SEC. 2243

SCHOOL LEADER RECRUITMENT AND SUPPORT

 

 

Section Summary

 


ESSA Update

``Subpart 4--Programs of National Significance

``SEC. 2243. <<NOTE: 20 USC 6673.>> SCHOOL LEADER RECRUITMENT AND
                          SUPPORT.

    ``(a) In General.--From the funds reserved under section 2241(2) for
a fiscal year, the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, 
to eligible entities to enable such entities to improve the recruitment, 
preparation, placement, support, and retention of effective principals
or other school leaders in high-need schools, which may include--
            ``(1) developing or implementing leadership training
        programs designed to prepare and support principals or other
        school leaders in high-need schools, including through new or
        alternative pathways or school leader residency programs;

[[Page 129 STAT. 1950]]

            ``(2) developing or implementing programs or activities for
        recruiting, selecting, and developing aspiring or current
        principals or other school leaders to serve in high-need
        schools;
            ``(3) developing or implementing programs for recruiting, 
        developing, and placing school leaders to improve schools
        implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities
        and targeted support and improvement activities under section
        1111(d), including through cohort-based activities that build
        effective instructional and school leadership teams and develop
        a school culture, design, instructional program, and
        professional development program focused on improving student
        learning;
            ``(4) providing continuous professional development for
        principals or other school leaders in high-need schools;
            ``(5) developing and disseminating information on best
        practices and strategies for effective school leadership in
        high-need schools, such as training and supporting principals to
        identify, develop, and maintain school leadership teams using
        various leadership models; and
            ``(6) other evidence-based programs or activities described
        in section 2101(c)(4) or section 2103(b)(3) focused on
        principals or other school leaders in high-need schools.

    ``(b) Program Periods and Diversity of Projects.--
            ``(1) In general.--A grant awarded by the Secretary to an
        eligible entity under this section shall be for a period of not
        more than 5 years.
            ``(2) Renewal.--The Secretary may renew a grant awarded
        under this section for 1 additional 2-year period.
            ``(3) Diversity of projects.--In awarding grants under this
        section, the Secretary shall ensure that, to the extent
        practicable, grants are distributed among eligible entities that
        will serve geographically diverse areas, including urban, 
        suburban, and rural areas.
            ``(4) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not award more than 1
        grant under this section to an eligible entity during a grant
        competition.

    ``(c) Cost-sharing.--
            ``(1) In general.--An eligible entity that receives a grant
        under this section shall provide, from non-Federal sources, not
        less than 25 percent of the funds for the total cost for each
        year of activities carried out under this section.
            ``(2) Acceptable contributions.--An eligible entity that
        receives a grant under this section may meet the requirement of
        paragraph (1) by providing contributions in cash or in kind, 
        fairly evaluated, including plant, equipment, and services.
            ``(3) Waivers.--The Secretary may waive or modify the
        requirement of paragraph (1) in cases of demonstrated financial
        hardship.

    ``(d) Applications.--An eligible entity that desires a grant under
this section shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, 
and in such manner, as the Secretary may require.
    ``(e) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary shall give priority to an eligible entity--
            ``(1) with a record of preparing or developing principals
        who--
                    ``(A) have improved school-level student outcomes;
                    ``(B) have become principals in high-need schools; 
                and

[[Page 129 STAT. 1951]]

                    ``(C) remain principals in high-need schools for
                multiple years; and
            ``(2) who will implement evidence-based activities, defined
        for the purpose of this paragraph as activities meeting the
        requirements of section 8101(21)(A)(i).

    ``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
                    ``(A) a local educational agency, including an
                educational service agency, that serves a high-need
                school or a consortium of such agencies;
                    ``(B) a State educational agency or a consortium of
                such agencies;
                    ``(C) a State educational agency in partnership with
                1 or more local educational agencies, or educational
                service agencies, that serve a high-need school;
                    ``(D) the Bureau of Indian Education; or
                    ``(E) an entity described in subparagraph (A), (B), 
                (C), or (D) in partnership with 1 or more nonprofit
                organizations or institutions of higher education.
            ``(2) High-need school.--The term `high-need school' means--
                    ``(A) an elementary school in which not less than 50
                percent of the enrolled students are from families with
                incomes below the poverty line; or
                    ``(B) a secondary school in which not less than 40
                percent of the enrolled students are from families with
                incomes below the poverty line.


