H. R. 1350—130
incorporate best practices and scientifically based research,
where applicable, in providing special education and gen-
eral education teachers, principals, administrators, and
related services personnel with the knowledge and skills
to effectively support students with disabilities, including—
‘‘(i) working collaboratively in regular classroom
settings;
‘‘(ii) using appropriate supports, accommodations,
and curriculum modifications;
‘‘(iii) implementing effective teaching strategies,
classroom-based techniques, and interventions to
ensure appropriate identification of students who may
be eligible for special education services, and to prevent
the misidentification, inappropriate overidentification,
or underidentification of children as having a disability,
especially minority and limited English proficient chil-
dren;
‘‘(iv) effectively working with and involving parents
in the education of their children;
‘‘(v) utilizing strategies, including positive behav-
ioral interventions, for addressing the conduct of chil-
dren with disabilities that impedes their learning and
that of others in the classroom;
‘‘(vi) effectively constructing IEPs, participating in
IEP meetings, and implementing IEPs;
‘‘(vii) preparing children with disabilities to partici-
pate in statewide assessments (with or without accom-
modations) and alternate assessments, as appropriate,
and to ensure that all children with disabilities are
a part of all accountability systems under the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965; and
‘‘(viii) working in high need elementary schools
and secondary schools, including urban schools, rural
schools, and schools operated by an entity described
in section 7113(d)(1)(A)(ii) of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965, and schools that serve
high numbers or percentages of limited English pro-
ficient children.
‘‘(B) Developing, evaluating, and disseminating innova-
tive models for the recruitment, induction, retention, and
assessment of new, highly qualified teachers to reduce
teacher shortages, especially from groups that are under-
represented in the teaching profession, including individ-
uals with disabilities.
‘‘(C) Providing continuous personnel preparation,
training, and professional development designed to provide
support and ensure retention of special education and gen-
eral education teachers and personnel who teach and pro-
vide related services to children with disabilities.
‘‘(D) Developing and improving programs for para-
professionals to become special education teachers, related
services personnel, and early intervention personnel,
including interdisciplinary training to enable the para-
professionals to improve early intervention, educational,
and transitional results for children with disabilities.
‘‘(E) In the case of principals and superintendents,
providing activities to promote instructional leadership and
H. R. 1350—131
improved collaboration between general educators, special
education teachers, and related services personnel.
‘‘(F) Supporting institutions of higher education with
minority enrollments of not less than 25 percent for the
purpose of preparing personnel to work with children with
disabilities.
‘‘(G) Developing and improving programs to train spe-
cial education teachers to develop an expertise in autism
spectrum disorders.
‘‘(H) Providing continuous personnel preparation,
training, and professional development designed to provide
support and improve the qualifications of personnel who
provide related services to children with disabilities,
including to enable such personnel to obtain advanced
degrees.
‘‘(3) ENHANCED
SUPPORT
FOR
BEGINNING
SPECIAL
EDU-
CATORS.—In carrying out paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary shall
support not less than 1 of the following activities:
‘‘(A) Enhancing and restructuring existing programs
or developing preservice teacher education programs to
prepare special education teachers, at colleges or depart-
ments of education within institutions of higher education,
by incorporating an extended (such as an additional 5th
year) clinical learning opportunity, field experience, or
supervised practicum into such programs.
‘‘(B) Creating or supporting teacher-faculty partner-
ships (such as professional development schools) that—
‘‘(i) consist of not less than—
‘‘(I) 1 or more institutions of higher education
with special education personnel preparation pro-
grams;
‘‘(II) 1 or more local educational agencies that
serve high numbers or percentages of low-income
students; or
‘‘(III) 1 or more elementary schools or sec-
ondary schools, particularly schools that have
failed to make adequate yearly progress on the
basis, in whole and in part, of the assessment
results of the disaggregated subgroup of students
with disabilities;
‘‘(ii) may include other entities eligible for assist-
ance under this part; and
‘‘(iii) provide—
‘‘(I) high-quality mentoring and induction
opportunities with ongoing support for beginning
special education teachers; or
‘‘(II) inservice professional development to
beginning and veteran special education teachers
through the ongoing exchange of information and
instructional strategies with faculty.
‘‘(c) LOW INCIDENCE DISABILITIES; AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out this section, the Sec-
retary shall support activities, consistent with the objectives
described in subsection (a), that benefit children with low
incidence disabilities.
