[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8551 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8551

    To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to 
         authorize an interstate teaching application program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 9, 2020

Mr. Carson of Indiana introduced the following bill; which was referred 
                to the Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to 
         authorize an interstate teaching application program.

    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 ``Interstate Teaching Mobility Act''.

SEC. 2. PROGRAM FOR INTERSTATE TEACHING APPLICATIONS.

    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:

               ``PART D--INTERSTATE TEACHING APPLICATIONS

``SEC. 2401. PROGRAM FOR INTERSTATE TEACHING APPLICATIONS.

    ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary, in consultation with an 
eligible entity, may establish and carry out a program to allow States 
to voluntarily participate in an interstate teaching application 
process that allows teachers who are licensed or certified in any 
participating State--
            ``(1) to be eligible for licensure or certification in 
        other participating States without subsequently completing 
        additional licensure or certification requirements; and
            ``(2) to be able to apply for open teaching positions in 
        schools that receive funds under part A of title I in other 
        participating States, unless the open position falls outside 
        the applicant's content area or grade level for which the 
        applicant is already licensed or certified.
    ``(b) Program Requirements.--In carrying out a program established 
under subsection (a), the Secretary, in consultation with an eligible 
entity, shall--
            ``(1) create an application for eligible teachers licensed 
        or certified in a State participating in the program who wish 
        to teach in other States participating in the program;
            ``(2) require each participating State to recognize a 
        teaching licensure or certification of each such teacher who 
        meets the application requirements under subsection (c)(1), and 
        allow such teacher to teach in an open teaching position 
        described in subsection (a)(2), without requiring such teacher 
        to complete additional requirements for licensure or 
        certification;
            ``(3) ensure that participating States maintain the 
        eligibility requirements described in subsection (d);
            ``(4) provide technical assistance to participating States; 
        and
            ``(5) provide an electronic application process for 
        teachers to apply for the program.
    ``(c) Participating Teachers.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each teacher seeking to participate in a 
        program established under subsection (a) shall submit an 
        application containing--
                    ``(A) proof of an active teaching license or 
                certification in a participating State;
                    ``(B) the teacher's results on each of the 
                assessments described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) 
                of subsection (d)(1) that are required by the initial 
                licensing or certifying participating State; and
                    ``(C) such other information as the Secretary 
                considers appropriate.
            ``(2) Contract.--The eligible entity referred to in 
        subsections (a) and (b) shall collect and assist the Secretary 
        in reviewing the teacher applications submitted under paragraph 
        (1).
    ``(d) Participating States.--A State shall be eligible to 
participate in a program established under subsection (a) if--
            ``(1) such State, in awarding a teaching license or 
        certification to an individual, requires--
                    ``(A) an assessment of the content knowledge 
                necessary for postsecondary education and a career 
                before a teacher begins teaching in a classroom;
                    ``(B) an assessment of pedagogical skills necessary 
                for postsecondary education and a career before a 
                teacher begins teaching in a classroom; and
                    ``(C) a performance assessment necessary for 
                postsecondary education and a career before a teacher 
                begins teaching in a classroom; and
            ``(2) the assessments described in paragraph (1) and 
        required by such State are identified as sufficiently rigorous 
        by an organization such as the Council of Chief State School 
        Officers.
    ``(e) Regulations.--The Secretary may issue such regulations as the 
Secretary considers necessary to carry out this section.
    ``(f) Definition.--In this section, the term `eligible entity' 
means an organization or other entity that provides support to States 
and teachers in teacher certification and licensure, approved by the 
Secretary.''.

SEC. 3. CLERICAL AMENDMENT.

    The table of contents for the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
2302 the following:

               ``PART D--INTERSTATE TEACHING APPLICATIONS

``Sec. 2401. Program for interstate teaching applications.''.
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