A Quality Teacher in Every Classroom: Improving Teacher Quality and Enhancing the Profession (Text Only)

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A Quality Teacher in Every Classroom:
Improving Teacher Quality and Enhancing the Profession

Table of Contents:

Background

Executive Summary

Improving Teacher Quality and Enhancing the Teaching Profession

Tools for Teachers in Specific Areas of Instruction

The Need to Improve Teacher Quality and

Enhance the Teaching Profession

Recent studies offer compelling evidence that confirms what parents have always known – the quality of a teacher is one of the most critical components of how well students achieve. Studies in both Tennessee and Texas found that students who had effective teachers greatly outperformed those who had ineffective teachers. For example, in the Tennessee study, students with highly effective teachers for three years in a row scored 50 percentage points higher on a test of math skills than those whose teachers were ineffective.

The Challenge of Improving Teacher Quality

Teacher Preparation: Many new teachers do not feel ready for the challenges of today’s classrooms. Fewer than 36 percent feel "very well prepared" to implement curriculum and performance standards, and less than 20 percent feel prepared to meet the needs of diverse students or those with limited English proficiency.

Teacher Retention: New teachers are often left to "sink or swim," not receiving the nurturing and support they need. Not surprisingly, about 22 percent of new public school teachers leave the profession in their first three years.

Mastery of Content: Teachers in 35 States are required to pass a test of subject area knowledge. Often the passing scores are set so low that a candidate can pass the test by getting fewer than half of the test items correct. Low expectations such as these do not address the realities of higher academic standards. Research has demonstrated a clear connection between a teacher’s subject matter preparation and student academic achievement. Teachers with strong preparation in the subject matter they teach have the knowledge and ability to help their students meet the challenges of new and more rigorous standards.

Teacher Recruitment: Over the next decade, school districts will need to hire 2.2 million additional teachers. But States and school districts face the challenge of attracting a greater quantity of people to the teaching profession while also increasing teacher quality. While States and educational organizations have begun to pursue different ways to recruit high quality individuals into the field of teaching, more help is needed.

Starting Early. Research has shown the importance of children acquiring pre-reading and numeracy skills early on in life. The more prepared children are when they enter school, the more likely they will be able to read and perform on grade level by the end of the third grade. Teachers need specific training to enable them to successfully teach young learners.

The Need to Enhance the Teaching Profession

As we expect more and more of teachers, we have an obligation to ensure that they are treated like the dedicated professionals they are. Unfortunately, fewer than 20 percent of public school teachers report that they are "very satisfied" with the level of esteem society accords them. Teachers also report that they have problems maintaining order in the classroom and face the threat of being sued when they enforce reasonable standards of discipline. Additionally, low pay and the burden of student loans and other expenses related to teaching can contribute to teachers feeling dissatisfied with their work environment.

The No Child Left Behind Act and Teachers

Every child deserves highly qualified teachers. The No Child Left Behind Act requires States to have a highly qualified teacher in every public school classroom by the end of the 2005-2006 school year. For example, all new teachers will have to be licensed or certified by the State, hold at least a bachelor’s degree, and pass a rigorous State test on subject knowledge and teaching skills. Existing teachers will also have to meet similar criteria.

Reaching this goal will require reform of traditional teacher training, which is usually conducted in colleges of education, as well as through the innovative expansion of alternative routes to teacher licensure. It will also require more effective in-service training and professional development for teachers currently in the classroom.

The historic No Child Left Behind Act, signed into law by President Bush in January 2002, provides a variety of new tools to enable the Federal Government, States, and local districts to improve teacher quality and elevate the teaching profession. These needed reforms are backed up with historic levels of funding for teacher quality initiatives in President Bush’s FY-03 budget. These reforms are the foundation of the Bush Administration’s agenda to improve teacher quality and enhance the teaching profession.

Executive Summary

The Bush Administration Agenda for a Quality Teacher in Every Classroom

Background

Every child in America deserves a quality teacher. In an era of increasing standards and accountability in education, teacher quality and teacher training will be more important than ever.

