[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 812 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 812

   To build capacity and provide support at the leadership level for 
                 successful school turnaround efforts.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 13, 2011

     Mr. Bennet (for himself, Ms. Landrieu, and Mr. Brown of Ohio) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
          Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To build capacity and provide support at the leadership level for 
                 successful school turnaround efforts.

    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 ``Lead Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Research shows that school leadership quality is second 
        only to teacher quality among school-related factors in the 
        factors' impact on student learning.
            (2) Research shows that nearly 60 percent of a school's 
        impact on student achievement is attributable to teacher and 
        principal effectiveness, with 25 percent being attributable 
        directly to the principal.
            (3) As of May of 2010, there are 3,419 schools implementing 
        restructuring under section 1116(b)(8) of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6316(b)(8)).
            (4) Research shows that only 2,000 high schools, 12 percent 
        of all high schools, produce one-half of the Nation's high 
        school dropouts. In order to turn those schools around, the 
        United States will need effective principals in those schools.
            (5) Developing an effective method and delivery system for 
        training and supporting effective principals in these schools 
        is essential to the success of the students and the economy of 
        the United States.

SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

    The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to build the capacity and increase the supply of 
        effective principals and other school leaders to successfully 
        lead school transformation and turnaround efforts;
            (2) to train and support a cohort of expert principals and 
        other school leaders to lead successful school transformations 
        and turnarounds;
            (3) to recruit and train effective mentors and coaches to 
        support and increase the effectiveness of turnaround leaders;
            (4) to collect, build on, and disseminate information about 
        effective leadership practice for school transformations and 
        turnarounds;
            (5) to support the development of open source professional 
        development materials for principals and other school leaders; 
        and
            (6) to support school transformation and turnaround 
        efforts.

SEC. 4. PRINCIPAL AND SCHOOL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT.

    (a) Principal and School Leadership Development.--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 and School Leadership Development

``SEC. 2161. DEFINITIONS.

    ``In this subpart:
            ``(1) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means a 
        partnership between--
                    ``(A) a nonprofit organization with a demonstrated 
                commitment and capacity to develop and support 
                principals and other school leaders; and
                    ``(B) an institution of higher education.
            ``(2) Learning community.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `learning community' 
                means a community within a school in which--
                            ``(i) adults and students work together to 
                        demonstrate a commitment to continuous and 
                        substantial improvement of school performance; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) the turnaround leaders and teachers 
                        have established the core attributes described 
                        in subparagraph (B).
                    ``(B) Core attributes.--The core attributes of a 
                learning community are--
                            ``(i) a shared school mission and goals 
                        with an explicit vision of quality teaching and 
                        learning that guides all instructional 
                        decisions;
                            ``(ii) turnaround leader and teacher 
                        commitment to student outcomes and improving 
                        performance;
                            ``(iii) the establishment of a continuous 
                        cycle of improvement for the learning 
                        community;
                            ``(iv) fostering a culture of 
                        accountability and teamwork where teachers, 
                        principals, and other school leaders work 
                        together on a daily basis to analyze and 
                        improve practice;
                            ``(v) engagement by turnaround leaders and 
                        teachers in data analysis, improvement, and 
                        inquiry about what is working and what is not 
                        working; and
                            ``(vi) supporting and sharing leadership of 
                        the school, including fostering active 
                        community and family engagement.
            ``(3) Qualified partnership.--The term `qualified 
        partnership' means a partnership between or among--
                    ``(A)(i) a nonprofit organization with a 
                demonstrated commitment and capacity to develop and 
                support principals and other school leaders;
                    ``(ii) an institution of higher education; or
                    ``(iii) a nonprofit organization described in 
                clause (i) and an institution of higher education; and
                    ``(B) one or more State educational agencies or 
                local educational agencies.
            ``(4) School leadership academy.--The term `school 
        leadership academy' means the school leadership academy 
        established under section 2162(d)(1).
            ``(5) Turnaround leader.--The term `turnaround leader' 
        means an experienced principal or other school leader who--
                    ``(A) is selected for participation in a leadership 
                training program under this subpart on the basis of 
                rigorous, competency-based, criteria determined by the 
                school leadership academy;
                    ``(B) participates in a leadership training program 
                provided through the school leadership academy or 
                through a school leadership center of excellence 
                established under section 2163; and
                    ``(C) makes a commitment to serve, for not less 
                than 4 years, in a turnaround school, as described in 
                section 2164(a)(1).
            ``(6) Turnaround mentor.--The term `turnaround mentor' 
        means a mentor or coach who--
                    ``(A) participates in a leadership training program 
                provided through the school leadership academy or 
                through a school leadership center of excellence 
                established under section 2163;
                    ``(B) provides ongoing, individualized support to 
                turnaround leaders; and
                    ``(C) makes a commitment, for not less than 4 
                years, to support turnaround leaders.
            ``(7) Turnaround school.--The term `turnaround school' 
        means a school that--
                    ``(A) is subject to corrective action or 
                restructuring under paragraph (7) or (8) of section 
                1116(b); or
                    ``(B) in the case of a secondary school, has a 4-
                year graduation rate of less than 60 percent.

