[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1521 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1521
To provide for teacher acculturation, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 28, 2005
Mr. Akaka introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for teacher acculturation, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. TEACHER ACCULTURATION.
Title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021 et
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``PART C--TEACHER ACCULTURATION
``SEC. 231. SHORT TITLE.
``This part may be cited as the `Teacher Acculturation Act of
2005'.
``SEC. 232. FINDINGS.
``Congress makes the following findings:
``(1) Every person (child, adolescent, or adult) has her or
his own cluster of learning modalities.
``(2) These individual learning modalities are the result
of many factors, including the person's cultural heritage,
language, and socioeconomic background.
``(3) Research has shown that learning occurs best within a
learning environment that closely matches a person's individual
learning modalities.
``(4) There is a strong correlation between--
``(A) the lack of academic achievement of a
student; and
``(B) a lack of congruence between--
``(i) the learning modalities of the
student; and
``(ii) the teaching pedagogy of the
teacher.
``(5) One of the factors that significantly impacts
learning modalities is a student's culture.
``(6) A congruence between the cultural norms embedded in
the teaching environment and the culture of a student has been
shown to significantly improve the academic achievement of the
student.
``(7) The teacher has the most control in setting the
cultural environment of the classroom.
``SEC. 233. PURPOSE.
``It is the purpose of this part to develop a core group of
teachers who are able to provide instruction in a way that is
culturally congruent with the learning modalities of the students they
are teaching, in order to--
``(1) ameliorate the lack of cultural congruence between
teachers and the students they teach; and
``(2) improve student achievement.
``SEC. 234. DEFINITIONS.
``In this part:
``(1) Induction phase.--The term `induction phase' means
the period when a teacher is new to the profession, the
classroom, or a school.
``(2) In-service phase.--The term `in-service phase' means
the period during and throughout the professional life of a
teacher.
``(3) Practicum phase.--The term `practicum phase' means
the period beginning with the last year of a teacher
preparation program at an institution of higher education when
the student is spending time in a prekindergarten through grade
12 classroom, and culminating at the end of the student
teaching portion of the student's teacher preparation program.
``(4) Supervising academic.--The term `supervising
academic' means a member of the faculty of an institution of
higher education who--
``(A) is designated to oversee, coordinate, and
participate in the field placement or student teaching
experience of a preservice teacher; and
``(B) works in conjunction with a supervising
practitioner.
``(5) Supervising practitioner.--The term `supervising
practitioner' means a prekindergarten through grade 12 teacher
in a school who--
``(A) is designated to coach, observe, and evaluate
a preservice teacher at the school during the
preservice teacher's field placement or student
teaching experience in the classroom; and
``(B) works in conjunction with the supervising
academic.
``SEC. 235. MEASURE OF CULTURAL MISMATCH.
``The Secretary, in consultation with relevant educational and
cultural governmental and nongovernmental entities and not later than
180 days after the date of enactment of the Teacher Acculturation Act
of 2005, shall develop a measure of cultural mismatch for purposes of--
``(1) the demonstration program under section 236; and
``(2) the composition of partnerships described in sections
242 and 263.
``SEC. 236. DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to carry out a
demonstration program to investigate, develop, and test methods to
attempt to ameliorate the cultural mismatch between teachers and the
students they teach.
``(b) Components.--The demonstration program shall consist of--
``(1) professional development activities occurring during
3 different phases of a teacher's professional life, including
the practicum phase, induction phase, and in-service phase; and
``(2) the development of centers of excellence in
multicultural education.
``Subpart 1--Induction Phase Component
``SEC. 241. GRANTS AUTHORIZED.
``In carrying out the demonstration program under this part, the
Secretary is authorized to award grants to eligible partnerships to
enable the eligible partnerships to carry out the induction phase
component of the teacher preparation assisted under this subpart.
``SEC. 242. ELIGIBLE PARTNERSHIPS.
