,i #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #accd ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,march #ba1 #bjac ,ms4 ,chu 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,hinojosa1 ,ms4 ,clarke1 ,ms4 ,brown of ,florida1 ,ms4 ,bass1 ,ms4 ,norton1 and ,mr4 ,honda7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,education and the ,workforce ,a ,,bill ,to establish a grant program to ensure that students in high-need schools have equal access to a quality education delivered by an effective1 diverse workforce4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,equal ,access to ,quality ,education ,act of #bjac4 #b4 ,equal access to quality education grant program 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,education shall make grants on a competitive basis to eligible partnerships in high-need areas to-- 7#a7 develop and strengthen high-quality pathways for the teaching and education leadership professions2 7#b7 create professional induction programs for the teaching profession2 and 7#c7 provide a stable and collaborative learning environment for educators and students4 7b7 ,purposes ,the purposes of the grant program established under this section shall be to-- 7#a7 increase the percentage of highly qualified teachers in ,states1 including teachers from under represented minority groups and teachers with disabilities2 7#b7 close the achievement gap for students within subgroups that are not showing expected performance2 7#c7 decrease shortages of highly qualified teachers in poor urban and rural areas2 7#d7 decrease high turnover rates for educators in high-need schools2 7#e7 increase the number of highly qualified teachers in shortage areas1 including special education1 bilingual education1 and education for ,english language learners1 and in science1 mathematics1 engineering1 and technology2 7#f7 increase opportunities for enhanced and ongoing professional development that-- 7,a7 improves the academic content knowledge of teachers in the subject areas in which teachers are certified or licensed to teach or in which the teachers are working toward certification or licensure to teach2 7,b7 promotes strong teaching skills1 including instructional strategies that address diverse needs1 the use of data to inform instruction1 and strategies to improve student achievement2 and 7,c7 provides time for teachers to share their knowledge and innovation2 and 7#g7 provide all educators with the knowledge base and professional skills to meet the needs of diverse learners1 including ,english language learners and students with disabilities4 7c7 ,application 7#a7 ,applications required ,an eligible partnership that desires to receive a grant under this ,act shall submit an application to the ,secretary at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require4 7#b7 ,contents ,an application submitted under paragraph 7#a7 include-- 7,a7 a description of-- 7i7 how the eligible partnership will meet the purposes under subsection 7b72 7ii7 how the partnership will carry out the activities required under subsection 7d71 including-- 7,i7 how the partnership will design1 implement1 or enhance a year-long and rigorous teaching residency program component2 and 7,,ii7 how the partnership will design1 implement1 or enhance a rigorous teacher induction and retention program2 7iii7 a description of the partnership's plan for continuing the activities carried out under a grant received under this ,act after the grant funding ceases2 7iv7 how the grant will increase the number of highly qualified teachers -- 7,i7 in high-need schools operated by high-need local educational agencies 7in urban or rural school districts72 and 7,,ii7 in high-need academic subjects2 and 7v7 with respect to the teacher induction and retention program that will be carried out using the grant-- 7,i7 the partnership's capability and commitment to1 and the accessibility to and involvement of teachers in1 the use of empirically based practice and scientifically valid research on teaching and learning2 7,,ii7 a description of how the partnership will design and implement an induction program to support1 through not less than the first #b years of teaching1 all new teachers who are prepared by the teacher preparation program in the partnership and who teach in the high-need local educational agency in the partnership1 and1 to the extent practicable1 all new teachers who teach in such high-need local educational agency1 in the further development of the new teachers' teaching skills1 including the use of mentors who are trained and compensated by such program for the mentors' work with new teachers4 7d7 ,use of funds 7#a7 ,required uses ,an eligible partnership that receives a grant under this section shall use the funds to carry out the following3 7,a7 ,establish or support a teacher preparation program that-- 7i7 requires participants in the program to complete at least one year of residency at a high-need school in the local educational agency participating in the eligible partnership2 7ii7 requires participants in the program to teach in a high-need school in such local educational agency for