20 U.S.C. § 1161f — Teach For America

Page 840 TITLE 20—EDUCATION § 1161f (2) Contents Each application submitted under paragraph (1) shall include a description of— (A) how funds made available under this section will be used for the activities set forth under subsection (e), including how such activities will increase knowledge with respect to traditional American history, free institutions, or Western civilization; (B) how the eligible institution will ensure that information about the activities funded under this section is widely disseminated pursuant to subsection (e)(1)(B); (C) any activities to be undertaken pursu- ant to subsection (e)(2)(A), including identi- fication of entities intended to participate; (D) how funds made available under this section shall be used to supplement and not supplant non-Federal funds available for the activities described in subsection (e); and (E) such fiscal controls and accounting procedures as may be necessary to ensure proper disbursement of and accounting for funding made available to the eligible insti- tution under this section. (d) Award basis In awarding grants under this section, the Sec- retary shall take into consideration the capa- bility of the eligible institution to— (1) increase access to quality programming that expands knowledge of traditional Amer- ican history, free institutions, or Western civ- ilization; (2) involve personnel with strong expertise in traditional American history, free institu- tions, or Western civilization; and (3) sustain the activities funded under this section after the grant has expired. (e) Use of funds (1) Required use of funds Funds provided under this section shall be used to— (A) establish or strengthen academic pro- grams or centers focused on traditional American history, free institutions, or West- ern civilization, which may include— (i) design and implementation of pro- grams of study, courses, lecture series, seminars, and symposia; (ii) development, publication, and dis- semination of instructional materials; (iii) research; (iv) support for faculty teaching in un- dergraduate and, if applicable, graduate programs; (v) support for graduate and post- graduate fellowships, if applicable; or (vi) teacher preparation initiatives that stress content mastery regarding tradi- tional American history, free institutions, or Western civilization; and (B) conduct outreach activities to ensure that information about the activities funded under this section is widely disseminated— (i) to undergraduate students (including students enrolled in teacher education pro- grams, if applicable); (ii) to graduate students (including stu- dents enrolled in teacher education pro- grams, if applicable); (iii) to faculty; (iv) to local educational agencies; and (v) within the local community. (2) Allowable uses of funds Funds provided under this section may be used to support— (A) collaboration with entities such as— (i) local educational agencies, for the purpose of providing elementary and sec- ondary school teachers an opportunity to enhance their knowledge of traditional American history, free institutions, or Western civilization; and (ii) nonprofit organizations whose mis- sion is consistent with the purpose of this section, such as academic organizations, museums, and libraries, for assistance in carrying out activities described under subsection (a); and (B) other activities that meet the purposes of this section. (f) Authorization of appropriations For the purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009 and each of the five succeeding fiscal years. (Pub. L. 89–329, title VIII, § 805, as added Pub. L. 110–315, title VIII, § 801, Aug. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 3388.) PART F—TEACH FOR AMERICA § 1161f. Teach For America (a) Definitions For purposes of this section: (1) Grantee The term ‘‘grantee’’ means Teach For Amer- ica, Inc. (2) Repealed. Pub. L. 114–95, title IX, § 9214(c)(12)(A), Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2164 (3) High-need local educational agency The term ‘‘high-need local educational agen- cy’’ has the meaning given such term in sec- tion 1021 of this title. (b) Grants authorized From the amounts appropriated under sub- section (f), the Secretary is authorized to award a five-year grant to Teach For America, Inc., the national teacher corps of outstanding recent college graduates who commit to teach for two years in underserved communities in the United States, to implement and expand its program of recruiting, selecting, training, and supporting new teachers. (c) Requirements In carrying out the grant program under sub- section (b), the Secretary shall enter into an agreement with the grantee under which the grantee agrees to use the grant funds provided under this section to— (1) provide teachers who meet the applicable State certification and licensure require- ments, including any requirements for certifi- cation obtained through alternative routes to certification, or, with regard to special edu- Page 841 TITLE 20—EDUCATION § 1161f cation teachers, the qualifications described in section 1412(a)(14)(C) of this title, to high-need local educational agencies in urban and rural communities; (2) pay the costs of recruiting, selecting, training, and supporting new teachers; and (3) serve a substantial number and percent- age of underserved students. (d) Authorized activities (1) In general Grant funds provided under this section shall be used by the grantee to carry out each of the following activities: (A) Recruiting and selecting teachers through a highly selective national process. (B) Providing preservice training to such teachers through a rigorous summer insti- tute that includes hands-on teaching experi- ence and significant exposure to education coursework and theory. (C) Placing such teachers in schools and positions designated by high-need local edu- cational agencies as high-need placements serving underserved students. (D) Providing ongoing professional devel- opment activities for such teachers’ first two years in the classroom, including reg- ular classroom observations and feedback, and ongoing training and support. (2) Limitation The grantee shall use all grant funds re- ceived under this section to support activities related directly to the recruitment, selection, training, and support of teachers as described in subsection (b), except that funds may be used for non-programmatic costs in accord- ance with subsection (f)(2). (e) Reports and evaluations (1) Annual report The grantee shall provide to the Secretary an annual report that includes— (A) data on the number and quality of the teachers provided to local educational agen- cies through a grant under this section; (B) an externally conducted analysis of the satisfaction of local educational agencies and principals with the teachers so provided; and (C) comprehensive data on the background of the teachers chosen, the training such teachers received, the placement sites of such teachers, the professional development of such teachers, and the retention of such teachers. (2) Study (A) In general From funds appropriated under subsection (f), the Secretary shall provide for a study that examines the achievement levels of the students taught by the teachers assisted under this section. (B) Student achievement gains compared The study shall compare, within the same schools, the achievement gains made by stu- dents taught by teachers who are assisted under this section with the achievement gains made by students taught by teachers who are not assisted under this section. (C) Requirements The Secretary shall provide for such a study not less than once every three