[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 848 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 848

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve 
      teacher and principal effectiveness, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 10, 2015

  Mr. Polis (for himself and Mrs. Davis of California) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
                             the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve 
      teacher and principal effectiveness, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Great Teaching and Leading for Great 
Schools Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. STATE APPLICATION.

    Section 2112(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6612(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (5)(B), by inserting ``and principals'' 
        after ``to ensure that teachers'';
            (2) by amending paragraph (6) to read as follows:
            ``(6) A description of how the State educational agency 
        will encourage the development of proven, innovative strategies 
        to deliver intensive professional development programs that are 
        both cost-effective and easily accessible, such as--
                    ``(A) strategies that involve delivery through the 
                use of technology, peer networks, and distance 
                learning;
                    ``(B) providing protected release time for 
                educators to engage in collaborative team-based 
                learning multiple times per week or several hours per 
                week; and
                    ``(C) leveraging resources such as teaching or 
                leadership standards, formative assessments, teacher 
                portfolio processes, evidence-based instructional 
                practices, and educator development protocols to guide 
                educator learning.'';
            (3) by amending paragraph (7)(A) to read as follows:
            ``(7)(A) A description of how the State educational agency 
        will ensure compliance with the requirements for professional 
        development activities described in section 9101 and--
                            ``(i) include educator input, including 
                        that of teachers and principals, in the 
                        development, implementation, and revision of 
                        the system of professional learning;
                            ``(ii) conduct a formal evaluation system 
                        under section 2113(c)(5) to evaluate the 
                        effectiveness of the system of professional 
                        learning described in paragraph (13) using 
                        funds under this subpart and subpart 2; and
                            ``(iii) prepare, support, utilize, and 
                        incentivize internal principals, assistant 
                        principals, teacher leaders, coaches, or 
                        content experts to facilitate school-based 
                        professional learning.'';
            (4) in paragraph (8)--
                    (A) by striking ``teachers'' and inserting 
                ``educators''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``and aligned with the 
                individualized professional development goals informed 
                by educator evaluations described in section 
                2113(c)(4)'' after ``subpart 2''; and
            (5) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(13) A description of how the State educational agency 
        will assist schools that choose to create and implement the 
        teacher and principal evaluation system described in section 
        2113(c)(4).''.

SEC. 3. STATE USE OF FUNDS.

    (a) In General.--Section 2113(a)(3) of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6613(a)(3)) is amended by adding at 
the end the following ``, except that not less than 50 percent of such 
funds shall be used for programs and activities to improve principal 
effectiveness''.
    (b) State Activities.--Section 2113(c) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6613(c)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) by striking ``(1)'' and inserting ``(1) 
                Certification and licensure.--'';
                    (B) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``; and'' and 
                inserting a semicolon;
                    (C) by amending subparagraph (B) to read as 
                follows:
                    ``(B) teacher certification (including 
                recertification) or licensing requirements are aligned 
                with challenging State academic content standards, such 
                as--
                            ``(i) implementing educator testing for 
                        subject matter knowledge; and
                            ``(ii) implementing educator testing for 
                        State certification or licensing, including 
                        rigorous, performance-based assessments that 
                        reflect the authentic work of teachers or 
                        principals and are consistent with title II of 
                        the Higher Education Act of 1965;''; and
                    (D) by striking subparagraph (C) and inserting the 
                following:
                    ``(C) funding projects that promote reciprocity of 
                teacher and principal certification or licensing 
                between or among States, except that no reciprocity 
                agreement developed under this subparagraph or 
                developed using funds provided under this part may lead 
                to the weakening of any State teaching certification or 
                licensing requirement;
                    ``(D) teacher and principal licensure systems that 
                provide a single license for entry into the profession 
                for candidates who complete a State-approved teacher or 
                principal preparation program (whether the program is 
                based at an institution of higher education, local 
                educational agency, or non-profit organization) and 
                differentiate between--
                            ``(i) a preliminary license for new 
                        teachers or principals focused on a 
                        demonstration of the competencies necessary to 