President Bush knows the challenges facing today’s teachers. For years, Federal programs have promised to strengthen State and local teacher quality efforts – but with few results. Through the No Child Left Behind Act and in his budget proposals, President Bush proposes to address these challenges of teacher quality and teacher training in two major ways by providing: (1) assistance to States as they strive to improve teacher quality; (2) specific steps to enhance the teaching profession and work environment; and (3) new tools for teachers in specific areas of instruction.

Some key elements of the President’s teacher quality agenda include:

(1) Improving Teacher Quality

Teachers and Principal Training and Recruitment Fund: President Bush proposes to spend a record-level $2.85 billion in grants to States to improve the quality of teachers and principals. Under the No Child Left Behind Act, these funds will be used to increase the number of highly qualified teachers and principals, and to hold school districts accountable for showing progress.

Qualified Teachers for Disadvantaged Students: Under the No Child Left Behind Act, local schools will be required to use a portion of their Federal Title I dollars to improve teacher quality. These teachers must be highly qualified, and parents will be able to receive information about the qualifications of their children’s teachers. President Bush proposes a $1 billion increase in Title I funding for FY-03.

Record Support for Innovative Teacher Recruitment: President Bush proposes record level support for programs that provide innovative ways to recruit new teachers into the teaching profession, including the Troops to Teachers program ($20 million), Transition to Teaching Program ($39.4 million), and Teach for America ($2.6 million).

(2) Enhancing the Teaching Profession and Work Environment

Teacher Protection Act: The President supports implementation of the Teacher Protection Act to ensure that teachers, principals, and other school officials are able to take reasonable steps to maintain order and discipline in the classroom without the fear of unnecessary litigation.

Teacher Tax Deduction: Teachers often pay for classroom supplies and supplemental materials out of their own pockets. To help teachers defray these costs, President Bush proposes a Teacher Tax Deduction on up to $400 of qualified education expenses. This tax deduction will provide $577 million in tax relief to teachers over the next five years.

Expanded Loan Forgiveness: Teachers who receive certain Federal education loans to pay for college and have taught in a low-income school for five consecutive years are eligible for up to $5,000 in student loan forgiveness, under current law. President Bush proposes to increase the student loan forgiveness ceiling to $17,500, which will provide, over the next five years, $112 million in relief for teachers who serve in low-income schools.

Flexibility for States and Districts: States and districts recognize that in order to attract teachers to the profession and keep good teachers in the classroom, they need to offer competitive salaries. Under the No Child Left Behind Act, States and districts are able to use a portion of the funds that they receive under certain Federal programs to meet their unique needs, including increasing teacher pay, reducing class size, and bolstering professional development and training for teachers.

(3) Tools for Teachers in Specific Areas of Instruction

Support for Early Childhood Educators: President Bush’s budget for FY-03 provides record funding levels for the Early Childhood Educator Professional Development Program, which allows preschool educators and caregivers – particularly in low-income areas – to receive the training and professional development they need to provide a quality education for the children they serve.

Early Reading First: The President’s Early Reading First initiative will help to prepare young children to enter kindergarten with the necessary language, cognitive, and early reading skills they need to be successful readers. The President’s budget fully funds this initiative at $75 million, and these funds will be available to give preschool teachers the training and resources they need to provide high-quality early education for the youngest Americans.

Reading First: The President’s new Reading First initiative is aimed at helping every student become a successful reader by the end of third grade. The President’s budget proposes almost 12 percent increase in Reading First for FY-03 – bringing overall funding to $1 billion. Up to 20 percent of these funds are available to States, and a significant portion of the funds are available to support professional development to help teachers learn research-based reading instruction techniques.

Teaching English Language Learners: The Professional Development program for language acquisition provides discretionary grants to colleges and universities that work with State education departments to improve classroom instruction for students who do not speak English as a native language or are limited English proficient. President Bush supports maintaining funding at $37.5 million to help teachers better serve these students and their communities.

Better Training for Teachers of Disabled Students: President Bush supports continued record-level funding for the State Improvement Grant program ($51.7 million) and for the Personnel Program ($90 million), which help teachers of children with disabilities to receive the training and professional development they need to better serve their students.

