Subpart 3 – Professional Development

SEC. 3231. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.

(a) PURPOSE- The purpose of this section is to provide assistance to prepare educators to improve educational services for limited English proficient children by —

(1) supporting professional development programs and activities to prepare teachers, pupil service personnel, administrators, and other educational personnel working in language instruction educational programs to provide effective services to limited English proficient children;

(2) incorporating curricula and resources concerning appropriate and effective instruction and assessment methodologies specific to limited English proficient children into preservice and inservice professional development programs;

(3) upgrading the qualifications and skills of non-certified educational personnel, including paraprofessionals, to enable such personnel to meet high professional standards for educating limited English proficient children;

(4) improving the quality of professional development programs in schools or departments of education at institutions of higher education, for educational personnel serving, or preparing to serve, limited English proficient children; and

(5) supporting the recruitment and training of prospective educational personnel to serve limited English proficient children by providing fellowships for undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and post-doctoral study related to the instruction of such children.

(b) AUTHORIZATION-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary is authorized to award grants under this section to —

(A) State educational agencies;

(B) local educational agencies;

(C) institutions of higher education; or

(D) consortia of one or more local educational agencies, State educational agencies, institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations, or nonprofit organizations.

(2) DURATION- Each grant awarded under this section shall be awarded for a period of not more than 4 years.

(c) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES- Grants awarded under this section shall be used to conduct high-quality professional development programs and effective activities to improve the quality of instruction and services provided to limited English proficient children, including —

(1) implementing preservice and inservice professional development programs for teachers who serve limited English proficient children, administrators, and other educational personnel who are preparing to provide educational services for limited English proficient children, including professional development programs that assist limited English proficient children to attain English proficiency;

(2) implementing school-based collaborative efforts among teachers to improve instruction in core academic subjects, especially reading, for limited English proficient children;

(3) developing and implementing programs to assist beginning teachers who serve limited English proficient children with transitioning to the teaching profession, including programs that provide mentoring and team teaching with trained and experienced teachers;

(4) implementing programs that support effective teacher use of education technologies to improve instruction and assessment;

(5) developing curricular materials and assessments for teachers that are appropriate to the needs of limited English proficient children, and that are aligned with challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards, including materials and assessments that ensure limited English proficient children attain English proficiency;

(6) integrating and coordinating activities with entities carrying out other programs consistent with the purpose of this section and supported under this Act, or other Acts as appropriate;

(7) developing and implementing career ladder programs to upgrade the qualifications and skills of non-certified educational personnel working in, or preparing to work in, language instruction educational programs to enable such personnel to meet high professional standards, including standards for certification and licensure as teachers;

(8) developing and implementing activities to help recruit and train secondary school students as teachers who serve limited English proficient children;

(9) providing fellowships and assistance for costs related to enrollment in a course of study at an institution of higher education that addresses the instruction of limited English proficient children in such areas as teacher training, program administration, research, evaluation, and curriculum development, and for the support of dissertation research related to such study, except that any person receiving such a fellowship or assistance shall agree to —

(A) work in an activity related to improving the educational services for limited English proficient children authorized under this subpart, including work as a teacher that serves limited English proficient children, for a period of time equivalent to the period of time during which such person receives assistance under this paragraph; or

(B) repay such assistance; and

(10) carrying out such other activities as are consistent with the purpose of this section.

(d) APPLICATION-

(1) IN GENERAL- Each eligible entity desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such form, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

(2) CONTENTS- Each application shall —

(A) describe the programs and activities proposed to be developed, implemented, and administered under the award;

(B) describe how the applicant has consulted with, and assessed the needs of, public and private schools serving limited English proficient children to determine such schools’ need for, and the design of, the program for which funds are sought; and

(C) describe how the programs and activities to be carried out under the award will be used to ensure that limited English proficient children meet challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards and attain English proficiency.

(3) SPECIAL RULE- An eligible entity that proposes to conduct a master’s-level or doctoral-level program with funds received under this section shall include in the entity’s application an assurance that such program will include a training practicum in a local elementary school or secondary school program serving limited English proficient children.

(4) OUTREACH AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE- The Secretary shall provide for outreach and technical assistance to institutions of higher education eligible for assistance under title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and institutions of higher education that are operated or funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, to facilitate the participation of such institutions in programs and activities under this section.

(5) DISTRIBUTION RULE- In making awards under this section, the Secretary shall ensure adequate representation of Hispanic-serving institutions that demonstrate competence and experience in carrying out the programs and activities authorized under this section and that are otherwise qualified.

(e) PRIORITIES IN AWARDING GRANTS-

(1) GRANTS TO AGENCIES- In awarding grants to State educational agencies and local educational agencies under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to agencies that propose programs and activities designed to implement professional development programs for teachers and educational personnel who are providing or preparing to provide educational services for limited English proficient children, including services provided through language instruction educational programs, that ensure such children attain English proficiency and meet challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards.

(2) GRANTS TO INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION- In awarding grants to institutions of higher education under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to institutions that propose programs and activities to recruit and upgrade the qualifications and skills of certified and non-certified educational personnel by offering degree programs that prepare beginning teachers to serve limited English proficient children.

(f) PROGRAM EVALUATIONS- Each recipient of an award under this section for a program or activity shall annually conduct an independent evaluation of the program or activity and submit to the Secretary a report containing such evaluation. Such report shall include information on—

(1) the program or activity conducted by the recipient to provide high-quality professional development to participants in such program or activity;

(2) the number of participants served through the program or activity, the number of participants who completed the requirements of the program or activity, and the number of participants who took positions in an instruction setting with limited English proficient children;

(3) the effectiveness of the program or activity in imparting the professional skills necessary for participants to achieve the objectives of the program or activity; and

(4) the teaching effectiveness of graduates of the program or activity or other participants who have completed the program or activity.

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