``SEC. 2162. SCHOOL LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.

    ``(a) School Leadership Academy Authorized.--
            ``(1) In general.--From amounts made available to carry out 
        this subpart, the Secretary shall award, on a competitive 
        basis, not more than 1 grant to an eligible entity to enable 
        the eligible entity to establish not more than 1 school 
        leadership academy for the development of turnaround leaders 
        and turnaround mentors, in order to transform and improve 
        turnaround schools.
            ``(2) Grant renewal.--Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the 
        Secretary may renew the grant under this section on the basis 
        of the performance of the eligible entity under the grant.
    ``(b) Application.--An eligible entity desiring the grant under 
this section shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, 
in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
require.
    ``(c) Award Basis.--In awarding the grant under this section, the 
Secretary shall give a competitive preference to eligible entities--
            ``(1) with a demonstrated capacity to train principals and 
        other school leaders to serve high-need local educational 
        agencies; and
            ``(2) that are committed to training principals and other 
        school leaders to serve rural areas.
    ``(d) Uses of Funds.--
            ``(1) School leadership academy and core principles.--The 
        eligible entity receiving the grant under this section shall 
        use the grant funds to establish a school leadership academy 
        for the development of turnaround leaders and turnaround 
        mentors, in order to improve low-performing schools. The school 
        leadership academy supported under this section, and the 
        activities carried out by the school leadership academy, shall 
        be based on the following core principles for school 
        leadership:
                    ``(A) Developing a school culture, instructional 
                program, and professional development program, with a 
                primary focus on improving the learning of all 
                students.
                    ``(B) Ensuring effective management of the 
                organization, operation staff, and resources of the 
                school for a safe, efficient, and effective learning 
                environment.
                    ``(C) Supporting school faculty and community 
                members, responding to diverse community interests and 
                needs, and mobilizing community resources.
                    ``(D) Acting with integrity and fairness, and in an 
                ethical manner.
                    ``(E) Understanding and influencing the political, 
                social, legal, and cultural context of the school.
                    ``(F) Utilizing student level data to drive 
                instructional improvement and school level data to 
                drive decisionmaking.
            ``(2) Initial year of the grant.--During the first year of 
        the grant under this section, the school leadership academy 
        shall use grant funds--
                    ``(A) to bring together experts in school 
                leadership who are committed to dramatic and effective 
                turnaround of low-performing schools and who can 
                provide input about what the evidence base shows 
                regarding effective school leadership in turnaround 
                schools, such as--
                            ``(i) representatives of institutions of 
                        higher education;
                            ``(ii) representatives of teacher labor 
                        organizations;
                            ``(iii) principals;
                            ``(iv) teachers;
                            ``(v) administrators;
                            ``(vi) representatives from the National 
                        Board for Professional Teaching Standards;
                            ``(vii) academic experts in the field of 
                        school transformations and turnarounds;
                            ``(viii) principals and individuals who 
                        have successfully turned around low-performing 
                        schools;
                            ``(ix) Governors or the Governors' 
                        representatives;
                            ``(x) school support staff;
                            ``(xi) parents;
                            ``(xii) representatives of community-based 
                        organizations;
                            ``(xiii) business leaders;
                            ``(xiv) representatives of organizations 
                        that represent principals; and
                            ``(xv) other stakeholders;
                    ``(B) to collect and develop, in consultation with 
                the experts described in subparagraph (A), a core body 
                of knowledge regarding effective school leadership, 
                which is evidence-based and tested over time;
                    ``(C) to create the infrastructure to support the 
                development of open source professional development 
                materials for principals and other school leaders;
                    ``(D) to develop a leadership training program, for 
                turnaround leaders and turnaround mentors, that 
                provides training in areas such as--
                            ``(i) designing and implementing data-
