Overview
Title
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to enhance teacher and school leader quality partnership grants.
ELI5 AI
H.R. 9986 wants to give money to schools and colleges so they can work together to make their teachers even better at teaching kids, especially those who need more help.
Summary AI
H.R. 9986, titled the “Teacher and School Leader Quality Partnership Grants Act,” aims to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve educational quality. The bill seeks to enhance programs that train teachers and school leaders by offering grants for partnerships between higher education institutions and local educational agencies. It focuses on fostering profession-ready educators by establishing residency programs, enhancing professional development, and ensuring educators are better prepared to work with diverse and high-need student populations. Importantly, it also includes measures to evaluate and support teacher preparation programs and elevate the education profession nationally.
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AnalysisAI
Summary of the Bill
The proposed legislation, titled the "Teacher and School Leader Quality Partnership Grants Act," seeks to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to enhance and reform the grants available for improving teacher and school leader quality. It introduces new definitions and revises existing ones concerning various educational roles and programs. The bill aims to fortify the training and preparation of educators, focusing on diversity, professional development, and collaboration with higher education institutions. It also emphasizes accountability through extensive data reporting and the establishment of new standards for teaching excellence. Additionally, the bill proposes an ambitious study to elevate the standards for the teaching profession, ensuring new educators are well-equipped to handle diverse classroom environments.
Significant Issues
Complexity and Cross-referencing: The bill's reliance on cross-referencing other educational acts, such as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, complicates comprehension and implementation. This complexity might hinder readers unfamiliar with these legislative texts.
Ambiguity in Definitions and Objectives: Although the bill provides numerous definitions, some terms are subjective or vague, such as "profession-ready" and "trauma-informed care." This lack of clarity could lead to inconsistencies and difficulties in application across educational institutions.
Privacy Concerns: The requirement to report data disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and gender raises potential privacy concerns, particularly in smaller programs where individuals might be easily identifiable.
Lack of Funding Specifics: The bill does not clearly delineate funding sources or amounts for the proposed initiatives, leading to potential wasteful spending and concerns over financial accountability.
Extended Timelines: The outlined timeline for the education profession study may prolong the realization of beneficial educational reforms, possibly delaying urgently needed improvements.
Impact on the Public
Broadly, the bill aims to upgrade the quality of education by ensuring that teachers and school leaders are well-prepared to meet the challenges of diverse and modern classrooms. This could result in a more effective education system with better trained and more diverse educators who can meet the needs of all students. If successful, such reforms could enhance student learning outcomes and contribute to a more educated and skilled populace.
However, the inherent complexity and potential ambiguities within the bill could lead to misinterpretations and inconsistent educational practices across states. The increased administrative burdens due to extensive data reporting and accountability requirements could divert focus and resources away from direct educational improvements.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
Educators and School Leaders: The bill's focus on improved training and professional development could benefit educators, enhancing their teaching capabilities and career readiness. However, the stringent reporting and performance assessment measures might also place additional pressure on them, affecting job satisfaction and retention.
Educational Institutions and Partnerships: Colleges and universities offering teacher preparation programs would see changes through new partnerships and grant opportunities. However, they could face challenges in adhering to new accountability standards without clear funding and support provisions.
High-Need Schools and Students: The bill potentially offers increased support and resources to high-need schools, aiming to better address educational disparities. Nevertheless, delays in implementation due to bureaucratic complexities could postpone benefits to these schools.
Policy and Decision Makers: For state and local education agencies, the bill creates opportunities for increased collaboration and support through federal programs. Yet, they could face difficulties in managing the expanded criteria and reporting requirements without adequate federal guidance and financial support.
In conclusion, while the intent of the bill appears well-meaning, aiming to professionalize and enhance teacher and school leader preparation, it introduces new complexities, ambiguities, and potential financial challenges that need careful consideration and management to achieve its objectives effectively.
Issues
The bill extensively uses cross-references to other legislative texts, such as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (Sections 2 and 200), which increases complexity and may make it difficult for readers unfamiliar with these laws to fully understand the definitions and implications.
The definitions section (Section 2 and Section 200) lacks clarity in funding sources or amounts, which could lead to wasteful spending. This lack of financial specificity might cause concerns among taxpayers and policymakers about accountability and efficiency.
There are potential privacy concerns in Section 7 from the requirement for reporting data disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and gender, especially in small programs where individuals might be easily identifiable. Privacy violations could arise if this data is not managed carefully.
The amendment (Section 208 and Section 10) lacks context about the implications of changing 'sections 205 and 206' to 'section 205', leading to ambiguity regarding the impact of this change on the application of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
The proposed elevation of the education profession study within new Section 209 seeks to undertake ambitious goals without specifying a budget or funding source, which could raise concerns about unplanned or unchecked spending.