                        teach or lead in a classroom or school; and
                            ``(ii) a professional license based on 
                        effectiveness, which may include data from 
                        robust teacher and principal evaluation 
                        systems; and
                    ``(E) programs are carried out that establish, 
                expand, or improve alternative routes for State 
                certification of teachers and principals, especially in 
                the areas of mathematics and science, for highly 
                qualified individuals with a baccalaureate or master's 
                degree, including mid-career professionals from other 
                occupations, paraprofessionals, former military 
                personnel, and recent college or university graduates 
                with records of academic distinction who demonstrate 
                the potential to become highly effective teachers or 
                principals.'';
            (2) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) by striking ``(2)'' and inserting ``(2) Support 
                of teachers and principals.--'';
                    (B) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)--
                            (i) by striking ``teachers or principals'' 
                        and inserting ``teachers, principals, and 
                        principal managers''; and
                            (ii) by inserting ``induction or'' before 
                        ``support for teachers and principals new to 
                        their profession'';
                    (C) in subparagraph (A)--
                            (i) by striking ``teacher'' the first place 
                        it appears and inserting ``educator'';
                            (ii) by inserting ``coaching,'' before 
                        ``team teaching''; and
                            (iii) by striking ``; and'' and inserting a 
                        semicolon;
                    (D) in subparagraph (B)--
                            (i) by striking ``standards or 
                        assessments'' and inserting ``standards, 
                        assessments, or evaluation systems'';
                            (ii) by striking ``teachers'' and inserting 
                        ``educators''; and
                            (iii) by striking the period at the end and 
                        inserting ``; and''; and
                    (E) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
                    ``(C) invest in the capacity of principals, 
                assistant principals, and teacher leaders to evaluate 
                and provide professional learning opportunities to 
                teachers, and in the capacity of principal managers to 
                evaluate and provide professional learning 
                opportunities for school leaders, such as training 
                principal managers, principals, assistant principals, 
                and teacher leaders on--
                            ``(i) a shared vision of teacher or 
                        principal performance based on the State's 
                        teaching or leadership standards;
                            ``(ii) the use of teacher or principal 
                        evaluation and support systems;
                            ``(iii) techniques for observing teacher or 
                        principal practice, including how to integrate 
                        various data sources into a comprehensive 
                        assessment of educator effectiveness;
                            ``(iv) methods for providing strong 
                        coaching and feedback; and
                            ``(v) the identification of differentiated 
                        learning, including the creation of 
                        professional learning communities opportunities 
                        as part of a targeted growth plan.'';
            (3) by striking paragraph (3) and redesignating paragraph 
        (4) as paragraph (3);
            (4) by amending paragraph (3), as so redesignated to read 
        as follows:
            ``(3) Recruitment and retention.--Developing and 
        implementing mechanisms to assist local educational agencies 
        and schools in effectively recruiting and retaining effective 
        educators, including teachers, specialists in core academic 
        subjects, teacher leaders, assistant principals, principals, 
        and pupil services personnel, such as--
                    ``(A) developing comprehensive performance-based 
                compensation systems as part of the local educational 
                agency's broader human capital management system;
                    ``(B) strategies that provide differentiated pay 
                and recognition for teachers and principals based on 
                effectiveness and increased responsibilities such as--
                            ``(i) incentives to work in high-need 
                        academic subjects or in high-poverty schools 
                        and districts;
                            ``(ii) strategic staffing models that allow 
                        principals to bring a small team of effective 
                        educators to a low-performing school;
                            ``(iii) increased autonomy in 
                        decisionmaking; or
                            ``(iv) opportunities to lead professional 
                        development activities for other educators; and
                    ``(C) a center that--
                            ``(i) serves as a statewide clearinghouse 
                        for the recruitment and placement of 
                        kindergarten, elementary school, and secondary 
                        school teachers; and
                            ``(ii) establishes and carries out programs 
                        to improve educator recruitment and retention 
                        within the State.''; and
            (5) by striking paragraphs (5) through (18) and inserting 
        after paragraph (3), as so redesignated, the following new 
        paragraphs:
            ``(4) Teacher evaluations.--Developing and implementing an 
        evaluation and support system for teachers that is based on 
        multiple measures, has not less than 3 levels of performance 
