1. Improving Teacher Quality State Grants
Julie Coplin
Academic Improvement and Teacher Quality Programs
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
U.S. Department of Education
August 17, 2006

2. The Goal of NCLB
Every student will be proficient in reading and math by the end of the school year.

3. The Purpose
To increase student academic achievement through strategies such as improving teacher and principal quality and increasing the number of highly qualified teachers in the classroom and highly qualified principals and assistant principals in schools.

4. High-Quality Professional Development
Improves teachers’ knowledge of the academic subjects they teach and enables them to become highly qualified
Gives teachers and principals the knowledge and skills to help students meet challenging State content standards and student achievement standards
Is sustained, intensive and classroom focused
Is not one-day or short-term workshops or conferences.

5. Highly Qualified Teacher Definition: (NCLB 9101 (23)
Must have full State certification1;
Hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree; and
Demonstrate subject-matter competency in subjects the teacher teaches.
1 Note: teachers in public charter schools must meet certification/licensure requirements, if any, in the State’s charter school law

6. Highly Qualified Teachers – Demonstrating Subject Competence
A “new” elementary school teacher
Has demonstrated competence by passing a rigorous State test of subject knowledge and teaching skills in reading, writing, mathematics, and other areas of the basic elementary school curriculum.

7. Highly Qualified Teachers – Demonstrating Subject Competence
A “new” middle or high school teacher can demonstrate competence by:
Passing a rigorous State academic subject test in each academic subjects, OR
Successfully completing, in each academic subject, of an academic major, a graduate degree, coursework equivalent to an undergraduate academic major, or advanced certification.

8. Highly Qualified Teachers – Demonstrating Subject Competence
For a veteran elementary or secondary school teacher, another option exists for demonstrating subject-matter competency:
HOUSSE – high objective State standard of evaluation

9. HQT and Special Education
IDEA 602(10): special education teachers who teach core academic subjects must be highly qualified. They must
Hold a special education certificate
Hold a bachelor’s degree
Demonstrate subject-matter competency in each subject taught

10. Special Education Teachers who support regular instruction
Special educators who do not directly instruct students in core academic subjects or who provide only consultation to highly qualified teachers need not demonstrate subject competency. They must have special education certification.

11. Special Education flexibility
Special education teachers who teach core academic subjects exclusively to students who are assessed against alternative academic standards, must be highly qualified only at a subject matter level appropriate to the content and achievement standards of the students. IDEA 602(10)(C)

12. Special Education flexibility
Special education teachers new to the profession who teach multiple core academic subjects and are highly qualified in mathematics, language arts, or science at the time they are hired, have two additional years to become highly qualified in other academic subjects they teach.
IDEA 602(10)(D)

13. Highly Qualified Paraprofessionals
All paraprofessionals—except individuals with non-instructional roles such as personal care services, clerical services, or cafeteria or playground supervision—must have a high school diploma or its equivalent
AND

14. Highly Qualified Paraprofessionals
Paraprofessionals who provide instructional support must
Complete two years of study at an institution of higher education OR
Obtain an associates (or higher) degree
Demonstrate through a formal state or local assessment knowledge of, and ability to assist in instructing reading, writing, and mathematics

15. Improving Teacher Quality State Grants
Total Program funds-- $2,873,001,756
Total for RI--$13,751,559
SAHE grants--$340,351
LEA grants-- $12,933,342
State Activities-- 340,351

16. Eligible Partnerships
Partnerships must include three parties:
An institution of higher education and the division that prepares teachers and principals
A school of arts and sciences
At least one high-need district

17. Who else may be in partnership?
Other districts or schools
Additional IHEs
Charter schools
Nonprofit organizations
Businesses
Pre-kindergarten programs
Teacher organizations

18. What is a high-need district?
A district that serves not fewer than 10,000 children from families with incomes below the poverty line; OR
For which not less than 20 percent of the children served by the agency are from families with incomes below the poverty line.

19. AND
Where there is a high percentage of teachers not teaching in the academic subjects or grade levels that the teachers were trained to teach; OR
There is a high percentage of teachers with emergency, provisional, or temporary certification or licensing.

20. Allowable Uses of Funds
Professional development in core academic subjects to teachers, highly qualified paraprofessionals, and principals (including knowledge of computer-related technology to enhance student learning).
Instructional leadership skills for principals to assist them in effectively working with teachers to help students master core academic subject.

21. Allowable Uses of Funds
Provide sustained, high-quality professional development activities that ensure teachers, highly qualified paraprofessionals, or school principals can use challenging State academic content standards, and State assessments to improve instructional practices and student academic achievement.

22. Allowable Uses of Funds
May include intensive programs designed to prepare individuals who will return to a school to provide instruction related to the professional development.
May include activities of partnerships between one or more LEA, one or more school within the LEA, and one or more IHEs for the purpose of improving teaching and learning.

23. Designing a Successful Project
Begin with a needs assessment of the high-need district.
Find the gaps in academic achievement.
Look at the content knowledge of the teachers.
Discover what strengths the IHE partners can offer to the district.
Seek out additional support if needed.
Inquire with other districts or schools that may have similar needs.

24. Designing a Successful Project
Design a high-quality professional development program that meets the needs of the students and teachers in the district(s) and draws on the knowledge of the IHE (and other) partners.
Evaluate the impact of the project.

25. Winning a Grant Clearly define the goals of the project.
Include a detailed needs assessment.
Describe the scope of the project.
Explain how the activities of the project will meet the needs of the district.
Is there research to support this?
Discuss the evaluation methods including the expected impact.

26. The 50% Rule
The law requires that no single participant in an eligible partnership may “use” more than 50 percent of the subgrant.
Focus is on who directly benefits from the funds, not who receives the funds.

27. Recordkeeping Must keep records that fully show:
The amount of the funds under the grant;
How the funds are used;
The total cost of project activities;
Cost provided from other sources; and
Other records to facilitate an effective audit.

28. Questions, Comments, Concerns
Thank you!