Teacher:In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
Teacher: Now, understand the problem? Solve this instance: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Rural Teacher Retention Act of
2007''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress makes the following findings:
(1) More than 8,000,000 children, representing 21 percent
of all public school children in the United States, attend
public schools in rural areas.
(2) There are 24,123 public schools in rural areas of the
United States, representing 31 percent of all public schools.
(3) More than 400,000 educators, or 31 percent of all
public school teachers, teach in rural schools.
(4) Rural school teachers earn approximately 14 percent
less than their counterparts in other regions.
(5) Despite lower salaries, rural school teachers typically
teach multiple subjects and perform their jobs with fewer
resources than their counterparts in other regions.
(6) One of the most critical challenges facing rural school
districts is in attracting and retaining qualified teachers.
(7) Rural school districts tend to have higher teacher
turnover rates than school districts in other regions.
(8) High teacher turnover has a negative impact on student
performance, school district performance, and the ability of
teachers to become highly qualified.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Child with a disability.--The term ''child with a
disability'' has the meaning given the term in section 602 of
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C.
1401).
(2) Highly qualified.--Except as provided in paragraph (3),
the term ''highly qualified'' when used with respect to a
teacher, has the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
7801).
(3) Highly qualified special education teacher.--The term
''highly qualified'' when used with respect to a special
education teacher, has the meaning given the term in section
602 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
(4) Limited english proficient.--The term ''limited English
proficient'' has the meaning given the term in section 9101 of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
(5) Low-income student.--The term ''low-income student''
means a child eligible to be counted under section
1124(c)(1)(A) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6333(c)(1)(A)).
(6) Migratory child.--The term ''migratory child'' has the
meaning given the term in section 1309 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6399).
(7) Rural local educational agency.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the
term ''rural local educational agency'' means a local
educational agency that--
(i)(I) is described in section 6211(b),
6221(b)(1), or 9101(26)(C) of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
7345(b), 7351(b)(1), 7801(26)(C)); or
(II) serves a high number or percentage of
children who are Native Hawaiian as defined in
section 7207(1) of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7517(1)); and
(ii) has experienced a teacher turnover
rate of not less than 10 percent of all the
teachers teaching in the schools served by the
local educational agency in any of the 3
academic years preceding the date of enactment
of this Act.
(B) County rule.--If a local educational agency
serves 2 or more counties in their entirety, then each
county shall be treated as if such county were a
separate local educational agency for purposes of
determinations under subparagraph (A).
(8) Secretary.--The term ''Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Education.

SEC. 4. PILOT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

(a) Grants.--From amounts appropriated under section 6 for each
fiscal year, the Secretary shall carry out a 5-year pilot program under
which the Secretary awards grants, on a competitive basis, to not more
than 10 States to enable the States to award salary bonuses to highly
qualified teachers or highly qualified special education teachers who
teach, or commit to teach, for at least 3 academic years, in an
elementary school or secondary school served by the same rural local
educational agency.
(b) Award Basis.--The Secretary shall award grants under this
section on the basis of the needs of rural local educational agencies
within a State for recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers
or highly qualified special education teachers.
(c) Consideration of Needs.--In determining the needs of rural
local educational agencies for recruiting and retaining highly
qualified teachers and highly qualified special education teachers
under subsection (b), the Secretary shall consider 1 or more of the
following:
(1) The eligibility of a rural local educational agency for
assistance under part B of title VI of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7341 et seq.).
(2) The impact on a rural local educational agency of low-
income students who are served by the rural local educational
agency.
(3) The impact on a rural local educational agency of
limited English proficient students who are served by the rural
local educational agency.
(4) The impact on a rural local educational agency of
migrant students who are served by the rural local educational
agency.
(5) The number or percentage of rural local educational
agencies described in section 9101(26)(C) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(26)(C)).
(6) The impact on a rural local educational agency of
children with a disability who are served by the rural local
educational agency.
(7) The long-term plans of a State to improve the
recruitment and retention of highly qualified teachers and
highly qualified special education teachers in rural local
educational agencies within the State.
(d) Application.--A State that desires to receive a grant under
this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time,
in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary
may require. The application shall contain a plan for the proposed
distribution and use of the grant funds among rural local educational
agencies within the State.
(e) Use of Funds.--Grant funds under this section shall be used to
provide salary bonuses for highly qualified teachers or highly
qualified special education teachers who teach, or commit to teach, for
at least 3 academic years, in an elementary school or secondary school
served by the same rural local educational agency.

SEC. 5. STUDY AND REPORTS.

(a) Study.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a study of
each project that is funded under this Act. The study shall
track and assess the implementation and effectiveness of each
project.
(2) Reservation of funds.--From the amount appropriated
under section 6 for fiscal year 2008, the Secretary shall
reserve not more than 1 percent or $500,000, whichever is
greater, to carry out the study described in paragraph (1).
(b) Reports.--
(1) Annual reports from states.--Each State receiving a
grant under this Act shall submit an annual report to the
Secretary regarding each project within the State that is
funded under this Act. The report shall contain such
information as the Secretary determines necessary to evaluate
the project.
(2) Report to congress.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary shall submit a
report on the study described in subsection (a)(1) to
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
of the Senate and to the Committee on Education and
Labor of the House of Representatives not later than
September 30, 2012.
(B) Contents.--The report shall include--
(i) the number of rural local educational
agencies assisted under this Act;
(ii) the characteristics of such rural
local educational agencies with respect to the
considerations of needs described in section
4(c);
(iii) the number and demographic
characteristics of teachers receiving bonuses
under this Act;
(iv) the impact of the bonuses provided
under this Act on the ability of rural local
educational agencies assisted under this Act to
recruit and retain highly qualified teachers
and highly qualified special education
teachers; and
(v) such other information and analysis as
the Secretary determines necessary to evaluate
the projects.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATION.

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act
$50,000,000 for fiscal year 2008 and such sums as may be necessary for
each of the fiscal years 2009 through 2012.
Student:
Rural Teacher Retention Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Education to establish a five-year pilot program awarding competitive grants to no more than 10 states to enable them to award salary bonuses to highly qualified teachers or highly qualified special education teachers who teach, or commit to teach, for at least three academic years, in an elementary or secondary school served by the same rural local educational agency (LEA), including one that serves a high number or percentage of children who are Native Hawaiian.

Awards such grants on the basis of the needs of a state's rural LEAs for recruiting and retaining such teachers. Requires that, in determining such needs, the Secretary consider: (1) a rural LEA's eligibility for assistance under part B (Rural Education Initiative) of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965; (2) a rural LEA's service of low-income, limited English proficient, migrant, Indian, or disabled students; and (3) the state's long-term plans for recruiting and retaining such teachers in its rural LEAs.

Requires the Secretary to track and assess the implementation and effectiveness of each project funded under this Act..