Quality and Accountability are Best for Children Act

Summary

Quality and Accountability are Best for Children Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to establish: (1) a grant program for Improving Teacher Recruitment, Retention, Rewards, and Accountability (IT3RA); and (2) an Excellent Principals Challenge Grant (EPCG) program. (Designates such programs, respectively, as new parts E and F of ESEA title II Dwight D. Eisenhower Professional Development Program and transfers the current part E to a new part G.) Provides for teacher technology training under various ESEA provisions. (Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary of Education to award IT3RA grants to States to enable them to provide grants to applicant local educational agencies (LEAs). Reserves funds for schools operated or supported by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and for outlying areas. Reserves funds for the Secretary, directly or through programs with State educational agencies (SEAs) and LEAs, to offer incentives to teachers to obtain certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, create student loan forgiveness programs, disseminate reports on successful activities, and provide technical assistance. Bases State allotments on relative school-age population. Requires States to reserve a portion of their allotment to support awards and other forms of respect and recognition for outstanding and distinguished teachers. Requires recipient LEAs to use grant funds for specified authorized activities relating to: (1) teacher recruitment, retention, and rewards; and (2) teacher accountability. Prohibits LEA use of such funds to increase salaries or benefits for teachers, other than providing specified professional development programs, bonuses, and enrichment programs. Requires LEAs, if they use such funds for professional development activities, to ensure equitable participation of private nonprofit schools. Authorizes appropriations for the IT3RA program. Directs the Secretary to award EPCG program grants to SEAs or consortia of SEAs to provide, on a statewide basis, professional development services to enhance elementary and secondary school principals' leadership skills. Authorizes the Secretary to reserve specified funds to develop model national programs for specified activities to increase school principals' instructional leadership and other skills. Directs the Secretary to appoint a Commission to examine existing professional development programs for school principals and report on best practices. Requires equitable participation of private nonprofit schools in professional development activities of an SEA or consortium using EPCG funds. Authorizes appropriations for the EPCG program. (Sec. 6) Revises ESEA to provide for teacher technology training. Requires schools to give attention to professional development that incorporates technology used to improve teaching and learning. Requires professional development activities to include instruction in the use of technology. Adds technology to the list of core subject areas for the National Teacher Training Project grants program (Dwight D. Eisenhower Professional Development Program). Requires local plans for improving teaching and learning to include descriptions of how their core subject area programs will incorporate technologies which meet the educational needs of individuals who are from historically underrepresented groups, or are economically disadvantaged, or have limited English language abilities, or have disabilities. Requires authorized professional development activities to incorporate effective technology for meeting the educational needs of diverse groups of students. Includes technological innovation as a higher education activity to improve teacher education programs.

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3 official files

• Introduced in Senate (text)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 16 November 1999

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• Introduced in Senate (PDF)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 16 November 1999

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• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 16 November 1999

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