NCLB Text

``SEC. 2151. NATIONAL ACTIVITIES OF DEMONSTRATED
            EFFECTIVENESS. <<NOTE: 20 USC 6651.>> 

    ``(a) National Teacher Recruitment Campaign.--The Secretary is
authorized to establish and carry out a national teacher recruitment
campaign, which may include activities carried out through the National
Teacher Recruitment Clearinghouse, to assist

[[Page 115 STAT. 1636]]

high-need local educational agencies in recruiting teachers
(particularly those activities that are effective in retaining new
teachers) and training teachers and to conduct a national public service
campaign concerning the resources for, and the routes to, entering the
field of teaching. In carrying out the campaign, the Secretary may
promote and link the activities of the campaign to the information and
referral activities of the National Teacher Recruitment Clearinghouse. 
The Secretary shall coordinate activities under this subsection with
State and regional recruitment activities.
    ``(b) School Leadership.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to establish
        and carry out a national principal recruitment program to assist
        high-need local educational agencies in recruiting and training
        principals (including assistant principals) through such
        activities as--
                    ``(A) providing financial incentives to aspiring new
                principals;
                    ``(B) providing stipends to principals who mentor
                new principals;
                    ``(C) carrying out professional development programs
                in instructional leadership and management; and
                    ``(D) providing incentives that are appropriate for
                teachers or individuals from other fields who want to
                become principals and that are effective in retaining
                new principals.
            ``(2) Grants.--If the Secretary uses sums made available
        under section 2103(b) to carry out paragraph (1), the Secretary
        shall carry out such paragraph by making grants, on a
        competitive basis, to--
                    ``(A) high-need local educational agencies;
                    ``(B) consortia of high-need local educational
                agencies; and
                    ``(C) partnerships of high-need local educational
                agencies, nonprofit organizations, and institutions of
                higher education.

    ``(c) Advanced Certification or Advanced Credentialing.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to support
        activities to encourage and support teachers seeking advanced
        certification or advanced credentialing through high quality
        professional teacher enhancement programs designed to improve
        teaching and learning.
            ``(2) Implementation.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the
        Secretary shall make grants to eligible entities to--
                    ``(A) develop teacher standards that include
                measures tied to increased student academic achievement; 
                and
                    ``(B) promote outreach, teacher recruitment, teacher
                subsidy, or teacher support programs, related to teacher
                certification or credentialing by the National Board for
                Professional Teaching Standards, the National Council on
                Teacher Quality, or other nationally recognized
                certification or credentialing organizations.
            ``(3) Eligible entities.--In this subsection, the term
        `eligible entity' includes--
                    ``(A) a State educational agency;
                    ``(B) a local educational agency;

[[Page 115 STAT. 1637]]

                    ``(C) the National Board for Professional Teaching
                Standards, in partnership with a high-need local
                educational agency or a State educational agency;
                    ``(D) the National Council on Teacher Quality, in
                partnership with a high-need local educational agency or
                a State educational agency; or
                    ``(E) another recognized entity, including another
                recognized certification or credentialing organization, 
                in partnership with a high-need local educational agency
                or a State educational agency.

