'sl."tIlttr 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
) 
) 
~4Hftrt 1)f II!,! .iPt n·t.!lf~ 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 15 55 
"13 
SEP -5 P 2 :06 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 17, provided: 
"The State shall give priority to education, science and 
technology, arts, culture and sports to foster patriotism and 
nationalism, accelerate social progress, and promote total 
human liberation and development. " 
Low salaries and declining status of the teaching profession has reduced 
the quantity and quality of individuals entering the teaching profession. 
,. 
The government must expend efforts to address the existing and 
impending teacher shortage in the country. Bringing talented individuals into the 
teaching profession will greatly enhance the quality of our education, achieving 
success in aiding the traditional education of students. 
Hence, this bill seeks to establish national teacher academies in order to 
encourage and facilitate entry into the teaching profession. Immediate approval 
of this proposed measure is earnestly solicited. 
OY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
Senator 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
~cltnh . 
tJiH';f uf tlif /;t."rI .. hn, 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
'13 
SEP -5 P 2 :06 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 1555 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING 
NATIONAL 
TEACHER ACADEMIES 
IN 
ORDER 
TO 
ENCOURAGE 
AND 
FACILITATE 
ENTRY 
INTO 
THE 
TEACHING 
PROFESSION 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the "Teaching 
Profession Act". 
.. 
, 
SEC. 2. Establishment of the National Teacher Academies. 
(A) 
In General. - The Secretary is authorized, in accordance with the 
provisions of this Act to make grants to eligible recipients to 
establish and operate national teacher academies. 
(8) 
Subject Areas and Staff. -
(1) One (I) national teacher academy 
shall be established in each of the following subject areas 
commonly taught in elementary and secondary schools. 
(a) 
basic skills and literacy instruction; 
(b) 
civics and government; 
(c) 
national writing project; 
(d) 
mathematics; , 
(e) 
history, geography and sociology; 
(f) 
economics; 
(g) 
life sciences; 
(h) 
physical sciences; and 
(i) 
the arts, including art, music and performing arts. 
(C) 
Academy staff shall be selected from the most accomplished and 
prominent scholars in the relevant fields of study and in the 
methodologies which prepare persons to teach in fields of study. 


(0) 
Duration of Grant. - Each grant to establish and operate a national 
teacher academy shall be for a period of five (5) years, and is 
renewable. 
(E) 
Competitive Grant Awards - The Secretary shall award grants on 
the basis of a competitive ve bidding process 
(F) 
Special Consideration. In awarding grants under this Act the 
Secretary shall give special consideration to eligible recipients that 
have demonstrated effectiveness in establishing and administering 
a national network of individuals who assist in teacher training and 
in-service programs in the subject areas listed in sub section (8). 
SEC. 3. Eligible Recipients. 
(A) 
In General. - For purposes of this Act, the term "eligible recipient" 
means: 
(1) 
an institution of higher education; 
(2) 
a private non-profit educational organization of demonstrated 
effectiveness; or 
(3) 
a combination of the institutions or organizations set forth in 
paragraph .(1) and (2) of this paragraph 
(8) 
Expertise Requirements. - The Secretary shall only award grants 
to eligible applicants which have demonstrated expertise in the -
(1) 
subject area of the national teaching academy to be 
established and operated and 
(2) 
in-service training of teachers. 
SEC. 4. Use of Funds 
(A) 
In General. - Funds provided pursuant to this Act shall be used to -
(1) 
provide in-service training programs for teachers and 
administrators including -
(a) 
the study of subject matter, methodology and teacher 
education, including effective strategies for teaching 
all students in mixed-ability classrooms; 
(b) 
the use of the most recent applied research findings 
concerning education and the classroom; and 
(c) 
integrating materials from different disciplines into 
classrooms instruction, especially for elementary 
schools teachers; 
(2) 
conduct at least one 3-week summer institute each year; 


