagement; and
(4)support school
readiness by providing high quality professional development for elementary
school principals.
2162.Definition of
principal competencies in early childhood education and development
(a)In this subpart, the
term principal competencies in early childhood education and
development means the skills that—
(1)elementary school principals must know and
be able to do; and
(2)are acquired through high quality
professional development in early childhood education and developmentally
appropriate practice.
(b)The principal competencies in early
childhood education and development include—
(1)supporting an
expanded continuum of learning through the third grade to ensure an effective
transition from early learning or home settings to the primary school
years;
(2)engaging the
school community to partner with early learning programs, and working with
families to set a shared vision for understanding early childhood
development;
(3)supporting
teachers through strong instructional leadership; and
(4)providing safe
and supportive early learning environments that focus on the needs of the whole
child, including the intellectual, social, emotional, physical, and nutritional
well-being of children; and
(5)utilizing
multiple measures of developmentally appropriate assessment and acquiring the
ability to manage and use data effectively to make instructional
decisions.
2163.
(a)
(1)The Secretary is authorized to award grants, on a
competitive basis, to partnerships described in paragraph (2) to enable the
partnerships to carry out the authorized activities described in subsection
(b).
(2)A
partnership referred to in paragraph (1) shall consist of—
(A)a public or
private entity with a demonstrated capacity to provide professional development
for elementary school principals;
(B)one or more
public agencies, including—
(i)a
local educational agency;
(ii)a State
educational agency;
(iii)a State human
services agency;
(iv)a State lead
agency administering a program under the Child Care and Development Block Grant
Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.);
(v)a
public agency administering a State funded prekindergarten program; or
(vi)a Head Start
agency, including an Early Head Start agency; and
(C)one or more early
childhood education organizations that provide professional development to
early childhood education providers.
(3)The
Secretary shall award a grant under this subpart for a period of not less than
3 years.
(4)The
Secretary may renew a grant under this subpart if the Secretary determines, on
the basis of the evaluations submitted under subsection (e)(1)(B), that the
programs and activities carried out under the grant have been effective.
(b)
(1)Each partnership receiving a grant under this subpart shall
use the grant funds—
(A)to carry out high
quality professional development to help elementary school principals acquire
principal competencies in early childhood education and development in order to
support increased school readiness for students;
(B)to gain a
knowledge base and capacity to provide high quality early childhood education;
and
(C)to work
collaboratively with early childhood education providers, services providers,
and families in creating a continuum of high quality development and learning
for children in the community and school settings.
(2)The activities described in paragraph (1) may include
providing professional development programs for elementary school principals,
including mentoring programs and other means of professional learning,
in—
(A)early childhood
education and development in all domains (including language arts and literacy,
mathematics, emotional development, social development, approaches to learning,
physical development, science, and creative arts), and the continuity of
standards and high quality curriculum and teaching practices from
prekindergarten through the third grade, with emphasis on meeting the needs of
children with disabilities and English language learners;
(B)safe and
supportive early learning environments that focus on the social, emotional, and
cognitive needs of children;
(C)collaborating
with early childhood education providers and other community based
organizations to provide multiple educational and social service programs to
meet the needs of children in prekindergarten through the third grade related
to learning and development; and
(D)providing ongoing
transition services for children through active family engagement.
(c)In
awarding grants under this subpart the Secretary shall give priority to
supporting professional development programs that target opportunities for
elementary school principals—
(1)to participate in
high quality induction and mentoring programs for principals during the
principals' first 5 years of employment as a principal;
(2)to better
understand ways to enhance family engagement and transition strategies, improve
transition services, and work more collaboratively with community-based early
childhood education providers;
(3)to create a
continuum of high quality teaching and learning for children in prekindergarten
through the third grade; and
(4)to participate in
ongoing professional development, which may include mentoring programs for
veteran principals in the education field.
(d)
(1)Each partnership desiring a grant under this subpart
shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Secretary may require.
(2)Each application submitted to the Secretary under
paragraph (1) shall include—
(A)a description of
the professional development for elementary school principals that will be
provided under the grant, including how the principals will access professional
development;
(B)a description of
the professional development described in subparagraph (A) that will be
provided in rural areas if applicable;
(C)how the
professional development will address—
(i)child development
and learning and the relationship of such development and learning to
providing—
(I)safe, supportive,
and engaging learning environments; and
(II)support for
instructional and educational staff in using developmentally appropriate
curricula, assessments, and other practices;
(ii)outreach and
engagement of families in their child’s learning;
(iii)opportunities
to collaborate with community based organizations on continuity of standards,
curricula, family education, and transition services from community based
settings to schools and from year to year;
(iv)collaborative
planning to support developmentally appropriate interactions between teachers,
children, and the families of children; and
(v)sustainability of
the ongoing professional development upon completion of the grant term.
(e)Evaluation and
dissemination
(1)
(A)Each partnership that receives a grant under this subpart
shall conduct an ongoing evaluation to—
(i)assess the
effectiveness of the programs and activities carried out under the
grant;
(ii)assess whether
professional development programs for elementary school principals in early
childhood education may lead to improved school performance; and
(iii)determine how
effective professional development programs and activities can be
replicated.
(B)The
results of the evaluation described in subparagraph (A) shall be submitted to
the Secretary annually.
(2)Using
funds made available under this subpart, the Secretary shall establish a panel
of leading experts in elementary and early childhood education, including
researchers, elementary school principals, and classroom practitioners,
to—
(A)identify best
practices in professional development for elementary school principals in early
childhood education, and review effective coordination of professional
development among the partnerships receiving grants under this subpart;
and
(B)disseminate to
the public the latest research and findings in professional development for
elementary school principals in early childhood education, including through
reports and technical assistance.
(f)The
provisions of subparts 1 through 5 shall not apply to this subpart.
(g)Authorization
of appropriationsThere are authorized to be appropriated such
sums as may be necessary to carry out this subpart for fiscal year 2011 and
each of the 4 succeeding fiscal
years.
.
(b)The table of contents in section 2 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 is amended by inserting after the item relating
to section 2151 the following:
SUBPART 6—Professional development for elementary school
principals in early childhood education and development
Sec. 2161. Purpose.
Sec. 2162. Definition of principal competencies in early
childhood education and development.
Sec. 2163. Grant program
authorized.
.