THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF T 
LIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
-HLq‘*b 
* 
e 
Introduced by Senator LUISA “LOP’ P. EJERCITO ESTRADA 
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 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. 
LUPSA “LOI” P. JERCITO ESTRADA 
knator 
’. . 
. 


THIRTEENTH CONGWSS OF THE 
OF THEPHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
, I . 
SENATE 
// 
Introduced by Senator LUISA “LOP’ P. EERCITO ESTFUDA 
“ 
’ 
ACT 
E 
G NATIONAL TEACHER 
ADEMlES 
ORDER TO 
E 
AND 
FACILITATE 
EN 
INTO 
TEACHING 
PROFESSION. 
Be it enacted by the Senute and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Teaching Profession 
Act”. 
(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 StaB - (1) 
One (1) 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 sociolqg; 
(0 economics; 
(8) life sciences; 
(h) physical sciences; and 
(i) the arts, including art, music and the performing arts. 
2 


I 
(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. 
@)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 bidding process. 
p) 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 (B). 
SEC. 2. Eligzble recipients - 
(a) In General. - For the 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. 
(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. 
3 


. Use of Fundz. - 
(A)ln 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 school teachers; 
f
.
.
 
(2) conduct at least one 3-week summer institute each yeaf; 
(3) train the leadership teams to provide in-service training for teachers in the 
proi'essional 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 usehl 
information. 
(B) Administrative Costs. - Not more than ten (1 0) percent of the amount of knds 
received under this Act may be used by grant recipients for administrative 
costs. 
4 
.. . 
. 


. 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 Section13. 
SEC. 5. 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 
reasonabi y require. 
SEC. 6. Special Rule: National Writing Project - 
(A) Authorization - 
(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 (hereafler in 
this section referred to as the “grantee”), a non-profit educational 
5 


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 higher education or other 
non-profit educational providers (hereinafter referred to as s contractor^^^) 
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) fbnds 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 hnds 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 provJsions of 
this section and will provide such technical assistance as may be necessary 
to carry our the provisions of this section. 
6 


(C) Teacher Training Piograms - The teacher traini 
programs authorized i i  
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 
ing 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. 
@)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; 
(e) conduct research regarding effective practices to improve the teaching 
of writing; and 
(d) conduct other-activities to improve the teaching and uses of writing. 
, 
@) 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 
7 


(c) Support the continued development of the National 
. 7. 
Authorization of Appropriaiions - 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. 8. 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. 9. 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, 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. 
SEC. 10. 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. 
(b) Contents - Each application submitted pursuant to subsection (a) shall - 
(I) describe the activities, services and programs for which assistance is 
sought; 
8 


(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 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 
and 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 devdopment school will be involved in the teacher training 
programs at institutions of higher education. 
‘ I  . 
. 
9 


. 11. Use of Funds - 
@)In General - Grants awarded to eligible recipients pursuant to this Act 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 fiom 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; 
'. . 
~ 
10 


(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) 
ll 
(e) Involve experienced teachers in the training and assessment of novice 
teachers; 
(0 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. 12. Relationship with other progms funded under this Act, - 
If a national academy hnded 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 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 
11 
.. . 
. 


(4) provide at least 50 teachers at least 30 hours of high quality instruction per 
year. 
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. 
(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 
I .. . 
. 
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. 14. Steering Committee - 
(a) Establishment - Each eligible recipient desiring 8 grant under this Act shall 
also establish a ten (10) member steering committee. 
(b) 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. 
12 


(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. 
EC. 15. Separabilidy 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. 16. 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. 17. Efectivity Clause - This Act shall take effect fifteen (1 5) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
.
.
 
~ 
Approved, 
Gvl/pinkdisWnational teachers academies 
13 
~~