(3) 
train the leadership teams to provide in-service training for 
teachers in the professional development schools establish 
pursuant to part B of this title; and 
(4) 
provide support services to such profeSSional development 
schools including -
(a) 
the establishment of a national network of individuals 
to 
assist 
in 
teacher 
education 
programs 
in 
professional development schools; 
(b) 
consulting 
assistance 
in 
the 
design 
and 
implementation of teacher education; and 
(c) 
monthly 
newsletters 
or 
other 
methods 
of 
communicating useful information. 
(B) 
Administrative Costs. -
Not more than ten (10) percent of the 
amount of funds received under this Act may be used by grant 
recipients for administrative costs. 
SEC. 5. Summer Institute Participants. Each year, a national academy 
conducts a summer institute to provide teacher training programs to teachers and 
school administrators, partiCipants from each congressional district shall include 
the leadership team described in Section 13. 
SEC. 6. Application.-
(A) 
Application - Each eligible recipient desiring a grant under this Act 
shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time and in 
such manner, as the Secretary may reasonably require. 
(B) 
Contents - Each application submitted pursuant to subsection (a) 
shall-
(1) 
describe the activities, services and programs for which 
assistance is sought; 
(2) 
describe how at least seventy (70) percent of the institute's 
time will be devoted to basic course content relevant to the 
particular subject field and necessary for improving the 
quality of teaching in public and private elementary and 
secondary schools; 
(3) 
describe how not more than thirty (30) percent of the 
institute's time will be devoted to the development of 
methods of instruction and the planning of in-service training 
programs to be conducted by the profeSSional development 
academies established in this Act; and 
(4) 
. provide such additional assurances or information as the 
Secretary may reasonably require. 
SEC. 7. Special Rule: National Writing Project. 


(A) 
Authorization -
(8) 
(1) 
From amounts appropriated pursuant to the authority of 
Section 8 for the establishment and operation of the national 
teacher academy, the Secretary is authorized to award a 
grant to the National Writing Project (hereinafter in this 
section referred to as the "grantee), a non-profit educational 
. organization which 
has as 
its primary purpose the 
improvement of the quality of student writing and learning, 
and the teaching of writing as a learning process in the 
classrooms, to establish and operate such national teacher 
academy. 
(2) 
The National Writing Project shall use the grant awarded 
pursuant to paragraph (1) to-
(a) 
support and promote the establishment of teacher 
training programs, including the dissemination of 
effective practices and research findings regarding 
the teaching of writing and administrative activities; 
(b) 
support classroom research on effective teaching 
practice and to document student performance; and 
(c) 
pay the share of the cost of such programs. 
Grant Requiremeots - The grant awarded pursuant to subsection 
(A) shall require that -
.. 
(1) 
the grantee enter into contracts with institutions higher 
education 
or 
other 
non-profit 
educational 
providers 
(hereunder referred to as "contractors" under which the 
contractors will agree to establish, operate and provide 
share of the cost of teacher training program in effective 
approaches and processes for the teaching of writing; 
(2) 
funds made available by the Secretary to the grantee 
pursuant to the grant awarded under this section will be used 
to pay the share of the cost of establishing and operating 
teacher training programs as provided in paragraph (1) and 
these funds which shall be appropriated in behalf of the state 
college or university concerned shall be primarily used for 
carrying out the programs specified and designed under this 
Act; 
(3) 
The grantee will meet such other conditions and standards . 
as the Secretary determines t be necessary to assure 
compliance with the provisions of this section and will 
provide such technical assistance as may be necessary to 
carry out the provisions of this section. 
(C) 
Teacher Training Programs - The teacher training programs 
authorized in subsection A shall-
(1) 
be conducted during the school year and during the summer 
months; 


