Supporting Future Educators Act of 2017

Summary: Supporting Future Educators Act of 2017 This bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to establish the Strengthen-Our-Schools Grant Program, which shall award competitive, renewable five-year grants to local education agencies to fund:  teaching residency programs, including distance-learning facilities or infrastructure, mentor teacher incentives, resident salaries, and resident tuition;  additional credit requirements for a teacher to become licensed in a second subject area or earn an additional qualification that meets a specific need of the school;  additional credit requirements needed to qualify teachers to teach dual or concurrent enrollment programs; and  housing supplements or special housing programs to support prospective teachers in high-need districts. Not less than 10% of&nbsp;available&nbsp;grant funds shall be directed to programs that address teacher shortages in rural school districts. ED must&nbsp;create&nbsp;a national database of qualified mentor teachers who can provide student-teacher supervision to participants in teacher preparation programs.   

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Future Educators Act of 
2017''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) ESEA definitions.--The terms ``dual or concurrent 
        enrollment program'', ``elementary school'', ``local 
        educational agency'', and ``secondary school'' have the 
        meanings given the terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (2) Certified teacher.--The term ``certified teacher'' 
        means an individual who possesses a document certifying that 
        the individual has met the requirements of a State for 
        employment as a teacher in the public schools of that State.
            (3) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a 
        local educational agency (or a consortium of such agencies) 
        partnered with an institution of higher education.
            (4) Qualified mentor teacher.--The term ``qualified mentor 
        teacher'' means an educator who meets a minimum set of 
        qualification standards as determined by the Secretary.
            (5) Teaching residency program.--The term ``teaching 
        residency program'' has the meaning given the term in section 
        200 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021), 
        except that such term shall not include the requirement that 
        the prospective teacher acquire a master's degree not later 
        than 18 months after beginning the program.
            (6) Rural area.--The term ``rural area'' has the meaning 
        given the term in section 343(a)(13)(A) of the Consolidated 
        Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)(13)(A)).
            (7) Rural school district.--The term ``rural school 
        district'' means a school district that serves 1 or more 
        schools located in a rural area.
            (8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.

SEC. 3. STRENGTHEN-OUR-SCHOOLS GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Strengthen-Our-Schools Grant Program Established.--
            (1) Grants authorized.--From amounts appropriated to carry 
        out this section, the Secretary shall establish a Strengthen-
        Our-Schools Grant Program, through which the Secretary shall 
        award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities.
            (2) Duration.--A grant awarded under this section--
                    (A) shall be for a period of 5 years; and
                    (B) may be renewed if the eligible entity 
                demonstrates sufficient positive outcomes and evidence 
                of potential for continued success in achieving the 
                goals of the initial grant.
    (b) Application and Approval.--
            (1) Application.--
                    (A) In general.--An eligible entity desiring a 
                grant under this section shall submit an application to 
                the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
                containing such information as the Secretary may 
                require.
                    (B) Contents.--An application submitted under 
                subparagraph (A) shall--
                            (i) describe the activities for which 
                        assistance under this section is sought;
                            (ii) provide such additional assurances as 
                        the Secretary determines to be essential to 
                        ensure compliance with the requirements of this 
                        section; and
                            (iii) if seeking support for a teaching 
                        residency program, demonstrate that the 
                        institution of higher education that is a 
                        partner in the eligible entity is approved to 
                        prepare candidates for State teaching 
                        licensure.
            (2) Approval.--The Secretary shall approve any application 
        for a program that includes the components described in 
        paragraph (1).
    (c) Use of Funds.--A recipient of a grant under this section may 
use the grant fund to help cover the costs associated with--
            (1) teaching residency programs, including--
                    (A) resident tuition;
                    (B) resident salaries;
                    (C) mentor teacher incentives;
                    (D) facilities or infrastructure for a distance 
                learning classroom within the school for onsite 
                coursework and practical learning; and
                    (E) any other purpose that the Secretary determines 
                appropriate.
            (2) fulfilling additional credit requirements needed for a 
        teacher to become licensed in a second subject area or earn an 
        additional qualification that meets a specific need of the 
        school in which the teacher is employed;
            (3) fulfilling additional credit requirements needed to 
        qualify teachers to teach dual or concurrent enrollment 
        programs; and
            (4) housing supplements or special housing programs to 
        support prospective teachers who complete student teaching 
        placements in high-need districts.
    (d) Priority.--In awarding grants that propose to cover costs 
associated with teacher residency programs, the Secretary shall give 
priority to eligible entities that propose to carry out a program 
designed to prepare the following school employees for teaching 
licensure:
            (1) Paraprofessionals.
            (2) Other employees of the school community employed on the 
        date of the determination.
    (e) Award Basis.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
Secretary shall ensure that, to the extent practicable based on the 
applications received under subsection (b), not less than 10 percent of 
the grant funds available to carry out this section are designated for 
uses that address teacher shortage challenges in rural school 
districts.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL DATABASE OF QUALIFIED MENTOR TEACHERS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall create a national database of 
qualified mentor teachers who can provide student teacher supervision 
to participants in teacher preparation programs during their student 
teaching placement.
    (b) Database.--Each qualified mentor teacher database entry shall 
include--
            (1) basic information on the educational background and 
        professional experience of the mentor, including details of the 
        subject areas and grade levels the mentor is licensed to teach;
            (2) a description of the subject areas and grade levels the 
        mentor feels most comfortable mentoring; and
            (3) a brief teaching philosophy statement.
    (c) Availability.--The database shall be available as a resource 
for teacher preparation programs to allow for prospective teachers to 
complete student teaching in a location outside of the staffing area of 
the teacher preparation program.

SEC. 5. SENSE OF THE SENATE.

    It is the sense of the Senate that teaching be formally recognized 
as a career pathway that is part of ``career and technical education'' 
as defined in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302), allowing early career pathway 
programs in education, offered at the secondary school level and 
offering college credit toward pursuing a teaching licensure program, 
to be eligible for funds available through programs that support career 
and technical education.