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[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 476 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 476

To recruit, support, and prepare principals to improve student academic 
                    achievement at eligible schools.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 12, 2015

Mr. Franken (for himself and Mr. Bennet) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
To recruit, support, and prepare principals to improve student academic 
                    achievement at eligible schools.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``School Principal Recruitment and 
Training Act''.

SEC. 2. PRINCIPAL RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING.

    (a) In General.--Part A of title II of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:

            ``Subpart 6--Principal Recruitment and Training

``SEC. 2161. PRINCIPAL RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING GRANT PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Aspiring principal.--The term `aspiring principal' 
        means an individual who is enrolled in a principal preparation 
        program's preservice residency that provides training in 
        instructional leadership, organizational management, and the 
        development of teachers.
            ``(2) Current principal.--The term `current principal' 
        means an individual who, as of the date of the determination of 
        participation in a program under this section, is employed as a 
        principal or has been employed as a principal.
            ``(3) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
                    ``(A) a local educational agency, including an 
                educational service agency, that serves an eligible 
                school or a consortium of such agencies;
                    ``(B) a State educational agency or a consortium of 
                such agencies;
                    ``(C) a State educational agency in partnership 
                with 1 or more local educational agencies or 
                educational service agencies that serve an eligible 
                school;
                    ``(D) an entity described in subparagraph (A), (B), 
                or (C) in partnership with 1 or more nonprofit 
                organizations or institutions of higher education; or
                    ``(E) an institution of higher education or a 
                nonprofit organization, if the institution or nonprofit 
                organization can demonstrate a record of--
                            ``(i) preparing principals who have been 
                        able to improve student achievement 
                        substantially; and
                            ``(ii) placing a significant percentage of 
                        such principals in eligible schools.
            ``(4) Eligible school.--The term `eligible school' means a 
        public school, including a public charter school, that meets 1 
        or more of the following criteria:
                    ``(A) Is a high-need school.
                    ``(B) Is a persistently low-achieving school, as 
                determined by the State educational agency.
                    ``(C) Is an achievement gap school, as determined 
                by the State educational agency.
                    ``(D) In the case of a public school containing 
                middle grades, feeds into a public high school that has 
                less than a 60-percent graduation rate.
                    ``(E) Is a rural school served by a local 
                educational agency that is eligible to receive 
                assistance under part B of title VI.
            ``(5) High-need school.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `high-need school' 
                means--
                            ``(i) an elementary school or middle school 
                        in which not less than 50 percent of the 
                        enrolled students are children from low-income 
                        families; or
                            ``(ii) a high school in which not less than 
                        40 percent of the enrolled students are 
                        children from low-income families, which may be 
                        calculated using comparable data from feeder 
                        schools.
                    ``(B) Low-income family.--For purposes of 
                subparagraph (A), the term `low-income family' means a 
                family--
                            ``(i) in which the children are eligible 
                        for a free or reduced price lunch under the 
                        Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act 
                        (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.);
                            ``(ii) receiving assistance under a State 
                        program funded under part A of title IV of the 
                        Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.); or
                            ``(iii) in which the children are eligible 
                        to receive medical assistance under the 
                        Medicaid program.
            ``(6) Mentor principal.--The term `mentor principal' means 
        an individual with the following characteristics:
                    ``(A) Strong instructional leadership skills in an 
                elementary school or secondary school setting.
                    ``(B) Strong verbal and written communication 
                skills, which may be demonstrated by performance on 
                appropriate assessments.