        ratings for teachers, and includes the following minimum 
        requirements:
                    ``(A) Student academic outcomes.--
                            ``(i) Student academic growth.--A factor of 
                        the evaluation is based on student academic 
                        growth with respect to the State's academic 
                        standards, as measured by--
                                    ``(I) student learning gains on the 
                                State's academic assessments 
                                administered under section 1111, which 
                                may be used in combination with other 
                                valid and reliable academic outcome 
                                measures with respect to the State's 
                                academic standards for the school's 
                                students, including students in each of 
                                the subgroups described in section 
                                1111(b)(2)(C)(v)(II) (such as student 
                                learning objectives, or teacher, 
                                school, or local educational agency 
                                assessments, or student work (such as 
                                papers, portfolios, and projects)); or
                                    ``(II) for grades and subjects not 
                                covered by the State's academic 
                                assessments, another valid and reliable 
                                assessment of student academic 
                                achievement, as long as the assessment 
                                is used consistently by the local 
                                educational agency in which the teacher 
                                is employed for the grade or class for 
                                which the assessment is administered.
                            ``(ii) Graduation rates.--For a teacher in 
                        a secondary school, a portion of the evaluation 
                        is based on improvement in the school's 
                        graduation rate, when applicable, or in the 
                        case of a secondary school with a graduation 
                        rate of more than 90 percent, on maintaining 
                        such graduation rate.
                            ``(iii) Other academic outcomes.--A State 
                        may also choose to factor in other student 
                        academic outcomes, such as rates of student 
                        enrollment in advanced-level coursework and 
                        student grade completion, so long as student 
                        academic growth and graduation rates have a 
                        predominant focus in the factor of the 
                        evaluation relating to student academic 
                        outcomes.
                    ``(B) Observations of teacher performance.--A 
                portion of the evaluation is based on observations of 
                the teacher's performance in the classroom by more than 
                one trained and objective observer--
                            ``(i) that take place on several occasions 
                        during the school year for which the teacher is 
                        being evaluated; and
                            ``(ii) under which--
                                    ``(I) a teacher is evaluated 
                                against a rigorous rubric that defines 
                                multiple performance categories in 
                                alignment with the State's professional 
                                standards for teachers; and
                                    ``(II) observation ratings 
                                meaningfully differentiate among 
                                teachers' performance and bear a 
                                relationship to evidence of student 
                                academic growth with respect to the 
                                State's academic standards.
                    ``(C) Meaningful differentiation.--The evaluation 
                provides performance ratings that meaningfully 
                differentiate among teacher performance using the 
                performance ratings and levels described in paragraph 
                (4).
                    ``(D) Comparability of student gains.--The 
                evaluation provides a measure of student learning gains 
                that is comparable across the State for all teachers in 
                grade levels and subject areas with a statewide 
                assessment.
                    ``(E) Comparability of results.--The evaluation 
                provides results that are comparable, at a minimum, 
                across all teachers within a grade level or subject 
                area in the local educational agency in which the 
                teacher is employed.
            ``(5) Principal evaluations.--Developing and implementing 
        an evaluation system for principals of schools that connects to 
        a system of support and development, and complies with the 
        following minimum requirements:
                    ``(A) Student academic outcomes.--
                            ``(i) Growth and attainment.--A factor of 
                        the evaluation is based on a focus on student 
                        academic growth, student academic achievement, 
                        and other academic outcome measures (such as 
                        student learning objectives) with respect to 
                        the State's academic standards of the school's 
                        students, including students in each of the 
                        subgroups described in section 
                        1111(b)(2)(C)(v)(II).
                            ``(ii) Graduation rates.--For a principal 
                        of a secondary school, a portion of the 
                        evaluation is based on improvements in the 
                        school's graduation rate, when applicable, or 
                        in the case of a secondary school with a 
                        graduation rate of more than 90 percent, the 
                        success of the principal in maintaining such 
                        graduation rate.
