I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8570 

To establish a Teacher Advisory Committee and a Parents and Families 

Advisory Committee. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 9, 2020 

Miss RICE of New York introduced the following bill; which was referred to 

the Committee on Education and Labor 

A BILL 

To establish a Teacher Advisory Committee and a Parents 

and Families Advisory Committee. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Teachers and Parents 

5 at the Table Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. TEACHER ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 

7 (a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds as follows: 

8 (1) Expert teachers offer an important resource 

9 to policymakers as they can bring their expertise and 

10 perspective from the classroom to inform policy so 


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1 that positive outcomes for all students will be maxi2 mized. 

3 (2) State Teachers of the Year represent a val4 uable resource with a body of expert knowledge and 

5 skill about instructional practice, 21st century learn6 ing, and school functioning that can be infused into 

7 policymaking to promote better outcomes for elemen8 tary and secondary students. 

9 (3) State Teachers of the Year have been se10 lected by their communities and States as models of 

11 their profession and represent every State in the Na12 tion and every discipline and grade level. 

13 (b) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 

14 an advisory committee, to be known as the Teacher Advi15 sory Committee (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Com16 mittee’’). 

17 (c) DUTY.—The duty of the Committee shall be to 

18 bring the perspective of expert teachers to policymakers 

19 and monitor the implementation and impact of the Every 

20 Student Succeeds Act (Public Law 114–95). The Com21 mittee shall make policy recommendations on given sets 

22 of topics to improve elementary and secondary education. 

23 (d) MEMBERSHIP.— 

24 (1) IN GENERAL.—The membership of the 

25 Committee shall consist of not more than 10 teachVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:04 Oct 31, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8570.IH H8570

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1 ers employed in a public elementary school and not 

2 more than 10 teachers employed in a public sec3 ondary school who— 

4 (A) are past or present finalists or State 

5 Teachers of the Year, or are nominated from 

6 organizations representing teachers and have 

7 demonstrated similar evidence of expertise; 

8 (B) have experience working with edu9 cational policy; 

10 (C) have a demonstrated history of holding 

11 teacher leadership roles among other teachers 

12 and school leaders; and 

13 (D) have submitted an application to the 

14 Secretary to serve on the Committee. 

15 (2) LIST; APPOINTMENT.—The Secretary shall 

16 compile a list of teachers submitting applications 

17 under paragraph (1)(D). The members of the Com18 mittee shall be appointed sequentially as follows, ex19 cept that no appointer may appoint more than two 

20 public elementary and two public secondary school 

21 teachers: 

22 (A) The Secretary shall appoint 4 teachers 

23 from the list. 

24 (B) The majority leader of the Senate shall 

25 appoint 4 teachers from the list. 


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1 (C) The minority leader of the Senate shall 

2 appoint 4 teachers from the list. 

3 (D) The Speaker of the House of Rep4 resentatives shall appoint 4 teachers from the 

5 list. 

6 (E) The minority leader of the House of 

7 Representatives shall appoint 4 teachers from 

8 the list. 

9 (3) SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS.— 

10 (A) FINALISTS OR STATE TEACHERS OF

11 THE YEAR.—Not less than half of the members 

12 of the Committee shall be past or present final13 ists or State Teachers of the Year. 

14 (B) REPRESENTATION REQUIREMENT.— 

15 The members of the Committee shall represent 

16 the diversity of the teaching workforce. The 

17 committee shall include members— 

18 (i) working in a diversity of geo19 graphic regions, including urban, subur20 ban, and rural areas across the country; 

21 (ii) holding a variety of specializa22 tions, such as special education teachers, 

23 teachers of English learners, and those 

24 who work with high-ability learners; and 


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1 (iii) serving a diverse variety of stu2 dent populations, including— 

3 (I) economically disadvantaged 

4 students; 

5 (II) students from major racial 

6 and ethnic groups; 

7 (III) children with disabilities; 

8 (IV) English learners; 

9 (V) students who are members of 

10 an Indian tribe or tribal organization, 

11 as defined in section 4 of the Indian 

12 Self-Determination and Education As13 sistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b); 

14 (VI) students who identify as les15 bian, gay, bisexual, and transgender 

16 youth; 

17 (VII) migrant students; 

18 (VIII) children in foster care; 

19 and 

20 (IX) homeless children and 

21 youths. 

