[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 25 (Tuesday, March 2, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2002-S2003]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. SNOWE:
  S. 2156. A bill to amend title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
to enhance teacher training programs, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation, the 
``Community College Teacher Preparation Enhancement Act of 2004,'' 
which addresses two of the Nation's most pressing education needs: 
first, the projected demand for roughly 2.4 million new `highly 
qualified' teachers over the next decade, due to teacher attrition, 
teacher retirement, and a growing student population, and second, the 
requirement under the No Child Left Behind Act that all teachers be 
`highly qualified' by 2006. This is an enormous challenge for the 
Nation, but one that this legislation would take giant strides toward 
meeting.
  Our Nation's colleges and universities have done a wonderful job 
graduating highly qualified teachers. There is no question about this, 
but given the coming teacher shortages, it is unlikely that our four-
year colleges and universities, alone, will be sufficient to satisfy 
the rising demand for well-educated teachers. Certainly, and sadly, 
this will simply not be possible in the near term. Yet throughout the 
educational community, community colleges have come to be recognized 
for their potential to play a leading role in filling the looming 
teacher shortage. Community colleges are already a vital part of our 
higher education system, particularly in producing teachers. Nearly 
half of all of the country's undergraduates who enter post-secondary 
institutions began their studies at community colleges. Of the 
country's teachers, one in five began their education at a community 
college. Clearly, community colleges are already a great resource.
  In addition to their current role, community colleges have access to 
a vast population of students who could potentially become teachers, if 
given encouragement, opportunity and training. The Nation's 1200 
community colleges enroll more than 6 million students. Let me put that 
in perspective. That means that 44 percent of the Nation's 
undergraduates are enrolled in community colleges! It's not difficult 
to see that community colleges have the unique potential to assist the 
country in meeting its increased demand for high-quality teachers. Now 
let me tell you how this legislation would utilize this resource for 
the benefit of both our children and our future.
  This bill seeks to build strong teacher training networks by allowing 
us to tap the extraordinary resources and student pool at all post-
secondary levels to increase the number of teachers across the nation. 
This is accomplished through the establishment of a Department of 
Education grant program to award funding to applicants who will 
strengthen their teacher training systems.
  Four-year institutions can offer the community college population 
access to their established and recognized curriculum of teacher 
training courses. Four-year institutions that have already established 
relationships with schools can offer practical learning to community 
college students who are seeking a teaching degree, and can receive 
federal money to help implement these programs.
  Moreover, by promoting close collaboration between community colleges 
and four-year institutions, this legislation increases the opportunity 
for community college students to earn a baccalaureate degree in 
education. This would help the Nation keep pace with the demand for 
high-quality teachers that is due--in addition to the demographic 
changes I mentioned earlier--to requirements of the No Child Left 
Behind Act, most notably the mandate that all new teachers have at 
least a baccalaureate degree.
  While this legislation aims to prevent a shortage of teachers 
nationwide, it prioritizes teacher preparation in areas of extreme 
shortage, typically rural and urban areas. Further, it targets specific 
academic areas that face even greater shortages, such as mathematics, 
science, and special education.
  The Community College Teacher Preparation Enhancement Act also 
promotes teacher training and outreach to secondary schools to develop 
innovative approaches to attracting

[[Page S2003]]

high school students into the teaching profession.
  Finally, recognizing that teacher shortage is not a regional problem, 
care will be taken to ensure that grants are distributed in a 
geographically diverse manner.
  This legislation addresses a pressing issue. School districts across 
the nation are struggling to meet the requirements of No Child Left 
Behind, and delaying assistance would only compound the problem as 
shortages of qualified teachers increase. This was not the intent of No 
Child Left Behind, but idleness on this issue will surely leave a 
devastating shortage of quality educators for our children. It is time 
to act, and this legislation offers us a tremendous opportunity to send 
a clear and overdue signal to states that we intend to be true to this 
landmark legislation's title.
  I look forward to working on this issue and urge my colleagues to 
join me in this effort.
                                 ______