A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax incentive to individuals teaching in elementary and secondary schools located in rural or high unemployment areas and to individuals who achieve certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching standards.

Summary: Incentives to Educate American Children Act of 2011 or the I Teach Act of 2011- Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit a refundable tax credit of $1,000 for: (1) teachers in public elementary or secondary schools or public kindergartens in rural areas or areas with high poverty; and (2) teachers certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Increases such credit to $2,000 for a teacher meeting both requirements.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Incentives to Educate American 
Children Act of 2011'' or the ``I Teach Act of 2011''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) As a result of retirements and decreasing retention of 
        beginning teachers, classrooms are filled with less experienced 
        teachers. The most common number of years of teaching 
        experience for public school teachers has decreased from 15 
        years experience in 1987-1988 to just 1 year teaching 
        experience in the most recent data for 2007-2008. Students 
        deserve teachers with more experience and training.
            (2) Recent research confirms that additional years of 
        teaching experience at the same grade level (up to 20 years) 
        add a direct positive impact on student achievement.
            (3) The most recent data (2007-2008) from the National 
        Center for Education Statistics find 32 percent of America's 
        public schools are in rural school districts, and the increased 
        transportation costs these school districts face mean they have 
        less money for instructional costs and salaries. Department of 
        Education data show that rural school districts have the lowest 
        base salaries for starting teachers and this continues as 
        teachers move to the top of the local salary range. Rural 
        schools face these challenges in all States.
            (4) A 2009 study by the Education Trust reports that high 
        poverty high schools are twice as likely not to have teachers 
        certified in their fields than low poverty schools. The same 
        study found the percentage of first year teachers to be higher 
        in high poverty schools in cities, suburbs, and small towns. 
        Rural schools have first year teacher rates above the national 
        average regardless of poverty rate.
            (5) The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards 
        was founded in 1987 as a follow up to the landmark 1983 report, 
        ``A Nation at Risk'', by the Carnegie Task Force on Teaching. 
        The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is an 
        independent, nonprofit, and nonpartisan organization the 
        mission of which is to establish high and rigorous standards 
        for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do.
            (6) Nearly 91,000 teachers from all 50 States and the 
        District of Columbia have completed certification by the 
        National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, where 
        certification is a rigorous assessment process for teachers.
            (7) In 2008, the National Research Council (NRC) of the 
        National Academies affirmed that students taught by National 
        Board certified teachers make higher gains on achievement tests 
        than those taught by teachers who have not applied for or have 
        not achieved certification.
            (8) A recent study by the Economic Policy Institute found 
        that public school teachers earn significantly less than other 
        college graduates. The study found teachers were paid on 
        average only 77 percent as much as other college graduates and 
        the disparity is growing.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are as follows:
            (1) To encourage teachers, through a refundable tax credit, 
        to work in public elementary and secondary schools located in 
        rural areas or schools with high poverty.
            (2) To provide an additional tax credit to teachers who 
        achieve certification from the National Board for Professional 
        Teaching Standards in order to recruit and retain highly 
        qualified teachers in public elementary and secondary schools.

SEC. 3. REFUNDABLE TAX CREDIT FOR INDIVIDUALS TEACHING IN ELEMENTARY 
              AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS LOCATED IN HIGH POVERTY OR RURAL 
              AREAS AND CERTIFIED TEACHERS.

    (a) In General.--Subpart C of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting after 
section 36C the following new section:

``SEC. 36D. TAX CREDIT FOR INDIVIDUALS TEACHING IN ELEMENTARY AND 
              SECONDARY SCHOOLS LOCATED IN HIGH POVERTY OR RURAL AREAS 
              AND CERTIFIED TEACHERS.

    ``(a) Allowance of Credit.--In the case of an eligible teacher, 
there shall be allowed as a credit against the tax imposed by this 
subtitle for the taxable year an amount equal to the applicable amount 
for the eligible academic year ending during such taxable year.
    ``(b) Applicable Amount.--For purposes of this section--
            ``(1) Teachers in schools in rural areas or schools with 
        high poverty.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In the case of an eligible 
                teacher who performs services in a public kindergarten 
                or a public elementary or secondary school described in 
                subparagraph (B) during the eligible academic year, the 
                applicable amount is $1,000.
                    ``(B) School described.--A public kindergarten or a 
                public elementary or secondary school is described in 
                this subparagraph if--
                            ``(i) at least 75 percent of the students 
                        attending such kindergarten or school receive 
                        free or reduced-cost lunches under the school 
                        lunch program established under the Richard B. 
                        Russell National School Lunch Act, or
                            ``(ii) such kindergarten or school has a 
                        School Locale Code of 41, 42, or 43, as 
                        determined by the Secretary of Education.
            ``(2) Certified teachers.--In the case of an eligible 
        teacher who is certified by the National Board for Professional 
        Teaching Standards for the eligible academic year, the 
        applicable amount is $1,000.
            ``(3) Certified teachers in schools in rural areas or 
        schools with high poverty.--In the case of an eligible teacher 
        described in paragraphs (1) and (2), the applicable amount is 
        $2,000.
    ``(c) Eligible Teacher.--For purposes of this section, the term 
`eligible teacher' means, for any eligible academic year, an individual 
who is a kindergarten through grade 12 classroom teacher or instructor 
in a public kindergarten or a public elementary or secondary school on 
a full-time basis for such eligible academic year.
    ``(d) Additional Definitions.--For purposes of this section--
            ``(1) Elementary and secondary schools.--The terms 
        `elementary school' and `secondary school' have the respective 
        meanings given such terms by section 9101 of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965.
            ``(2) Eligible academic year.--The term `eligible academic 
        year' means any academic year ending in a taxable year 
        beginning after December 31, 2011.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Paragraph (2) of section 1324(b) of title 31, United 
        States Code, is amended by inserting ``36D,'' after ``36C,''.
            (2) The table of sections for subpart C of part IV of 
        subchapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
        is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 36C 
        the following new item:

``Sec. 36D. Tax credit for individuals teaching in elementary and 
                            secondary schools located in high poverty 
                            or rural areas and certified teachers.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to academic years ending in taxable years beginning after 
December 31, 2011.