                        driven school improvement plans;
                            ``(ii) using student assessment data, 
                        including formative and summative assessments 
                        and program evaluation data, for the purpose of 
                        making instructional decisions and improving 
                        school-based programs;
                            ``(iii) building relationships within the 
                        learning community and supporting the school 
                        community, including parents of students and 
                        community stakeholders;
                            ``(iv) designing professional development 
                        approaches that are school-based and evidence-
                        based;
                            ``(v) facilitating and conducting group 
                        meetings;
                            ``(vi) building relationships and 
                        communicating effectively with State and local 
                        educational agency officials and teacher labor 
                        organizations;
                            ``(vii) ensuring that rigorous, relevant, 
                        and effective teaching practices are 
                        implemented through strong instructional 
                        leadership;
                            ``(viii) preparing turnaround leaders to 
                        provide teachers with useful feedback to 
                        improve the practice of the teachers;
                            ``(ix) understanding staff recruitment, 
                        hiring, and dismissal courses of action to 
                        create highly functional instructional teams;
                            ``(x) understanding collective bargaining 
                        rules;
                            ``(xi) understanding the needs of adult 
                        learners;
                            ``(xii) creating a high-performance culture 
                        by cultivating a commitment to achievement and 
                        accountability for results from all adults and 
                        students in the school;
                            ``(xiii) establishing performance 
                        benchmarks, identifying leading indicators of 
                        change, and assessing progress against goals;
                            ``(xiv) understanding high-need student 
                        populations, particularly special education 
                        students, English language learners, and high-
                        poverty students; and
                            ``(xv) enforcing a safe, disciplined 
                        environment with flexible, yet clear, orders of 
                        behavior;
                    ``(E)(i) to select an initial cohort of turnaround 
                leaders and turnaround mentors from the individuals who 
                seek to participate in the leadership training programs 
                using rigorous, competency-based, selection criteria 
                determined by the school leadership academy;
                    ``(ii) to carry out the leadership training program 
                described in subparagraph (D) for the cohort; and
                    ``(iii) to ensure that the leadership training 
                program described in subparagraph (D) is informed, on 
                an ongoing basis, by evidence regarding effective 
                school leadership;
                    ``(F) to provide stipends for turnaround leaders 
                and turnaround mentors to support their participation 
                in the leadership training program; and
                    ``(G) to provide support for, and encourage 
                interaction among, the initial cohort of participants 
                after the cohort's completion of the leadership 
                training program.
            ``(3) Succeeding grant years.--For the second year, and 
        each succeeding year, of the grant under this section, the 
        school leadership academy shall--
                    ``(A) continue supporting the development of open 
                source professional development materials for 
                principals and other school leaders;
                    ``(B) for the second year only, select a second 
                cohort of turnaround leaders and turnaround mentors 
                from the individuals who seek to participate in the 
                leadership training programs and carry out the 
                leadership training program described in paragraph 
                (2)(D) for the cohort;
                    ``(C) provide support for, and encourage 
                interaction among, turnaround leaders and turnaround 
                mentors in the leadership training programs conducted 
                by the school leadership academy and by the school 
                leadership centers of excellence supported under 
                section 2163; and
                    ``(D) disseminate information to turnaround 
                leaders, turnaround mentors, the school leadership 
                centers of excellence established under section 2163, 
                and others engaging in transformation and turnaround 
                efforts, about lessons learned from, and best practices 
                informed by, past school transformation and turnaround 
                efforts.

``SEC. 2163. SCHOOL LEADERSHIP CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE.

