[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 126 (Thursday, August 2, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10812-S10813]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REED:
  S. 1978. A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
of 1965 to award grants to implement a co-teaching model for educating 
students with disabilities; to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, today I introduce the Co-Teaching Educator 
Professional Development Act of 2007 to help improve the education of 
children with disabilities.
  A result of the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act, NCLB, and 
the 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education 
Act, IDEA, is that States, districts, and schools in Rhode Island and 
nationwide have increasingly begun utilizing a ``co-teaching'' model to 
make sure that students with disabilities have the highest quality 
teachers. Co-teaching is a term that describes a general education 
teacher and a special education teacher jointly teaching students with 
and without disabilities in the same classroom. Co-teaching ensures 
that students with disabilities receive not only the special 
instruction, supports, and services they are entitled to under IDEA, 
but also are taught the same rigorous academic content as any other 
students.
  However, achieving this is no easy task. Successful co-teaching 
requires that educators truly work together so their knowledge and 
skills truly complement one another. At the end of the day that 
requires that specialized professional development is provided to these 
teachers.
  As such, the Co-Teaching Educator Professional Development Act of 
2007 would amend Title II of the No Child Left Behind Act to award 
competitive grants to school districts to provide high-quality 
professional development opportunities for general education teachers, 
special education teachers, principals, and administrators to ensure 
that these educators have the necessary pedagogical, collaborative, 
planning, and interpersonal skills to successfully implement a co-
teaching model and increase the achievement of students with 
disabilities. Such professional development training would help 
teachers, principals, and administrators address diverse learning and 
student needs; clearly define classroom, teaching, and decision-making 
responsibilities; develop effective communication, problem-solving, 
classroom management, and conflict resolution skills; and jointly 
develop and plan a student's IEP and overall classroom curriculum.
  In short, this bill provides teachers, principals, and administrators 
with the skills and tools to help ensure that children with 
disabilities receive the

[[Page S10813]]

educational assistance and support they need and deserve. I urge my 
colleagues to cosponsor this legislation and work for its inclusion in 
the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1978

       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 ``Co-Teaching Educator 
     Professional Development Act of 2007''.

     SEC. 2. CO-TEACHING EDUCATOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

       Section 2151 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
     of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6651 et seq.) is amended by adding at the 
     end the following:
       ``(g) Co-Teaching Educator Professional Development.--
       ``(1) Purposes.--The purposes of this subsection are to 
     ensure that--
       ``(A) students with disabilities are educated with their 
     peers in the least restrictive environment;
       ``(B) students with disabilities have access, with 
     appropriate supports and services, to the same academic 
     content as other students;
       ``(C) the requirements of section 1119(a) and section 
     612(a)(14)(C) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education 
     Act are met; and
       ``(D) general education teachers, special education 
     teachers, principals, and administrators who implement a co-
     teaching model for instructing students with disabilities are 
     provided with the necessary and effective professional 
     development and support to enhance their pedagogical, 
     collaborative, planning, and interpersonal skills and 
     increase the achievement of such students.
       ``(2) Definitions.--In this subsection:
       ``(A) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
       ``(i) one or more local educational agencies; or
       ``(ii) one or more local educational agencies in 
     collaboration with an institution of higher education, a 
     teacher organization, or a State educational agency.
       ``(B) Co-teaching.--The term `co-teaching' means an 
     instructional delivery option, offered either full-time or 
     part-time, based on a collaborative professional relationship 
     between a teacher with expertise in delivering instruction to 
     students with disabilities and a teacher with expertise in a 
     specific core content area or a team of such teachers, such 
     as a grade level team or a middle school team, for the 
     purpose of jointly delivering substantive instruction to a 
     diverse, blended group of students in a single general 
     education classroom and ensuring that students with 
     disabilities receive the special instruction, supports, and 
     services to which they are entitled while ensuring that they 
     can access a rigorous general curriculum in the least 
     restrictive environment.
       ``(3) Program authorized.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall award, on a 
     competitive basis, grants to eligible entities to enable such 
     entities to provide professional development opportunities 
     and high-quality support for general education teachers and 
     special education teachers, principals, and administrators 
     that implement a co-teaching model. Such professional 
     development opportunities and support shall assist teachers, 
     principals, and administrators in--
       ``(i) clearly defining classroom, teaching, and decision-
     making roles and responsibilities, shared instructional and 
     educational goals and expectations, and shared accountability 
     for student outcomes;
       ``(ii) utilizing research-based co-teaching strategies and 
     approaches for differentiated instruction, including 
     accommodations, modifications, and positive behavioral 
     supports to facilitate learning and address diverse learning 
     and student needs;
       ``(iii) improving the participation and engagement of all 
     students in classes that use co-teaching while meeting the 
     individualized needs of students with disabilities;
       ``(iv) improving collaboration skills for fostering a 
     constructive professional co-teaching partnership, including 
     development of effective communication, problem-solving, and 
     conflict resolution skills;
       ``(v) enhancing time, resource, and classroom management 
     skills;
       ``(vi) effectively scheduling and lesson planning for co-
     teaching instruction, including common planning time for such 
     purpose;
       ``(vii) effectively involving parents and families of 
     students with disabilities in co-teaching program 
     development, implementation, and evaluation;
       ``(viii) jointly developing and planning a student's IEP 
     and overall classroom curriculum for co-teaching instruction;
       ``(ix) implementing strategies in a class that uses co-
     teaching for improving student learning gains on required 
     State assessments, including alternate assessments;
       ``(x) providing constructive feedback and coaching on a 
     regular basis to improve instructional and classroom 
     practices; and
       ``(xi) developing clear and tailored instructional 
     strategies, plans, procedures, practices, and assessment 
     tools for remediation or developmental specialized 
     instruction designed to meet, in a class that uses co-
     teaching, the goals and objectives in a student's IEP.
       ``(4) Application.--An eligible entity that desires a grant 
     under this subsection shall submit to the Secretary an 
     application at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by 
     such information as the Secretary may require.
       ``(5) Evaluation.--Each program receiving a grant under 
     this subsection shall report on the effectiveness of the 
     professional development being provided based on not less 
     than the following criteria:
       ``(A) Student academic learning gains.
       ``(B) Teacher retention.
       ``(C) Meeting IEP goals and objectives.
       ``(D) The increase in the amount of time spent by students 
     with disabilities on general education curriculum in a 
     general education setting.
       ``(E) Student behavior.
       ``(F) Evaluation of school professionals.
       ``(G) Parent, family, and community involvement.
       ``(H) The support and commitment of principals and 
     administrators.
       ``(I) Teacher satisfaction.''.
                                 ______