FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
7 JUN 30 P5::l 
'Is0 -- 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 298 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 17, provides: 
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 the declining status of the teaching profession have 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. 
MANNYVI LAR 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
7 JUN 30 P5:zi 
First Regular Session 
n r  
SENATE 
-- 
Senate Bill No. 298 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
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 I. 
Short title . This Act shall be known as the "Teaching Profession 
Act." 
SECTION 2. Program established. The following is hereby established: 
(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. 
(b) SUBJECT AREAS AND STAFF- (1) One 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) Foreign languages, 
(F) History, geography and sociology, 
(G) Economics, 
(H) Life sciences, 
(I) Physical sciences, and 
(J) The arts, including art, music, and the 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 such fields of study. 
(d) DURATION OF GRANT- Each grant to establish and operate a national teacher 
academy shall be for a period of 5 years, and is renewable. 
(e) COMPETITIVE GRANT AWARDS- The Secretary shall award grants on the basis of 
a competitive bidding process. 
(9 SPECIAL CONSIDERATION- In awarding grants under this part 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. 
SECTlON 3 . Eligible recipients. The following are eligible recipients: 
(a) IN GENERAL- For the purposes of this part, the term ‘eligible recipient’ means 
(1) An institution of higher education: 
(2) A private nonprofit educational organization of demonstrated effectiveness; or 


(3) A combination of the institutions or organizations set forth in paragraphs (I) and (2) 
of this paragraph. 
(b) 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. 
SECTION 4. Use of funds - 
(a) IN GENERAL- Funds provided pursuant to this part shall be used to -- 
(I) 
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 classroom instruction, especially 
for elementary schoolteachers; 
(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 established 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 10 percent of the amount of finds 
received under this part may be used by grant recipients for administrative costs. 
SECTION-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. 
SECTION 6. Application. 
(a) APPLICATION- Each eligible recipient desiring a grant under this part 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 -- 
(I) 
Describe the activities, services, and programs for which assistance is 
sought; 
(2) Describe how at least 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 30 percent of the institute's time will be devoted 
to the development of methods of instruction and the planning of in-setvice 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. 
SECTION 7. Special rule: national writing project. 


(a) AUTHORIZATION- ( 1 )  From amounts appropriated pursuant to the authority of 
section 7 for the establishment and operation of the national teacher academy, the 
Secretary is authorized to award a grant to the National Writing Project (hereafter in this 
section referred to as the ' grantee'), a nonprofit 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. 
(b) GRANT REQUIREMENTS- The grant awarded pursuant to subsection (a) shall 
require that- 
(1) The grantee enter into contracts with institutions of higher education or other 
nonprofit educational providers (hereinafter referred to as 'contractors') under which the 
contractors will agree to establish, operate, and provide share of the cost of teacher 
training programs 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 to 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. 
(d) CLASSROOM TEACHER GRANTS- (1) The National Writing Project may reserve 
an amount not to exceed 5 percent of the amount appropriated pursuant to the 
authority of section 7 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; 
(8) 
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 Board established pursuant to paragraph (I) 
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. 
SECTION 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. , 
SECTION 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 necessary funds to selected 
State colleges or universities, in order to establish and operate professional 
development schools. 
SECTION I O .  Program authorized - 
-- 
(a) - DURATION OF GRANT-- Each grant provided pursuant to this part to establish 
and operate a professional development school shall be for a period of 5 years, and is 
renewable. 
(b) GRANT AWARDS- Each grant provided pursuant to this section shall be awarded 
on the basis of a 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. 
SECTION 11. Application. 


(a) APPLICATION- Each eligible recipient wishing to receive a grant under this part 
shall submit an application to the commission, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the commission shall 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) Provide assurances 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 
nonprofit 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 and administrators; 
(6) Contain a description of how the professional development school's activities will be 
coordinated with 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. 
SECTION 12. Use of funds. 
(a) IN GENERAL- Grants awarded to eligible recipients pursuant to this part shall be 
used in 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) Civics 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. 
SECTION 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 part, each such professional 
development school shall annually conduct an in-service training program in 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. 
SECTION 14. Leadership teams - 
(a) IN GENERAL - Each steering committee established pursuant to section 14 shall 
select a 3- person leadership team for each national teacher academy assisted under 
part A of this title. 
(b) 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 team 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. 
SECTION 15. Steering committee - 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT- Each eligible recipient desiring a grant under this part shall also 
establish a 10 member steering committee. 
(b) COMPOSITION AND REPRESENTATION- (1) At least 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 to annually select the leadership 
teams in accordance with section 13: and 
SECTION 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. 
SECTION 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. 
SECTION 18. Effectivity Clause - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,