at least #c years after completing such residency2 and 7iii7 awards a teaching credential1 an undergraduate degree1 or a ,masters degree that meets ,state requirements for a teaching license or certification upon completion of the program4 7,b7 ,establish or support a teacher induction and retention program that provides support and advances the retention of beginning teachers and principals during not less than the first #b years of participation in such program1 which promotes effective teaching and leadership skills and includes-- 7i7 high-quality mentoring2 7ii7 periodic1 structured time for collaboration and classroom observation opportunities with teachers in the same department or field1 including mentor teachers1 as well as time for information-sharing among teachers1 principals1 administrators1 other appropriate educators1 and participating faculty in the partner institution of higher education2 7iii7 the application of empirically based practice and scientifically valid research on instructional practices2 7iv7 opportunities for new teachers and principals to draw directly on the expertise of mentors1 faculty1 local educational agency personnel1 and researchers to support the integration of empirically based practice and scientifically valid research with practice2 7v7 the development of skills in instructional and behavioral interventions derived from empirically based practice1 and where applicable1 scientifically valid research2 7vi7 faculty who-- 7,i7 model the integration of research and practice in the classroom2 and 7,,ii7 assist new teachers and principals with the effective use and integration of technology in instruction4 7,c7 ,otherwise fulfill the purposes described in subsection 7b74 7#b7 ,authorized uses ,in addition to the activities described in paragraph 7#a71 a partnership that receives a grant under this section may use the funds for any of the following3 7,a7 ,providing support to each mentor teacher working with new teachers4 7,b7 ,providing preparation in effective1 evidence-based instructional assessment practices and classroom management strategies for general education teachers serving students with disabilities and students with limited ,english proficiency4 7,c7 ,enabling teachers to engage in study groups1 professional learning communities1 and other collaborative activities and collegial interactions regarding instruction assessment4 7,d7 ,paying for release time and substitute teachers in order to enable teachers to participate in professional development and mentoring activities4 7,e7 ,creating libraries of professional material1 catalogues of expert instruction1 and education technology4 7,f7 ,providing high-quality professional development for other instructional staff1 such as paraprofessionals1 librarians1 and counselors4 7,g7 ,developing partnerships with businesses and community-based organizations4 7,h7 ,providing tuition assistance1 scholarships1 or student loan repayment to teachers4 7,i7 ,providing stipends or another financial incentive to participants in the teacher preparation program under paragraph 7#a77;,a74 7,j7 ,providing support for home visitation1 parenting education1 and family engagement1 especially for parents who have limited ,english proficiency4 7e7 ,repayments ,the ,secretary shall establish such requirements as the ,secretary determines to be appropriate to ensure that each participant of a teacher preparation program under this ,act who receives a stipend or other financial incentive as described in subsection 7d77#b77;,i71 but fails to complete the participant's teaching obligation under subsection 7d77#a77;,a77ii71 repays all or a portion of such stipend or incentive to the eligible partnership that awarded such stipend or incentive4 7f7 ,priority ,in awarding grants under this section1 the ,secretary shall give priority to eligible partnerships that meet the requirements of one of the following paragraphs3 7#a7 ,demonstrating-- 7,a7 a plan to recruit teachers from among minority and local candidates and from individuals with disabilities2 and 7,b7 the use of a valid and reliable teacher performance assessment4 7#b7 ,meeting the requirements of paragraph 7#a77;,b7 and including in the partnership-- 7,a7 an institution of higher education that is an eligible institution for purposes of the ,,teach ,grant program under subpart #i of part ,a of title ,,iv of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajgj;g et seq472 7,b7 a ,tribal ,college or ,university1 as defined in section #caf7;b77#c7 of such ,act 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajei;c7b77#c772 7,c7 an ,asian ,american and ,native ,american ,pacific ,islander-serving institution1 as defined in section #cbj7;a7 of such ,act 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajei;g7a772 7,d7 a ,hispanic-serving institution1 as defined in section #ejb7;a77#e7 of such ,act 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #aaja;a7a77#e772 or 7,e7 a historically ,black college and university1 as defined in section #fca7;a77#e7 of such ,act 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #aacb7;a774 7g7 ,matching ,requirements 