    ``(a) Program Authorized.--
            ``(1) In general.--Beginning in the first school year after 
        the initial cohort of turnaround leaders and turnaround mentors 
        have been trained by the school leadership academy under 
        section 2162(d)(2)(E), the Secretary shall award, from amounts 
        made available to carry out this subpart and on a competitive 
        basis, grants to qualified partnerships (as defined in section 
        2161(3)) to enable the qualified partnerships to establish 
        school leadership centers of excellence.
            ``(2) Renewal.--The Secretary may renew a grant under this 
        section on the basis of the performance of the qualified 
        partnership under the grant.
    ``(b) Application.--A qualified partnership 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.
    ``(c) Rural Area.--The Secretary shall award not less than 1 grant 
under this section to a qualified partnership that intends to establish 
a school leadership center of excellence that focuses on training 
turnaround leaders and turnaround mentors to serve rural areas.
    ``(d) Authorized Activities.--A qualified partnership receiving a 
grant under this section shall use the grant funds to establish a 
school leadership center of excellence to support cohorts of turnaround 
leaders and turnaround mentors to be served under the grant as the 
turnaround leaders and turnaround mentors lead school transformation 
and school turnaround efforts. Each school leadership center of 
excellence shall carry out the following activities:
            ``(1) Adopt and adapt the turnaround leader and turnaround 
        mentor training program described in section 2162(d)(2)(D)--
                    ``(A) to meet the needs of the local educational 
                agencies proposed to be served by the qualified 
                partnership; and
                    ``(B) so that the program is informed, on an 
                ongoing basis, by the evidence regarding effective 
                school leadership.
            ``(2) Beginning in the school year after the second cohort 
        of turnaround leaders and turnaround mentors have been trained 
        by the school leadership academy under section 2162(d)(3)(B), 
        and for each succeeding school year of the grant--
                    ``(A) select, from individuals desiring to be 
                turnaround leaders and turnaround mentors, using 
                rigorous, competency-based, selection criteria that is 
                adapted from the criteria described in section 
                2162(d)(2)(E) to meet the needs of the local 
                educational agencies proposed to be served by the 
                qualified partnership in accordance with section 2164, 
                the cohort of the turnaround leaders and turnaround 
                mentors who will--
                            ``(i) participate in the leadership 
                        training program in order to effectively lead 
                        school transformation and turnaround efforts; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) receive stipends to support their 
                        participation in the leadership training 
                        program; and
                    ``(B) carry out the leadership training program, as 
                adapted under paragraph (1), for each cohort, in 
                cooperation with participating local educational 
                agencies.
            ``(3) Use the open source materials supported by the school 
        leadership academy under paragraphs (2)(C) and (3)(A) of 
        section 2162(d) and work with the school leadership academy in 
        order to best train and support the participants.

``SEC. 2164. PARTICIPATION AGREEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS.

    ``(a) Agreement.--In order for a turnaround leader or turnaround 
mentor to participate in a leadership training program carried out by 
the school leadership academy or by a school leadership center of 
excellence under this subpart, the turnaround leader or turnaround 
mentor, respectively, shall enter into an agreement with the school 
leadership academy or school leadership center of excellence, as the 
case may be, under which--
            ``(1) the turnaround leader or turnaround mentor, 
        respectively, agrees to participate in the leadership training 
        program and to make a commitment to serve, for not less than 4 
        years, in a turnaround school after the leadership training 
        program, pursuant to a mutual agreement between the turnaround 
        leader or turnaround mentor, respectively, and the local 
        educational agency that the turnaround leader or turnaround 
        mentor, respectively, will serve; and
            ``(2) the local educational agency that the turnaround 
        leader or turnaround mentor, respectively, will serve agrees--
                    ``(A) to provide ongoing support for the turnaround 
                leader or turnaround mentor, respectively;
                    ``(B) to support the turnaround leader or 
                turnaround mentor, respectively, in developing a 
                leadership team at the school;
                    ``(C) to participate in the leadership training 
                program, as appropriate;
                    ``(D) to work to build community support for the 
                school transformation or turnaround effort by involving 
                parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, and other school 
                staff in the planning and implementation process;
                    ``(E) to put the turnaround leader or turnaround 
                mentor, respectively, in touch with labor 
                organizations; and
                    ``(F) to implement the recommendations of the 
                school leadership academy or school leadership center 
                of excellence to ensure success in the turnaround 
                school where the turnaround leader or turnaround 
                mentor, respectively, will serve.
    ``(b) Noncompliance With Agreement.--If, after receiving 
notification from the school leadership academy or a school leadership 
center of excellence supported under this subpart that a local 
educational agency which has entered into an agreement described in 
subsection (a) has failed to comply with such agreement, the Secretary 
determines that the local educational agency failed to comply with such 
agreement, then the Secretary shall ensure that no turnaround leaders 
or turnaround mentors from such local educational agency shall be 
selected for participation in the leadership training programs under 
this subpart after the date of such determination.
    ``(c) Application.--Each turnaround leader, turnaround mentor, and 
local educational agency desiring to participate in the programs and 
activities assisted under this subpart shall submit an application to 
the appropriate eligible entity or qualified partnership at such time, 
in such manner, and containing such information as the eligible entity 
or qualified partnership, respectively, may require.

