[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 14, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1422-S1423]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                            By Mr. DOMENICI:

  S. 337. A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education act of 
1965 to assist State and local educational agencies in establishing 
teacher recruitment centers, teacher internship programs, and mobile 
professional development teams, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise today with great pleasure to 
introduce the Teacher Recruitment, Development, and Retention Act of 
2001.
  I want to begin with a quotation I recently came across that captures 
the essence of teaching:

       The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. the 
     superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.

  The point is simple, for our children to succeed we must ensure they 
are taught by well-educated, competent, and qualified teachers.
  I say this because it is a simple fact that in the future the 
individuals who will succeed will be those who can read, write, and do 
math. I firmly believe that a good education will help ensure a ticket 
to the economic security of the middle class because almost no one 
doubts the link between education and an individual's prospects.
  However, one of the fundamental keys to providing our children with 
the tools to succeed is the presence of qualified teachers. Nothing can 
have a more positive impact on a child's learning than a knowledgeable 
and skillful teacher. Thus, we must ensure there are not only enough 
teachers, but enough teachers that possess the tools required to make 
that positive impact on our children.
  Teachers must not only be prepared when they are hired, but they must 
remain armed with the latest technology and teaching tools for the 
duration of their careers. Just think of the constant training and 
testing doctors, police officers, and lawyers must endure throughout 
their careers.
  Before I touch upon the Teacher Recruitment, Development, and 
Retention Act of 2001 in greater detail I would like to make a few 
brief comments about K-12 education in New Mexico. New Mexico is a very 
large and rural state with almost 20,000 teachers and nearly 330,000 
public school students.
  New Mexico's 89 school districts come in all shapes and sizes, for 
instance, Albuquerque has over 85,000 students and Corona has only 92 
students. However, each of these districts, large and small must all 
have qualified teachers.
  The Teacher Recruitment, Development, and Retention Act of 2001 seeks 
to create several optional programs for states to facilitate teacher 
recruitment development, and retention through grants awarded by the 
Secretary of Education.
  The first option would be the creation of Teacher Recruitment 
Centers. These centers would serve as job banks/statewide 
clearinghouses for the recruitment and placement of K-12 teachers. The 
centers would also be responsible for creating programs to further 
teacher recruitment and retention within the state.
  The second option would encourage states to implement teacher 
internships where newly hired teachers would participate in a teacher 
internship in addition to any state or district student teaching 
requirement. The internship would last one year and during that time 
the teacher would be assigned a mentor/senior teacher for guidance and 
support.
  Finally, states would have the option of creating mobile professional 
development teams. These teams would alleviate the need for teachers 
and administrators that often have to travel great distances to attend 
professional development programs by bringing these activities directly 
to the local district or a centrally located regional site through 
mobile professional development teams.
  I believe the primary beneficiaries of mobile professional 
development teams would be rural areas and the programs offered would 
focus on any state or local requirements for licensure of teachers and 
administrators, including certification and recertification.
  Under the Teacher Recruitment, Development, and Retention Act of 2001 
each program would be authorized at $50 million for fiscal year 2002 
and such sums as may be necessary for each of the four succeeding 
fiscal years.
  In conclusion, I want to again say how pleased I am to introduce the

[[Page S1423]]

Teacher Recruitment, Development, and Retention Act of 2001 and I look 
forward to working with my colleagues as we reauthorize the Elementary 
and Secondary Education Act.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 337

       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 ``Teacher Recruitment, 
     Development, and Retention Act of 2001''.

     SEC. 2. TEACHER RECRUITMENT CENTERS.

       Title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
     1965 (20 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating part E as part H;
       (2) by redesignating sections 2401 and 2402 as sections 
     2701 and 2702, respectively; and
       (3) by inserting after part D the following:

                 ``PART E--TEACHER RECRUITMENT CENTERS

     ``SEC. 2401. GRANTS.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary may make grants to State 
     educational agencies to establish and operate State teacher 
     recruitment centers.
       ``(b) Use of Funds.--An agency that receives a grant under 
     subsection (a) shall use the funds made available through the 
     grant to establish and operate a center that--
       ``(1) serves as a statewide clearinghouse for the 
     recruitment and placement of kindergarten, elementary school, 
     and secondary school teachers; and
       ``(2) establishes and carries out programs to improve 
     teacher recruitment and retention within the State.
       ``(c) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
     subsection (a), an agency shall submit an application to the 
     Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
     information as the Secretary may require.
       ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part 
     $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2002 and such sums as may be 
     necessary for each of fiscal years 2003 through 2006.''.

     SEC. 3. TEACHER INTERNSHIPS.

       Title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
     1965 (20 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.), as amended by section 2, is 
     further amended by inserting after part E the following:

                     ``PART F--TEACHER INTERNSHIPS

     ``SEC. 2501. GRANTS.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary may make grants to State 
     educational agencies and local educational agencies to 
     establish teacher internship programs.
       ``(b) Use of Funds.--An agency that receives a grant under 
     subsection (a) shall use the funds made available through the 
     grant to establish teacher internship programs in which a new 
     teacher employed in the State or district involved--
       ``(1) is hired on a probationary basis for a 1-year period; 
     and
       ``(2) is required to participate in an internship during 
     that year, under the supervision of a mentor teacher, in 
     addition to meeting any State or local requirement concerning 
     student teaching.
       ``(c) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
     subsection (a), an agency shall submit an application to the 
     Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
     information as the Secretary may require.
       ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part 
     $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2002 and such sums as may be 
     necessary for each of fiscal years 2003 through 2006.''.

     SEC. 4. MOBILE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TEAMS.

       Title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
     1965 (20 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.), as amended by section 3, is 
     further amended by inserting after part F the following:

            ``PART G--MOBILE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TEAMS

     ``SEC. 2601. GRANTS.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary may make grants to State 
     educational agencies to carry out professional development 
     activities through mobile professional development teams.
       ``(b) Use of Funds.--An agency that receives a grant under 
     subsection (a) shall use the funds made available through the 
     grant to carry out, directly or by grant or contract with 
     entities approved by the agency, activities that--
       ``(1) at a minimum, provide professional development with 
     respect to State licensing and certification (including 
     recertification) requirements of teachers and administrators; 
     and
       ``(2) are provided by mobile professional development 
     teams, in the school district in which the teachers and 
     administrators are employed, or at a centrally located 
     regional site.
       ``(c) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
     subsection (a), an agency shall submit an application to the 
     Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
     information as the Secretary may require.
       ``(d) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
     Secretary shall give priority to agencies proposing to carry 
     out professional development activities through mobile 
     professional development teams that will primarily operate in 
     rural areas.
       ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part 
     $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2002 and such sums as may be 
     necessary for each of fiscal years 2003 through 2006.''.
                                 ______