22 (4) TERM.—Each member of the Committee 

23 shall serve on the Committee for a 3-year term. 

24 (e) ANNUAL REPORT.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Committee shall submit 

2 to the Committee on Education and Labor of the 

3 House of Representatives and the Committee on 

4 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Sen5 ate and the Secretary 2 reports per year on the 

6 monitoring carried out under subsection (c). 

7 (2) CONTENTS OF REPORT.—The reports sub8 mitted under paragraph (1) shall provide the per9 spective of members of the Committee, and informa10 tion collected from surveys of teachers in the net11 works represented on the Committee, on not more 

12 than 3 topics per year determined by the Committee 

13 in consultation with policymakers. Such topics might 

14 include— 

15 (A) testing and assessment; 

16 (B) the equitable distribution of teachers; 

17 (C) the diversity of the teaching workforce; 

18 (D) implementation and impact of the 

19 Every Student Succeeds Act (Public Law 114– 

20 95) in rural public schools; 

21 (E) school resource equity, including per22 pupil expenditures of Federal, State, and local 

23 funds; 

24 (F) fostering a positive school climate 

25 through the implementation of evidence-based 


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1 practices that promote safe and supportive 

2 learning environments for all students; and 

3 (G) other topics of relevance determined by 

4 the Committee in consultation with policy5 makers and members of other Department 

6 school and family engagement fellowships (such 

7 as the School Ambassadors Program). 

8 (f) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT APPLICA9 BILITY.—The provisions of the Federal Advisory Com10 mittee Act (Public Law 92–463; 5 U.S.C. App.) shall 

11 apply to the Committee. 

12 (g) COMPENSATION.— 

13 (1) IN GENERAL.—Each member of the Com14 mittee may be compensated at not to exceed the 

15 daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay in 

16 effect for a position at level IV of the Executive 

17 Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United 

18 States Code, for each day during which that member 

19 is engaged in the actual performance of the duties 

20 of the Committee. 

21 (2) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—While away from 

22 their homes or regular places of business in the per23 formance of services for the Committees, members of 

24 the Committee shall be allowed travel expenses, in25 cluding per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the same 


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1 manner as persons employed intermittently in the 

2 Government service are allowed expenses under sec3 tion 5703(b) of title 5, United States Code. 

4 (h) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS.—The following ad5 ditional requirements shall apply to the Committee: 

6 (1) The Committee shall meet in person at least 

7 once per year for deliberation. 

8 (2) The Committee shall be available for con9 sultation with officials at the Department of Edu10 cation, the Committee on Education and Labor of 

11 the House of Representatives, and the Committee on 

12 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Sen13 ate regarding the contents of the reports submitted 

14 under subsection (e). 

15 (i) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

16 (1) The term ‘‘State Teacher of the Year’’ 

17 means any person who has been recognized as a 

18 State Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief 

19 State School Officers. 

20 (2) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 

21 of Education. 

22 (j) AUTHORIZATION OF FUNDS.—Of the amounts ap23 propriated to, and available at the discretion of, the Sec24 retary for programmatic and administrative expenditures 

25 for fiscal years 2020 through 2024, a total of $500,000 


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1 shall be used to establish and carry out the functions of 

2 the Committee established under this section. 

3 SEC. 3. PARENTS AND FAMILIES ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 

4 (a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following: 

5 (1) Parents and families have a major influence 

6 on their children’s achievement in public school and 

7 throughout life. 

8 (2) Parents and family members offer an im9 portant resource to policymakers as they provide a 

10 unique perspective as consumers of our Nation’s 

11 public schools. 

