Activities

(a) In General An eligible partnership that receives a grant under this subtitle shall use grant funds to carry out model demonstration projects for the pre-baccalaureate or post-baccalaureate preparation of educators. Such model demonstration projects shall include— (1) collaboration with departments, programs, or units of a partner institution outside of the educator preparation program in all academic content areas, as appropriate, to ensure that prospective educators receive training in both teaching and relevant content areas in order to meet the applicable State requirements to gaining full certification or licensure; (2) prospective teacher, principal, and other educator recruitment goals and program priorities developed in coordination with the hiring objectives of the high-need local educational agency participating in the eligible partnership; (3) integration of technology, including Artificial Intelligence, with appropriate privacy and safety guardrails, into the strategies and initiatives carried out with grant funds to empower students to expand their learning beyond the confines of the traditional classroom, support self-directed learning, help educators tailor learning experiences to individual student needs, support students with disabilities and English language learners, and improve student outcomes; (4) development of leadership skills with a demonstrated impact on student and school success, including the ability to create a continuous learning environment for teachers, staff, and students; (5) a rigorous external evaluation of the impact of the model demonstration project on both student and educator outcomes, including academic achievement and educator satisfaction and retention; and (6) a comprehensive external assessment of the degree to which the model demonstration project can be replicated, scaled, and sustained in real-world settings, by staff employed in those settings, while achieving outcomes similar to those attained under the demonstration project supported by the grant. (b) Permissible activities An eligible partnership that receives a grant under this subtitle may use grant funds to carry out— (1) educator preparation program curriculum changes that address gaps in educator knowledge or skills identified by the educator preparation program or other members of the eligible partnership; (2) enhanced training to ensure that general education teachers and other educators, including school principals, can effectively participate as members of an individualized education program team, as defined in section 614(d)(1)(B) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1414); (3) specialized preparation to ensure educators possess the skills to meet the social and emotional needs of students and can create inclusive and culturally responsive learning environments; (4) preparation on effective strategies for comprehensive literacy instruction, as defined in section 2221(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6641); (5) expanded preservice clinical experience, including through residency programs that blend a rigorous full-year clinical experience with closely aligned academic coursework, Grow Your Own programs, and other models; (6) an induction program for new educators; or (7) activities in support of the movement toward team-based staffing models, integration of curricula or clinical experiences that emphasize working effectively as part of an instructional team, and specialized preparation for school leaders on successfully managing the transition to a team-based structure.