                    ``(C) Knowledge, skills, and attitudes to--
                            ``(i) establish and maintain a professional 
                        learning community that effectively extracts 
                        information from data to improve the school 
                        culture and personalize instruction for all 
                        students to result in improved student 
                        achievement;
                            ``(ii) create and maintain a learning 
                        culture within the school that provides a 
                        climate conducive to the development of all 
                        members of the school community, including one 
                        of continuous learning for adults tied to 
                        student learning and other school goals;
                            ``(iii) engage in continuous professional 
                        development, utilizing a combination of 
                        academic study, developmental simulation 
                        exercises, self-reflection, mentorship and 
                        internship;
                            ``(iv) understand youth development 
                        appropriate to the age level served by the 
                        school and from this knowledge sets high 
                        expectations and standards for the academic, 
                        social, emotional, and physical development of 
                        all students; and
                            ``(v) actively engage the community to 
                        create shared responsibility for student 
                        academic performance and successful 
                        development.
            ``(7) Middle grade.--The term `middle grade' means any of 
        grades 5 through 8.
            ``(8) School-level student outcomes.--The term `school-
        level student outcomes' means, at the whole school level and 
        for each subgroup of students described in section 
        1111(b)(2)(C)(v) who are served by the school--
                    ``(A) student academic achievement and student 
                growth; and
                    ``(B) additional outcomes, including, at the high 
                school level, graduation rates and the percentage of 
                students taking college-level coursework.
    ``(b) Program Authorized.--
            ``(1) Principal recruitment and training grant program.--
        From amounts appropriated to carry out this section, the 
        Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to enable 
        such entities to recruit, prepare, place, and support 
        principals in eligible schools.
            ``(2) Duration.--
                    ``(A) In general.--
                            ``(i) Not more than 5-year duration.--A 
                        grant awarded under this section shall be not 
                        more than 5 years in duration.
                            ``(ii) Renewal.--The Secretary may--
                                    ``(I) renew a grant awarded under 
                                this section based on performance; and
                                    ``(II) in renewing a grant under 
                                subclause (I), award the grantee 
                                increased funding to scale up or 
                                replicate the grantee's program.
                    ``(B) Performance.--In evaluating performance for 
                purposes of subparagraph (A)(ii)(I)--
                            ``(i) the Secretary's primary consideration 
                        shall be the extent to which the principals 
                        recruited, prepared, placed, or supported by 
                        the grantee have improved school-level student 
                        outcomes in eligible schools; and
                            ``(ii) the Secretary shall also consider 
                        the percentage of program graduates--
                                    ``(I) who become principals in 
                                eligible schools;
                                    ``(II) who remain principals in 
                                eligible schools for multiple years; 
                                and
                                    ``(III) who are highly rated 
                                principals, as determined by the State 
                                educational agency.
    ``(c) Application and Selection Criteria.--
            ``(1) Application.--An eligible entity that desires a grant 
        under this section shall submit to the Secretary an application 
        at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such 
        information as the Secretary may require.
            ``(2) Selection criteria.--In awarding grants under this 
        section, the Secretary shall consider--
                    ``(A) the extent to which the entity has the 
                capacity to implement the activities described in 
                subsection (e) that the entity proposes to implement;
                    ``(B) the extent to which the entity has a 
                demonstrated record of effectiveness or an evidenced-
                based plan for preparing principals to improve school-
                level student outcomes in eligible schools;
                    ``(C) the extent to which the entity has a 
                demonstrated record of effectiveness or an evidence-
                based plan for providing principals trained by the 
                entity with the guidance, support, and tools they need 
                to improve school-level student outcomes in eligible 
                schools, including providing principals with resources, 
                such as funding to ensure supports for quality 
                teaching, access to best practices, and decisionmaking 
                authority over areas such as personnel, budget, 
                curriculum, or scheduling;
                    ``(D) the likelihood of the entity sustaining the 
                project with funds other than funds provided under this 
                section, which other funds may include funds provided 
                under this title other than this section, once the 
                grant is no longer available to the entity; and
                    ``(E) the extent to which the proposed project will 
                serve rural areas or high-poverty areas.
    ``(d) Awarding Grants.--
            ``(1) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
        Secretary shall give priority to an eligible entity with a 
        record of preparing or developing principals who--
                    ``(A) have improved school-level student outcomes;
                    ``(B) have become principals in eligible schools; 
                and
                    ``(C) remain principals in eligible schools for 
                multiple years.