H. R. 1350—132
‘‘(2) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—Activities that may be car-
ried out under this subsection include activities such as the
following:
‘‘(A) Preparing persons who—
‘‘(i) have prior training in educational and other
related service fields; and
‘‘(ii) are studying to obtain degrees, certificates,
or licensure that will enable the persons to assist chil-
dren with low incidence disabilities to achieve the
objectives set out in their individualized education pro-
grams described in section 614(d), or to assist infants
and toddlers with low incidence disabilities to achieve
the outcomes described in their individualized family
service plans described in section 636.
‘‘(B) Providing personnel from various disciplines with
interdisciplinary training that will contribute to improve-
ment in early intervention, educational, and transitional
results for children with low incidence disabilities.
‘‘(C) Preparing personnel in the innovative uses and
application of technology, including universally designed
technologies, assistive technology devices, and assistive
technology services—
‘‘(i) to enhance learning by children with low
incidence disabilities through early intervention, edu-
cational, and transitional services; and
‘‘(ii) to improve communication with parents.
‘‘(D) Preparing personnel who provide services to vis-
ually impaired or blind children to teach and use Braille
in the provision of services to such children.
‘‘(E) Preparing personnel to be qualified educational
interpreters, to assist children with low incidence disabil-
ities, particularly deaf and hard of hearing children in
school and school related activities, and deaf and hard
of hearing infants and toddlers and preschool children in
early intervention and preschool programs.
‘‘(F) Preparing personnel who provide services to chil-
dren with significant cognitive disabilities and children
with multiple disabilities.
‘‘(G) Preparing personnel who provide services to chil-
dren with low incidence disabilities and limited English
proficient children.
‘‘(3) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘low incidence
disability’ means—
‘‘(A) a visual or hearing impairment, or simultaneous
visual and hearing impairments;
‘‘(B) a significant cognitive impairment; or
‘‘(C) any impairment for which a small number of
personnel with highly specialized skills and knowledge are
needed in order for children with that impairment to
receive early intervention services or a free appropriate
public education.
‘‘(4) SELECTION OF RECIPIENTS.—In selecting eligible enti-
ties for assistance under this subsection, the Secretary may
give preference to eligible entities submitting applications that
include 1 or more of the following:
‘‘(A) A proposal to prepare personnel in more than
1 low incidence disability, such as deafness and blindness.
H. R. 1350—133
‘‘(B) A demonstration of an effective collaboration
between an eligible entity and a local educational agency
that promotes recruitment and subsequent retention of
highly qualified personnel to serve children with low
incidence disabilities.
‘‘(5) PREPARATION IN USE OF BRAILLE.—The Secretary shall
ensure that all recipients of awards under this subsection who
will use that assistance to prepare personnel to provide services
to visually impaired or blind children that can appropriately
be provided in Braille, will prepare those individuals to provide
those services in Braille.
‘‘(d) LEADERSHIP PREPARATION; AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out this section, the Sec-
retary shall support leadership preparation activities that are
consistent with the objectives described in subsection (a).
‘‘(2) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—Activities that may be car-
ried out under this subsection include activities such as the
following:
‘‘(A) Preparing personnel at the graduate, doctoral,
and postdoctoral levels of training to administer, enhance,
or provide services to improve results for children with
disabilities.
‘‘(B) Providing interdisciplinary training for various
types of leadership personnel, including teacher prepara-
tion faculty, related services faculty, administrators,
researchers, supervisors, principals, and other persons
whose work affects early intervention, educational, and
transitional services for children with disabilities, including
children with disabilities who are limited English proficient
children.
‘‘(e) APPLICATIONS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity that wishes to receive
a grant, or enter into a contract or cooperative agreement,
under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary
at such time, in such manner, and containing such information
as the Secretary may require.
‘‘(2) IDENTIFIED STATE NEEDS.—
‘‘(A) REQUIREMENT TO ADDRESS IDENTIFIED NEEDS.—
An application for assistance under subsection (b), (c), or
(d) shall include information demonstrating to the satisfac-
tion of the Secretary that the activities described in the
application will address needs identified by the State or
States the eligible entity proposes to serve.
‘‘(B) COOPERATION
WITH
STATE
EDUCATIONAL
AGEN-
CIES.—An eligible entity that is not a local educational
agency or a State educational agency shall include in the
eligible entity’s application information demonstrating to
the satisfaction of the Secretary that the eligible entity
and 1 or more State educational agencies or local edu-
cational agencies will cooperate in carrying out and moni-
toring the proposed project.
‘‘(3) ACCEPTANCE BY STATES OF PERSONNEL PREPARATION
REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary may require eligible entities
to provide in the eligible entities’ applications assurances from
1 or more States that such States intend to accept successful
completion of the proposed personnel preparation program as
meeting State personnel standards or other requirements in