years, and each such study shall include multiple placement sites and multiple schools within placement sites. (D) Peer review standards Each such study shall meet the peer re- view standards of the education research community. Further, the peer review stand- ards shall ensure that reviewers are prac- ticing researchers and have expertise in as- sessment systems, accountability, psycho- metric measurement and statistics, and in- struction. (3) Accounting, financial reporting, and inter- nal control systems (A) In general The grantee shall contract with an inde- pendent auditor to conduct a comprehensive review of the grantee’s accounting, financial reporting, and internal control systems. Such review shall assess whether that grant- ee’s accounting, financial reporting, and in- ternal control systems are designed to— (i) provide information that is complete, accurate, and reliable; (ii) reasonably detect and prevent mate- rial misstatements, as well as fraud, waste, and abuse; and (iii) provide information to demonstrate the grantee’s compliance with related Fed- eral programs, as applicable. (B) Review requirements Not later than 90 days after the grantee re- ceives funds to carry out this section for the first fiscal year in which funds become avail- able to carry out this section after August 14, 2008, the independent auditor shall com- plete the review required by this paragraph. (C) Report Not later than 120 days after the grantee receives funds to carry out this section for the first fiscal year in which funds become available to carry out this section after Au- gust 14, 2008, the independent auditor shall submit a report to the authorizing commit- tees and the Secretary of the findings of the review required under this paragraph, in- cluding any recommendations of the inde- pendent auditor, as appropriate, with respect to the grantee’s accounting, financial re- porting, and internal control systems. (f) Authorization of appropriations (1) In general The amount authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section shall not exceed— (A) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; (B) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; and (C) such sums as may be necessary for each of the four succeeding fiscal years. (2) Limitation The grantee shall not use more than 5 per- cent of Federal funds made available under this section for non-programmatic costs to carry out this section. Page 842 TITLE 20—EDUCATION § 1161g (Pub. L. 89–329, title VIII, § 806, as added Pub. L. 110–315, title VIII, § 801, Aug. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 3390; amended Pub. L. 114–95, title IX, § 9214(c)(12), Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2164.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2015—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 114–95, § 9214(c)(12)(A), struck out par. (2). Text read as follows: ‘‘The term ‘highly qualified’ has the meaning given the term in section 7801 of this title or section 1401 of this title.’’ Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 114–95, § 9214(c)(12)(B), sub- stituted ‘‘teachers who meet the applicable State cer- tification and licensure requirements, including any re- quirements for certification obtained through alter- native routes to certification, or, with regard to special education teachers, the qualifications described in sec- tion 1412(a)(14)(C) of this title,’’ for ‘‘highly qualified teachers’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2015 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 114–95 effective Dec. 10, 2015, except with respect to certain noncompetitive pro- grams and competitive programs, see section 5 of Pub. L. 114–95, set out as a note under section 6301 of this title. PART G—PATSY T. MINK FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM § 1161g. Patsy T. Mink fellowship program (a) Purpose; designation (1) In general It is the purpose of this section to provide, through eligible institutions, a program of fel- lowship awards to assist highly qualified mi- norities and women to acquire the doctoral de- gree, or highest possible degree available, in academic areas in which such individuals are underrepresented for the purpose of enabling such individuals to enter the higher education professoriate. (2) Designation Each recipient of a fellowship award from an eligible institution receiving a grant under this section shall be known as a ‘‘Patsy T. Mink Graduate Fellow’’. (b) Eligible institution In this section, the term ‘‘eligible institution’’ means an institution of higher education, or a consortium of such institutions, that offers a program of postbaccalaureate study leading to a graduate degree. (c) Program authorized (1) Grants by Secretary (A) In general From the amounts appropriated under sub- section (f), the Secretary shall award grants to eligible institutions to enable such insti- tutions to make fellowship awards to indi- viduals in accordance with the provisions of this section. (B) Priority consideration In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall consider the eligible institu- tion’s prior experience in producing doctoral degree, or highest possible degree available, holders who are minorities and women, and shall give priority consideration in making grants under this section to those eligible institutions with a demonstrated record of producing minorities and women who have earned such degrees. (2) Applications (A) In general An eligible institution that desires a grant under this section shall submit an applica- tion to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (B) Applications made on behalf The following entities may submit an ap- plication on behalf of an eligible institution: (i) A graduate school or department of such institution. (ii) A graduate school or department of such institution in collaboration with an undergraduate college or school of such in- stitution. (iii) An organizational unit within such institution that offers a program of postbaccalaureate study leading to a grad- uate degree, including an interdisciplinary or an interdepartmental program. (C) Partnership In developing a grant application and car- rying out the grant activities authorized under this section, an eligible institution may partner with a nonprofit organization with a demonstrated record of helping mi- norities and women earn postbaccalaureate degrees. (3) Selection of applications In awarding grants under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— (A) take into account— (i) the number and distribution of minor- ity and female faculty nationally; (ii) the current and projected need for highly trained individuals in all areas of the higher education professoriate; and (iii) the present and projected need for highly trained individuals in academic ca- reer fields in which minorities and women are underrepresented in the higher edu- cation professoriate; and (B) consider the need to prepare a large number of minorities and women generally in academic career fields of high national priority, especially in areas in which such individuals are traditionally underrep- resented in college and university faculty. (4) Distribution and amounts of grants (A) Equitable distribution In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent fea- sible, ensure an equitable geographic dis- tribution of awards and an equitable dis- tribution among public and private eligible institutions that apply for grants under this section and that demonstrate an ability to achieve the purpose of this section. (B) Special rule To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall use not less than 30 percent