In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''High Quality Teaching Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES TO PROVIDE TARGETED
ASSISTANCE TO HIGH NEED SCHOOLS TO RECRUIT, SUPPORT, AND
RETAIN HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND EFFECTIVE TEACHERS.

(a) In General.--Part A of title II of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) is amended by adding at
the end the following new subpart:

''Subpart 6--Targeted High Need Initiative

''SEC. 2161. GRANTS TARGETING SCHOOLS HAVING HIGHEST NEED FOR HIGHLY
QUALIFIED AND EFFECTIVE TEACHERS.

''(a) In General.--The Secretary shall make competitive grants to
selected local educational agencies to recruit, support, and retain
highly qualified and effective teachers through participation in the
Targeted High Need Initiative program of the National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards.
''(b) Limitation on Number of Assisted Agencies.--Not more than 250
local educational agencies shall be selected by the Secretary to
receive grants under this section.
''(c) Priorities.--In making such grants, the Secretary shall give
priority to local educational agencies--
''(1) having the highest number of students from a
traditionally disadvantaged background, including students who
receive free or reduced priced meals, students belonging to a
minority subgroup, students with limited English proficiency,
or migratory children;
''(2) having the highest number of schools identified for
school improvement, corrective action, or restructuring under
section 1116(b); and
''(3) having the lowest number of teachers who are
certified by the National Board of Professional Teaching
Standards.
''(d) Selection Process.--
''(1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
this section, 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 Secretary
may require.
''(2) Review by state educational agency.--Applications
received by a State educational agency under paragraph (1)
shall be submitted to the Secretary (at such time, in such
manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require) together with recommendations by the State educational
agency as to--
''(A) which local educational agencies have the
highest need; and
''(B) which should be given preference based on
criteria specified by the State educational agency.
Such criteria may include the distribution of such grants
between urban and rural areas, the number of limited English
proficient children, and the number of schools needing
assistance.
''(3) Contents of application.--The application under
paragraph (1) shall describe the following:
''(A) The partnership that such agency will form
with an institution of higher education or other
appropriate entity to carry out the activities
described in subsection (e).
''(B) How such agency will use funds received under
this section to participate in the Targeted High Need
Initiative program of the National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards.
''(C) Identify the initial 25 classroom teachers,
and at least 1 superintendent, principal, or vice
principal, who have agreed to be mentors under such
program.
''(e) Use of Funds.--A local educational agency that receives a
grant under this section shall use the funds made available through the
grant for the following:
''(1) Establish the partnership referred to subsection
(d)(3)(A).
''(2) Support teachers through the Targeted High Need
Initiative program of the National Board for Professional
Teaching Standards through training, professional development,
mentoring and technological resources.
''(3) Fully fund the assessment fee for all eligible
teachers who apply to be certified by such Board and who agree
to remain at the participating school for at least 3 years
after completing the certification.
''(4) Provide a $1,000 award to each teacher who is
certified by such Board after completing participation in such
a Targeted High Need Initiative program.
''(5) Provide sponsoring schools with a $500 award for each
teacher described in paragraph (4).
''(6) Conduct an independent evaluation of the impact of
participation in such Targeted High Need Initiative program on
teaching quality and student learning and achievement. Such
evaluation may include incorporating multiple sources of data
over time to assess immediate and long-term impacts of such
participation.
''(f) Duration of Grant.--The Secretary shall make grants under
this section for period of 5 years.
''(g) Equitable Distribution.--To the extent practicable, the
Secretary shall ensure an equitable geographic distribution of grants
under this section among the regions of the United States.''.
(b) Funding.--
(1) Section 2103 of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6603) is amended by adding at the end
the following new subsection:
''(c) Targeted High Need Initiative.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out subpart 6 $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2010
and each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.''.
(2) Subsection (a) of section 2103 of such Act is amended
by striking ''subpart 5'' and inserting ''subparts 5 and 6''.
High Quality Teaching Act of 2009 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award competitive five-year grants to up to 250 local educational agencies (LEAs) to recruit, support, and retain highly qualified and effective teachers through participation in the Targeted High Need Initiative program of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Gives priority to LEAs that have: (1) the highest number of disadvantaged students; (2) the highest number of schools identified for school improvement, corrective action, or restructuring; and (3) the lowest number of teachers certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Requires LEAs to use such grants to: (1) partner with institutions of higher education or other appropriate entities in conducting grant activities; (2) provide teachers participating in the Targeted High Need Initiative program with training, mentoring, and technological resources; (3) cover the assessment fee for teachers who apply for certification by such Board and agree to teach at the participating school for at least three years after their certification; (4) provide specified monetary awards to teachers and their sponsoring schools after completion of the Targeted High Need Initiative program; and (5) conduct an independent evaluation of such program's affect on teaching quality and student performance.