    ``(d) Special Education Teacher Training.--The Secretary is
authorized to award a grant to the University of Northern Colorado to
enable such university to provide, to other institutions of higher
education, assistance in training special education teachers.
    ``(e) Early Childhood Educator Professional Development.--
            ``(1) Purpose.--The purpose of this subsection is to enhance
        the school readiness of young children, particularly
        disadvantaged young children, and to prevent young children from
        encountering difficulties once the children enter school, by
        improving the knowledge and skills of early childhood educators
        who work in communities that have high concentrations of
        children living in poverty.
            ``(2) Program authorized.--
                    ``(A) Grants to partnerships.--The Secretary is
                authorized to carry out the purpose of this subsection
                by awarding grants, on a competitive basis, to
                partnerships consisting of--
                          ``(i)(I) one or more institutions of higher
                      education that provide professional development
                      for early childhood educators who work with
                      children from low-income families in high-need
                      communities; or
                          ``(II) another public or private entity that
                      provides such professional development;
                          ``(ii) one or more public agencies (including
                      local educational agencies, State educational
                      agencies, State human services agencies, and State
                      and local agencies administering programs under
                      the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of
                      1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.), Head Start
                      agencies, or private organizations; and
                          ``(iii) to the extent feasible, an entity with
                      demonstrated experience in providing training to
                      educators in early childhood education programs
                      concerning identifying and preventing behavior
                      problems or working with children identified as or
                      suspected to be victims of abuse.
                    ``(B) Duration and number of grants.--
                          ``(i) Duration.--The Secretary shall award
                      grants under this subsection for periods of not
                      more than 4 years.
                          ``(ii) Number.--No partnership may receive
                      more than one grant under this subsection.
            ``(3) Applications.--
                    ``(A) Applications required.--Any partnership that
                desires to receive a grant under this subsection shall
                submit

[[Page 115 STAT. 1638]]

                an application to the Secretary at such time, in such
                manner, and containing such information as the Secretary
                may require.
                    ``(B) Contents.--Each such application shall
                include--
                          ``(i) a description of the high-need community
                      to be served by the project proposed to be carried
                      out through the grant, including such demographic
                      and socioeconomic information as the Secretary may
                      request;
                          ``(ii) information on the quality of the early
                      childhood educator professional development
                      program currently conducted (as of the date of the
                      submission of the application) by the institution
                      of higher education or another provider in the
                      partnership;
                          ``(iii) the results of a needs assessment that
                      the entities in the partnership have undertaken to
                      determine the most critical professional
                      development needs of the early childhood educators
                      to be served by the partnership and in the broader
                      community, and a description of how the proposed
                      project will address those needs;
                          ``(iv) a description of how the proposed
                      project will be carried out, including a
                      description of--
                                    ``(I) how individuals will be
                                selected to participate;
                                    ``(II) the types of professional
                                development activities, based on
                                scientifically based research, that will
                                be carried out;
                                    ``(III) how research on effective
                                professional development and on adult
                                learning will be used to design and
                                deliver project activities;
                                    ``(IV) how the project will be
                                coordinated with and build on, and will
                                not supplant or duplicate, early
                                childhood education professional
                                development activities in the high-need
                                community;
                                    ``(V) how the project will train
                                early childhood educators to provide
                                developmentally appropriate school-
                                readiness services that are based on the
                                best available research on early
                                childhood pedagogy and child development
                                and learning domains;
                                    ``(VI) how the project will train
                                early childhood educators to meet the
                                diverse educational needs of children in
                                the community, including children who
                                have limited English proficiency, 
                                children with disabilities, or children
                                with other special needs; and
                                    ``(VII) how the project will train
                                early childhood educators in identifying
                                and preventing behavioral problems in
                                children or working with children
                                identified as or suspected to be victims
                                of abuse;
                          ``(v) a description of--
                                    ``(I) the specific objectives that
                                the partnership will seek to attain
                                through the project, and the methods
                                that the partnership will use to measure
                                progress toward attainment of those
                                objectives; and

[[Page 115 STAT. 1639]]

