Definitions

In this Act: (1) ESEA definitions The terms child with a disability, educational service agency, elementary school, English learner, local educational agency, outlying area, school leader, secondary school, and State educational agency have the meanings given the terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). (2) Educator preparation program The term educator preparation program means a school, department, or program of education within an institution of higher education that prepares teachers or school leaders. (3) Eligible entity The term eligible entity means a State educational agency. (4) Eligible subgrantee The term eligible subgrantee means— (A) a local educational agency or a consortium of local educational agencies; (B) a local educational agency or a consortium of local educational agencies that partners with 1 or more educator preparation programs; (C) a local educational agency or a consortium of local educational agencies that partners with 1 or more nonprofit entities with a proven track record in providing high-quality induction and mentoring support; (D) an educational service agency, by itself or in partnership with 1 or more educator preparation programs; or (E) an educational service agency, by itself or in partnership with 1 or more nonprofit entities with a proven track record in providing high-quality induction and mentoring support. (5) Fully certified and licensed The term fully certified and licensed means— (A) with respect to a public school teacher, a teacher who— (i) has met all certification or licensure requirements for a standard certificate or license from the State in which the teacher is employed and has a regular, standard certificate, license, or endorsement issued by the State for each subject in which the teacher is employed to teach; (ii) has not had such certification or licensure requirements waived on an emergency, temporary, or provisional basis; and (iii) in the case of a special education teacher, meets the personnel qualifications under section 612(a)(14) of the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(14)); or (B) with respect to a public school leader, a school leader who— (i) has met all certification or licensure requirements for a standard certificate or license from the State in which the school leader is employed and has a regular, standard certificate, license, or endorsement issued by the State for such employment; and (ii) has not had such certification or licensure requirements waived on an emergency, temporary, or provisional basis. (6) Induction program The term induction program means a formalized program for new teachers or school leaders in public schools during not less than the teachers’ or school leaders’ first 2 years of teaching or leading, respectively, that— (A) is designed to provide support for, and improve the professional performance and advance the retention of, beginning teachers or school leaders; (B) promotes effective teaching and leadership skills, respectively; and (C) includes the following components for new teachers and leaders: (i) High-quality and structured teacher or school leader mentoring led by a mentor. (ii) Periodic, structured time for collaboration with teachers or school leaders in the same department or field, including teacher or school leader mentors, as well as time for information-sharing among teachers, principals, administrators, other appropriate instructional staff, and if applicable, participating faculty in the educator preparation program participating in the eligible entity. (iii) Regular and structured formative observation of, and opportunities for, expert feedback in order to inform efforts to support new teachers and school leaders and improve their practice. (iv) Support in the development and application of evidence-based instructional strategies, including the ability to differentiate instruction and support the learning needs of students, including students who are children with disabilities and students who are English learners. (v) Assistance for general and special education teachers and school leaders to support the learning of students who are children with disabilities, including— (I) for general and special education teachers, guidance and instruction related to participation as a member of individualized education program teams, as defined in section 614(d)(1)(B) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(1)(B)); and (II) for school leaders, guidance and instruction in ensuing that students who are children with disabilities receive special education and related services, consistent with the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.), that are needed for those students to meet the challenging State academic standards under section 1111(b)(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(1)). (vi) Opportunities for new teachers or school leaders to draw directly on the expertise of mentors and, if applicable, other experts to support the integration of evidence-based instructional practices. (vii) Support in the development of evidence-based skills in instructional and behavioral supports and interventions, including alignment with State standards on teaching and school leadership. (viii) The modeling of— (I) the integration of research and practice in the classroom; (II) differentiated instruction; and (III) the effective use and integration of technology in the classroom or public school to support instruction. (ix) Interdisciplinary collaboration among exemplary teachers, school leaders, faculty, researchers, and other staff who prepare new teachers or school leaders with respect to the learning process and the assessment of learning, including the development, analysis, and use of formative, interim, and summative assessments. (x) The development of skills to implement and support evidence-based practices that create a positive school culture and climate. (xi) Assistance with the understanding of data, particularly student achievement and classroom engagement data (such as attendance and discipline rates and other measures of school climate), and the applicability of such data in classroom and public school instruction and design. (7) Institution of higher education The term institution of higher education has the meaning given the term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). (8) Mentor The term mentor means— (A) with respect to a teacher mentor, a teacher who— (i) is fully certified and licensed for each subject for which the teacher will provide mentorship; (ii) has demonstrated high skill and effectiveness, which may be demonstrated through advanced certification such as the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification or local evaluation systems; (iii) has at least 3 years of teaching experience; (iv) has demonstrated skill collaborating with others and facilitating adult learning; (v) teaches or has taught in the same or similar field, grade, or subject as the mentee; and (vi) receives formalized and structured training prior to becoming a mentor; or (B) with respect to a school leader mentor, a school leader who— (i) is fully certified and licensed for school leadership; (ii) has demonstrated high skill and effectiveness; (iii) has at least 3 years of school leadership experience; (iv) has served as a school leader in a school that serves students in the same or similar grade spans as the mentee's school; (v) receives formalized and structured training prior to becoming a mentor; and (vi) has demonstrated skill collaborating with others and facilitating adult learning. (9) Public school The term public school means a public elementary school or secondary school. (10) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of Education. (11) State The term State means each of the several States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and each of the outlying areas. (12) Teacher or school leader mentoring The term teacher or school leader mentoring means the mentoring of new or prospective teachers or school leaders by teacher or school leader mentors, respectively, through a program that— (A) includes clear criteria for the selection of mentors who will provide role model relationships for mentees, which criteria shall be developed based on measures of teacher or school leader effectiveness; (B) provides high-quality training for such mentors, including— (i) instructional strategies for comprehensive literacy instruction; (ii) differentiating instruction; (iii) supporting the learning of students who are children with disabilities and students who are English learners; and (iv) creating inclusive and supportive classroom environments (including least restrictive environments for students with disabilities and approaches that improve the schoolwide climate for learning, which may include positive behavioral interventions and supports, including trauma-informed care and social and emotional learning); (C) provides regular and ongoing opportunities for mentors and mentees to observe each other’s teaching or leadership methods in classroom and school settings during the school day; (D) adequately compensates mentors by— (i) reducing the teaching or leading responsibilities, and related workload, of mentors in exchange for the mentorship responsibilities and providing paid release time for mentors; (ii) providing an increase to mentors' salaries commensurate with additional responsibilities; or (iii) providing a stipend to mentors commensurate with additional responsibilities; (E) promotes the empirically based practice of, and evidence-based research on, where applicable— (i) teaching and learning; (ii) assessment of student learning; (iii) the development of teaching skills through the use of instructional and behavioral interventions; and (iv) the improvement of the mentees’ capacity to measurably advance student learning; and (F) includes— (i) common planning time or regularly scheduled collaboration for the mentor and mentee; and (ii) joint professional development opportunities.