I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8551 
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize 
an interstate teaching application program. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 9, 2020 
Mr. CARSON of Indiana introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
of 1965 to authorize an interstate teaching application 
program. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Interstate Teaching 
Mobility Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PROGRAM FOR INTERSTATE TEACHING APPLICA-
TIONS. 
Title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
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‘‘PART D—INTERSTATE TEACHING 
APPLICATIONS 
‘‘SEC. 2401. PROGRAM FOR INTERSTATE TEACHING APPLI-
CATIONS. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary, in consulta-
tion with an eligible entity, may establish and carry out 
a program to allow States to voluntarily participate in an 
interstate teaching application process that allows teach-
ers who are licensed or certified in any participating 
State— 
‘‘(1) to be eligible for licensure or certification 
in other participating States without subsequently 
completing additional licensure or certification re-
quirements; and 
‘‘(2) to be able to apply for open teaching posi-
tions in schools that receive funds under part A of 
title I in other participating States, unless the open 
position falls outside the applicant’s content area or 
grade level for which the applicant is already li-
censed or certified. 
‘‘(b) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out a 
program established under subsection (a), the Secretary, 
in consultation with an eligible entity, shall— 
‘‘(1) create an application for eligible teachers 
licensed or certified in a State participating in the 
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program who wish to teach in other States partici-
pating in the program; 
‘‘(2) require each participating State to recog-
nize a teaching licensure or certification of each such 
teacher who meets the application requirements 
under subsection (c)(1), and allow such teacher to 
teach in an open teaching position described in sub-
section (a)(2), without requiring such teacher to 
complete additional requirements for licensure or 
certification; 
‘‘(3) ensure that participating States maintain 
the eligibility requirements described in subsection 
(d); 
‘‘(4) provide technical assistance to partici-
pating States; and 
‘‘(5) provide an electronic application process 
for teachers to apply for the program. 
‘‘(c) PARTICIPATING TEACHERS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Each teacher seeking to 
participate in a program established under sub-
section (a) shall submit an application containing— 
‘‘(A) proof of an active teaching license or 
certification in a participating State; 
‘‘(B) the teacher’s results on each of the 
assessments described in subparagraphs (A) 
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through (C) of subsection (d)(1) that are re-
quired by the initial licensing or certifying par-
ticipating State; and 
‘‘(C) such other information as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate. 
‘‘(2) CONTRACT.—The eligible entity referred to 
in subsections (a) and (b) shall collect and assist the 
Secretary in reviewing the teacher applications sub-
mitted under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(d) PARTICIPATING STATES.—A State shall be eligi-
ble to participate in a program established under sub-
section (a) if— 
‘‘(1) such State, in awarding a teaching license 
or certification to an individual, requires— 
‘‘(A) an assessment of the content knowl-
edge necessary for postsecondary education and 
a career before a teacher begins teaching in a 
classroom; 
‘‘(B) an assessment of pedagogical skills 
necessary for postsecondary education and a ca-
reer before a teacher begins teaching in a class-
room; and 
‘‘(C) a performance assessment necessary 
for postsecondary education and a career before 
a teacher begins teaching in a classroom; and 
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‘‘(2) the assessments described in paragraph 
(1) and required by such State are identified as suf-
ficiently rigorous by an organization such as the 
Council of Chief State School Officers. 
‘‘(e) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary may issue such 
regulations as the Secretary considers necessary to carry 
out this section. 
‘‘(f) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘eligible 
entity’ means an organization or other entity that provides 
support to States and teachers in teacher certification and 
licensure, approved by the Secretary.’’. 
SEC. 3. CLERICAL AMENDMENT. 
The table of contents for the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965 is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 2302 the following: 
‘‘PART D—INTERSTATE TEACHING APPLICATIONS 
‘‘Sec. 2401. Program for interstate teaching applications.’’. 
Æ 
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