``SEC. 2165. RESEARCH, EVALUATION, DISSEMINATION, AND REPORTS.

    ``(a) In General.--From amounts made available for this subpart, 
the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences shall support, 
directly or through grants or contracts, research on identifying the 
skills and conditions necessary for principals and other school leaders 
to improve turnaround schools and evaluations of the programs and 
activities funded by grants under sections 2162 and 2163, including 
studies and evaluations that--
            ``(1) assess the effectiveness of the programs and 
        activities carried out by each eligible entity and qualified 
        partnership receiving a grant under section 2162 or 2163 in--
                    ``(A) providing professional development for 
                turnaround leaders that supports--
                            ``(i) the core attributes of a learning 
                        community, as described in section 2161(2)(B); 
                        and
                            ``(ii) effective school leadership to 
                        improve student and school performance;
                    ``(B) creating the conditions and factors that 
                positively impact a school culture and lead to improved 
                student academic performance; and
                    ``(C) sustaining school-based reforms focused on 
                learner-centered models and a cycle of continuous 
                improvement;
            ``(2) assess how the programs and activities carried out by 
        each such eligible entity or qualified partnership can be 
        replicated to meet the unique needs of schools; and
            ``(3) assess how such programs and activities improve 
        turnaround schools.
    ``(b) Dissemination.--The Secretary shall, based on the results of 
the studies and evaluations completed under subsection (a), disseminate 
information and analysis to the public, including information regarding 
the best practices in professional development to support principals 
and other school leaders.
    ``(c) Reports.--
            ``(1) Annual reports to the secretary.--Each eligible 
        entity and qualified partnership that receives a grant under 
        this subpart shall submit an annual report to the Secretary at 
        such time, in such manner, and containing such information as 
        the Secretary may require. The report, at minimum, shall 
        include--
                    ``(A) data on the number and characteristics of 
                individuals who have received training or other support 
                under the grant;
                    ``(B) data on the schools led by such individuals, 
                including--
                            ``(i) characteristics of the schools and 
                        the students the schools 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 determined to be 
                        effective based on multiple measures; and
                    ``(C) evidence that turnaround schools led by 
                individuals described in subparagraph (A) have improved 
                in areas in which those individuals received training 
                or other support under the grant.
            ``(2) Permissible.--An eligible entity or qualified 
        partnership that receives a grant under this subpart may 
        include in the annual report under paragraph (1) other evidence 
        of progress in schools led by principals trained by the 
        eligible entity or qualified partnership, respectively.

``SEC. 2166. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

    ``(a) Applicability.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
the provisions of subparts 1 through 5 shall not apply to grants under 
this subpart.
    ``(b) Rule of Construction.--The rule of construction described in 
section 1116(d) shall apply to this subpart in the same manner as such 
rule applies to section 1116.''.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 2103 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6603) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``subpart 5'' and 
        inserting ``subparts 5 and 6''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Principal and School Leadership.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out subpart 6 such sums as may be necessary for 
fiscal year 2012 and each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.''.
    (c) Conforming Amendments.--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--principal and school leadership development

``Sec. 2161. Definitions.
``Sec. 2162. School leadership academy.
``Sec. 2163. School leadership centers of excellence.
``Sec. 2164. Participation agreements and applications.
``Sec. 2165. Research, evaluation, dissemination, and reports.
``Sec. 2166. General provisions.''.
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