12 (3) All parents and family members—regardless 

13 of income, education, or cultural background—are 

14 critical in their child’s learning and development and 

15 want their child to reach their fullest potential. 

16 (4) Parental engagement improves school cul17 ture and community well-being, as well as drive im18 provements in student outcomes. 

19 (b) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 

20 an advisory committee, to be known as the Parents and 

21 Families Advisory Committee (referred to in this section 

22 as the ‘‘Committee’’). 

23 (c) DUTIES AND FOCUS.—The duty of the Committee 

24 shall be to monitor the effects and implementation of the 

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1 dren and families, and review and analyze implementation 

2 of State and local parent and family engagement policies, 

3 school-parent compacts, and other family engagement ac4 tivities described in section 1116 and part E of title IV 

5 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 

6 (20 U.S.C. 6318; 20 U.S.C. 7241 et seq.). 

7 (d) MEMBERSHIP.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—The membership of the 

9 Committee shall consist of 10 parents or family 

10 members of children enrolled in a public elementary 

11 school and 10 parents or family members of children 

12 enrolled in a public secondary school who— 

13 (A) have a demonstrated history of paren14 tal involvement and family engagement in pub15 lic schools; and 

16 (B) have submitted an application to the 

17 Secretary to serve on the Committee. 

18 (2) LIST; APPOINTMENT.—The Secretary shall 

19 compile a list of parents and family members sub20 mitting applications under paragraph (1)(B). The 

21 members of the Committee shall be appointed se22 quentially as follows: 

23 (A) The Secretary shall appoint 4 parents 

24 or family members from the list. 


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1 (B) The majority leader of the Senate shall 

2 appoint 4 parents or family members from the 

3 list. 

4 (C) The minority leader of the Senate shall 

5 appoint 4 parents or family members from the 

6 list. 

7 (D) The Speaker of the House of Rep8 resentatives shall appoint 4 parents or family 

9 members from the list. 

10 (E) The minority leader of the House of 

11 Representatives shall appoint 4 parents or fam12 ily members from the list. 

13 (3) REPRESENTATION REQUIREMENT.— 

14 (A) IN GENERAL.—The members of the 

15 Committee shall represent geographically di16 verse areas, including urban, suburban, and 

17 rural areas across the country, and a diversity 

18 of students, and shall include at least one par19 ent or family member representing each of the 

20 following student groups: 

21 (i) Economically disadvantaged stu22 dents. 

23 (ii) Students from major racial and 

24 ethnic groups. 

25 (iii) Children with disabilities. 


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1 (iv) English learners. 

2 (v) Students who are members of an 

3 Indian tribe or tribal organization, as de4 fined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Deter5 mination and Education Assistance Act 

6 (25 U.S.C. 450b). 

7 (vi) Students who identify as lesbian, 

8 gay, bisexual, and transgender youth. 

9 (vii) Migrant students. 

10 (viii) Children in foster care. 

11 (ix) Homeless children and youths. 

12 (B) SPECIAL CONSIDERATION.—Consider13 ation should also be given to representation of 

14 students’ gender identity, migrant status, and 

15 residence in rural areas in the appointment of 

16 members of the Committee. 

17 (4) ADVISORS.—If requested by the Committee, 

18 the Secretary may provide access to 5 research advi19 sors to the Committee, such as researchers, practi20 tioners or representatives from national nonprofit or21 ganizations with expertise in family engagement in 

22 education, to provide evidence-based information and 

23 materials. 

24 (5) TERM.—Each member of the Committee 

25 shall serve on the Committee for a 3-year term. 


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1 (e) ANNUAL REPORT.— 

2 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Committee shall submit 

3 to the Committee on Education and Labor of the 

4 House of Representatives and the Committee on 

5 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Sen6 ate and the Secretary on an annual basis a report 

7 and policy recommendations on the monitoring and 

8 analysis carried out under subsection (c). 