Preparing, Training and Recruiting

High Quality Teachers and Principals ¹

Purpose of the Program

This program represents the largest and most comprehensive Federal investment in preparing, training and recruiting teachers and principals. Nearly $3 billion will be made available to States through formula grants to prepare, train, and recruit high-quality teachers. This program has three goals: (1) to increase student academic achievement through the use of strategies based on scientifically-based research in what works to improve teacher and principal quality; (2) to increase the number of highly qualified teachers and principals; and (3) to hold educational agencies and schools accountable for improvements in teacher quality and student academic achievement.

New Program Improvements and Resources

The No Child Left Behind Act that President Bush signed into law consolidates several smaller Federal programs into one comprehensive grant program for States, giving them flexibility to meet their teacher training, recruiting, and retention needs. This change will help to improve children’s education by assisting States and districts to ensure that every classroom is led by a highly qualified teacher. Last year, President Bush signed legislation that appropriated for this program a total of $2.85 billion to States, local educational agencies, and partnerships for 2002. This amount represents a 35 percent increase in teacher quality funds, as compared with 2001. President Bush’s FY-03 budget proposes sustaining this commitment .

Highlights

State applications will describe how the proposals are based upon research and how the activities are expected to increase student achievement, as well as how the proposals are aligned with State content standards and assessments.

States will be able to use their funds in a variety of ways to best meet their specific teacher needs. Funds can be used for such activities as:

Reforming teacher and principal certification and re-certification and/or promoting reciprocity agreements, which are agreements between States that allow teachers certified in one State to work in another State. Not all States currently have reciprocity agreements.

Providing a variety of support, such as training, to new or current teachers or principals.
Establishing, expanding, or improving programs for alternative routes to licensure.
Developing effective recruitment and retention strategies, and/or establishing a clearinghouse for recruitment and placement.
Reforming tenure laws and/or implementing teacher testing.
Providing high quality professional development for both teachers and principals.
Supporting activities tied to State standards that improve instructional practices and improve student achievement.
Developing systems to measure the effectiveness of specific types of professional development in terms of enhanced student achievement and/or increased teacher subject mastery.
Assisting local educational agencies in the use of cost-effective, research-based professional development opportunities, and/or providing technical assistance.
Providing training in the efficient use of technology to instruct, to use student data analysis to inform educational decision making, to improve schools and school accountability.
Developing performance-pay systems that provide differential and bonus pay for teachers in high-need subject areas or in high-poverty schools or districts.
Developing initiatives that allow teachers to receive additional pay for teaching subject matter areas that are experiencing teacher shortages.

Developing initiatives that provide teachers with choices in their career paths, such as becoming a mentor for new teachers, and then moving up to being a supervisor of all mentors; or becoming a provider of specific professional development activities, and then graduating to training others to do the same.

Providing assistance to teachers so that they can meet new licensure requirements.
Encouraging men to become elementary teachers.

Innovative and Alternative Routes to Licensure:

Troops to Teachers Program ²

Purpose of the Program

The Troops to Teachers program seeks to ensure that individuals who desire to enter the teaching profession have access to high quality training that will prepare them to become highly qualified teachers.

The Troops to Teachers program has the following two components: (1) it helps place eligible members of the Armed Services in teacher training programs designed by the States, and (2) it encourages States or partnerships to develop and implement innovative teacher certification/licensure programs for members of the Armed Services.

New Program Improvements and Resources

The No Child Left Behind Act reauthorizes the Troops to Teachers program, which improves children's education by increasing the number of high-quality professionals in the classroom.

Last year, President Bush signed legislation that increased funding for this program five-fold from $3 million in 2001 to $18 million in 2002. This year, President Bush has proposed further increasing funding for Troops to Teachers to $20 million in FY-03.

Highlights for Individuals

Members of the Armed Services who hold a bachelor’s or advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education and meet a few basic requirements are eligible to participate in Troops to Teachers.

Priority will be given to members who have experience in science, math, special education, or vocational/technical subjects.

Participants can receive a stipend of up to $5,000 for training or a bonus of up to $10,000, if they agree to obtain their teacher license and teach for at least three years in a school that: (1) has a student population where at least 50 percent of the children come from low-income families; or (2) has a large percentage of children with disabilities.