Section 6 is unclear on how performance objectives for educators are to be measured, leading to potential ambiguity and inconsistent application across eligible partnerships, which could undermine accountability and evaluation efforts.
The complexity in the application process for designating a 'high-need school' (Section 200) includes an additional bureaucratic layer by requiring applications to the Secretary, potentially delaying funding and support to schools that need it immediately.
The bill's expansion of program eligibility without clear criteria (Section 5) may result in funds being allocated to a broad range of programs, not all of which may meet the intended objectives, increasing the risk of inefficient spending.
Section 4 allows for stipends or salaries but lacks rigorous oversight and accountability measures, raising concerns about the proper use of allocated funds.
Section 11's requirement for a three-year timeline for the final report on the elevation of the education profession study may delay the implementation of beneficial practices in education, potentially stalling progress in addressing urgent educational needs.
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
This section states that the official title of the Act is the "Teacher and School Leader Quality Partnership Grants Act."
2. Definitions Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section outlines various definitions related to education, such as what constitutes "arts and sciences," "blended learning," "digital learning," and "evidence of student learning," among others. It also provides detailed explanations of terms like "high-need school," "induction program," and "teacher preparation program" to clarify their meanings within the context of educational policies and programs.
200. Definitions Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
This section of the bill provides definitions for various terms related to education, such as "arts and sciences," "blended learning," and "educator." It explains what is meant by key concepts like "high-need school," "evidence of student learning," and "teacher performance assessment," often referencing other laws or specific criteria under which these terms are defined.
3. Purposes Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1965 focus on improving the training and accountability of educators, including teachers and school leaders, enhancing professional development, recruiting diverse individuals into teaching roles, and partnering with colleges to address staffing needs in high-need schools.
4. Partnership grants Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The updates to the Higher Education Act of 1965 in the section on partnership grants aim to enhance the training and support of educators such as teachers and school leaders. These changes focus on equitable distribution, professional skills development, and improved teaching methods for working with students with disabilities and English learners, as well as providing residency programs and leadership training with stipends for participants.
5. Administrative provisions Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The bill changes part of the Higher Education Act of 1965. It allows partnerships to receive an extra grant during a five-year period to set up teacher or school leader residency programs that were not previously created. It also updates the language to include school leader preparation and educator development programs along with teacher education.
6. Accountability and evaluation Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section discusses how eligible partnerships applying for grants under the Higher Education Act must include a detailed evaluation plan with measurable goals. These goals should cover educator achievement and retention, pass rates for teacher certification, hiring of teachers from underrepresented groups, and other performance indicators, including the use of technology and effectiveness in school leadership roles.
7. Accountability for programs that prepare teachers or other school leaders Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section of the bill modifies the requirements for programs that prepare teachers or school leaders, emphasizing accountability through the submission of detailed annual reports. These reports must include information like pass rates, student demographics, accreditation status, and the performance of program graduates, especially in high-need schools, with states encouraged to use performance assessments when evaluating teacher preparation programs.
8. Teacher development Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
Congress has updated the language in a specific part of the Higher Education Act, changing the term "limited English proficient" to "English learner" to reflect current terminology.
9. State functions Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The updated section 207 of the Higher Education Act requires states to evaluate teacher and school leader preparation programs to identify those that are at-risk or low-performing. States must provide technical support to these programs, report their status to the public and the Secretary, and may ultimately terminate low-performing programs that fail to improve.
207. State functions Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
In order to receive federal funds, each State must assess and report on teacher and school leader preparation programs, identifying those that are at-risk or low-performing. States must also provide improvement opportunities and technical assistance for at-risk programs and may deem them low-performing if insufficient progress is made. Low-performing programs may face restrictions, including losing eligibility for certain funding, and are required to support students during closure. These rules apply to both traditional and alternative teacher certification programs.
10. General provisions Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The amendment to the Higher Education Act of 1965 changes the language in section 208(a) by removing the reference to "sections 205 and 206" and replacing it with "section 205".
11. Elevation of the education profession study Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section proposes a study to improve the teaching profession by establishing an Advisory Committee to analyze state policies on teacher certification and education, review best practices, and develop recommendations for Congress. The study aims to set high standards for new teachers and school leaders and ensure they are well-prepared for diverse classrooms, with reports of findings due over the next few years.
209. Elevation of the education profession study Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The bill section outlines the creation of an Advisory Committee by the Secretary of Education to study ways to improve the teacher and school leader profession. The committee will assess current education policies, suggest best practices, and set high expectations to ensure teachers and school leaders are well-prepared, ultimately advising Congress on these findings.
12. Authorization of appropriations Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1965 update the year stated in section 210 from 2009 to 2025 and change the period mentioned from "two succeeding" years to "5 succeeding" years. Additionally, the section number has been updated from 209 to 210.