I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2211 
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide 
for a system of professional learning to continuously improve educator 
effectiveness, student achievement, and overall school and system per-
formance, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 16, 2011 
Mr. POLIS (for himself, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. RICHARDSON, Mr. CARNAHAN, 
Mr. CONYERS, and Mr. PAYNE) 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 for a system of professional learning 
to continuously improve educator effectiveness, student 
achievement, and overall school and system performance, 
and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Great Teaching for 
Great Schools Act of 2011’’. 
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SEC. 2. REFERENCES. 
Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in 
this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms 
of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provi-
sion, the reference shall be considered to be made to a 
section or other provision of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.). 
SEC. 3. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following: 
(1) Teacher quality is the single most important 
school factor influencing student learning and 
achievement. 
(2) Principal leadership is second only to class-
room instruction in terms of school-related factors 
which affect student learning, especially in high- 
needs schools. 
(3) Available experimental studies indicate that 
there is a direct correlation between professional 
learning and student performance. A set of pro-
grams that offered substantial professional learning, 
ranging from 30 to 100 hours in total, spread over 
six to 12 months, showed a positive and significant 
effect on student achievement gains. According to 
the research, the intensive professional learning ef-
forts that offered an average of 49 hours in a year 
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boosted student performance by approximately 21 
percentile points. 
(4) In a study of policies in States performing 
above national averages on the National Assessment 
of Educational Progress (NAEP) conducted by the 
Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education 
for Learning Forward, the authors found that State 
policies and systems that ensure accountability and 
monitor professional development are critical factors 
in implementing effective professional learning. 
(5) In order to maximize educator effectiveness 
on a large scale, high-performing education systems 
implement a comprehensive human capital manage-
ment system that addresses 3 purposes—individual-
ized growth, schoolwide improvement, and program 
implementation. 
(6) In a 2007, study of California high schools 
that consistently outperformed schools with similar 
demographics and risk-factors, authors identified 
‘‘teacher support and training’’ or collaborative pro-
fessional learning as a consistent strategy imple-
mented in schools that beat the odds. 
(7) In a five-year University of California, Los 
Angeles study of schools receiving funding under 
title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
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Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.), serving more 
than 14,000 students, the team documented the sig-
nificant contribution of teacher learning teams as 
part of the school improvement model evaluated. 
Achievement rose by 41 percent overall, and 54 per-
cent for Hispanic students. 
(8) Studies that benchmark United States aca-
demic performance against that of other developed 
nations that are outperforming the United States 
have stressed the importance of and need for im-
proved professional learning for teachers, principals, 
and other school instructional leaders. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to build 
the capacity of educators, particularly teachers and prin-
cipals in our Nation’s schools through systematic, sus-
tained, coherent school and team-based, job-embedded 
professional learning. 
SEC. 4. ASSISTANCE FOR LOCAL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT. 
Section 1003(g)(1) (20 U.S.C. 6303(g)(1)) is amend-
ed by inserting before the period ‘‘and section 2501(d)’’. 
SEC. 5. LOCAL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT. 
Title II (20 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
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‘‘PART E—BUILDING SCHOOL AND SYSTEM 
CAPACITY FOR EFFECTIVE TEACHING 
‘‘SEC. 2501. LOCAL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITIES. 
‘‘(a) ALLOCATIONS TO STATE EDUCATIONAL AGEN-
CIES.— 
‘‘(1) 
PROGRAM
AUTHORIZED.—From 
the 
amounts appropriated under subsection (h) for a fis-
cal year, the Secretary shall allocate funds to State 
educational agencies in proportion to the funds re-
ceived by the State educational agencies for the fis-
cal year under title I to enable the State educational 
agencies to provide subgrants to local educational 
agencies for the purpose of providing for a system 
of professional development in schools, as defined in 
section 9101(34). 
‘‘(2) REALLOCATIONS.—If a State educational 
agency does not receive funds under this subsection, 
the Secretary shall reallocate such funds to other 
States in the same proportion funds are allocated 
under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(3) USE
OF
GRANTS.—A State educational 
agency that receives an allocation under this sub-
section shall— 
‘‘(A) reserve 95 percent of the funds to 
make subgrants to local educational agencies; 
and 
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‘‘(B) use the remainder of the funds for 
administrative activities in carrying out this 
part. 