                            ``(iii) Other academic outcomes.--A State 
                        may also choose to factor in other academic 
                        outcomes, such as rates of taking advanced-
                        level coursework and grade completion.
                    ``(B) Support of effective teachers.--A portion of 
                the evaluation is based on the recruitment, 
                development, evaluation, and retention of effective 
                teachers.
                    ``(C) Leadership practices.--A portion of the 
                evaluation is based on the leadership practices of the 
                principal, as measured by observations of the principal 
                and other relevant data evaluated against a rigorous 
                rubric that defines multiple performance categories in 
                alignment with the State's professional standards for 
                principals.
                    ``(D) Other leadership practices.--A portion of the 
                evaluation is based on other leadership practices, such 
                as creating a school culture of high student 
                achievement, school planning and progress, engaging 
                families, community, and other stakeholders, 
                cultivating a positive environment for learning and 
                teaching, managing staff talent and development, 
                engaging in strategic planning and systems based on 
                student learning and classroom practice data, and 
                focusing on personal leadership, professional 
                knowledge, skills, and improvement.
                    ``(E) Report on summative ratings and student 
                achievement.--Each State reports to the Secretary local 
                educational agency-level data that compares aggregated 
                summative evaluation results and correlations with 
                student academic outcomes to demonstrate that the 
                evaluation and support system--
                            ``(i) meaningfully differentiates among 
                        principals' performance; and
                            ``(ii) bears a strong relationship to 
                        evidence of student academic growth with 
                        respect to the State's academic standards.
                    ``(F) Meaningful differentiation.--The evaluation 
                provides performance ratings that meaningfully 
                differentiate among principal performance using the not 
                less than 3 levels of performance ratings.
                    ``(G) Comparability of results.--The evaluation 
                provides annual summative results that are comparable 
                across all principals within the local educational 
                agency in which the principal is employed.
            ``(6) Support.--Providing assistance to local educational 
        agencies for the development and implementation of proven, 
        evidence-based strategies to deliver intensive, continuous, and 
        differentiated professional development programs for aspiring 
        or current principal managers, principals, assistant 
        principals, coaches, and teacher leaders that are both cost-
        effective and easily accessible in order to assist the school 
        in--
                    ``(A) providing professional learning and coaching 
                for educators in analyzing student, school, and teacher 
                performance data to inform decisionmaking and 
                improvement efforts and creating a shared vision of 
                teaching and learning;
                    ``(B) analyzing and extracting information from 
                student, school, and educator performance data;
                    ``(C) clarifying school improvement goals;
                    ``(D) developing and implementing a system of 
                professional learning aligned with student achievement 
                needs and educator learning goals;
                    ``(E) understanding and analyzing student learning 
                standards;
                    ``(F) making available opportunities for team-
                learning activities that focus on increasing 
                pedagogical and content knowledge in academic subjects 
                that are aligned to student learning goals;
                    ``(G) designing, creating, and evaluating the 
                results of curriculum-based diagnostic and performance 
                assessments;
                    ``(H) encouraging and supporting the training of 
                teachers and administrators to effectively integrate 
                technology 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;
                    ``(I) academic study, developmental simulation 
                exercises, or self-reflection;
                    ``(J) mentorships and internships;
                    ``(K) supporting, managing, and overseeing the 
                school's organization, operation, and use resources; 
                and
                    ``(L) engaging with the community to create a 
                shared responsibility for student academic performance 
                and successful personal development.
            ``(7) Advancement and pipeline development.--Developing, or 
        assisting local educational agencies in developing, educator 
        advancement initiatives that promote professional growth, 
        emphasize multiple career paths for expanding the reach of 
        effective teachers and principals, and recognize effectiveness 
        and increased responsibilities with pay differentiation, such 
        as--
                    ``(A) creating paths to--
                            ``(i) grow within the teaching profession, 
                        such as taking responsibility for additional 
                        students or students with greater needs for 
                        improvement, becoming a mentor teacher, or 
                        contributing instructional tools for other 
                        teachers;
                            ``(ii) move towards a school leadership 
                        position, such as conducting peer evaluations, 
                        providing instructional coaching, serving on a 
                        school-wide leadership team, or leading teams 
                        of teachers; or
                            ``(iii) become a principal or principal 
                        manager; and
                    ``(B) utilizing internal principals, assistant 
                principals, teacher leaders, coaches, or content 
                experts to--
                            ``(i) support classroom learning; and
                            ``(ii) facilitate effective collaboration 
                        skills across learning communities and transfer 
                        knowledge from peers teaching and leading high-
                        performing classrooms and schools.
