Partnership grants

From amounts made available under section 1022h of this title, the Secretary is authorized to award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible partnerships, to enable the eligible partnerships to carry out the activities described in subsection (c). Each eligible partnership desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require. Each such application shall contain— a description of— an assessment that describes the resources available to the eligible partnership, including— a description of— how the partnership will align the teacher preparation program under subsection (c) with the— how faculty at the partner institution will work, during the term of the grant, with teachers who meet the applicable State certification and licensure requirements, including any requirements for certification obtained through alternative routes to certification, or, with regard to special education teachers, the qualifications described in section 612(a)(14)(C) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(14)(C)], in the classrooms of high-need schools served by the high-need local educational agency in the partnership to— with respect to the induction program required as part of the activities carried out under this section— An eligible partnership that receives a grant under this section— An eligible partnership that receives a grant to carry out a program for the preparation of teachers shall carry out an effective pre-baccalaureate teacher preparation program or a 5th year initial licensing program that includes all of the following: Implementing reforms, described in subparagraph (B), within each teacher preparation program and, as applicable, each preparation program for early childhood education programs, of the eligible partnership that is assisted under this section, to hold each program accountable for— preparing— The reforms described in subparagraph (A) shall include— using empirically-based practice and scientifically valid research, where applicable, about teaching and learning so that all prospective teachers and, as applicable, early childhood educators— possess teaching skills and an understanding of effective instructional strategies across all applicable content areas that enable general education and special education teachers and early childhood educators to— Developing and improving a sustained and high-quality preservice clinical education program to further develop the teaching skills of all prospective teachers and, as applicable, early childhood educators, involved in the program. Such program shall do the following: Incorporate year-long opportunities for enrichment, including— Provide support and training for individuals participating in an activity for prospective or new teachers described in this paragraph or paragraph (1) or (3), and for individuals who serve as mentors for such teachers, based on each individual’s experience. Such support may include— Creating an induction program for new teachers or, in the case of an early childhood education program, providing mentoring or coaching for new early childhood educators. In the case of an eligible partnership focusing on early childhood educator preparation, implementing initiatives that increase compensation for early childhood educators who attain associate or baccalaureate degrees in early childhood education. Developing and implementing effective mechanisms (which may include alternative routes to State certification of teachers) to ensure that the eligible partnership is able to recruit qualified individuals to become teachers who meet the applicable State certification and licensure requirements, including any requirements for certification obtained through alternative routes to certification, or, with regard to special education teachers, the qualifications described in section 612(a)(14)(C) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(14)(C)] through the activities of the eligible partnership, which may include an emphasis on recruiting into the teaching profession— Strengthening the literacy teaching skills of prospective and, as applicable, new elementary school and secondary school teachers— An eligible partnership receiving a grant to carry out an effective teaching residency program shall carry out a program that includes all of the following activities: Ensuring that teaching residents who participate in the teaching residency program receive— A teaching residency program under this paragraph shall be a program based upon models of successful teaching residencies that serves as a mechanism to prepare teachers for success in the high-need schools in the eligible partnership, and shall be designed to include the following characteristics of successful programs: Experience and learning opportunities alongside a trained and experienced mentor teacher— The establishment of clear criteria for the selection of mentor teachers based on measures of teacher effectiveness and the appropriate subject area knowledge. Evaluation of teacher effectiveness shall be based on, but not limited to, observations of the following: The development of admissions goals and priorities— In order to be eligible to be a teacher resident in a teaching residency program under this paragraph, an individual shall— An eligible partnership carrying out a teaching residency program under this subsection shall establish criteria for the selection of eligible individuals to participate in the teaching residency program based on the following characteristics: A teaching residency program under this subsection shall provide a one-year living stipend or salary to teaching residents during the teaching residency program. Each teacher residency candidate desiring a stipend or salary during the period of residency shall submit an application to the eligible partnership at such time, and containing such information and assurances, as the eligible partnership may require. Each application submitted under clause (ii) shall contain or be accompanied by an agreement that the applicant will— A grantee carrying out a teaching residency program under this paragraph shall require a recipient of a stipend or salary under clause (i) who does not complete, or who notifies the partnership that the recipient intends not to complete, the service obligation required by clause (iii) to repay such stipend or salary to the eligible partnership, together with interest, at a rate specified by the partnership in the agreement, and in accordance with such other terms and conditions specified by the eligible partnership, as necessary. Any other terms and conditions specified by the eligible partnership may include reasonable provisions for pro-rata repayment of the stipend or salary described in clause (i) or for deferral of a teaching resident’s service obligation required by clause (iii), on grounds of health, incapacitation, inability to secure employment in a school served by the eligible partnership, being called to active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States, or other extraordinary circumstances. An eligible partnership shall use any repayment received under this clause to carry out additional activities that are consistent with the purposes of this subsection. An eligible partnership that receives a grant under this section may carry out an effective school leadership program, which may be carried out in partnership with a local educational agency located in a rural area and that shall include all of the following activities: Promoting strong leadership skills and, as applicable, techniques for school leaders to effectively— Ensuring that individuals who participate in the school leadership program receive— Developing and improving a sustained and high-quality preservice clinical education program to further develop the leadership skills of all prospective school leaders involved in the program. Such clinical education program shall do the following: Incorporate year-long opportunities for enrichment, including— Developing and implementing effective mechanisms to ensure that the eligible partnership is able to recruit qualified individuals to become school leaders through the activities of the eligible partnership, which may include an emphasis on recruiting into school leadership professions— In order to be eligible for the school leadership program under this subsection, an individual shall be enrolled in or preparing to enroll in an institution of higher education, and shall— be a— An eligible partnership that receives a grant under this section may use grant funds provided to carry out the activities described in subsection (d) or (e), or both, to partner with a television public broadcast station, as defined in section 397(6) of title 47, or another entity that develops digital educational content, for the purpose of improving the quality of pre-baccalaureate teacher preparation programs or to enhance the quality of preservice training for prospective teachers. The Secretary shall— Members of an eligible partnership that receives a grant under this section shall engage in regular consultation throughout the development and implementation of programs and activities carried out under this section. To ensure timely and meaningful consultation as described in paragraph (1), regular communication shall occur among all members of the eligible partnership, including the high-need local educational agency. Such communication shall continue throughout the implementation of the grant and the assessment of programs and activities under this section. The Secretary may approve changes in grant activities of a grant under this section only if the eligible partnership submits to the Secretary a written consent to such changes signed by all members of the eligible partnership. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit an eligible partnership from using grant funds to coordinate with the activities of eligible partnerships in other States or on a regional basis through Governors, State boards of education, State educational agencies, State agencies responsible for early childhood education, local educational agencies, or State agencies for higher education. Funds made available under this section shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, other Federal, State, and local funds that would otherwise be expended to carry out activities under this section.