Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
‘Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS,
First Regular Session

House Bill No.__ 3042

Introduced by Representatives
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL ARROYO and GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING NATIONAL TEACHER ACADEMIES IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE
AND FACILITATE ENTRY INTO THE TEACHING PROFESSION

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Article 2, Section 17, of the 1987 Constitution states that:

“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.”

This provision is clear and because of this, much is expected from the teaching
profession since they have a significant role in the molding of our youth. But the quality
of the teaching profession has suffered a decline due to a number of reasons. Perhaps
one of the main reasons for such decline is the reduced quantity and more importantly,
quality of those entering the profession due to low salaries often resulting to a
demoralized teaching pool. Despite past efforts to increase their salaries, especially
those in the public school system, there is still a need to peg their salaries at par with
their counterparts in private schools to ensure the efficiency, effectiveness and
proficiency of those who wish to enter and stay this very important profession.

The government must not only toil to address the existing and impending teacher
shortage in the country but bring talented individuals into the teaching profession to
greatly enhance the quality of our education and produce top quality students in the


process. This bill, therefore, seeks to establish national teacher academies in order to
encourage and facilitate entry into the teaching profession.

In view of the paramount importance of this measure, we enjoin our colleagues to
ensure its early passage into law.

DIOSDAD' (APAGAL ARROYO GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO
Second District, Camarines Sur Second District, Pampanga


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No, 3042

Introduced by Representatives
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL ARROYO and GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

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 of 2013.”
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 - 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) 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.

(f) 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.

SECTION 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 (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
SECTION 4. Use of Funds. -
(a) IN GENERAL - Funds provided pursuant to this part 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
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 ~

(1) 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-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.

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:

(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 Board 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.


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 10. Program Authorized. -

(2) DURATION OF GRANT - Each grant provided pursuant to this part to
establish and operate a professional development school shall be for a
period of five (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;

(8) 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;

(jv) Basie skills and-literacy instruction;


(v) The arts, including art, music, and the performing
arts;

(vi) History, geography, and sociology;
(vii) Economics;
(vill) 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 have limited
English proficiency, and students from diverse cultural
backgrounds in the classrooms of such- teachers;

(i) 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.

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. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,