Classrooms Reflecting Communities Act of 2019
This bill directs the Department of Education to award grants to eligible partnerships to develop and run a Grow Your Own Program to recruit diverse teacher candidates from the community into the teaching profession and support them through high-quality preparation to full teacher certification or licensure. The program is particularly aimed at growing the educator workforce in rural communities.
Such a program includes
The bill requires a partnership, at the end of each grant year, to submit a report that includes (1) a description of activities undertaken; (2) graduation rates; (3) the percentage and total number of teacher candidates who have been certified or licensed to teach; (4) the three- and five-year teacher retention rate in the same school and local educational agency, within the profession, and in the subjects for which the teachers were trained; and (5) surveys of teachers and community members.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2887 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2887
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to address
and take action to combat rural teacher shortages across the United
States.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 18, 2019
Mr. Jones introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to address
and take action to combat rural teacher shortages across the United
States.
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 ``Classrooms Reflecting Communities
Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) There are persistent shortages across the Nation of
teachers in high-demand fields and subjects. These include
science, mathematics, special education, and teachers of
English learners.
(2) More than 40 percent of all small, rural school
districts in the United States struggle with adequately
staffing their schools. Rural districts in particular face high
teacher vacancies in special education and STEM fields and have
greater difficulty filling the position of teachers of English
learners than urban and suburban districts.
(3) Research shows that teacher shortages have serious
consequences for student achievement, the economic well-being
of a school district, and the overall effectiveness of the
teaching workforce. Further, a growing body of research reveals
a substantial amount of differences schools can make are
attributable to teachers.
(4) Additionally, previous research estimated that 40
percent of schools do not have any teachers of color on staff,
and more recent data suggest that teachers of color remain more
likely to teach in urban schools and schools where a greater
percentage of students are eligible for a free or reduced price
lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act
(42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.).
(5) Research shows that teachers of color help close
achievement gaps and are viewed positively by all students.
Research also demonstrates benefits, including improved
academic achievement, greater educational attainment, and
higher academic aspirations, for students of color who are
taught by teachers of color. Likewise, it is important for all
students, not just students of color, to have diverse teachers
and leaders in their schools.
(6) Strategies to address teacher shortages are multi-
faceted and should follow broader efforts to modernize and
elevate the teaching profession. For example, efforts to
improve recruitment and preparation of teachers will be more
effective if implemented in conjunction with policies to
improve the working conditions of teachers, elevate the
profession through improved selectivity, comprehensive and
rigorous preparation, and higher pay, and professional
development and other supports.
(7) Research shows that Grow Your Own Programs can be an
effective strategy to recruit diverse, well-qualified
candidates to the profession and prepare them with the needs of
the community and school district in mind. According to the
Learning Policy Institute, Grow Your Own programs have shown
positive results in recruiting and retaining diverse teachers
in the hardest to staff schools, in part by leveraging
participants' existing connections to the community and prior
experience working closely with the student population.
SEC. 3. GROWING THE RURAL EDUCATOR WORKFORCE.
Part B of title V of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7341 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subpart 3 as subpart 4; and
(2) by inserting after subpart 2 the following:
``Subpart 3--Growing the Rural Educator Workforce
``SEC. 5228. GROWING THE RURAL EDUCATOR WORKFORCE.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) 2+2 program.--The term `2+2 program' means a
partnership between a junior or community college, as defined
in section 312 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and a 4-
year degree-granting institution of higher education, in which
teacher candidates begin teacher preparation in the junior or
community college and fully transfer their credits to the 4-
year degree-granting institution of higher education where the
students complete their teacher preparation.
``(2) Eligible partnership.--The term `eligible
partnership' means a partnership as follows:
``(A) That includes one of the following:
``(i) A school, department, or program of
education within a public or other nonprofit
institution of higher education, including a
graduate level program, that is State-
accredited and is eligible to receive Federal
funds under title IV of the Higher Education
Act of 1965, which may include a teacher
preparation program in existence on the date of
enactment of the Classrooms Reflecting
Communities Act of 2019, which may include a
community college in partnership with such an
institution.
``(ii) A local educational agency.
``(iii) A State-accredited nonprofit
educational organization that provides
alternative routes to State certification of
teachers.
``(B) That includes one of the following:
``(i) A rural high-need local educational
agency.
``(ii) A rural high-need school served by a
rural high-need local educational agency, or a
consortium of such schools.
``(C) That may include an optional partner.
