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.

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 .

• 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.

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