While the overall goal of Title II under both HEA and NCLBA is to improve student achievement by improving the teacher workforce, some of the specific approaches differ. For example, a major focus of HEA provisions is on the training of prospective teachers (preservice training) while NCLBA provisions focus more on improving teacher quality in the classroom (in service training) and hiring highly qualified teachers. Also, both laws use reporting mechanisms to increase accountability. However, HEA focuses more on institutions of higher education while NCLBA focuses on schools and school districts. Additionally, HEA focuses on expanding the teacher workforce by supporting recruitment from other professions. In addition, HEA and NCLBA Title II funds are distributed differently. HEA teacher quality funds are disbursed through three distinct types of grants: state, partnership, and recruitment grants. State grants are available for states to implement activities to improve teacher quality in their states by enhancing teacher training efforts, while partnership grants support the collaborative efforts of teacher training programs and other eligible partners. Recruitment grants are available to states or partnerships for teacher recruitment activities. All three types of grants require a match from non-federal sources. For example, states receiving state grants must provide a matching amount in cash or in-kind support from non-federal sources equal to 50 percent of the amount of the federal grant. All three grants are one-time competitive grants; however, state and recruitment grants are for 3 years while partnership grants are for 5 years. HEA amendments in 1998 required that 45 percent of funds be distributed to state grants, 45 percent to partnership grants, and 10 percent to recruitment grants. As of April 2007, 52 of the 59 eligible entities (states, the District of Columbia, and 8 territories) had received state grants. Because the authorizing legislation specifically required that entities could only receive a state grant once, only seven would be eligible to receive future state grants. In our 2002 report, we suggested that if Congress decides to continue funding teacher quality grants in the upcoming reauthorization of HEA, it might want to clarify whether all 59 entities would be eligible for state grant funding under the reauthorization, or whether eligibility would be limited to only those states that have not previously received a state grant. We also suggested that if Congress decides to limit eligibility to entities that have not previously received a state grant, it may want to consider changing the 45 percent funding allocation for state grants. In a 2005 appropriation act, Congress waived the allocation requirement. In 2006, about 9 percent of funds were awarded for state grants, 59 percent for partnership grants, and 33 percent for recruitment. When Congress reauthorizes HEA, it may want to further clarify eligibility and allocation requirements for this program. NCLBA, funded at a much higher level than HEA, provides funds to states through annual formula grants. In 2006, Congress appropriated $2.89 billion through NCLBA and $59.9 million for HEA for teacher quality efforts. While federal funding for teacher initiatives was provided through two other programs prior to NCLBA, the act increased the level of funding to help states and districts implement the teacher qualification requirements. States and districts generally receive NCLBA Title II funds based on the amount they received in 2001, the percentage of children residing in the state or district, and the number of those children in low- income families. After reserving up to 1 percent of the funds for administrative purposes, states pass 95 percent of the remaining funds to the districts and retain the rest to support state-level teacher initiatives and to support NCLBA partnerships between higher education institutions and high-need districts that work to provide professional development to teachers. While there is no formula in NCLBA for how districts are to allocate funds to specific schools, the act requires states to ensure that districts target funds to those schools with the highest number of teachers who are not highly qualified, schools with the largest class sizes, or schools that have not met academic performance requirements for 2 or more consecutive years. In addition, districts applying for Title II funds from their states are required to conduct a districtwide needs assessment to identify their teacher quality needs. NCLBA also allows districts to transfer these funds to most other major NCLBA programs, such as those under Title I, to meet their educational priorities. HEA provides grantees and NCLBA provides states and districts with the flexibility to use funds for a broad range of activities to improve teacher quality, including many activities that are similar under both acts. HEA funds can be used, among other activities, to reform teacher certification requirements, professional development activities, and recruitment efforts. In addition, HEA partnership grantees must use their funds to implement reforms to hold teacher preparation programs accountable for the quality of teachers leaving the program. Similarly, acceptable uses of NCLBA funds include teacher certification activities, professional development in a variety of core academic subjects, recruitment, and retention initiatives. In addition, activities carried out under NCLBA partnership grants are required to coordinate