``(3) Grow your own program.--The term `Grow Your Own
Program' means a program that--
``(A) is designed to counteract a local teacher
shortage problem or increase teacher diversity;
``(B) collaborates with the local community,
schools, and other organizations to identify what the
education needs of the community are;
``(C) supports teacher candidates in developing the
skills needed to personalize instruction, provide
culturally responsive pedagogy, and effectively support
students with disabilities and English learners;
``(D) supports the preparation of teachers through
extensive clinical experience that is connected to
their coursework in schools in the community, including
schools in the eligible partnership, as they complete
and earn their teaching or school leadership credential
and may include a 2+2 program;
``(E) integrates career-focused courses on
education topics with school-based learning experience;
``(F) provides a high-quality mentoring program for
teacher candidates to support the candidates through
their first 2 years of teaching;
``(G) provides support, including financial
assistance, to teacher and school leader candidates
from the community who are planning to teach in schools
in the community, which may include housing subsidies,
stipends, and tuition assistance;
``(H) sustains efforts to recruit and incentivize
more people to consider entering the teaching
profession, especially in high-need fields and
underserved schools; and
``(I) works in partnership with members of the
eligible partnership to provide academic, counseling,
and programmatic supports.
``(4) Optional partner.--The term `optional partner' means
any of the following entities:
``(A) The Governor of the State.
``(B) A State educational agency.
``(C) The State board of education.
``(D) The State agency for higher education.
``(E) A business or a large employer in the
community.
``(F) A teacher organization.
``(G) A charter school (as defined in section
4310).
``(H) A community or grassroots organization.
``(I) A nonprofit entity.
``(5) Rural high-need local educational agency.--The term
`rural high-need local educational agency' means a local
educational agency--
``(A) located in a rural county, designated with a
locale code of 32, 33, 41, 42, or 43, as determined by
the Secretary;
``(B) that has persistent teacher vacancies or a
significant portion of teachers employed by the agency
who are not fully certified or licensed to teach or who
are not certified or licensed to teach in the subject
area they are assigned; and
``(C) for which not less than 23.5 percent of the
children served by the agency are from low-income
families, as described in section 1124(c)(1)(A).
``(6) Rural high-need school.--The term `rural high-need
school' means an elementary school or secondary school--
``(A) located in a rural county;
``(B) that has persistent teacher vacancies or not
less than 10 percent of the teachers teaching at such
school are not fully certified or licensed to teach or
certified or licensed to teach in the subject area they
are assigned; and
``(C) that is in the highest quartile of schools in
a ranking of all schools served by the local
educational agency serving such school, ranked in
descending order by percentage of students from low-
income families enrolled in such schools, as described
in section 1124(c)(1)(A).
``(7) Teaching skills.--The term `teaching skills' means
skills that enable a teacher to--
``(A) increase student learning, achievement, and
the ability to apply knowledge;
``(B) effectively convey, explain, and provide
opportunities for students to develop the skills
aligned with the full depth and breadth of the State
challenging academic standards, including the
application of academic subject matter;
``(C) effectively teach higher-order analytical,
critical thinking, evaluation, problem-solving, and
communication skills;
``(D) employ strategies grounded in the disciplines
of teaching and learning that--
``(i) are based on empirically based
practice and evidence-based research, where
applicable, related to teaching and learning;
``(ii) are specific to academic subject
matter; and
``(iii) focus on the identification of
students' specific learning needs, particularly
students with disabilities, students who are
English learners, students who are gifted and
talented, and students with low literacy
levels, and the tailoring of academic
instruction to such needs;
``(E) design and conduct an ongoing assessment of
student learning, which may include the use of
formative assessments, performance-based assessments,
project-based assessments, or portfolio assessments,
that measure higher-order thinking skills (including
application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation) and
use this information to inform and personalize
instruction;
``(F) support the social, emotional, and academic
achievement of all students, including effectively
creating an inclusive classroom environment, including
the ability to implement positive behavioral
interventions, trauma-informed care, and other support
strategies;
``(G) are culturally responsive and linguistically
inclusive;
``(H) communicate and work with parents and involve
parents in their children's education; and
``(I) use age-appropriate and developmentally
appropriate strategies and practices for students in
early childhood education programs and elementary
schools and secondary schools.
``(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this section are--
``(1) to combat persistent rural teacher shortages,
especially in State-identified high-need fields, by providing
Federal support to States to develop and run Grow Your Own
Programs;
``(2) to recruit diverse and well-prepared individuals with
the teaching skills and qualifications identified as high need
by the community into the teaching profession; and
``(3) to increase student engagement in the classroom and
student academic outcomes.
``(c) Grants.--
``(1) Program authorized.--The Secretary shall award
grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible partnerships to
enable the eligible partnerships to--
``(A) develop and run a Grow Your Own Program to
recruit diverse teacher candidates from the community
into the teaching profession and support them through
high-quality preparation to full teacher certification
or licensure;
``(B) provide support for identifying what the
unique needs of the community and school district are
in terms of high-need areas and high-need fields;
``(C) support efforts to raise awareness about the
teaching profession and enact recruitment drives in
high-need communities and high-need fields;
``(D) require candidates to complete all State
requirements to become fully certified;
``(E) provide academic and testing supports,
including advising and financial assistance, to
candidates for admission and completion of education
preparation programs as well as State licensure
assessments;
``(F) provide a year-long clinical experience or
teaching or school leadership residency with a stipend
to cover living expenses; and
``(G) provide opportunities for candidates to
practice and develop teaching skills and dispositions
needed to be effective.