                                    ``(II) how the objectives and the
                                measurement methods align with the
                                achievement indicators established by
                                the Secretary under paragraph (6)(A);
                          ``(vi) a description of the partnership's plan
                      for continuing the activities carried out under
                      the project after Federal funding ceases;
                          ``(vii) an assurance that, where applicable, 
                      the project will provide appropriate professional
                      development to volunteers working directly with
                      young children, as well as to paid staff; and
                          ``(viii) an assurance that, in developing the
                      application and in carrying out the project, the
                      partnership has consulted with, and will consult
                      with, relevant agencies, early childhood educator
                      organizations, and early childhood providers that
                      are not members of the partnership.
            ``(4) Selection of grant recipients.--
                    ``(A) Criteria.--The Secretary shall select
                partnerships to receive grants under this subsection on
                the basis of the degree to which the communities
                proposed to be served require assistance and the quality
                of the applications submitted under paragraph (3).
                    ``(B) Geographic distribution.--In selecting
                partnerships to receive grants under this subsection, 
                the Secretary shall seek to ensure that communities in
                different regions of the Nation, as well as both urban
                and rural communities, are served.
            ``(5) Uses of funds.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Each partnership receiving a
                grant under this subsection shall use the grant funds to
                carry out activities that will improve the knowledge and
                skills of early childhood educators who are working in
                early childhood programs that are located in high-need
                communities and serve concentrations of children from
                low-income families.
                    ``(B) Allowable activities.--Such activities may
                include--
                          ``(i) professional development for early
                      childhood educators, particularly to familiarize
                      those educators with the application of recent
                      research on child, language, and literacy
                      development and on early childhood pedagogy;
                          ``(ii) professional development for early
                      childhood educators in working with parents, so
                      that the educators and parents can work together
                      to provide and support developmentally appropriate
                      school-readiness services that are based on
                      scientifically based research on early childhood
                      pedagogy and child development and learning
                      domains;
                          ``(iii) professional development for early
                      childhood educators to work with children who have
                      limited English proficiency, children with
                      disabilities, and children with other special
                      needs;

[[Page 115 STAT. 1640]]

                          ``(iv) professional development to train early
                      childhood educators in identifying and preventing
                      behavioral problems in children or working with
                      children identified as or suspected to be victims
                      of abuse;
                          ``(v) activities that assist and support early
                      childhood educators during their first 3 years in
                      the field;
                          ``(vi) development and implementation of early
                      childhood educator professional development
                      programs that make use of distance learning and
                      other technologies;
                          ``(vii) professional development activities
                      related to the selection and use of screening and
                      diagnostic assessments to improve teaching and
                      learning; and
                          ``(viii) data collection, evaluation, and
                      reporting needed to meet the requirements of
                      paragraph (6) relating to accountability.
            ``(6) Accountability.--
                    ``(A) Achievement indicators.--On the date on which
                the Secretary first issues a notice soliciting
                applications for grants under this subsection, the
                Secretary shall announce achievement indicators for this
                subsection, which shall be designed--
                          ``(i) to measure the quality and accessibility
                      of the professional development provided;
                          ``(ii) to measure the impact of that
                      professional development on the early childhood
                      education provided by the individuals who receive
                      the professional development; and
                          ``(iii) to provide such other measures of
                      program impact as the Secretary determines to be
                      appropriate.
                    ``(B) Annual reports; termination.--
                          ``(i) Annual reports.--Each partnership
                      receiving a grant under this subsection shall
                      report annually to the Secretary on the
                      partnership's progress toward attaining the
                      achievement indicators.
                          ``(ii) Termination.--The Secretary may
                      terminate a grant under this subsection at any
                      time if the Secretary determines that the
                      partnership receiving the grant is not making
                      satisfactory progress toward attaining the
                      achievement indicators.
            ``(7) Cost-sharing.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Each partnership carrying out a
                project through a grant awarded under this subsection
                shall provide, from sources other than the program
                carried out under this subsection, which may include
                Federal sources--
                          ``(i) at least 50 percent of the total cost of
                      the project for the grant period; and
                          ``(ii) at least 20 percent of the project cost
                      for each year.
                    ``(B) Acceptable contributions.--A partnership may
                meet the requirements of subparagraph (A) by providing
                contributions in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, 
                including plant, equipment, and services.
                    ``(C) Waivers.--The Secretary may waive or modify
                the requirements of subparagraph (A) for partnerships in
                cases of demonstrated financial hardship.

