I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2228
To increase the number of qualified teachers.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 23, 1997
Mr. MILLER of California (for himself, Mr. MARTINEZ, Mr. FORD, Mr.
STARK, Mr. OBERSTAR, and Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA) introduced the follow-
ing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the
Workforce
A BILL
To increase the number of qualified teachers.
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 ‘‘Teaching Excellence
for All Children Act of 1997’’.
SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY; FINDINGS.
(a) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—The Congress declares
it to be the policy of the United States that each student
shall have a competent and qualified teacher.
(b) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:
(1) The number of elementary and secondary
school students is expected to increase each succes-
sive year between now and the year 2006, at which
time total enrollment will reach 54,600,000.
(2) As the number of students increases, the
need for qualified teachers will increase. Increases in
enrollment and teacher retirements together will cre-
ate demand for 2,000,000 new teachers by the year
2006.
(3) The lack of qualified teachers to meet this
demand is a significant barrier to students receiving
an appropriate education.
(4) The National Commission on Teaching and
America’s Future has found that one-quarter of the
nation’s classroom teachers are not fully qualified to
teach in their subject areas. Unless corrective action
is taken at the local, State, and Federal levels, the
additional demand for teachers is likely to result in
a further decline in teacher quality.
(5) Now is the time to redouble efforts to en-
sure that teachers are properly prepared and quali-
fied and receive the ongoing support and profes-
sional development they need to be effective edu-
cators.
TITLE I—PARENTAL RIGHTS
SEC. 101. PARENTAL RIGHT TO KNOW.
Part E of title XIV of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 is amended by inserting after sec-
tion 14514 (20 U.S.C. 8904) the following new section:
‘‘SEC. 14515. TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS.
‘‘Any public elementary or secondary school that re-
ceives funds under this Act shall make available to the
parents of each student information regarding the quali-
fications of each of the student’s teachers, both generally
and with regard to the content area or areas in which each
teacher provides instruction.’’.
TITLE II—QUALIFIED TEACHERS
SEC. 201. ENSURING A QUALIFIED TEACHER IN EVERY
CLASSROOM.
To be eligible to receive funds under the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965, each State shall
ensure that—
(1) each teacher in a public elementary or sec-
ondary school in the State has demonstrated the
subject matter knowledge, teaching knowledge, and
teaching skill necessary to teach effectively in the
content area or areas in which the teacher provides
instruction;
(2) each teacher in the State for whom such
qualifications have been waived temporarily to re-
spond to emergency teacher shortages or other cir-
cumstances must, not later than 3 years after such
waiver, demonstrate the subject matter knowledge,
teaching knowledge, and teaching skill necessary to
teach effectively in the content area or areas in
which the teacher provides instruction;
(3) no student will be taught for more than 2
consecutive years by a teacher who does not meet
the criteria under paragraph (1);
(4) the State provides incentives for teachers to
pursue and achieve advanced teaching and subject
area content standards;
(5) the State has in place an effective mecha-
nism to remove incompetent or unqualified teachers;
and
(6) the State aggressively helps schools, par-
ticularly those in high need areas, recruit and retain
qualified teachers.