20 U.S.C. § 6612 — Definitions

In this subchapter: (1) **School leader residency program** — The term “school leader residency program” means a school-based principal or other school leader preparation program in which a prospective principal or other school leader— (A) for 1 academic year, engages in sustained and rigorous clinical learning with substantial leadership responsibilities and an opportunity to practice and be evaluated in an authentic school setting; and (B) during that academic year— (i) participates in evidence-based coursework, to the extent the State (in consultation with local educational agencies in the State) determines that such evidence is reasonably available, that is integrated with the clinical residency experience; and (ii) receives ongoing support from a mentor principal or other school leader, who is effective. (2) **State** — The term “State” means each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. (3) **State authorizer** — The term “State authorizer” means an entity designated by the Governor of a State to recognize teacher, principal, or other school leader preparation academies within the State that— (A) enters into an agreement with a teacher, principal, or other school leader preparation academy that specifies the goals expected of the academy, as described in paragraph (4)(A)(i); (B) may be a nonprofit organization, State educational agency, or other public entity, or consortium of such entities (including a consortium of States); and (C) does not reauthorize a teacher, principal, or other school leader preparation academy if the academy fails to produce the minimum number or percentage of effective teachers or principals or other school leaders, respectively (as determined by the State), identified in the academy’s authorizing agreement. (4) **Teacher, principal, or other school leader preparation academy** — The term “teacher, principal, or other school leader preparation academy” means a public or other nonprofit entity, which may be an institution of higher education or an organization affiliated with an institution of higher education, that establishes an academy that will prepare teachers, principals, or other school leaders to serve in high-needs schools, and that— (A) enters into an agreement with a State authorizer that specifies the goals expected of the academy, including— (i) a requirement that prospective teachers, principals, or other school leaders who are enrolled in the academy receive a significant part of their training through clinical preparation that partners the prospective candidate with an effective teacher, principal, or other school leader, as determined by the State, respectively, with a demonstrated record of increasing student academic achievement, including for the subgroups of students defined in [section 6311(c)(2) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title20-section6311/c/2&num=0&edition=prelim), while also receiving concurrent instruction from the academy in the content area (or areas) in which the prospective teacher, principal, or other school leader will become certified or licensed that links to the clinical preparation experience; (ii) the number of effective teachers, principals, or other school leaders, respectively, who will demonstrate success in increasing student academic achievement that the academy will prepare; and (iii) a requirement that the academy will award a certificate of completion (or degree, if the academy is, or is affiliated with, an institution of higher education) to a teacher only after the teacher demonstrates that the teacher is an effective teacher, as determined by the State, with a demonstrated record of increasing student academic achievement either as a student teacher or teacher-of-record on an alternative certificate, license, or credential; (iv) a requirement that the academy will award a certificate of completion (or degree, if the academy is, or is affiliated with, an institution of higher education) to a principal or other school leader only after the principal or other school leader demonstrates a record of success in improving student performance; and (v) timelines for producing cohorts of graduates and conferring certificates of completion (or degrees, if the academy is, or is affiliated with, an institution of higher education) from the academy; (B) does not have unnecessary restrictions on the methods the academy will use to train prospective teacher, principal, or other school leader candidates, including— (i) obligating (or prohibiting) the academy’s faculty to hold advanced degrees or conduct academic research; (ii) restrictions related to the academy’s physical infrastructure; (iii) restrictions related to the number of course credits required as part of the program of study; (iv) restrictions related to the undergraduate coursework completed by teachers teaching or working on alternative certificates, licenses, or credentials, as long as such teachers have successfully passed all relevant State-approved content area examinations; or (v) restrictions related to obtaining accreditation from an accrediting body for purposes of becoming an academy; (C) limits admission to its program to prospective teacher, principal, or other school leader candidates who demonstrate strong potential to improve student academic achievement, based on a rigorous selection process that reviews a candidate’s prior academic achievement or record of professional accomplishment; and (D) results in a certificate of completion or degree that the State may, after reviewing the academy’s results in producing effective teachers, or principals, or other school leaders, respectively (as determined by the State) recognize as at least the equivalent of a master’s degree in education for the purposes of hiring, retention, compensation, and promotion in the State. (5) **Teacher residency program** — The term “teacher residency program” means a school-based teacher preparation program in which a prospective teacher— (A) for not less than 1 academic year, teaches alongside an effective teacher, as determined by the State or local educational agency, who is the teacher of record for the classroom; (B) receives concurrent instruction during the year described in subparagraph (A)— (i) through courses that may be taught by local educational agency personnel or by faculty of the teacher preparation program; and (ii) in the teaching of the content area in which the teacher will become certified or licensed; and (C) acquires effective teaching skills, as demonstrated through completion of a residency program, or other measure determined by the State, which may include a teacher performance assessment.