[[Page 115 STAT. 1641]]

            ``(8) Federal coordination.--The Secretary and the Secretary
        of Health and Human Services shall coordinate activities carried
        out through programs under this subsection with activities
        carried out through other early childhood programs administered
        by the Secretary or the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
            ``(9) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Early childhood educator.--The term `early
                childhood educator' means a person providing, or
                employed by a provider of, nonresidential child care
                services (including center-based, family-based, and in-
                home child care services) that is legally operating
                under State law, and that complies with applicable State
                and local requirements for the provision of child care
                services to children at any age from birth through the
                age at which a child may start kindergarten in that
                State.
                    ``(B) High-need community.--
                          ``(i) In general.--The term `high-need
                      community' means--
                                    ``(I) a political subdivision of a
                                State, or a portion of a political
                                subdivision of a State, in which at
                                least 50 percent of the children are
                                from low-income families; or
                                    ``(II) a political subdivision of a
                                State that is among the 10 percent of
                                political subdivisions of the State
                                having the greatest numbers of such
                                children.
                          ``(ii) Determination.--In determining which
                      communities are described in clause (i), the
                      Secretary shall use such data as the Secretary
                      determines are most accurate and appropriate.
                    ``(C) Low-income family.--The term `low-income
                family' means a family with an income below the poverty
                line for the most recent fiscal year for which
                satisfactory data are available.

    ``(f) Teacher Mobility.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary is authorized to
        establish a panel to be known as the National Panel on Teacher
        Mobility (referred to in this subsection as the `panel').
            ``(2) Membership.--The panel shall be composed of 12 members
        appointed by the Secretary. The Secretary shall appoint the
        members from among practitioners and experts with experience
        relating to teacher mobility, such as teachers, members of
        teacher certification or licensing bodies, faculty of
        institutions of higher education that prepare teachers, and
        State policymakers with such experience.
            ``(3) Period of appointment; vacancies.--Members shall be
        appointed for the life of the panel. Any vacancy in the panel
        shall not affect the powers of the panel, but shall be filled in
        the same manner as the original appointment.
            ``(4) Duties.--
                    ``(A) Study.--
                          ``(i) In general.--The panel shall study
                      strategies for increasing mobility and employment
                      opportunities for highly qualified teachers, 
                      especially for States with teacher shortages and
                      States with school districts or schools that are
                      difficult to staff.

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                          ``(ii) Data and analysis.--As part of the
                      study, the panel shall evaluate the desirability
                      and feasibility of State initiatives that support
                      teacher mobility by collecting data and conducting
                      effective analysis concerning--
                                    ``(I) teacher supply and demand;
                                    ``(II) the development of
                                recruitment and hiring strategies that
                                support teachers; and
                                    ``(III) increasing reciprocity of
                                certification and licensing across
                                States.
                    ``(B) <<NOTE: Deadline.>>  report.--Not later than 1
                year after the date on which all members of the panel
                have been appointed, the panel shall submit to the
                Secretary and to the appropriate committees of Congress
                a report containing the results of the study.
            ``(5) Powers.--
                    ``(A) Hearings.--The panel may hold such hearings, 
                sit and act at such times and places, take such
                testimony, and receive such evidence as the panel
                considers advisable to carry out the objectives of this
                subsection.
                    ``(B) Information from federal agencies.--The panel
                may secure directly from any Federal department or
                agency such information as the panel considers necessary
                to carry out the provisions of this subsection. Upon
                request of a majority of the members of the panel, the
                head of such department or agency shall furnish such
                information to the panel.
                    ``(C) Postal services.--The panel may use the United
                States mails in the same manner and under the same
                conditions as other departments and agencies of the
                Federal Government.
            ``(6) Personnel.--
                    ``(A) Travel expenses.--The members of the panel
                shall not receive compensation for the performance of
                services for the panel, but shall be allowed travel
                expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at
                rates authorized for employees of agencies under
                subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States
                Code, while away from their homes or regular places of
                business in the performance of services for the panel. 
                Notwithstanding section 1342 of title 31, United States
                Code, the Secretary may accept the voluntary and
                uncompensated services of members of the panel.
                    ``(B) Detail of government employees.--Any Federal
                Government employee may be detailed to the panel without
                reimbursement, and such detail shall be without
                interruption or loss of civil service status or
                privilege.
            ``(7) Permanent committee.--Section 14 of the Federal
        Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the
        panel.