with any activities funded by HEA. Table 1 compares activities under HEA and NCLBA. With the broad range of activities allowed under HEA and NCLBA, we found both similarities and differences in the activities undertaken. For example, districts chose to spend about one-half of their NCLBA Title II funds ($1.2 billion) in 2004-2005 on class-size reduction efforts, which is not an activity specified by HEA. We found that some districts focused their class-size reduction efforts on specific grades, depending on their needs. One district we visited focused its NCLBA-funded class-size reduction efforts on the eighth grade because the state already provided funding for reducing class size in other grades. However, while class-size reduction may contribute to teacher retention, it also increases the number of classrooms that need to be staffed and we found that some districts had shifted funds away from class-size reduction to initiatives to improve teachers’ subject matter knowledge and instructional skills. Similarly, Education’s data showed that the percent of NCLBA district funds spent on class-size reduction had decreased since 2002-2003, when 57 percent of funds were used for this purpose. HEA and NCLBA both funded professional development and recruitment efforts, although the specific activities varied somewhat. For example, mentoring was the most common professional development activity among the HEA grantees we visited. Of the 33 HEA grant sites we visited, 23 were providing mentoring activities for teachers. In addition, some grantees used their funds to establish a mentor training program to ensure that mentors had consistent guidance. One state used the grant to develop mentoring standards and to build the capacity of trainers to train teacher mentors within each district. Some districts used NCLBA Title II funds for mentoring activities as well. We also found that states and districts used NCLBA Title II funds to support other types of professional development activities. For example, two districts we visited spent their funds on math coaches who perform tasks such as working with teachers to develop lessons that reflected state academic standards and assisting them in using students’ test data to identify and address students’ academic needs. Additionally, states used a portion of NCLBA Title II funds they retained to support professional development for teachers in core academic subjects. In two states that we visited, officials reported that state initiatives specifically targeted teachers who had not met the subject matter competency requirements of NCLBA. These initiatives either offered teachers professional development in core academic subjects or reimbursed them for taking college courses in the subjects taught. Both HEA and NCLBA funds supported efforts to recruit teachers. Many HEA grantees we interviewed used their funds to fill teacher shortages in urban schools or to recruit new teachers from nontraditional sources— mid-career professionals, community college students, and middle- and high-school students. For example, one university recruited teacher candidates with undergraduate degrees to teach in a local school district with a critical need for teachers while they earn their masters in education. The program offered tuition assistance, and in some cases, the district paid a full teacher salary, with the stipulation that teachers continue teaching in the local school district for 3 years after completing the program. HEA initiatives also included efforts to recruit mid-career professionals by offering an accelerated teacher training program for prospective teachers already in the workforce. Some grantees also used their funds to recruit teacher candidates at community colleges. For example, one of the largest teacher training institutions in one state has partnered with six community colleges around the state to offer training that was not previously available. Finally, other grantees targeted middle and high school students. For example, one district used its grant to recruit interns from 14 high-school career academies that focused on training their students for careers as teachers. Districts we visited used NCLBA Title II funds to provide bonuses to attract successful administrators, advertise open teaching positions, and attend recruitment events to identify qualified candidates. In addition, one district also used funds to expand alternative certification programs, which allowed qualified candidates to teach while they worked to meet requirements for certification. Finally, some states used HEA funds to reform certification requirements for teachers. Reforming certification or licensing requirements was included as an allowable activity under both HEA and NCLBA to ensure that teachers have the necessary teaching skills and academic content knowledge in the subject areas. HEA grantees also reported using their funds to allow teacher training programs and colleges to collaborate with local school districts to reform the requirements for teacher candidates. For example, one grantee partnered with institutions of higher education and a partner school district to expose teacher candidates to urban schools by providing teacher preparation courses in public schools. Under both HEA and NCLBA, Education has provided assistance and guidance to recipients of these funds and is responsible for holding recipients accountable for the quality of their activities. In 1998, Education created a new office to administer HEA grants and provide assistance to grantees.