Alternative Certification and Licensure of Teachers Act of 1998

Summary: Alternative Certification and Licensure of Teachers Act of 1998 - Establishes a program to assist States to develop and implement programs for alternative routes to teacher certification or licensure requirements, in order to increase the supply of well-qualified elementary school and secondary school teachers. 
Sets forth requirements for allotments to States, reallotments, State applications, and uses of funds. 
Authorizes appropriations.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Alternative Certification and 
Licensure of Teachers Act of 1998''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) the measure of a good teacher is how much and how well 
        the teacher's students learn;
            (2) the main teacher quality problem in 1998 is the lack of 
        subject matter knowledge;
            (3) knowledgeable and eager individuals of sound character 
        and various professional backgrounds should be encouraged to 
        enter the kindergarten through grade 12 classrooms as teachers;
            (4) many talented professionals who have demonstrated a 
        high level of subject area competence outside the education 
        profession may wish to pursue careers in education, but have 
        not fulfilled the traditional requirements to be certified or 
        licensed as teachers;
            (5) States should have maximum flexibility and incentives 
        to create alternative teacher certification and licensure 
        programs in order to recruit well-educated people into the 
        teaching profession; and
            (6) alternative routes can enable qualified individuals to 
        fulfill State teacher certification or licensure requirements 
        and will allow school systems to utilize the expertise of 
        professionals and improve the pool of qualified individuals 
        available to local educational agencies as teachers.
    (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act to improve the supply 
of well-qualified elementary school and secondary school teachers by 
encouraging and assisting States to develop and implement programs for 
alternative routes to teacher certification or licensure requirements.

SEC. 3. ALLOTMENTS.

    (a) Allotments to States.--
            (1) In general.--From the amount appropriated to carry out 
        this Act for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to 
        each State the lesser of--
                    (A) the amount the State applies for under section 
                4; or
                    (B) an amount that bears the same relation to the 
                amount so appropriated as the total population of 
                children ages 5 through 17 in the State bears to the 
                total population of such children in all the States 
                (based on the most recent data available that is 
                satisfactory to the Secretary).
            (2) Reallocation.--If a State does not apply for the 
        State's allotment, or the full amount of the State's allotment, 
        under paragraph (1), the Secretary may reallocate the excess 
        funds to 1 or more other States that demonstrate, to the 
        satisfaction of the Secretary, a current need for the funds.
    (b) Special Rule.--Notwithstanding section 421(b) of the General 
Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1225(b)), funds awarded under this 
Act shall remain available for obligation by a recipient for a period 
of 2 calendar years from the date of the grant.

SEC. 4. STATE APPLICATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Any State desiring to receive an allotment under 
this Act shall, through the State educational agency, submit an 
application at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information, as the Secretary may reasonably require.
    (b) Requirements.--Each application shall--
            (1) describe the programs, projects, and activities to be 
        undertaken with assistance provided under this Act; and
            (2) contain such assurances as the Secretary considers 
        necessary, including assurances that--
                    (A) assistance provided to the State educational 
                agency under this Act will be used to supplement, and 
                not to supplant, any State or local funds available for 
                the development and implementation of programs to 
                provide alternative routes to fulfilling teacher 
                certification or licensure requirements;
                    (B) the State educational agency has, in developing 
                and designing the application, consulted with--
                            (i) representatives of local educational 
                        agencies, including superintendents and school 
                        board members (including representatives of 
                        their professional organizations if 
                        appropriate);
                            (ii) elementary school and secondary school 
                        teachers, including representatives of their 
                        professional organizations;
                            (iii) schools or departments of education 
                        within institutions of higher education;
                            (iv) parents; and
                            (v) other interested individuals and 
                        organizations; and
                    (C) the State educational agency will submit to the 
                Secretary, at such time as the Secretary may specify, a 
                final report describing the activities carried out with 
                assistance provided under this Act and the results 
                achieved with respect to such activities.
    (c) GEPA Provisions Inapplicable.--Sections 441 and 442 of the 
General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232d and 1232e), except to 
the extent that such sections relate to fiscal control and fund 
accounting procedures, shall not apply to this Act.

SEC. 5. USE OF FUNDS.

    (a) Use of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--A State educational agency shall use funds 
        provided under this Act to support programs, projects, or 
        activities that develop and implement new, or expand and 
        improve existing, programs that enable individuals to move to a 
        teaching career in elementary or secondary education from 
        another occupation through an alternative route to teacher 
        certification or licensure.
            (2) Types of assistance.--A State educational agency may 
        carry out such programs, projects, or activities directly, 
        through contracts, or through grants to local educational 
        agencies, intermediate educational agencies, institutions of 
        higher education, or consortia of such agencies or 
        institutions.
    (b) Uses.--Funds received under this Act may be used for--
            (1) the design, development, implementation, and evaluation 
        of programs that enable qualified professionals who have 
        demonstrated a high level of subject area competence outside 
        the education profession and are interested in entering the 
        education profession to fulfill State teacher certification or 
        licensure requirements;
            (2) the establishment of administrative structures 
        necessary for the development and implementation of programs to 
        provide alternative routes to fulfilling State teacher 
        certification or licensure requirements;
            (3) training of staff, including the development of 
        appropriate support programs, such as mentor programs, for 
        teachers entering the school system through alternative routes 
        to teacher certification or licensure;
            (4) the development of recruitment strategies;
            (5) the development of reciprocity agreements between or 
        among States for the certification or licensure of teachers; or
            (6) other programs, projects, and activities that--
                    (A) are designed to meet the purpose of this Act; 
                and
                    (B) the Secretary determines appropriate.

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Elementary school; local educational agency; secondary 
        school; secretary; and state educational agency.--The terms 
        ``elementary school'', ``local educational agency'', 
        ``secondary school'', ``Secretary'', and ``State educational 
        agency'' have the meanings given the terms in section 14101 of 
        the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        8801).
            (2) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 1201 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1141).
            (3) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several 
        States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the 
        Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, 
        Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern 
        Mariana Islands.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$15,000,000 for fiscal year 1999 and each of the 4 succeeding fiscal 
years.