            ``(8) Measuring effectiveness.--Measuring the effectiveness 
        of each local educational agency receiving a subgrant under 
        subpart 2 and each school receiving assistance from the agency 
        under this part, in--
                    ``(A) ensuring that school protected release time 
                for professional learning occurs multiple times per 
                week or the equivalent of several hours;
                    ``(B) implementing on-going, research-based 
                professional learning for teacher leaders, coaches, 
                assistant principals, principals, and principal 
                managers;
                    ``(C) ensuring that principal managers, principals, 
                assistant principals, teacher leaders, coaches, 
                teachers, and schools are using data to inform 
                instructional practices; and
                    ``(D) ensuring that the system of professional 
                learning described in paragraph (7) is carried out 
                using subgrant funds received under subpart 2 is 
                integrated and aligned with the evaluation system 
                described in paragraph (6) and the State's school 
                improvement plans.
            ``(9) Administration.--Fulfilling the State educational 
        agency's responsibilities concerning proper and efficient 
        administration of the programs carried out under this part, 
        including provision of technical assistance to local 
        educational agencies.''.

SEC. 4. LOCAL APPLICATIONS AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT.

    Section 2122(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6622(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``in grades 
                kindergarten through three'' after ``class size''; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``or the 
                State's alternative school improvement system'' after 
                ``section 1116(b)'';
            (2) in paragraph (4)--
                    (A) by inserting ``, as well as funds received 
                under part D that are used for professional development 
                to train teachers and principals to integrate 
                technology into curricula and instruction to improve 
                teaching, learning, and technology literacy'' after 
                ``other Federal, State, and local programs'';
            (3) by striking paragraphs (5) through (7);
            (4) by redesignating paragraphs (8) through (11) as 
        paragraphs (5) through (8), respectively;
            (5) in paragraph (7), as so redesignated, by striking 
        ``meet the requirements of section 1119'' and inserting 
        ``increase the number of effective educators as measured by the 
        evaluation system defined in section 2113(c)(4)''; and
            (6) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
            ``(9) A description of how the local educational agency 
        will assist schools in--
                    ``(A) ensuring that a system of professional 
                development to continuously improve educator 
                effectiveness, student achievement, and overall school 
                and system performance is an integral part of an 
                educator evaluation system;
                    ``(B) providing protected release time for 
                educators to engage in collaborative team-based 
                learning multiple times per week or several hours per 
                week; and
                    ``(C) leveraging resources such as teaching and 
                leadership standards, formative assessments, teacher 
                portfolio processes, evidence-based instructional 
                practices, and educator development protocols to guide 
                educator learning.
            ``(10) A description of how the local educational agency 
        will--
                    ``(A) include educator input, including that of 
                teachers and principals, in the development, 
                implementation, and revision of the system of 
                professional learning;
                    ``(B) conduct a formal evaluation system under 
                section 2113(c)(23) to evaluate the effectiveness of 
                the system of professional learning described in 
                paragraph (13) using funds under this part; and
                    ``(C) prepare, support, utilize, and incentivize 
                internal principals, assistant principals, teacher 
                leaders, coaches, or content experts to facilitate 
                school-based professional learning.''.

SEC. 5. LOCAL USE OF FUNDS.

