Teachers and Parents at the Table Act
This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to establish: (1) a Teacher Advisory Committee to monitor the effects of the ESEA in classrooms, and (2) a Parents and Families Advisory Committee to monitor the effects of the ESEA on children and families and to review and analyze the implementation of various family engagement activities.
[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3246 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3246
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to
establish a Teacher Advisory Committee and a Parents and Families
Advisory Committee.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 14, 2017
Miss Rice of New York (for herself and Ms. Stefanik) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and
the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to
establish a Teacher Advisory Committee and a Parents and Families
Advisory Committee.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Teachers and Parents at the Table
Act''.
SEC. 2. TEACHER ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301
et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 1004 (20 U.S.C. 6304)
the following:
``SEC. 1005. TEACHER ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
``(a) Findings.--The Congress finds as follows:
``(1) Expert teachers offer an important resource to
policymakers as they can bring their expertise and perspective
from the classroom to inform policy so that positive outcomes
for all students will be maximized.
``(2) State Teachers of the Year represent a valuable
resource with a body of expert knowledge and skill about
instructional practice, 21st century learning, and school
functioning that can be infused into policymaking to promote
better outcomes for prekindergarten, elementary, and secondary
students.
``(3) State Teachers of the Year have been selected by
their communities and States as models of their profession and
represent every State in the Nation and every discipline and
grade level.
``(b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish an advisory
committee, to be known as the Teacher Advisory Committee (referred to
in this section as the `Committee').
``(c) Duty.--The duty of the Committee shall be to bring the
perspective of expert teachers to policymakers regarding the
implementation and impact of the Every Student Succeeds Act (Public Law
114-95) and to make policy recommendations.
``(d) Membership.--
``(1) In general.--The membership of the Committee shall
consist of not more than 10 teachers employed in a public
elementary school and not more than 10 teachers employed in a
public secondary school who--
``(A) are past or present finalists or State
Teachers of the Year, or are nominated from
organizations representing teachers and have
demonstrated similar evidence of expertise;
``(B) have experience working with educational
policy;
``(C) have a demonstrated history of working as a
teacher leader in the policy arena; and
``(D) have submitted an application to the
Secretary to serve on the Committee.
``(2) List; appointment.--The Secretary shall compile a
list of teachers submitting applications under paragraph
(1)(D). The members of the Committee shall be appointed
sequentially as follows:
``(A) The Secretary shall appoint 4 teachers from
the list.
``(B) The Majority Leader of the Senate shall
appoint 4 teachers from the list.
``(C) The Minority Leader of the Senate shall
appoint 4 teachers from the list.
``(D) The Speaker of the House of Representatives
shall appoint 4 teachers from the list.
``(E) The Minority Leader of the House of
Representatives shall appoint 4 teachers from the list.
``(3) Special requirements.--
``(A) Finalists or state teachers of the year.--Not
less than half of the members of the Committee shall be
past or present finalists or State Teachers of the
Year.
``(B) Representation requirement.--The members of
the Committee shall represent the diversity of the
teaching workforce from multiple geographic, grade
level, and specialty areas (such as English Language
Learners, high ability, et al.).
``(4) Term.--Each member of the Committee shall serve on
the Committee for a 3-year term.
``(e) Annual Report.--
``(1) In general.--The Committee shall submit to Congress
and the Secretary--
``(A) 2 reports per year on the monitoring carried
out under subsection (c); and
``(B) on a quarterly basis, updates on such
monitoring.
``(2) Contents of report.--The reports submitted under
paragraph (1) shall provide the perspective of members of the
Committee and surveys of teachers in the networks represented
on the Committee on not more than 3 topics per year determined
by the Committee in consultation with policymakers; such topics
might include--
``(A) testing and assessment;
``(B) the equitable distribution of teachers;
``(C) the diversity of the teaching workforce;
``(D) the Every Student Succeeds Act (Public Law
114-95) in rural schools; and
``(E) other topics of relevance determined by the
Committee in consultation with policymakers and members
of other Department school and family engagement
fellowships (such as the School Ambassadors Program).
``(f) Federal Advisory Committee Act Applicability.--The provisions
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Public Law 92-463; 5 U.S.C.
App.) shall apply to the Committee.
``(g) Compensation.--
``(1) In general.--Each member of the Committee may be
compensated at not to exceed the daily equivalent of the annual
rate of basic pay in effect for a position at level IV of the
Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States
Code, for each day during which that member is engaged in the
actual performance of the duties of the Committee.
``(2) Travel expenses.--While away from their homes or
regular places of business in the performance of services for
the Committees, members of the Committee shall be allowed
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in
the same manner as persons employed intermittently in the
Government service are allowed expenses under section 5703(b)
of title 5, United States Code.
``(h) Additional Requirements.--The following additional
requirements shall apply to the Committee:
``(1) The Committee shall meet in person at least once per
year for deliberation.
``(2) The Committee shall be available for consultation
with officials at the Department and the authorizing Committees
of Congress regarding the contents of the reports submitted
under subsection (e) .
``(i) Definition.--In this section, the term `State Teacher of the
Year' means any person who has been recognized as a State Teacher of
the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers.
``(j) Authorization of Funds.--Of the amounts appropriated to, and
available at the discretion of, the Secretary for programmatic and
administrative expenditures for fiscal years 2018 through 2022, a total
of $500,000 shall be used to establish and carry out the functions of
the Committee established under this section.''.