Innovative and Alternative Routes to Licensure:
Transition to Teaching Program ³

Purpose of the Program

The Transition to Teaching program seeks to ensure that individuals who desire to enter the teaching profession have access to quality training that will prepare them to become highly qualified teachers.

This program has two components: (1) it helps place career professionals and recent college graduates in teacher training programs designed by the States; and (2) it encourages States in the development and expansion of alternative routes to teacher licensure and certification.

New Program Improvements and Resources

The No Child Left Behind Act reauthorizes the Transition to Teaching program, which improves children's education by increasing the number of high-quality professionals in the classroom.

Last year, President Bush signed legislation that increased funding to $35 million in 2002, an increase of 12 percent from the previous year. This year, President Bush has proposed further increasing the program to $39.4 million in FY-03, an increase of 13 percent.

Highlights for Individuals

An individual with relevant career experience or a recent college graduate is eligible to participate in this program.

Participants can receive scholarships, stipends, or bonuses of up to $5,000 for participating in activities that have been proven effective at retaining teachers in high-need schools.

Highlights for States and Partnerships

Programs will establish, expand, or enhance teacher recruitment and retention program focused on career professionals and recent college graduates.

Programs can provide mentoring for new teachers and professional development for teachers currently in the classroom.

Programs can include the development of a Statewide or regional clearinghouse for the recruitment and placement of teachers.

Innovative and Alternative Routes to Licensure:

Teach for America ⁴

Purpose of the Program

Teach for America is a national corps of recent college graduates who commit two years to teach in public schools. Teach for America is a public/private partnership started in 1990 that recruits and selects members, secures placement for them in school districts, provides pre-service and in-service training, and provides a support network for members during and after service. Teachers are paid by the school districts in which they teach. Costs for recruitment, placement, and training are paid by regional corporations, foundations, local governments, and national corporations and foundations.

Teach for America receives some Federal assistance through the AmeriCorps program. In addition, all teachers in this program are eligible for an AmeriCorps education award worth up to $4,725, available over a seven-year period, to pay for higher education or to pay student loans.

New Program Improvements and Resources

President Bush supports the Teach for America program, which receives Federal funding through the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) AmeriCorps program. Last year, President Bush signed legislation that provided $2.6 million to Teach for America for administrative costs and training. This year, President Bush has proposed to maintain that commitment in 2003 and establish an additional $10 million in challenge grants through CNCS to support expansion of teaching and other national service programs under AmeriCorps.

Highlights

Over the last decade, Teach for America has placed more than 7,000 teachers in school districts that have had difficulty in recruiting staff.

Today, approximately 1,700 Teach for America participants teach in 17 regions across the country, including New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. Teach for America has an aggressive expansion plan that is intended to more than double the number of members by 2005.

Independent studies reveal high levels of satisfaction with the program: 97 percent of principals respond they would hire corps members again and 80 percent of principals indicate they are more effective than other beginning teachers.

Alumni remain involved in education: 60 percent are working full-time in education, either as teachers, administrators, or in other positions. Of those working outside of education, 70 percent say some aspect of their job relates directly to education.

Teacher Quality in High-Poverty Schools ⁵

Purpose of the Program

Schools and school districts with high percentages of low-income students receive Federal assistance through Title I, Part A, formula grant funds. The funds are used to improve student performance so that students will meet State academic standards. The program includes several provisions designed to improve the quality of teachers in every school that receives Title I funds. For example school districts must spend at least five percent of their Title I, Part A funds to ensure that teachers become highly qualified no later than the end of the 2005-2006 school year. Title I schools identified as needing improvement must spend at least 10 percent of their Title I funds for high-quality professional development.

New Program Improvements and Resources

The No Child Left Behind Act that President Bush signed reauthorizes the Title I program, which will help to improve children's education by holding schools accountable for improving achievement of disadvantaged students, while a portion of these funds be focused on the improvement of teacher quality.

Last year, President Bush signed legislation that increased funding to $10.35 billion in FY-02, an increase of more than 18 percent from FY-01 levels. This year, President Bush has proposed further increasing the program by $1 billion dollars.