‘‘(b) PRIORITY AND PROPORTIONALITY.— 
‘‘(1) PRIORITY.—In awarding subgrants under 
this part, a State educational agency shall— 
‘‘(A) give priority to local educational 
agencies that demonstrate the greatest need for 
subgrant funds, by demonstrating that— 
‘‘(i) children eligible for free and re-
duced priced lunches under the Richard B. 
Russell National School Lunch Act con-
stitute not less than 40 percent of the total 
population of children aged 5 to 17 served 
by the agency; 
‘‘(ii) the agency serves a school identi-
fied for school improvement under section 
1116(b)(1) that fails to make adequate 
yearly progress, as defined by the State 
under section 1111(b)(2), by the end of 
the second full school year after the identi-
fication and is identified for corrective ac-
tion under section 1116(b)(7); and 
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‘‘(iii) the agency serves schools with 
an average graduation rate that is less 
than 65 percent; and 
‘‘(B) to the extent practicable, ensure that 
subgrants awarded under this subsection are 
equitably distributed among local educational 
agencies serving urban and rural areas. 
‘‘(c) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY APPLICATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to receive a 
subgrant under this part, a local educational agency 
shall submit an application to the State educational 
agency at such time, in such manner, and containing 
such information as the State educational agency 
may reasonably require. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—Each application submitted 
pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include— 
‘‘(A) a description of how the local edu-
cational agency will assist schools identified for 
corrective action under section 1116(b)(7), and 
low-achieving secondary schools with graduation 
rates of less than 65 percent, in— 
‘‘(i) providing for a system of profes-
sional development to continuously improve 
educator effectiveness, student achieve-
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ment, and overall school and system per-
formance; 
‘‘(ii) providing protected release time 
for educators to engage in collaborative 
team-based learning multiple times per 
week or several hours per week; and 
‘‘(iii) leveraging resources such as 
teaching standards, formative assessments, 
teacher portfolio processes, evidence-based 
instructional practices, and teacher devel-
opment protocols to guide educator learn-
ing; and 
‘‘(B) a description of how the local edu-
cational agency will— 
‘‘(i) include educator input, including 
that of teachers and principals, in the de-
velopment and implementation of the sys-
tem of professional learning; 
‘‘(ii) evaluate under subsection (e) the 
effectiveness of the system of professional 
learning described in subsection (d) carried 
out with the subgrant received under this 
part; 
‘‘(iii) prepare, support, and utilize in-
ternal teacher leaders, coaches, or content 
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experts to facilitate school-based profes-
sional learning; and 
‘‘(iv) ensure that the professional 
learning carried out with the subgrant re-
ceived under this part is integrated and 
aligned with the State’s school improve-
ment efforts under sections 1116 and 
1117, and individualized professional devel-
opment informed by educator evaluations. 
‘‘(d) USE OF FUNDS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A local educational agency 
that receives a subgrant under this part shall use 
the subgrant funds for the following purposes: 
‘‘(A) To improve teacher, principal, and 
other instructional staff quality through profes-
sional development. 
‘‘(B) To increase principals’, coaches’, and 
teacher leaders’ knowledge and skills in— 
‘‘(i) assisting the school to— 
‘‘(I) provide professional learning 
for educators in analyzing student, 
school, and teacher performance data 
to inform decision making and im-
provement efforts; 
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‘‘(II) analyze student, school, and 
teacher performance data; 
‘‘(III) clarify school improvement 
goals; 
‘‘(IV) develop and implement a 
system 
of 
professional 
learning 
aligned 
with 
student 
achievement 
needs and educator learning goals; 
‘‘(V) 
allocate 
resources 
for 
school-based educators to develop and 
implement an effective system of edu-
cator professional learning aligned 
with the school’s revised improvement 
plan required under section 1116(b); 
‘‘(VI) make available opportuni-
ties for team-learning activities that 
focus on increasing pedagogical and 
content knowledge in academic sub-
jects that are aligned to student learn-
ing goals; 
‘‘(VII) 
select 
and 
implement 
strategies and interventions to im-
prove student achievement and educa-
tor effectiveness, particularly to in-
crease teacher and school leader effec-
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tiveness, increase graduation rates, 
and ensure students graduate pre-
pared for success in college and ca-
reers; and 
‘‘(VIII) design, create, and evalu-
ate the results of curriculum-based di-
agnostic 
and 
performance 
assess-
ments; and 
‘‘(ii) utilizing internal teacher leaders, 
coaches, or content experts to— 
