SEC. 203. CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE. 
Title II (20 U.S.C. 1021 et seq.) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
‘‘PART C—CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE 
‘‘SEC. 231. PURPOSES; DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘(a) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this part are—
‘‘(1) to help recruit and prepare teachers, in-
cluding minority teachers, to meet the national de-
mand for a highly qualified teacher in every class-
room; and 
‘‘(2) to increase opportunities for Americans of 
all educational, ethnic, class, and geographic back-
grounds to become highly qualified teachers. 
‘‘(b) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this part: 
‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION.—The term ‘eligi-
ble institution’ means—
‘‘(A) an institution of higher education 
that has a teacher preparation program that 
meets the requirements of section 203(b)(2) 
and that is—
‘‘(i) a part B institution (listed in sec-
tion 322); 
‘‘(ii) a Hispanic-serving institution (as 
defined in section 502); 
‘‘(iii) a Tribal College or University 
(as listed in 316);
‘‘(iv) an Alaska Native-serving institu-
tion (as defined in section 317(b)); or 
‘‘(v) a Native Hawaiian-serving insti-
tution (as defined in section 317(b)); 
‘‘(B) a consortium of institutions described 
in subparagraph (A); or 
‘‘(C) an institution described in subpara-
graph (A), or a consortium described in sub-
paragraph (B), in partnership with any other 
institution of higher education, but only if the 
center of excellence established under section 
232 is located at an institution described in 
subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(2) HIGHLY
QUALIFIED.—The term ‘highly 
qualified’ when used with respect to an individual 
means that the individual is highly qualified as de-
termined under section 9101 of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801) 
or section 602 of the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1401). 
‘‘(3) SCIENTIFICALLY
BASED
READING
RE-
SEARCH.—The term ‘scientifically based reading re-
search’ has the meaning given such term in section 
1208 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6368).
‘‘(4) SCIENTIFICALLY BASED RESEARCH.—The 
term ‘scientifically based research’ has the meaning 
given such term in section 9101 of the Elementary 
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
7801). 
‘‘SEC. 232. CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE. 
‘‘(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—From the amounts 
appropriated to carry out this part, the Secretary is au-
thorized to award competitive grants to eligible institu-
tions to establish centers of excellence. 
‘‘(b) USE OF FUNDS.—Grants provided by the Sec-
retary under this part shall be used to ensure that current 
and future teachers are highly qualified, by carrying out 
one or more of the following activities: 
‘‘(1) Implementing reforms within teacher prep-
aration programs to ensure that such programs are 
preparing teachers who are highly qualified, are able 
to understand scientifically based research, and are 
able to use advanced technology effectively in the 
classroom, including use for instructional techniques 
to improve student academic achievement, by—
‘‘(A) retraining faculty; and 
‘‘(B) designing (or redesigning) teacher 
preparation programs that—
‘‘(i) prepare teachers to close student 
achievement gaps, are based on rigorous 
academic content, scientifically based re-
search (including scientifically based read-
ing research), and challenging State stu-
dent academic content standards; and 
‘‘(ii) promote strong teaching skills. 
‘‘(2) Providing sustained and high-quality 
preservice clinical experience, including the men-
toring of prospective teachers by exemplary teachers, 
substantially increasing interaction between faculty 
at institutions of higher education and new and ex-
perienced teachers, principals, and other administra-
tors at elementary schools or secondary schools, and 
providing support, including preparation time, for 
such interaction. 
‘‘(3) Developing and implementing initiatives to 
promote retention of highly qualified teachers and 
principals, including minority teachers and prin-
cipals, including programs that provide—
‘‘(A) teacher or principal mentoring from 
exemplary teachers or principals; or 
‘‘(B) induction and support for teachers 
and principals during their first 3 years of em-
ployment as teachers or principals, respectively.
‘‘(4) Awarding scholarships based on financial 
need to help students pay the costs of tuition, room, 
board, and other expenses of completing a teacher 
preparation program. 
‘‘(5) Disseminating information on effective 
practices for teacher preparation and successful 
teacher certification and licensure assessment prepa-
ration strategies. 
‘‘(6) Activities authorized under sections 202, 
203, and 204. 
‘‘(c) APPLICATION.—Any eligible institution desiring 
a grant under this section shall submit an application to 
the Secretary at such a time, in such a manner, and ac-
companied by such information the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(d) MINIMUM GRANT AMOUNT.—The minimum 
amount of each grant under this part shall be $500,000. 
‘‘(e) LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—
An eligible institution that receives a grant under this part 
may not use more than 2 percent of the grant funds for 
purposes of administering the grant. 
‘‘(f) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall prescribe 
such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this 
part.