``In this subpart, the term `eligible partnership' means a
partnership consisting of--
``(1) a local educational agency, with a high percentage of
students who have a cultural mismatch with the majority of the
teaching staff at the schools served by the local educational
agency, collaborating with--
``(A) a cohort of induction phase teachers from the
local educational agency; and
``(B) members of a school community who are--
``(i) from the cultural background of the
students to be taught by the teachers assisted
under the grant; and
``(ii) knowledgeable about the cultural
norms of the community; and
``(2) an institution of higher education or organization
with expertise in multicultural education, collaborating with a
mentor, coach, or facilitator who will work with the cohort
described in paragraph (1)(A).
``SEC. 243. INDUCTION PHASE COMPONENT.
``An eligible partnership that receives a grant under this subpart
shall use the grant funds to carry an induction phase component of the
demonstration program that may include the following:
``(1) A summer workshop held during the summer prior to a
program year (as described in paragraph (2)), in which
participant teachers study the basics of the following:
``(A) Multicultural education.
``(B) The cultural norms of the students served by
the local educational agency where the participant
teachers will be teaching.
``(C) The history of the municipality and the
cultural groups where the participant teachers will be
teaching.
``(2) A program year during the school year designed to
include--
``(A) a series of classroom-based teaching
activities and observations, including pre- and post-
activity discussion under the coaching of a person
experienced in leading such a program and trained in
the principles of multicultural education;
``(B) individual one-on-one mentoring by a mentor,
coach, or facilitator participating in the eligible
partnership;
``(C) classroom visits including possible
videotaping of the lessons; and
``(D) group meetings to reflect on--
``(i) a classroom visit described in
subparagraph (C); or
``(ii) the progress of the program.
``(3) A workshop or institute during the summer immediately
after a program year (as described in paragraph (2)) that may
include the following:
``(A) Analysis of lessons developed and taught
during the program year.
``(B) Practice lessons presented to the cohort
described in section 242(1)(A).
``(C) Analysis of participant teacher growth over
the duration of the program.
``(D) Development of a reflective portfolio, for
each member of the cohort described in section
242(1)(A), of the member's experience in the program.
``SEC. 244. USE OF FUNDS.
``Grant funds provided under this subpart may be used for--
``(1) stipends and release time for participant teachers;
``(2) compensation for mentors, coaches, facilitators, or
substitutes;
``(3) reimbursement for normal expenses incurred by the
eligible partnership during the grant period; and
``(4) equipment, supplies, and travel necessary for the
program.
``SEC. 245. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary to carry out this subpart for fiscal year 2006 and each of
the 5 succeeding fiscal years.
``Subpart 2--Practicum Phase Component
``SEC. 251. GRANTS AUTHORIZED.
``In carrying out the demonstration program under this part, the
Secretary is authorized to award grants to eligible partnerships to
enable the eligible partnerships to carry out the practicum phase
component of the teacher preparation assisted under this subpart.
``SEC. 252. ELIGIBLE PARTNERSHIPS.
``In this subpart, the term `eligible partnership' means a
partnership consisting of--
``(1) a teacher preparation program approved by a State
educational agency and accredited by the National Council for
Accreditation of Teacher Education, collaborating with--
``(A) a cohort of practicum phase students; and
``(B) a faculty member who serves as a supervising
practitioner;
``(2) a local educational agency--
``(A) serving a student population whose cultural
norms--
``(i) are different from the cultural norms
of the participating teacher preparation
program students; and
``(ii) are similar to the cultural norms of
the students or community served by a local
educational agency where the participating
teacher preparation program students will be
looking for employment; and
``(B) collaborating with a group of supervising
practitioners; and
``(3) a support committee for the practicum program, that
provides cultural norms to the practicum participants, which
may include--
``(A) a center of excellence described in subpart
3;
``(B) faculty or staff of a school, local
educational agency, or State educational agency;
``(C) parents or family members of a student taught
by the student teachers assisted under the grant;
``(D) community stakeholders; or
``(E) organizations with expertise in multicultural
education.
``SEC. 253. PRACTICUM PHASE COMPONENT.