Highlights for States:

A State must submit a plan that outlines the steps it will take to ensure that:

Schools receiving Title I funds provide instruction by highly qualified instructional staff;

Poor and minority children are not taught by inexperienced, unqualified, or out-of-field teachers at higher rates than other students;
Parents and the public receive Statewide report cards that includes the percentage of teachers teaching with emergency or provisional credentials, as well as the percentage of classes not taught by highly qualified teachers.

Highlights for Schools and School Districts:

School districts that receive Title I funds must ensure that:

All teachers hired after January 8, 2002 in programs supported by Title I funds are highly qualified and all paraprofessionals have completed two years of college, received an associate’s degree, or met high standards of academic competence as demonstrated through a rigorous State assessment.

Parents are notified that they can receive information about the professional qualifications of their child’s teachers.

School districts develop plans that describe how they will coordinate Federal funds to provide professional development to teachers, principals, and other staff members at Title I schools.

The "What Works" Clearinghouse ⁶

Purpose of the Initiative

The purpose of the Clearinghouse, a new initiative at the Department of Education, is to provide educators and policymakers with an easily accessible web-based database of information on what works in educating students. The Clearinghouse would evaluate the effectiveness of educational products, practices, and programs that are intended to enhance student results.

Highlights

Educators will be able to access information on effective curricula products, educational software, and professional training modules addressing a variety of important topics, including subject matter instruction, dropout prevention, and character development.
Programs will be evaluated through research that adheres to rigorous scientific standards and criteria. Educators will also be able to see the magnitude of effects of the interventions evaluated.

The Clearinghouse will link educators with relevant manuals, instructions, training materials, and other resources needed to adopt the products and programs evaluated in the Clearinghouse.

Teacher Liability Protection ⁷

Purpose of the Program

The Teacher Protection Act ensures that teachers, principals, and other school professionals can undertake reasonable actions to maintain order and discipline in the classroom without the fear of litigation. It provides civil immunity in any State court to teachers, instructors, principals, administrators, and other education professionals for actions taken to maintain discipline, order or control in the school or classroom.

Highlights

Important components of this act include the following:

Teachers are shielded from liability when they act within the scope of their employment and in accordance with applicable Federal, State, and local laws (including civil rights laws).
Protections are extended not only to teachers, but also to administrators and school professionals, nonprofessional employees responsible for maintaining discipline or safety, and individual school board members.
Liability is limited, unless a State specifically enacts overriding legislation or State law provides additional protection from liability.
The availability of punitive and non-economic ("pain and suffering") damages in lawsuits against teachers is limited, except in extreme circumstances of gross teacher misconduct.
Limits to liability will not apply if a teacher is involved in misconduct such as a violent crime, a sexual offense, violation of civil rights laws, or for misconduct that occurs while the educator is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Teacher Tax Deduction ⁸

Purpose of the Program

Teachers often use their own resources to provide classroom supplies, supplemental materials, and other classroom necessities. The Administration has proposed a tax deduction for teachers to help defray out-of-pocket classroom expenses. The deduction would not only cover classroom expenses such as books and school supplies, but it can also be used for professional enrichment opportunities and other training.

New Program Improvements and Resources

This year, President Bush’s budget proposed establishing this tax deduction, which is expected to provide $16 million in tax savings to teachers in 2004 and $577 million over five years.

Highlights

Teachers would be able to deduct up to $400 of qualified expenditures incurred after December 31, 2003, on their Federal tax returns, thereby recovering a portion of their personal expenses.

Expanded Loan Forgiveness

For Teachers ⁹

Purpose of the Program

Currently, teachers who were new Federal Family Education Loan or Ford Direct Student Loan borrowers as of October 1998 and taught in qualified low-income schools for 5 consecutive years are eligible for up to $5,000 in student loan forgiveness. The President’s FY-03 budget will substantially increase the amount of forgiveness for some teachers, reaching up to $17,500 for each qualified individual.

New Program Improvements and Resources

This year, President Bush’s budget proposed expanding this program, which is estimated to cost $45 million in FY-03 and a total of $112 million over the next five years.