    Section 2123 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 66239a) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
            ``(1) Developing and implementing mechanisms to assist 
        schools in effectively recruiting and retaining effective 
        educators, including teachers, specialists in core academic 
        subjects, teacher leaders, principals, assistant principals, 
        and pupil services personnel, such as--
                    ``(A) developing strategies that provide 
                differentiated pay and recognition for teachers and 
                principals based on effectiveness and increased 
                responsibilities, such as--
                            ``(i) providing scholarships, signing 
                        bonuses, or other financial incentives, to work 
                        in high-need academic subjects or in high-
                        poverty schools;
                            ``(ii) strategic staffing models that allow 
                        principals to bring a small team of effective 
                        educators to a low-performing school; or
                            ``(iii) increased autonomy in 
                        decisionmaking;
                    ``(B) recruiting and hiring highly qualified 
                teachers to reduce class size, particularly in the 
                early grades; and
                    ``(C) establishing programs that--
                            ``(i) train and hire regular and special 
                        education teachers (which may include hiring 
                        special education teachers to team-teach in 
                        classrooms that contain both children with 
                        disabilities and nondisabled children);
                            ``(ii) train and hire effective teachers of 
                        special needs children, as well as teaching 
                        specialists in core academic subjects who will 
                        provide increased individualized instruction to 
                        students;
                            ``(iii) recruit qualified professionals 
                        from other fields, including highly qualified 
                        paraprofessionals, and provide such 
                        professionals with alternative routes to 
                        educator certification, including developing 
                        and implementing hiring policies that ensure 
                        comprehensive recruitment efforts as a way to 
                        expand the applicant pool, such as through 
                        identifying teachers and principals certified 
                        through alternative routes, and using a system 
                        of intensive screening designed to hire the 
                        most qualified applicants;
                            ``(iv) provide increased opportunities for 
                        minorities, individuals with disabilities, and 
                        other individuals underrepresented in the 
                        teaching and principal professions; and
                            ``(v) develop and support school leadership 
                        academies to help exceptionally talented 
                        aspiring or current teacher leaders or 
                        principals or superintendents become 
                        outstanding managers and educational leaders;
                    ``(D) educator mentoring from exemplary teachers, 
                teacher leaders, assistant principals, principals, or 
                principal managers;
                    ``(E) induction and support for teachers and 
                principals during their first 3 years of employment as 
                teachers or principals, respectively; and
                    ``(F) incentives, including financial incentives, 
                to retain educators who have a record of success in 
                helping low-achieving students improve their academic 
                achievement.'';
                    (B) by striking paragraphs (2) through (5);
                    (C) by redesignating paragraphs (6) through (10) as 
                paragraphs (2), (3), (5), and (6), respectively;
                    (D) by inserting after paragraph (3), as so 
                redesignated, the following new paragraph:
            ``(4) Increasing the knowledge and skills of principal 
        managers, principals, assistant principals, coaches and teacher 
        leaders on how to--
                    ``(A) develop educators by leading effective 
                professional learning and data-driven instruction teams 
                aligned with achievement needs and educator goals;
                    ``(B) conduct observations to provide useful 
                feedback to educators in identifying and meeting 
                student needs and creating a professional climate of 
                shared accountability for student learning;
                    ``(C) manage talent, including defining great 
                educator candidates, recruiting top talent, and hiring 
                the best applicants, conducting formal educator 
                evaluations, and dismissing or counseling out 
                underperforming educators;
                    ``(D) individualize educator roles and 
                responsibilities by designing staffing models to 
                leverage educator strengths and encouraging members of 
                the faculty to engage in leadership roles that 
                contribute to school improvement efforts;
                    ``(E) engage the community, including seeking 
                contributions from parents, community organizations, 
                and other school stakeholders;
                    ``(F) engage in partnerships between elementary 
                schools, secondary schools, and institutes of higher 
                education to ensure the vertical alignment of student 
                learning outcomes; and
                    ``(G) foster professional learning communities in 
                which educators have time, protocols, and an 
                instructional focus, and which transfer knowledge from 
                peers teaching and leading at high-performing 
                classrooms and schools.'';
                    (E) by striking paragraph (5), as so redesignated, 
                and inserting the following:
            ``(5) Carrying out the teacher and principal evaluation 
        system described in section 2113(c)(4).''; and
                    (F) by striking paragraph (6), as so redesignated, 
                and inserting the following:
