Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 108 Part 5.djvu/143

 PUBLIC LAW 103-382—OCT. 20, 1994 108 STAT. 3633 " PART C—PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DEMONSTRATION PROJECT "SEC. 2301. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 20 USC 6671. "(a) FINDINGS.— The Congress finds that— "(1) underlying the standards-driven framework of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act and the high academic standards for eligible students under title I is a widespread need to prepare teachers to teach to higher standards; "(2) prospective and current teachers need knowledge and skills beyond what such teachers currently possess; "(3) while both the Goals 2000: Educate America Act and titles I and II of this Act have extensive references to professional development of teachers, there are no provisions to incorporate 'on-the-ground' planning and implementation to serve as models for local educational agencies across the Nation; and "(4) better prepared teachers can lead to improved student achievement, especially for students who are furthest from reaching high standards. "(b) PURPOSE.— It is the purpose of this part— "(1) to address the need for professional development with a primary focus on teachers; "(2) to provide both prospective teachers and current teachers opportunities to learn both the content and the pedagogy needed to teach to high standards; and "(3) to build models, in a few cities and States, that demonstrate new organizational arrangements and deep investments in teachers necessary to better prepare teachers for new standards and assessments. "SEC. 2302. DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM AUTHORIZED. Grants. „,,„ . 20 USC 6672. (a) GENERAL AUTHORITY.— "(1) IN GENERAI^.—The Secretary shall carry out a demonstration project under which the Secretary awards grants in accordance with this part to eligible partnerships to enable such partnerships to plan 2ind implement profess onal development programs. "(2) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.—The programs described in paragraph (1)— "(A) shall focus on increasing teachers' knowledge and understanding of content by providing teachers opportunities to improve their knowledge and to improve their classroom practice in order to help students meet high academic standards; "(B) shall include teachers at all career stages, from student teachers or interns through senior team leaders or department chairs; and "(C) may incorporate professional development for principals, pupil services personnel, aides, other school-based staff, and parents, "(b) ELIGIBLE PARTNERSHIPS.—For the purpose of this part, the term 'eligible partnership' means a partnership consisting of— "(1) a local educational agency, a subunit of such agency, or a consortium of such agencies, in which not less than 50 percent of the schools served by such agency, subunit, or consor-

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