``An eligible partnership that receives a grant under this subpart
shall use the grant funds to carry out a practicum phase component of
the demonstration program that may include the following:
``(1) A course for the practicum students covering
multicultural education, including specifics pertaining to the
cultural norms of the students served by the local educational
agency where the students will be participating in the
practicum.
``(2) A program running contemporaneous to the practicum
that includes--
``(A) a program under the coaching of a supervising
academic where the practicum students interact with
each other to discuss their experiences;
``(B) individual one-on-one coaching by a
supervising academic;
``(C) classroom visits to the locations of other
student teachers in the cohort described in section
252(1)(A), including possible videotaping of the
lessons; and
``(D) periodic cohort meetings during the practicum
to reflect on the progress of the program.
``(3) A followup program at the conclusion of the practicum
carried out by the teacher preparation program participating in
the eligible partnership.
``SEC. 254. USE OF FUNDS.
``Grant funds provided under this subpart may be used for--
``(1) compensation for a supervising academic or a
supervising practitioner;
``(2) scholarships for participants; and
``(3) equipment, supplies, travel, and other expenses
appropriate to the program.
``SEC. 255. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary to carry out this subpart for fiscal year 2006 and each of
the 5 succeeding fiscal years.
``Subpart 3--Centers of Excellence in Multicultural Education
``SEC. 261. CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE AUTHORIZED.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to establish not
more than 10 centers to support excellence in multicultural education.
``(b) Duties.--Such centers shall--
``(1) support participants during the practicum phases and
induction phases of their teacher preparation;
``(2) develop and implement an in-service phase program;
``(3) develop or expand the theory and practice of
multicultural education; and
``(4) collect appropriate data to allow for the evaluation
of the activities implemented under this part.
``SEC. 262. LOCATION OF CENTERS.
``The centers shall--
``(1) be located within universities, colleges or schools
with teacher education programs approved by the appropriate
State educational agency and accredited by the National Council
for Accreditation of Teacher Education;
``(2) be located in geographically diverse areas of the
United States; and
``(3) be distributed among institutions of higher education
serving various cultural communities.
``SEC. 263. PARTNERSHIPS.
``The centers may form partnerships, for the purpose of carrying
out the duties described in section 261(b), with--
``(1) a college or school of teacher education;
``(2) at least 1 local educational agency with a high
degree of cultural mismatch between the local educational
agency's teachers and the students they teach;
``(3) an academic department, center, or program that
focuses on the study of cultural mismatches, such as cultural
mismatches related to gender, race, national origin, or other
similar areas; or
``(4) such additional entities as the centers determine
appropriate.
``SEC. 264. USE OF FUNDS.
``Funds made available under this subpart may be used for the
following:
``(1) Financial support for researchers, such as doctoral
and post-doctoral fellowships.
``(2) In-service multicultural education workshops for
teachers.
``(3) Supporting the programs assisted under subpart 1 or
2.
``(4) Supporting research into best practices in
multicultural education, performing evaluation of the best
practices, and carrying out a dissemination program for the
best practices that improve student academic achievement.
``(5) Evaluation of--
``(A) the activities of the centers; and
``(B) the impact of the activities of the centers
on teaching practices and student achievement.
``SEC. 265. ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CENTERS.
``The Secretary is authorized to convene an annual meeting of all
centers assisted under this subpart for the purpose of enabling the
centers to share information, research, and best practices.
``SEC. 266. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary to carry out this subpart for fiscal year 2006 and each of
the 5 succeeding fiscal years.
``Subpart 4--General Provisions
``SEC. 271. ANNUAL REPORTS.
(a) Report.--Each eligible partnership that receives a grant, and
each center that receives assistance, under this part shall prepare and
submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of
the Senate, and the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the
House of Representatives, a report on the activities of the eligible
partnership or center, respectively, that are supported under this
part.
(b) Date.--The report described in subsection (a) shall be
submitted 2 years after the date of enactment of the Teacher
Acculturation Act of 2005, and annually thereafter for the duration of
the grant or assistance, as the case may be.''.
<all>