‘‘(I) support classroom learning; 
‘‘(II) facilitate effective collabora-
tion skills across learning communities 
and transfer knowledge from peers 
teaching and leading at high-per-
forming classrooms and schools; and 
‘‘(III) support the implementa-
tion 
of 
instructional 
strategies 
through structured mentoring and 
coaching; 
‘‘(C) To increase principals’ knowledge and 
skills necessary for leading effective professional 
learning, including— 
‘‘(i) establishing a shared vision of 
school success among all school stake-
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holders, including teachers, parents, com-
munity organizations and related stake-
holders by— 
‘‘(I) seeking leadership contribu-
tions from parents, community orga-
nizations, and other school stake-
holders; 
‘‘(II) engaging the community to 
create shared responsibility for stu-
dent and school success; and 
‘‘(III) engaging in partnerships 
between elementary schools, secondary 
schools, and institutes of higher edu-
cation to ensure the vertical alignment 
of student learning outcomes; 
‘‘(ii) establishing the school as a pro-
fessional learning community in which— 
‘‘(I) there is a culture of contin-
uous learning for adults that is tied to 
student learning and school goals; 
‘‘(II) there is time for team col-
laboration focused on professional 
learning and evaluating and improving 
instructional practice; 
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‘‘(III) educators are able to ana-
lyze and use data to drive instruction; 
‘‘(IV) professional learning is 
evaluated and connected to all of the 
school academic achievement goals; 
and 
‘‘(V) members of the faculty en-
gage in leadership roles that con-
tribute to school improvement efforts; 
and 
‘‘(iii) promoting the effective use of 
data by educators, including— 
‘‘(I) the use of multiple data 
sources as diagnostic tools to identify 
barriers to student success and drive 
instructional improvement; 
‘‘(II) the review and analysis of 
student work to determine whether 
students are achieving State academic 
content and achievement standards; 
and 
‘‘(III) the use of classroom obser-
vations to ensure that all students are 
provided meaningful learning opportu-
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nities that promote active engage-
ment; and 
‘‘(IV) support for a standards- 
aligned academic instructional pro-
gram that sets rigorous goals for each 
student and a school culture that al-
lows for and encourages students to 
reach those goals through ensuring 
that learning is aligned to established 
State academic standards by— 
‘‘(aa) ensuring that State 
academic content standards serve 
as the basis for the creation of 
curriculum and instruction; and 
‘‘(bb) monitoring and ad-
justing the alignment of stand-
ards, curriculum, assessments, 
and instruction; and 
‘‘(D) To support coaches, principals, and 
administrators to— 
‘‘(i) respond to developmental and 
contextual needs and promote the ongoing 
examination of classroom practice; 
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‘‘(ii) collect and share observation 
data to help teachers improve their prac-
tice; 
‘‘(iii) assist teachers with strategies to 
identify student needs, plan for differen-
tiated instruction, and ensure equitable 
learning outcomes; 
‘‘(iv) identify strategic solutions to 
challenging situations; and 
‘‘(v) facilitate and convene teachers 
for meaningful and responsive team-based 
learning. 
‘‘(2) SPECIAL RULE.—A local educational agen-
cy that receives a subgrant under this part shall use 
not less than 10 percent of the subgrant funds for 
professional learning for principals. 
‘‘(e) EVALUATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Each local educational 
agency carrying out the system of professional learn-
ing described in subsection (d) using a subgrant re-
ceived under this part shall include, as part of such 
system, a formal evaluation system to determine the 
effectiveness of the program on not less than— 
‘‘(A) teacher instructional practice; 
‘‘(B) student learning gains; 
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‘‘(C) teacher retention; 
‘‘(D) student graduation and college readi-
ness rates, as applicable; 
‘‘(E) student attendance rates; and 
‘‘(F) teacher efficacy. 
‘‘(2) 
LOCAL
EDUCATIONAL
AGENCY
AND 
SCHOOL
EFFECTIVENESS.—The formal evaluation 
system described in paragraph (1) shall also meas-
ure the effectiveness of each local educational agency 
receiving a subgrant under this part and each school 
receiving assistance from the agency under this part, 
in— 
‘‘(A) ensuring that school protected release 
time for professional learning occurs multiple 
times per week or the equivalent of several 
hours; 
‘‘(B) implementing on-going, research- 
based professional learning for teacher leaders, 
coaches, principals, and administrators; 
‘‘(C) ensuring that coaches, teachers, and 
schools are using data to inform instructional 
practices; and 
‘‘(D) ensuring that the system of profes-
sional learning described in subsection (d) that 
is carried out using subgrant funds received 
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under this part is integrated and aligned with 
the State’s school improvement efforts under 
sections 1116 and 1117. 