Highlights

Highly qualified teachers are eligible for this program, if they teach math, science or special education in qualified low-income schools for five consecutive school years.

New Flexibility for States and School Districts ¹⁰

Purpose of the Program

Under No Child Left Behind, States and districts are able to transfer a portion of the funds that they receive under certain Federal programs to other Federal programs that better address their unique needs. These funds can then be used to support locally determined initiatives, including increasing teacher pay, reducing class size, and bolstering professional development and training for teachers.

New Program Improvements and Resources

The No Child Left Behind Act establishes this new option for States and districts to better address the needs of their students and teachers. Under this provisions:

Highlights:

All 50 States may transfer up to 50 percent of their non-administrative State-level funds among certain programs, such as Teacher and Principal Training and Recruitment, Enhancing Education Through Technology, Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities (Governor’s funds), Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities, and 21^st Century Community Learning Centers.

Every school district may transfer up to 50 percent of their formula allocations among certain programs, such as Teacher and Principal Training and Recruitment, Enhancing Education Through Technology, Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities, and 21^st Century Community Learning Centers.

Early Childhood Educator

Professional Development Program ¹¹

Purpose of the Program

The Early Childhood Educator Professional Development Program awards competitive grants for early childhood educators and caregivers working in high-poverty communities to participate in professional development activities that improve their knowledge and skills. The professional development activities focus on furthering children’s language and literacy skills to help set them on the road to reading proficiency once they enter kindergarten.

New Program Improvements and Resources

The No Child Left Behind Act reauthorizes this program and will help to improve children's education by improving the language, cognitive, and early reading skills of young children so that they will be better prepared for elementary school.

Last year, President Bush signed legislation that increased funding from $10 million in 2001 to $15 million in 2002, an increase of 50 percent. President Bush has proposed maintaining this commitment to the program for FY-03.

Highlights for Individuals:

The program will provide high-quality professional development for preschool educators.

Many existing projects provide professional development opportunities that result in college credit or lead to a degree, credential, or certification in early childhood education. These projects can be expanded under this program.

Highlights for States and Partnerships:

These grants are designed to improve the language, cognitive, and early reading skills of young children so that they will be better prepared for formal school experiences.

These grants require cooperation between professional development providers and early childhood education programs.

These grants result in the development of research-based models for professional development for early childhood educators that can be replicated in other communities with high percentages of disadvantaged young children.

Early Reading First

Effective, Research-based Instruction for Pre-School Children ¹²

Purpose of the Program

Early Reading First is designed to prepare young children to enter kindergarten with the necessary language, cognitive, and early reading skills for reading success when they enter school. Early Reading First will transform early childhood education programs into centers of excellence for young children, especially those from low-income families. Early Reading First will not only provide resources and training to pre-school teachers, but will also benefit teachers in all grades by helping to increase the number of children who enter school ready to learn to read.

New Program Improvements and Resources

The No Child Left Behind Act establishes this program and will help to improve children's education by providing young children, particularly children from low-income families, with pre-reading skills.

Last year, President Bush signed legislation that provided $75 million for this program in 2002. President Bush has proposed to continue this commitment to Early Reading First in his FY-03 budget.

Highlights for Individuals

Teachers will participate in intensive high-quality, professional development.

Early Reading First Programs are encouraged to provide incentives or stipends to teachers who participate in professional development.

Highlights for partnerships:

Early Reading First programs will:

Lay the groundwork for student reading success in the elementary grades by providing young children, particularly children from low-income families, with high-quality instruction in language, cognitive skills, and early reading.

Help align the curriculum and instruction in participating preschool programs with State content and performance standards.

Use screening assessments to identify young children who may be at risk for reading failure to ensure they are on the road to reading proficiently by the time they begin school. These screening assessments will help guide teachers in what approaches to take toward their preschool students.

Reading First

Effective, Research-based Instruction in K-3 Classrooms ¹³

Purpose of the Program

Reading First is a bold, new national initiative aimed at helping every student in every State become a successful, fluent reader by the end of third grade. Through the application of rigorous, scientifically based research, Reading First will help States and localities implement effective practices for classroom reading instruction and improve student achievement. Reading First grants will support programs and strategies that are based upon the evidence on how children learn to read. Since no child will become an effective reader without an effective teacher, Reading First funds places a heavy emphasis on professional development and instruction for teachers.