            ``(6) Carrying out a formal evaluation system to determine 
        the effectiveness of a program carried out under such system, 
        including--
                    ``(A) ensuring that school protected release time 
                for professional learning occurs multiple times per 
                week or the equivalent of several hours;
                    ``(B) implementing on-going, research-based 
                professional learning for teacher leaders, coaches, 
                assistant principals, principals, and principal 
                managers;
                    ``(C) ensuring that principal managers, principals, 
                assistant principals, teacher leaders, coaches, 
                teachers, and schools are using data to inform 
                instructional practices;
                    ``(D) ensuring that the system of professional 
                learning is carried out using subgrant funds received 
                under this subpart and is integrated and aligned with 
                the evaluation system described in section 2113(c)(4) 
                and the State's school improvement plans; and
                    ``(E) determining the effectiveness of such a 
                program on--
                            ``(i) teacher instructional practice;
                            ``(ii) principal instructional leadership 
                        practice;
                            ``(iii) student learning gains;
                            ``(iv) teacher retention;
                            ``(v) student graduation and college 
                        readiness rates, as applicable;
                            ``(vi) student attendance rates;
                            ``(vii) teacher and principal efficacy; and
                            ``(viii) teachers participating in 
                        leadership roles.''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Limitation.--A local educational agency that receives a 
subgrant under section 2121 shall use not less than 10 percent of the 
subgrant funds for programs and activities to improve principal 
effectiveness.''.

SEC. 6. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DEFINED.

    Section 9101(34) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(34)) is amended to read as follows:
            ``(34) Professional development.--The term `professional 
        development' means a comprehensive system of professional 
        learning to increase educator effectiveness in improving 
        student learning and achievement means that--
                    ``(A) fosters collective responsibility for 
                improved student performance;
                    ``(B) is comprised of professional learning that--
                            ``(i) is aligned with rigorous State 
                        student academic achievement standards as well 
                        as related local educational agency and school 
                        improvement goals;
                            ``(ii) is conducted among educators at the 
                        school and facilitated by well-prepared school 
                        principals and school-based professional 
                        development coaches, mentors, master teachers, 
                        or other teacher leaders who have demonstrated 
                        success at getting results with the given 
                        student population; and
                            ``(iii) primarily occurs several times per 
                        week, or the equivalent of several hours per 
                        week, among established teams of teachers, 
                        principals, and other instructional staff 
                        members where the teams of educators engage in 
                        a continuous cycle of improvement that--
                                    ``(I) evaluates student, teacher, 
                                and school learning needs through a 
                                thorough review of data on teacher and 
                                student performance;
                                    ``(II) defines a clear set of 
                                educator learning goals based on the 
                                rigorous analysis of the data;
                                    ``(III) achieves the educator 
                                learning goals identified in subclause 
                                (II) by implementing coherent, 
                                sustained, and evidence-based learning 
                                strategies, such as lesson study and 
                                the development of formative 
                                assessments, that improve instructional 
                                effectiveness and student achievement;
                                    ``(IV) provides job-embedded 
                                coaching or other forms of assistance 
                                to support the transfer of new 
                                knowledge and skills to the classroom;
                                    ``(V) regularly assesses the 
                                effectiveness of the professional 
                                development in achieving identified 
                                learning goals, improving teaching, and 
                                assisting all students in meeting 
                                challenging State academic achievement 
                                standards;
                                    ``(VI) informs ongoing improvements 
                                in teaching and student learning; and
                                    ``(VII) may be supported by 
                                external assistance; and
                    ``(C) may be supported by activities such as 
                courses, workshops, institutes, networks, and 
                conferences that--
                            ``(i) address the learning goals and 
                        objectives established by educators at the 
                        school level;
                            ``(ii) advance the ongoing school-based 
                        professional learning; and
                            ``(iii) are provided for by for-profit and 
                        nonprofit entities outside the school such as 
                        universities, education service agencies, 
                        technical assistance providers, networks of 
                        content-area specialists, and other education 
                        organizations and associations.''.
                                 <all>