To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to assist underperforming schools to recruit, support, and retain highly qualified and effective teachers by providing grants for participation in the Targeted High Need Initiative program of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Summary: High Quality Teaching Act of 2009 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award competitive five-year grants to up to 250 local educational agencies (LEAs) to recruit, support, and retain highly qualified and effective teachers through participation in the Targeted High Need Initiative program of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Gives priority to LEAs that have: (1) the highest number of disadvantaged students; (2) the highest number of schools identified for school improvement, corrective action, or restructuring; and (3) the lowest number of teachers certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Requires LEAs to use such grants to: (1) partner with institutions of higher education or other appropriate entities in conducting grant activities; (2) provide teachers participating in the Targeted High Need Initiative program with training, mentoring, and technological resources; (3) cover the assessment fee for teachers who apply for certification by such Board and agree to teach at the participating school for at least three years after their certification; (4) provide specified monetary awards to teachers and their sponsoring schools after completion of the Targeted High Need Initiative program; and (5) conduct an independent evaluation of such program's affect on teaching quality and student performance.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``High Quality Teaching Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES TO PROVIDE TARGETED 
              ASSISTANCE TO HIGH NEED SCHOOLS TO RECRUIT, SUPPORT, AND 
              RETAIN HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND EFFECTIVE TEACHERS.

    (a) In General.--Part A of title II of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) is amended by adding at 
the end the following new subpart:

               ``Subpart 6--Targeted High Need Initiative

``SEC. 2161. GRANTS TARGETING SCHOOLS HAVING HIGHEST NEED FOR HIGHLY 
              QUALIFIED AND EFFECTIVE TEACHERS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall make competitive grants to 
selected local educational agencies to recruit, support, and retain 
highly qualified and effective teachers through participation in the 
Targeted High Need Initiative program of the National Board for 
Professional Teaching Standards.
    ``(b) Limitation on Number of Assisted Agencies.--Not more than 250 
local educational agencies shall be selected by the Secretary to 
receive grants under this section.
    ``(c) Priorities.--In making such grants, the Secretary shall give 
priority to local educational agencies--
            ``(1) having the highest number of students from a 
        traditionally disadvantaged background, including students who 
        receive free or reduced priced meals, students belonging to a 
        minority subgroup, students with limited English proficiency, 
        or migratory children;
            ``(2) having the highest number of schools identified for 
        school improvement, corrective action, or restructuring under 
        section 1116(b); and
            ``(3) having the lowest number of teachers who are 
        certified by the National Board of Professional Teaching 
        Standards.
    ``(d) Selection Process.--
            ``(1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        this section, a local educational agency shall submit an 
        application to the State educational agency at such time, in 
        such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
        may require.
            ``(2) Review by state educational agency.--Applications 
        received by a State educational agency under paragraph (1) 
        shall be submitted to the Secretary (at such time, in such 
        manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
        require) together with recommendations by the State educational 
        agency as to--
                    ``(A) which local educational agencies have the 
                highest need; and
                    ``(B) which should be given preference based on 
                criteria specified by the State educational agency.
        Such criteria may include the distribution of such grants 
        between urban and rural areas, the number of limited English 
        proficient children, and the number of schools needing 
        assistance.
            ``(3) Contents of application.--The application under 
        paragraph (1) shall describe the following:
                    ``(A) The partnership that such agency will form 
                with an institution of higher education or other 
                appropriate entity to carry out the activities 
                described in subsection (e).
                    ``(B) How such agency will use funds received under 
                this section to participate in the Targeted High Need 
                Initiative program of the National Board for 
                Professional Teaching Standards.
                    ``(C) Identify the initial 25 classroom teachers, 
                and at least 1 superintendent, principal, or vice 
                principal, who have agreed to be mentors under such 
                program.
    ``(e) Use of Funds.--A local educational agency that receives a 
grant under this section shall use the funds made available through the 
grant for the following:
            ``(1) Establish the partnership referred to subsection 
        (d)(3)(A).
            ``(2) Support teachers through the Targeted High Need 
        Initiative program of the National Board for Professional 
        Teaching Standards through training, professional development, 
        mentoring and technological resources.
            ``(3) Fully fund the assessment fee for all eligible 
        teachers who apply to be certified by such Board and who agree 
        to remain at the participating school for at least 3 years 
        after completing the certification.
            ``(4) Provide a $1,000 award to each teacher who is 
        certified by such Board after completing participation in such 
        a Targeted High Need Initiative program.
            ``(5) Provide sponsoring schools with a $500 award for each 
        teacher described in paragraph (4).
            ``(6) Conduct an independent evaluation of the impact of 
        participation in such Targeted High Need Initiative program on 
        teaching quality and student learning and achievement. Such 
        evaluation may include incorporating multiple sources of data 
        over time to assess immediate and long-term impacts of such 
        participation.
    ``(f) Duration of Grant.--The Secretary shall make grants under 
this section for period of 5 years.
    ``(g) Equitable Distribution.--To the extent practicable, the 
Secretary shall ensure an equitable geographic distribution of grants 
under this section among the regions of the United States.''.
    (b) Funding.--
            (1) Section 2103 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6603) is amended by adding at the end 
        the following new subsection:
    ``(c) Targeted High Need Initiative.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out subpart 6 $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2010 
and each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.''.
            (2) Subsection (a) of section 2103 of such Act is amended 
        by striking ``subpart 5'' and inserting ``subparts 5 and 6''.