New Program Improvements and Resources

The No Child Left Behind Act establishes this program and will help to improve children's education by providing the tools needed for all students to be reading by the end of third grade.

Last year, President Bush signed legislation that provided $900 million for this program in 2002. President Bush has proposed further increasing the program to $1 billion in his FY-03 budget.

Highlights:

Reading First classroom reading instruction will use only research-based programs, practices, and assessments.

Reading First programs will use classroom-based student assessments to inform instructional decisions and evaluate programs for effectiveness.

All States will be eligible to receive funding upon review. States would then conduct their own sub-grant competitions, primarily targeting their neediest and most under-performing districts and schools in accordance with legislative guidelines.

States may retain up to 20 percent of their total awards to support Statewide professional development, technical assistance, and other program administration activities. States would be required to spend at least 60 percent of these funds on professional development for teachers in research-based methods of reading instruction.

Reading First professional development and technical assistance activities can be offered to all K-3 reading teachers, not just those in schools receiving Reading First sub-grants.

Teaching English Language Learners ¹⁴

Purpose of the Program

The Language Acquisition portion of No Child Left Behind Act contains a National Professional Development Program that provides discretionary grants to institutions of higher education and schools or States for professional development activities to improve classroom instruction for students learning the English language. Grants will support activities that are aimed at assisting teachers, administrators, or other educational personnel to meet high professional standards.

New Program Improvements and Resources

The No Child Left Behind Act reauthorizes this program and will help to improve children's education by improving the quality of instruction for English language learners.

Last year, President Bush signed legislation that provided $37.5 million for this program in 2002. This year, President Bush has proposed maintaining support for this program in FY-03.

Highlights

Applicants have flexibility in designing and implementing professional development programs to meet the needs of the communities they serve. Allowable activities include, but are not limited to:

Career Ladder programs to prepare paraprofessionals for certification and licensure as teachers of limited English proficient students.

Programs to assist regular classroom teachers who work with limited English proficient students in completing English as a second language or bilingual education certification.

Professional development activities that emphasize research-based reading approaches for reading teachers, new teachers, and other teachers of limited English proficient students.

Approximately 300 colleges and universities are expected to apply for funds. Applications are reviewed and scored by a panel of experts. The Department expects to award approximately 150 grants for FY- 02.

Training for Teachers Serving Students with Disabilities ¹⁵

Purpose of the Program

The Personnel Preparation to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program supports competitive grant awards to: (1) help address State-identified needs for special education and regular education teachers to work with children with disabilities; and (2) ensure that those teachers and personnel have the skills and knowledge to serve those children.

New Program Improvements and Resources

President Bush supports this program, because it will help to improve the education of children with disabilities by providing training for their teachers.

Last year, President Bush signed legislation that provided $90 million for this program in 2002. This year, President Bush has proposed maintaining support for this program in 2003.

Highlights:

The program addresses critical shortages of personnel to teach students with disabilities by implementing research-based training for teachers to serve children with disabilities defined under IDEA.

The majority of grants are rewarded to Institutions of Higher Education that, in turn, provide training to teachers and personnel in how to educate students with disabilities. This training is often provided through scholarships to the participant.

Participants receiving training must work in the area(s) for which they receive training or repay part or all of the scholarship funds they receive.

State Improvement Grants for Students with Disabilities ¹⁶

The State Improvement Grant program seeks to ensure that teachers of children with disabilities have the content and pedagogical skills to ensure that children with disabilities meet the same challenging State standards as non-disabled students. Seventy five percent of these State grants must be used for professional development.

Purpose of the Program

The State Improvement Grant program assists States in reforming and improving their educational, early intervention, teacher training, and transitional services for students with disabilities.

New Program Improvements and Resources

President Bush supports this program, because it will help to improve the education of children with disabilities by providing training for their teachers.