            ``(2) Grants for rural schools and lowest performing 
        schools.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 
        shall, consistent with the quality of applications--
                    ``(A) award not less than 1 grant to an eligible 
                entity that intends to establish a program that focuses 
                on training or supporting principals and other school 
                leaders for rural schools; and
                    ``(B) award not less than 1 grant to an eligible 
                entity that intends to establish a program to train and 
                support principals and other school leaders to lead 
                reform efforts in persistently low-achieving schools in 
                a State or more than 1 State.
            ``(3) Reform efforts.--An eligible entity that receives a 
        grant under this section to carry out a program described in 
        paragraph (2)(B)--
                    ``(A) during the first year of the grant, shall use 
                grant funds--
                            ``(i) to bring together experts and 
                        stakeholders who are committed to dramatic and 
                        effective reform of persistently low-achieving 
                        schools who can provide input about what the 
                        evidence base shows regarding effective school 
                        leadership in such schools;
                            ``(ii) to collect and develop, in 
                        consultation with experts and stakeholders, a 
                        core body of knowledge regarding effective 
                        school reform leadership in persistently low-
                        achieving schools, which is evidence based; and
                            ``(iii) to develop, drawing on the core 
                        body of knowledge developed in clause (ii), a 
                        leadership training program for principals, 
                        mentors, and other school leaders, to prepare 
                        and support the principals, mentors, and 
                        leaders to lead effective school reform efforts 
                        in persistently low-achieving schools; and
                    ``(B) during each year of the grant after the first 
                year, shall use grant funds--
                            ``(i) to carry out the leadership training 
                        program described in subparagraph (A)(iii);
                            ``(ii) to ensure that the leadership 
                        training program described in subparagraph 
                        (A)(iii) is informed, on an ongoing basis, by 
                        consultation with experts and stakeholders, and 
                        by the program's tracking of the performance of 
                        its graduates in leading school reform efforts 
                        in persistently low-achieving schools;
                            ``(iii) to select cohorts of trained or 
                        experienced principals to lead school reform 
                        efforts in persistently low-achieving schools;
                            ``(iv) to provide support for, and 
                        encourage interaction among, cohorts of 
                        principals after completion of the leadership 
                        training program described in subparagraph 
                        (A)(iii); and
                            ``(v) to disseminate information to 
                        principals, mentors, and other school leaders 
                        engaging in reform efforts in persistently low-
                        achieving schools.
    ``(e) Activities.--Each eligible entity that receives a grant under 
this section shall use grant funds to carry out all of the following:
            ``(1) Recruiting and selecting, using rigorous, competency-
        based, selection criteria, and training and supporting a 
        diverse group of aspiring principals or current principals, or 
        both, for work in eligible schools.
            ``(2) Tracking participants to determine if such 
        individuals are attaining, or have attained, the competencies 
        needed to complete the training and enter into an effective 
        leadership role, and providing counseling and, if appropriate, 
        separation, to participants who the entity determines will not 
        attain, or have not attained, those competencies.