9 (2) CONTENTS OF REPORT.—The report sub10 mitted under paragraph (1) shall provide the per11 spective of parents and families on not more than 3 

12 topics per year determined by the Committee. Such 

13 topics may include the following: 

14 (A) The effects of the Elementary and Sec15 ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 

16 et seq.) on parental involvement and family en17 gagement in education, including public schools 

18 and classrooms. 

19 (B) Direction for State education agencies 

20 and local education agencies for implementing 

21 written family engagement policies under sec22 tion 1116 and part E of title IV of the Elemen23 tary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 

24 U.S.C. 6318; 20 U.S.C. 7241 et seq.). 


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1 (C) Recommendations for strengthening 

2 family engagement policy and implementation 

3 in order to meet the goals of section 1116 and 

4 part E of title IV of the Elementary and Sec5 ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

6 6318; 20 U.S.C. 7241 et seq.). 

7 (D) Recommendations for fostering a posi8 tive school climate that promotes safe and sup9 portive learning environments for all students, 

10 including the reduction of use of exclusionary 

11 practices and implementation of evidence-based 

12 approaches and interventions. 

13 (f) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT APPLICA14 BILITY.—The provisions of the Federal Advisory Com15 mittee Act (Public Law 92–463; 5 U.S.C. App.) shall 

16 apply to the Committee. 

17 (g) COMPENSATION.— 

18 (1) IN GENERAL.—Each member of the Com19 mittee may be compensated at not to exceed the 

20 daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay in 

21 effect for a position at level IV of the Executive 

22 Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United 

23 States Code, for each day during which that member 

24 is engaged in the actual performance of the duties 

25 of the Committee. 


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1 (2) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—While away from 

2 their homes or regular places of business in the per3 formance of services for the Committees, members of 

4 the Committee shall be allowed travel expenses, in5 cluding per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the same 

6 manner as persons employed intermittently in the 

7 Government service are allowed expenses under sec8 tion 5703(b) of title 5, United States Code. 

9 (h) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS.—The following ad10 ditional requirements shall apply to the Committee: 

11 (1) The Committee shall meet in person at least 

12 once per year for deliberation. 

13 (2) The Committee shall be available for con14 sultation with officials at the Department of Edu15 cation and the Committee on Education and Labor 

16 of the House of Representatives and the Committee 

17 on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the 

18 Senate regarding the contents of the reports sub19 mitted under subsection (e). 

20 (i) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

21 (1) The term ‘‘family engagement’’ means a 

22 shared responsibility of families and public schools 

23 for student success— 

24 (A) in which schools and community-based 

25 organizations are committed to reaching out to 


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1 engage families in meaningful ways and families 

2 are committed actively to support their chil3 dren’s learning and development; 

4 (B) that is continuous from birth through 

5 young adulthood; and 

6 (C) that reinforces learning that takes 

7 place in the home, school, and community. 

8 (2) The term ‘‘parental involvement’’ means the 

9 participation of parents or family members in reg10 ular, two-way, and meaningful communication in11 volving student academic learning and other public 

12 school activities, including ensuring— 

13 (A) that parents or family members play 

14 an integral role in assisting their child’s learn15 ing; 

16 (B) that parents or family members are 

17 encouraged to be actively involved in their 

18 child’s education at school; 

19 (C) that parents or family members are 

20 full partners in their child’s education and are 

21 included, as appropriate, in decision making 

22 and on advisory committees to assist in the 

23 education of their child; and 

24 (D) the carrying out of other activities, 

25 such as those described in section 1116 of the 


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1 Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 

2 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6318). 

3 (3) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 

4 of Education. 

5 (j) AUTHORIZATION OF FUNDS.—Of the amounts ap6 propriated to, and available at the discretion of, the Sec7 retary for programmatic and administrative expenditures 

8 for fiscal years 2021 through 2025, a total of $500,000 

9 shall be used to establish and carry out the functions of 

10 the Committee established under this section. 

Æ 


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