Last year, President Bush signed legislation that provided $51.7 million for this program in 2002. This year, President Bush has proposed maintaining support for this program in 2003.

Highlights:

States can use their grants for the following purposes:

Training special education teachers in effective reading intervention programs.

Training general education teachers in modifying instruction to meet the educational needs of all students in their classroom.

Developing partnerships with universities to ensure that pre-service and in-service university instruction is aligned with State standards.

Recruiting special education teachers and regular education teachers through web-based recruitment strategies

Retaining greater numbers of special education teachers through mentorship programs

Math and Science Partnerships ¹⁷

Purpose of the Program

The Math and Science Partnership (MSP) program brings together efforts of the National Science Foundation and the Department of Education to improve teaching and learning in science, technology, engineering and mathematics education in grades preK-12.

The purpose of this program is to:

Improve the performance of students in math and the sciences by encouraging the development of more rigorous math and science curricula that are aligned with State and local academic standards;

Encourage institutions of higher education to assume greater responsibility for improving math and science teacher education; and

Bring math and science teachers together with scientists, mathematicians, and engineers to improve their teaching skills.

New Program Improvements and Resources

Last year, President Bush signed legislation that provided a total of $172.5 million ($160 million through the National Science Foundation and $12.5 million through the Department of Education) for this program in FY-02. This year, President Bush’s budget proposes increasing this commitment in FY-03 to $212.5 million ($200 million through the National Science Foundation and $12.5 million through the Department of Education).

Highlights:

Grants made through the National Science Foundation will provide funding for up to five years to support partnerships among institutions of higher education, school districts, schools, and other entities, such as museums, science centers, State or tribal governmental agencies, and community organizations.

These partnerships must unite the efforts of schools with math, science, and/or engineering faculty, as well as educational faculty from institutions of higher education, to improve the quality of math and science education and teaching in elementary, middle, and high school.

Grants made through the Department of Education can be used, among other purposes, to evaluate the effectiveness of establishing differential salary scales for math and science teachers.

Enhancing Education Through Technology ¹⁸

Purpose of the Program

The primary goal of this program is to improve student academic achievement through the use of technology in elementary and secondary schools. The program also seeks to: (1) ensure that every student is technologically literate by the end of the second grade; and (2) establish research-based instructional methods through the effective integration of technology, professional development for teachers, and curriculum development.

New Program Improvements and Resources

The No Child Left Behind Act establishes this program by consolidating several programs into a single State formula-grant program. This change will help improve children’s education by focusing the program on improving student achievement and focusing funds on the poorest schools.

Last year, President Bush signed legislation that provides $700 million for this program in FY-02. This year, President Bush’s budget proposes sustaining this commitment in FY-03.

Highlights:

Funds are allocated to States based on their Title I allocations. States may retain up to 5 percent. The remainder is awarded to districts, one-half by formula, one-half competitively.

This program is designed to assist States in establishing comprehensive systems, including infrastructure, to effectively use technology to improve academic achievement.

At least 25 percent of the funding must be used to provide professional development.

Public-private partnerships to increase access to technology in high-need schools are encouraged.

Funds can be used for a variety of purposes, including distance learning for elementary and secondary schools and to improve communication and promote family and parent involvement in education.

The Department of Education will conduct a national study of the effects of technology on student achievement.

Teaching Traditional American History ¹⁹

Purpose of the Program

The Teaching American History grant program supports projects to raise student achievement by improving teachers’ knowledge, understanding, and appreciation for American history through intensive, ongoing professional development.

New Program Improvements and Resources

The No Child Left Behind Act reauthorizes this program, which will help to improve children's education by improving the quality of history teaching.

President Bush’s budget proposes providing $50 million for this program for FY-03.

Highlights:

Grants are awarded to districts that apply in partnership with Institutions of Higher Education, non-profit history or humanities organizations, and/or libraries or museums

Districts that receive grants must develop and implement high-quality in-service and/or pre-service professional development that provides educators with rigorous content and appropriate teaching skills to prepare all students to achieve to higher standards in American history.

Districts that receive grants must implement strategies for on-going collaboration among teachers and outside experts to improve instruction in American history.

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Issues In Focus