            ``(3) If the eligible entity provides a program for 
        aspiring principals--
                    ``(A) candidates shall demonstrate awareness of and 
                have experience with the knowledge, skills, and 
                attitudes to--
                            ``(i) establish and maintain a professional 
                        learning community that effectively extracts 
                        information from data to improve the school 
                        culture and personalize instruction for all 
                        students to result in improved student 
                        achievement;
                            ``(ii) create and maintain a learning 
                        culture within the school that provides a 
                        climate conductive to the development of all 
                        members of the school community, including one 
                        of continuous learning for adults tied to 
                        student learning and other school goals;
                            ``(iii) engage in continuous professional 
                        development, utilizing a combination of 
                        academic study, developmental simulation 
                        exercises, self-reflection, mentorship, and 
                        internship;
                            ``(iv) understand youth development 
                        appropriate to the age level served by the 
                        school and, from this knowledge, set high 
                        expectations and standards for the academic, 
                        social, emotional, and physical development of 
                        all students; and
                            ``(v) actively engage the community to 
                        create shared responsibility for student 
                        academic performance and successful 
                        development; and
                    ``(B) the program shall provide aspiring principals 
                with--
                            ``(i) a preservice residency that is not 
                        less than 1 year in length, and that includes 
                        coaching from a mentor principal, and 
                        instructional leadership and organizational 
                        management experience;
                            ``(ii) focused coursework on instructional 
                        leadership, organizational management, and the 
                        use of a variety of data for purposes of--
                                    ``(I) instruction;
                                    ``(II) evaluation and development 
                                of teachers; and
                                    ``(III) development of highly 
                                effective school organizations; and
                            ``(iii) ongoing support, mentoring, and 
                        professional development for not less than 2 
                        years after the aspiring principals complete 
                        the residency and commence work as assistant 
                        principals and principals.
            ``(4) Training mentors for principals who are serving or 
        who wish to serve in eligible schools or for aspiring 
        principals who wish to serve in such eligible schools, or for 
        both.
            ``(5) Providing differentiated training to participants in 
        competencies that evidence shows are critical to improving 
        school-level student outcomes in eligible schools, such as--
                    ``(A) recruiting, training, supervising, 
                supporting, and evaluating teachers and other staff;
                    ``(B) developing teams of effective school staff, 
                and distributing among members of such teams 
                responsibilities for leading and improving their 
                schools;
                    ``(C) establishing learning communities where 
                principals and teachers--
                            ``(i) share a school mission and goals with 
                        an explicit vision of quality teaching and 
                        learning that guides all instructional 
                        decisions;
                            ``(ii) commit to improving student outcomes 
                        and performances;
                            ``(iii) set a continuous cycle of 
                        collective inquiry and improvement;
                            ``(iv) foster a culture of collaboration 
                        where teachers and principals work together on 
                        a regular basis to analyze and improve teaching 
                        and learning; and
                            ``(v) support and share leadership;
                    ``(D) where applicable for participants serving 
                elementary schools, offering high-quality early 
                childhood education to the students such participants 
                are serving and facilitating the transition of children 
                from early learning settings to elementary school;
                    ``(E) setting high expectations for student 
                achievement;
                    ``(F) addressing the unique needs of specific 
                student populations served, such as students who are 
                children with disabilities, students who are limited 
                English proficient, and students who are homeless or in 
                foster care;
                    ``(G) managing budget resources and school time to 
                support high-quality instruction and improvements in 
                student achievement, such as by extending the school 
                day and year and providing common planning time to 
                teachers and staff;
                    ``(H) working effectively with students' parents 
                and other members of the community;
                    ``(I) using technology and multiple sources of data 
                to personalize instruction;
                    ``(J) monitoring and improving the alignment and 
                effectiveness of curriculum, instruction, and 
                assessment, using a variety of data providing evidence 
                of student and school outcomes; and
                    ``(K) developing and maintaining a positive school 
                culture where students, teachers, and other staff are 
                motivated to collaborate and work together to achieve 
                goals.
            ``(6) Delivering high-quality, differentiated, school-level 
        support services and training to current principals of eligible 
        schools, if the eligible entity provides a program for current 
        principals, or during the period described in paragraph 
        (3)(B)(iii) to individuals who have completed the aspiring 
        principal residency, if the eligible entity provides a program 
        for aspiring principals, to help meet the specific needs of the 
        eligible schools they serve, which may include--
                    ``(A) training and support for the design of 
                school-wide improvement plans based on the diagnosis of 
                school conditions and needs informed by data and 
                analysis of classroom and school practices; and
                    ``(B) support in organizing and training the teams 
                described in paragraph (5)(B).
            ``(7) Making available any training materials funded under 
        the grant, such as syllabi, assignments, or selection rubrics, 
        to the Department for public dissemination.