``(2) Duration of grant.--A grant awarded under this
section shall be for 5 years.
``(3) Application.--Each eligible partnership desiring a
grant under this section shall submit an application to the
Secretary accompanied by such information as the Secretary may
require. Each such application shall contain--
``(A) a needs assessment of the community hosting
the Grow Your Own Program, demonstrating the existence
of--
``(i) persistent teacher shortages;
``(ii) a high percentage of teachers not
fully certified or licensed to teach or not
certified or licensed to teach in the subject
area assigned; or
``(iii) a lack of teacher diversity;
``(B) a description of how the proposed Grow Your
Own Program fulfills the criteria described in
subsection (a)(3) and how each component of the Program
will contribute to combating teacher shortages or lack
of teacher diversity;
``(C) a description of how the proposed Grow Your
Own Program will prepare prospective teachers to teach
in a culturally diverse classroom with pedagogy that
reflects the experiences of their students;
``(D) a description of how the proposed Grow Your
Own Program will prepare prospective teachers to
support students with disabilities and English
learners;
``(E) a description of the roles of all partners in
the eligible partnership, including what component of
the proposed Grow Your Own Program for which each
member shall be responsible and how they would support
the overall purpose of the Program;
``(F) a description of how the proposed Grow Your
Own Program will use grant funds and any other
available financial resources to support the Program;
and
``(G) a description of how the eligible partnership
will collect metrics and accountability measures for
the proposed Grow Your Own Program, including efforts
to report the data stipulated in the accountability
section.
``(4) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary shall give priority to eligible partnerships that
include an eligible institution, as described in section 371(a)
of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
``(5) Grow your own programs.--An eligible partnership that
receives a grant under this section shall develop and run a
Grow Your Own Program that includes--
``(A) targeted recruitment efforts, including
promotion of the teaching profession--
``(i) at high schools, minority-serving
institutions, and community centers; and
``(ii) with paraprofessionals,
instructional assistants, district employees
not certified to teach or lead (such as long-
term substitute teachers), after school and
summer program staff, parent school volunteers,
retired military personnel, and other career
changers with experience in hard-to-staff areas
who are not currently certified to teach or
lead, with a specific focus on recruiting
individuals who are reflective of the race,
ethnicity, and native language of the existing
community's student population;
``(B) creation of curriculum and coursework with
principles of culturally responsive education woven
throughout, in addition to a scaffolded sequence of
coursework explicitly teaching culturally responsive
pedagogy, teaching skills to support students with
disabilities, and teaching skills to support English
learners;
``(C) at least one year of supervised clinical
experience, with a focus on partnering with schools
served by rural high-need local educational agencies;
``(D) mentorship and assistance with the teacher
licensure and certification process, including test
preparation;
``(E) high-quality induction programs;
``(F) direct financial assistance, including
reduced tuition and in-kind financial support, such as
childcare, especially for teachers being certified or
licensed to teach in high-need fields or high-need
communities;
``(G) plans to engage in outreach and collaboration
efforts with local schools, school districts,
institutions of higher education, and community
organizations; and
``(H) plans to use data to assess where teachers
certified or licensed to teach with assistance from the
Program are teaching and how that's impacting teacher
shortage numbers.
``(6) Accountability and evaluation.--An eligible
partnership that receives a grant under this section shall, at
the end of each grant year, submit to the Secretary a report on
the Grow Your Own Program developed with the grant funds that
includes the following information:
``(A) Enrollment information, disaggregated by race
and ethnicity and gender except in such instances
whereby the number of people in a category is too small
that disaggregation would reveal personally
identifiable information.
``(B) A description of the activities undertaken by
the eligible partnership over the year using grant
funding.
``(C) Graduation rates and completion numbers,
disaggregated by race and ethnicity and gender except
in such instances whereby the number of people in a
category is too small that disaggregation would reveal
personally identifiable information.
``(D) The percentage and total number of teacher
candidates who have been certified or licensed to
teach, disaggregated by subject and area of
certification or licensure, and by race and ethnicity,
and gender except in such instances whereby the number
of people in a category is too small that
disaggregation would reveal personally identifiable
information.
``(E) The 3-year and 5-year teacher retention rate
in the same school and local educational agency, within
the profession, and in the subjects for which the
teachers were trained, disaggregated by race and
ethnicity, and gender except in such instances whereby
the number of people in a category is too small that
disaggregation would reveal personally identifiable
information.
``(F) A survey of teachers starting in the second
year of the grant to assess and provide feedback on the
Program's efforts and whether there should be any
modifications to address the community's needs.
``(G) A survey of community members, such as
parents, starting in the second year of the grant to
assess and provide feedback on the Program's efforts
and whether there should be any modifications to
address the community's needs.''.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
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