I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2223
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide
grants to State and local educational agencies to pay such agencies
for one-half of the salary of a teacher who uses approved sabbatical
leave to pursue a course of study that will improve his or her classroom
teaching.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 15, 1999
Mrs. MINK of Hawaii introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and the Workforce
A BILL
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
of 1965 to provide grants to State and local educational
agencies to pay such agencies for one-half of the salary
of a teacher who uses approved sabbatical leave to pursue
a course of study that will improve his or her classroom
teaching.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. GRANTS TO ENCOURAGE USE OF SABBATICAL
LEAVE FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Part B of title II of the Elemen-
tary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 is amended
by adding at the end the following:
‘‘SEC. 2212. GRANTS FOR SALARY DURING SABBATICAL
LEAVE.
‘‘(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary may
make grants to State educational agencies and local edu-
cational agencies to pay such agencies for one-half of the
amount of the salary that otherwise would be earned by
an eligible teacher described in subsection (b), if, in lieu
of fulfilling the teacher’s ordinary teaching assignment,
the teacher completes a course of study described in sub-
section (c) during a sabbatical term described in sub-
section (d).
‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE TEACHERS.—An eligible teacher de-
scribed in this subsection is a teacher who—
‘‘(1) is employed by an agency receiving a grant
under this section to provide classroom instruction
to children at an elementary or secondary school
that provides free public education;
‘‘(2) has secured from such agency, and any
other person or agency whose approval is required
under State law, approval to take sabbatical leave
for a sabbatical term described in subsection (d);
‘‘(3) has submitted to the agency an application
for a subgrant at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the agency may re-
quire, including—
‘‘(A) written proof—
‘‘(i) of the approval described in para-
graph (2); and
‘‘(ii) of the teacher’s having been ac-
cepted for enrollment in a course of study
described in subsection (c); and
‘‘(B) assurances that the teacher—
‘‘(i) will notify the agency in writing
within a reasonable time if the teacher ter-
minates enrollment in the course of study
described in subsection (c) for any reason;
‘‘(ii) in the discretion of the agency,
will reimburse to the agency some or all of
the amount of the subgrant if the teacher
fails to complete the course of study; and
‘‘(iii) otherwise will provide the agency
with proof of having completed such course
of study not later than 60 days after such
completion; and
‘‘(4) has been selected by the agency to re-
ceive a subgrant based on the agency’s plan for
meeting its classroom needs.
‘‘(c) COURSE OF STUDY.—A course of study de-
scribed in this subsection is a course of study at an institu-
tion of higher education that—
‘‘(1) requires not less than one academic semes-
ter and not more than one academic year to com-
plete;
‘‘(2) is open for enrollment for professional de-
velopment purposes to an eligible teacher described
in subsection (b); and
‘‘(3) is designed to improve the classroom
teaching of such teachers through academic and
child development studies.
‘‘(d) SABBATICAL TERM.—A sabbatical term de-
scribed in this subsection is a leave of absence from teach-
ing duties granted to an eligible teacher for not less than
one academic semester and not more than one academic
year, during which period the teacher receives—
‘‘(1) one-half of the amount of the salary that
otherwise would be earned by the teacher, if the
teacher had not been granted a leave of absence,
from State or local funds made available by a State
educational agency or a local educational agency;
and
‘‘(2) one-half of such amount from Federal
funds received by such agency through a grant
under this section.
‘‘(e) PAYMENTS.—
‘‘(1) TO
ELIGIBLE
TEACHERS.—In making a
subgrant to an eligible teacher under this section, a
State educational agency or a local educational agen-
cy shall agree to pay the teacher, for tax and admin-
istrative purposes, as if the teacher’s regular em-
ployment and teaching duties had not been sus-
pended.
‘‘(2) REPAYMENT
OF
SECRETARY.—A State
educational agency or a local educational agency re-
ceiving a grant under this section shall agree to pay
over to the Secretary the Federal share of any
amount recovered by the agency pursuant to sub-
section (b)(3)(B)(ii).
‘‘(f) FUNDING.—For the purpose of carrying out this
section, there are authorized to be appropriated
$200,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 and such sums as may
be necessary for fiscal years 2001 through 2004. Such
sums shall be in addition to the amount authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this part under section 2003.’’.
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by
subsection (a) shall take effect beginning with fiscal year
2000.
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