‘‘(3) CONDUCT OF EVALUATION.—The evalua-
tion of a local educational agency under the formal 
evaluation system described in paragraph (1) shall 
be conducted by the agency. In conducting the eval-
uation, the local educational agency may request and 
use subgrant funds received under this part to re-
ceive assistance from the State, an institution of 
higher education, or an external agency that is expe-
rienced in conducting qualitative research. Such 
evaluation shall be developed in collaboration with 
groups, such as— 
‘‘(A) teacher leaders with track records of 
success in the classroom; 
‘‘(B) institutions of higher education in-
volved with teacher induction and professional 
development located within the State; and 
‘‘(C) local teacher organizations. 
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$500,000,000 for fiscal year 2012 and such sums as may 
be necessary for each succeeding fiscal year. 
‘‘(g) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 
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‘‘(1) GRADUATION RATE.—The term ‘gradua-
tion rate’ has the meaning given the term in section 
1111(b)(2)(C)(vi), 
as 
clarified 
in 
section 
200.19(b)(1) of title 34, Code of Federal Regula-
tions. 
‘‘(2) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.—The term 
‘local educational agency’— 
‘‘(A) has the meaning given such term in 
section 9101; 
‘‘(B) includes any public charter school 
that constitutes a local educational agency 
under State law; and 
‘‘(C) includes a consortium of local edu-
cational agencies acting together.’’. 
SEC. 6. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DEFINED. 
Section 9101(34) (20 U.S.C. 7801(34)) is amended 
to read as follows: 
‘‘(34) 
PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT.—The 
term ‘professional development’ means a comprehen-
sive system of professional learning to increase edu-
cator effectiveness in improving student learning and 
achievement means that— 
‘‘(A) fosters collective responsibility for im-
proved student performance; 
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‘‘(B) is comprised of professional learning 
that— 
‘‘(i) is aligned with rigorous State stu-
dent academic achievement standards as 
well as related local educational agency 
and school improvement goals; 
‘‘(ii) is conducted among educators at 
the school and facilitated by well-prepared 
school principals and school-based profes-
sional development coaches, mentors, mas-
ter teachers, or other teacher leaders; and 
‘‘(iii) primarily occurs several times 
per week, or the equivalent of several 
hours per week, among established teams 
of teachers, principals, and other instruc-
tional staff members where the teams of 
educators engage in a continuous cycle of 
improvement that— 
‘‘(I) evaluates student, teacher, 
and school learning needs through a 
thorough review of data on teacher 
and student performance; 
‘‘(II) defines a clear set of educa-
tor learning goals based on the rig-
orous analysis of the data; 
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‘‘(III) 
achieves 
the 
educator 
learning goals based identified in sub-
clause (II) by implementing coherent, 
sustained, and evidence-based learning 
strategies, such as lesson study and 
the development of formative assess-
ments, that improve instructional ef-
fectiveness and student achievement; 
‘‘(IV) 
provides 
job-embedded 
coaching or other forms of assistance 
to support the transfer of new knowl-
edge and skills to the classroom; 
‘‘(V) regularly assesses the effec-
tiveness of the professional develop-
ment in achieving identified learning 
goals, improving teaching, and assist-
ing all students in meeting chal-
lenging State academic achievement 
standards; 
‘‘(VI) informs ongoing improve-
ments in teaching and student learn-
ing; and 
‘‘(VII) may be supported by ex-
ternal assistance; and 
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‘‘(C) may be supported by activities such 
as courses, workshops, institutes, networks, and 
conferences that— 
‘‘(i) address the learning goals and 
objectives established by educators at the 
school level; 
‘‘(ii) advance the ongoing school-based 
professional learning; and 
‘‘(iii) are provided for by for-profit 
and non-profit entities outside the school 
such as universities, education service 
agencies, technical assistance providers, 
networks of content-area specialists, and 
other education organizations and associa-
tions.’’. 
Æ 
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