            ``(8) Tracking the effectiveness of the program based on, 
        at a minimum--
                    ``(A) school-level student outcomes at the schools 
                where program graduates have served as principals;
                    ``(B) the percentage of program graduates who 
                become principals in eligible schools; and
                    ``(C) the percentage of program graduates who 
                remain principals in eligible schools for multiple 
                years.
            ``(9) Using the data on the effectiveness of the program 
        for, among other purposes, the continuous improvement of the 
        program.
    ``(f) Annual Report.--An eligible entity that receives a grant 
under this section shall submit an annual report, beginning in the 
third year of the grant, to the Secretary regarding--
            ``(1) school-level student outcomes resulting from 
        implementation of the grant activities; and
            ``(2) data on--
                    ``(A) the percentage of program graduates who 
                become principals in eligible schools;
                    ``(B) the percentage of graduates who remain 
                principals in eligible schools for multiple years; and
                    ``(C) the percentage of program graduates who are 
                highly rated, as determined by the State educational 
                agency.
    ``(g) Matching Requirement.--
            ``(1) Matching requirement.--
                    ``(A) In general.--An eligible entity that receives 
                a grant under this section shall contribute annually to 
                the activities assisted under such grant matching funds 
                from non-Federal sources in an amount equal to not less 
                than 20 percent of the amount of the grant.
                    ``(B) Matching funds.--The matching funds 
                requirement under subparagraph (A) may be met by--
                            ``(i) contributions that are in cash or in 
                        kind, fairly evaluated; and
                            ``(ii) payments of a salary or stipend to 
                        an aspiring principal during the aspiring 
                        principal's residency year.
            ``(2) Waiver.--The Secretary may waive or reduce the 
        matching requirement under paragraph (1) if the eligible entity 
        demonstrates a need for such waiver or reduction due to 
        financial hardship.
    ``(h) Supplement, Not Supplant.--Grant funds provided under this 
section shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, any other 
Federal, State, or local funds otherwise available to carry out the 
activities described in this section.
    ``(i) Research, Evaluation, and Dissemination.--
            ``(1) Available funds.--Of the amounts appropriated to 
        carry out this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary may use 
        not more than 5 percent to carry out this subsection.
            ``(2) Establishment of performance metrics.--The Secretary, 
        acting through the Director of the Institute of Education 
        Sciences, shall establish performance metrics to evaluate the 
        effectiveness of the activities carried out under this program.
            ``(3) Annual report.--Each eligible entity that receives a 
        grant under this section shall, in the entity's annual report 
        to the Secretary required under subsection (f), submit 
        information relevant to the performance metrics described in 
        paragraph (2).
            ``(4) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) acting through the Director of the Institute 
                of Education Sciences--
                            ``(i) evaluate the implementation and 
                        impact of the activities supported under the 
                        grant program authorized under this section, 
                        including progress measured by the metrics 
                        established under paragraph (2); and
                            ``(ii) identify best practices to improve 
                        school leadership; and
                    ``(B) disseminate, in consultation with the 
                regional educational laboratories established under 
                part D of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 and 
                comprehensive centers established under the Educational 
                Technical Assistance Act of 2002, research on best 
                practices in school leadership.
    ``(j) Report to Congress.--Not later than 5 years after the date of 
enactment of the School Principal Recruitment and Training Act, the 
Secretary shall submit a report to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, the Committee on Appropriations of 
the Senate, the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House 
of Representatives, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
Representatives, on lessons learned through programs funded with grants 
awarded under this section.
    ``(k) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary 
for fiscal year 2016 and each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents in section 2 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 2151 the following:

            ``subpart 6--principal recruitment and training

``Sec. 2161. Principal recruitment and training grant program.''.
    (c) Conforming Amendment.--Section 2103(a) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6603(a)) is amended by 
inserting ``or subpart 6'' after ``subpart 5''.
                                 <all>
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