(2) 
train teachers who teach grades kindergarten through 
college; 
(3) 
select teachers to become members of a National Writing 
Project teacher network whose members will conduct writing 
workshops for other teachers in the area served by each 
National Writing Project site; and 
(4) 
encourage teachers from all disciplines to participate in such 
teacher training programs. 
(0) 
Classroom Teacher Grants-
(1) 
The National Writing Project may reserve an amount not to 
exceed five (5%) percent of the amount appropriated 
pursuant to the authority of Section 8 for the establishment 
and operation of the national teacher academy to make 
grants, on a competitive basis, to elementary and secondary 
school teachers to enable such teachers to -
(a) 
conduct classroom research; 
(b) 
publish models of student writing; 
(c) 
conduct research regarding effective practices to 
improve the teaching of writing; and 
(d) 
conduct other activities to improve the teaching and 
uses of writing 
(E) 
National Advisory Board -
(1) 
The National Writing Project shall establish and operate a 
National Advisory Board. 
(2) 
The National Advisory Writing Project established pursuant 
to paragraph (1) shall -
(a) 
Advise the National Writing Project on national issues 
related to student writing and the teaching of writing; 
(b) 
Review the activities and programs of the National 
Writing Project; and 
(c) 
Support the continued development of the National 
Writing Project. 
SEC. 8. 
Authorization of Appropriations. There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal year to carry out 
the provisions of this part. 
SEC. 9. 
Professional Development Schools. 
From 
amounts 
appropriated under this Act, the Secretary, in coordination with the commission of 
Higher Education (hereinafter referred to as the "commission"), shall allot to 
select state, colleges or universities, in order to establish and operate 
professional development schools. 


SEC. 10. Program Authorized 
(A) 
Duration of Grant - Each grant provided pursuant to this Act to 
establish and operate a professional development school shall be 
for a period of 5.years, apd is renewable. 
(6) 
Grant Awards - Each grant provided pursuant to this section shall 
be awarded on the basis of competitive bidding process, and to an 
eligible recipient selected on the basis of need, as evidenced by 
measures such as the rate of teacher attrition and the proportion of 
the student body at risk of educational failure. 
SEC. 11. Application 
(A) 
Application -
Each eligible recipient wishing to receive a grant 
under this Act shall submit an application to the commission, in 
such manner, and containing such information as the commission 
shall reasonably require. 
(6) 
Contents - Each application submitted pursuant to subsection (a) 
shall-
(1) 
describe the activities, services and programs for which 
assistance is sought; 
(2) 
provide assuranaes that all public and private elementary 
and secondary school teachers in the area served by the 
professional 
development school 
will 
be 
eligible 
to 
participate in the training programs; 
(3) 
contain a description of where the profeSSional development 
programs will be located and a justification for selecting the 
geographic location for each program; 
(4) 
provide assurances that professional development programs 
will be conducted by teachers of demonstrated excellence, 
including teachers who have participated 
in training 
programs at the National Teacher Academies; 
(5) . provide assurances that professional development programs 
will be developed and conducted with the participation of 
faculty from institutions of higher education or private non-
profit organizations of demonstrated effectiveness, and will 
be conducted in both academic course content and methods 
of instruction and with the participation of the schools 
teachers administrators; 
(6) 
contain a description of how the professional development 
school's activities will be coordinated with the other current 
in-service training activities in the region; 
(7) 
describe the provisions which will be made to allow 
individuals release time from their teaching or administrative 
responsibilities to participate in professional development 
school activities; 