7#a7 ,federal share ,the ,federal share of the cost of any activities funded by a grant received under this section shall not exceed #ge percent4 7#b7 ,payment of non-,federal share ,the non-,federal share may be paid in cash or in kind1 fairly evaluated1 including services4 7h7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,eligible partnership ,the term eligible partnership means a partnership-- 7,a7 between a high-need local educational agency and an institution of higher education2 and 7,b7 that may include a teacher organization or a nonprofit educational organization4 7#b7 ,family engagement ,the term family engagement means a shared responsibility of families and schools for student success1 in which schools and community-based organizations are committed to reaching out to engage families1 especially parents of non-,native ,english speakers1 in meaningful ways that encourage the families to actively support their children's learning and development1 as well as the learning and development of other children4 ,the shared responsibility is continuous from birth through young adulthood and reinforces learning that takes place in the home1 school1 and community4 7#c7 ,high-need local educational agency ,the term high-need local educational agency means a local educational agency-- 7,a7 7i7 that serves not fewer than #aj1jjj low-income children2 7ii7 for which not less than #bj percent of the children served by the agency are low-income children2 7iii7 that meets the eligibility requirements for receiving funding under the ,small1 ,rural ,school ,achievement ,program under section #fbaa7;b7 of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #gcde7;b77 or the ,rural and ,low-,income ,school ,program under section #fbba7;b7 of such ,act 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #gcea7;b772 or 7iv7 that has a percentage of low-income children that is in the highest quartile among such agencies in the ,state2 and 7,b7 7i7 for which one or more schools served by the agency is persistently low achieving2 or 7ii7 for which one or more schools served by the agency has a high teacher turnover rate4 7#d7 ,highly qualified ,the term highly qualified has the meaning given the term in section #iaja7bc7 of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja7bc774 ,the definition given the term highly qualified teacher in section #afc of ,public ,law #aaa-bdb shall not apply with respect to this section4 7#e7 ,institution of higher education ,the term institution of higher education has the meaning given the term in section #ajb of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife4 7#f7 ,low-income children ,the term low-income children means-- 7,a7 children from families with incomes below the poverty line 7as defined by the ,office of ,management and ,budget and revised annually in accordance with section #fgc7b7 of the ,omnibus ,budget ,reconciliation ,act of #aiha7 applicable to a family of the size involved2 or 7,b7 children who are eligible for free or reduced price lunches under the ,richard ,b4 ,russell ,national ,school ,lunch ,act4 7#g7 ,mentor teacher ,the term mentor teacher means a teacher who-- 7,a7 is highly qualified2 7,b7 has a minimum of #c years of teaching experience2 7,c7 is recommended by the principal and other current master and mentor teachers on the basis of-- 7i7 instructional excellence through observations and other evidence of classroom practice1 including standards-based evaluations1 such as certification by the ,national ,board for ,professional ,teaching ,standards2 7ii7 an ability1 as demonstrated by evidence of student learning in high-need schools1 to increase student learning2 and 7iii7 excellent instruction and communication with an understanding of how to facilitate growth in other teachers1 including new teachers2 and 7,d7 participates in training and ongoing professional development on how to-- 7i7 help teachers learn to improve student achievement2 7ii7 help teachers learn to improve instruction2 and 7iii7 facilitate mentor-to-mentor collaboration and coaching4 7#h7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,education4 7#i7 ,teacher performance assessment ,the term teacher performance assessment means a program1 based on ,state or national professional teaching standards1 that will measure teachers' curriculum planning1 instruction1 and assessment of students1 including appropriate plans and adaptations for ,english language learners and students with disabilities1 and multiple sources of evidence about student learning4 ,such assessment will be validated against professional assessment standards and reliably scored by trained external evaluators with appropriate auditing of scoring to ensure consistency4 7#aj7 ,teaching credential ,the term teaching credential means a program of instruction for individuals who have completed a baccalaureate degree1 that does not lead to a graduate degree1 and that consists of courses required by a ,state for a teacher candidate to receive a professional certification or license that is required for employment as a teacher in an elementary school or secondary school in that ,state4