Improving Teacher Quality State Grants

Improving Teacher Quality State Grants
Name	Improving Teacher Quality State Grants
Established	1998
Administered by	United States Department of Education
Type	Federal grant program
Purpose	Improve teacher and principal quality
Legislation	Higher Education Act of 1965

Improving Teacher Quality State Grants are a federal grant program aimed at enhancing K–12 teacher and principal effectiveness through professional development, recruitment, and retention initiatives. The program provides formula grants to states to support evidence-based activities, partnerships with institutions of higher education, and alignment with state standards and assessments. It is administered within the United States Department of Education and has been shaped by multiple reauthorizations and policy debates involving Congress, state departments, and education stakeholders.

Background and Purpose

The program originated under the Higher Education Act of 1965 reauthorization efforts that included the Teacher Quality Enhancement Program, reflecting bipartisan interest from members of the United States Congress such as leaders on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. Its stated purpose connects to initiatives promoted by administrations including the Clinton administration, the George W. Bush administration, and the Barack Obama administration, each of which emphasized links to standards promulgated by state standards boards and the National Assessment Governing Board. The initiative has intersected with efforts led by organizations like the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, the National Education Association, and advocacy groups such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that supported teacher effectiveness research.

Funding and Administration

Grants are allocated via a statutory formula overseen by the United States Department of Education and rely on appropriations approved by the United States Congress through annual budget and appropriations processes dominated by the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee. State educational agencies, including entities like the California Department of Education, the Texas Education Agency, and the New York State Education Department, administer funds and report to federal offices such as the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. Program administration often requires coordination with regional accrediting bodies like the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and institutions including Harvard University, Stanford University, and state universities that serve as professional development partners.

Eligible Activities and Uses of Funds

Allowed activities historically include professional development models advanced by groups such as the Learning Forward (formerly National Staff Development Council), induction programs exemplified in research from the RAND Corporation, teacher recruitment efforts similar to initiatives by the Teach For America organization, and partnerships with institutions like the University of Michigan and Teachers College, Columbia University. Funds may support coursework linked to state certification maintained by boards like the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and program evaluation with technical assistance from entities like the American Institutes for Research and the Institute of Education Sciences. Activities often reference standards influenced by organizations such as the Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

State and Local Implementation

State educational agencies develop plans that engage local educational agencies including large districts such as the Los Angeles Unified School District, the Chicago Public Schools, and Miami-Dade County Public Schools, as well as rural districts in states like Montana and Alabama. Implementation frequently involves higher education partners including State University of New York campuses, University of California campuses, and land-grant institutions such as Iowa State University. Local school boards, including those in Philadelphia and Houston, set policy for professional development calendars and collective bargaining agreements with teacher organizations like the American Federation of Teachers that affect use of grant-funded activities.

Program Outcomes and Evaluation

Evaluations have been conducted by federal offices and external researchers including the Institute of Education Sciences, the National Bureau of Economic Research, and the Brookings Institution. Outcome measures referenced in studies include teacher retention metrics in districts like Boston Public Schools, improvements in classroom observation ratings tied to frameworks such as the Danielson Framework for Teaching, and student achievement trends measured on assessments overseen by the Education Testing Service and state testing consortia. Reviews have drawn on longitudinal work from scholars at institutions like Harvard Graduate School of Education, University of Michigan School of Education, and policy analyses from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Legislative History and Reauthorization

The program’s statutory authority traces to amendments made during reauthorizations of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and subsequent legislative action in Congress, including bills debated in the 109th United States Congress and the 111th United States Congress. Reauthorization discussions have involved policymakers such as former senators and representatives active on the HELP Committee and the House education panel, and have intersected with major federal statutes like the No Child Left Behind Act and the Every Student Succeeds Act. Debates over funding levels and program priorities have involved testimony from organizations like the National Center for Teacher Quality and analyses by think tanks such as the American Enterprise Institute and the Economic Policy Institute.

Category:Federal assistance in the United States