SEC. 3. PARENTS AND FAMILIES ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301
et seq.), as amended by section 2 of this Act, is further amended by
inserting after section 1005 (as added by such section 2) the
following:
``SEC. 1006. PARENTS AND FAMILIES ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
``(a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
``(1) Parents and families have a major influence on their
children's achievement in school and throughout life.
``(2) Parents and family members offer an important
resource to policymakers as they provide a unique perspective
as consumers of our Nation's public schools.
``(3) All parents and family members--regardless of income,
education, or cultural background-- are critical in their
child's learning and development and want their child to reach
their fullest potential.
``(b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish an advisory
committee, to be known as the Parents and Families Advisory Committee
(referred to in this section as the `Committee').
``(c) Duties and Focus.--The duty of the Committee shall be to
monitor the effects of this Act on children and families, and review
and analyze implementation of State and local parent and family
engagement policies, school-parent compacts, and other family
engagement activities described in section 1116 and part E of title IV.
``(d) Membership.--
``(1) In general.--The membership of the Committee shall
consist of 10 parents or family members of children enrolled in
a public elementary school and 10 parents or family members of
children enrolled in a public secondary school who--
``(A) have a demonstrated history of parental
involvement and family engagement in schools; and
``(B) have submitted an application to the
Secretary to serve on the Committee.
``(2) List; appointment.--The Secretary shall compile a
list of parents and family members submitting applications
under paragraph (1)(B). The members of the Committee shall be
appointed as follows:
``(A) The Secretary shall appoint 4 parents or
family members from the list.
``(B) The Majority Leader of the Senate shall
appoint 4 parents or family members from the list.
``(C) The Minority Leader of the Senate shall
appoint 4 parents or family members from the list.
``(D) The Speaker of the House of Representatives
shall appoint 4 parents or family members from the
list.
``(E) The Minority Leader of the House of
Representatives shall appoint 4 parents or family
members from the list.
``(3) Representation requirement.--
``(A) In general.--The members of the Committee
shall represent multiple geographic areas and a
diversity of students, and shall include at least one
parent or family member representing each of the
following student groups:
``(i) Economically disadvantaged students.
``(ii) Students from major racial and
ethnic groups.
``(iii) Children with disabilities.
``(iv) English learners.
``(v) Students who are members of an Indian
tribe or tribal organization, as defined in
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and
Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b).
``(B) Special consideration.--Consideration should
also be given to representation of students' gender
identity, migrant status, and residence in rural areas
in the appointment of members of the Committee.
``(4) Advisors.--If requested by the Committee, the
Secretary may provide access to not more than 5 research
advisors to the Committee, such as researchers, practitioners
or representatives from national nonprofit organizations with
expertise in family engagement in education, to provide
evidence-based information and materials.
``(5) Term.--Each member of the Committee shall serve on
the Committee for a 3-year term.
``(e) Annual Report.--
``(1) In general.--The Committee shall submit to Congress
and the Secretary--
``(A) on an annual basis, a report and policy
recommendations on the review and analysis carried out
under subsection (c); and
``(B) on a quarterly basis, updates on such review
and analysis.
``(2) Contents of report.--The report submitted under
paragraph (1) shall provide the perspective of parents and
families on not more than 3 topics per year determined by the
Committee. Such topics may include the following:
``(A) The effects of this Act on parental
involvement and family engagement in education,
including schools and classrooms.
``(B) Direction for State education authorities and
local education authorities for implementing written
family engagement policies under section 1116 and part
E of title IV.
``(C) Recommendations for strengthening family
engagement policy and implementation in order to meet
the goals of section 1116 and part E of title IV.
``(f) Federal Advisory Committee Act Applicability.--The provisions
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Public Law 92-463; 5 U.S.C.
App.) shall apply to the Committee.
``(g) Compensation.--
``(1) In general.--Each member of the Committee may be
compensated at not to exceed the daily equivalent of the annual
rate of basic pay in effect for a position at level IV of the
Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States
Code, for each day during which that member is engaged in the
actual performance of the duties of the Committee.
``(2) Travel expenses.--While away from their homes or
regular places of business in the performance of services for
the Committees, members of the Committee shall be allowed
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in
the same manner as persons employed intermittently in the
Government service are allowed expenses under section 5703(b)
of title 5, United States Code.
``(h) Additional Requirements.--The following additional
requirements shall apply to the Committee:
``(1) The Committee shall meet in person at least once per
year for deliberation.
``(2) The Committee shall be available for consultation
with officials at the Department and the authorizing Committees
of Congress regarding the contents of the reports submitted
under subsection (e) .
``(i) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) The term `family engagement' means a shared
responsibility of families and schools for student success--
``(A) in which schools and community-based
organizations are committed to reaching out to engage
families in meaningful ways and families are committed
actively to support their children's learning and
development;
``(B) that is continuous from birth through young
adulthood; and
``(C) that reinforces learning that takes place in
the home, school, and community.
``(2) The term `parental involvement' means the
participation of parents or family members in regular, two-way,
and meaningful communication involving student academic
learning and other school activities, including ensuring--
``(A) that parents or family members play an
integral role in assisting their child's learning;
``(B) that parents or family members are encouraged
to be actively involved in their child's education at
school;
``(C) that parents or family members are full
partners in their child's education and are included,
as appropriate, in decisionmaking and on advisory
committees to assist in the education of their child;
and
``(D) the carrying out of other activities, such as
those described in section 1116.
``(j) Authorization of Funds.--Of the amounts appropriated to, and
available at the discretion of, the Secretary for programmatic and
administrative expenditures for fiscal years 2018 through 2022, a total
of $500,000 shall be used to establish and carry out the functions of
the Committee established under this section.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
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