(8) 
contain a description of how the professional development 
school's activities will help teachers teach all students in 
mixed-ability classrooms; and, 
(9) 
where applicable, describe how teachers and administrators 
from the professional development school will be involved in 
the teacher training programs at institutions of higher 
education. 
SEC. 12. Use of Funds. 
(A) 
In general - Grants awarded to eligible recipients pursuant to this 
Act shall be used I a school or schools best able to provide services 
to teachers and administrators of at risk students to -
(1) 
provide professional development programs for teachers 
which-
(a) 
upgrade and strengthen knowledge of academic 
course content, particularly in the following subject 
areas: 
(i) 
mathematics; 
(ii) 
English, reading and language arts; 
(iii) 
.. civic;s and government; 
(iv) 
basic skills and literacy instruction; 
(v) 
the 
arts, 
including 
art, 
music and 
the 
performing arts; 
(vi) 
history, geography and sociology; 
(vii) 
economics 
(viii) 
life sciences; and 
(ix) 
physical sciences 
(b) 
Improve methods of instruction in content areas to-
(i) 
increase the preparedness of all classroom 
teachers for the participation of particular 
populations 
of 
students, 
such 
as 
disadvantaged 
students, 
students 
with 
disabilities, students who are limited English 
proficient, and students from diverse cultural 
backgrounds, in the classrooms of such 
teachers; 
(ii) 
improve teaching and classroom management 
skills; 
(iii) 
provide 
training 
in 
new 
instructional 
techniques, methods and practices, supported 


by educational research findings, including 
instructional 
techniques, 
methods 
and 
practices; and 
(iv) 
improve teacher training in courses of study 
which combine one or more related subject 
areas; 
(c) 
Where appropriate, provide professional development 
programs 
for 
participants 
in 
school-based 
management programs; 
(d) 
Encourage teacher collaboration, especially among 
teachers of different subjects, including vocational 
education, physical education, and other specialties 
not described in subparagraph (a); 
(e) 
Involve experienced teachers in the training and 
assessment of novice teachers; 
(f) 
Encourage participation in activities of a network of 
professional development schools; and 
(g) 
Provide outreach to parents and greater involvement 
of parents in the education of their children; and 
(2) 
pay the costs of release time, stipends, college or university 
credit, 
curricular 
materials 
and 
other 
necessary 
expenditures. 
SEC. 13. Relationship with Other Programs Funded Under this Act 
If a national academy funded under this Act serves teachers within the 
jurisdiction of a professional development school assisted under this Act, each 
such professional development school shall annually conduct an in-service 
training program iii each of the course content areas for which teachers receive 
training at such national academy. Such program shall-
(1) 
include individuals who have participated in the activities, programs 
and services of the appropriate national academy; 
(2) 
contain both the academic course content and methods of 
instruction learned at such national academy; 
(3) 
be available to all elementary and secondary teachers in the 
congressional district who teach the relevant subject matter; and 
(4) 
provide at least 50 teachers at least 30 hours of high quality 
instruction per year. 
SEC. 14. Leadership Teams. 
(A) 
In General -
Each steering· committee established pursuant to 
Section 14 shall select three (3) person leadership team for each 
national teacher academy assisted under this Act. 


(8) 
Composition - Each leadership team shall be composed of -
(1) 
1 administrator with authority to design and conduct in 
service-training programs; 
(2) 
1 elementary school teacher; and 
(3) 
1 secondary school teacher 
(C) 
Duties - Each leadership shall 
(1) 
attend the appropriate subject area summer institute at the 
appropriate national teacher academy; and 
(2) 
assist in the development and operation of professional 
development schools. 
(D) 
Information and Coordination -
Each leadership team serving a 
professional development school shall exchange information and 
coordinate efforts on the establishment of the professional 
development programs. 
SEC. 15. Steering Committee 
(A) 
Establishment - Each eligible recipient desiring a grant under this 
Act shall also establish a ten (10) member steering committee. 
(8) 
Composition and Representation 
(1) 
at least fifty (50%) percent of the membership of each 
steering committee shall be classroom teachers, selected 
by, and representative of, teacher organizations if any 
(2) 
the composition of each steering committee shall be broadly 
representative of the elementary and secondary schools and 
the local educational agencies served by the professional 
development school. 
(C) 
Function - Each steering committee shall be annually selected by 
the leadership teams in accordance with Section 14. 
SEC. 16. Separability Clause. If any provision or part hereof, is held 
invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise 
affected shall remain valid and subsisting. 
SEC. 17. Repealing Clause. Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation 
contrary to or inconsistent with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, 
modified or amended accordingly. 
SEC. 18. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,