§ 1161f — Teach For America

(a) For purposes of this section: (1) The term “grantee” means Teach For America, Inc. (2) (3) The term “high-need local educational agency” has the meaning given such term in section 1021 of this title. (b) From the amounts appropriated under subsection (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) In carrying out the grant program under subsection (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 requirements, including any requirements for certification obtained through alternative routes to certification, or, with regard to special education 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 percentage of underserved students. (1) 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 institute that includes hands-on teaching experience and significant exposure to education coursework and theory. (C) Placing such teachers in schools and positions designated by high-need local educational agencies as high-need placements serving underserved students. (D) Providing ongoing professional development activities for such teachers’ first two years in the classroom, including regular classroom observations and feedback, and ongoing training and support. (2) The grantee shall use all grant funds received 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 accordance with subsection (f)(2). (1) 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 agencies 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. (A) 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) The study shall compare, within the same schools, the achievement gains made by students 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) 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) Each such study shall meet the peer review standards of the education research community. Further, the peer review standards shall ensure that reviewers are practicing researchers and have expertise in assessment systems, accountability, psychometric measurement and statistics, and instruction. (A) The grantee shall contract with an independent auditor to conduct a comprehensive review of the grantee’s accounting, financial reporting, and internal control systems. Such review shall assess whether that grantee’s accounting, financial reporting, and internal control systems are designed to— (i) provide information that is complete, accurate, and reliable; (ii) reasonably detect and prevent material misstatements, as well as fraud, waste, and abuse; and (iii) provide information to demonstrate the grantee’s compliance with related Federal programs, as applicable. (B) Not later than 90 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 August 14, 2008, the independent auditor shall complete the review required by this paragraph. (C) 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 August 14, 2008, the independent auditor shall submit a report to the authorizing committees and the Secretary of the findings of the review required under this paragraph, including any recommendations of the independent auditor, as appropriate, with respect to the grantee’s accounting, financial reporting, and internal control systems. (1) 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) The grantee shall not use more than 5 percent of Federal funds made available under this section for non-programmatic costs to carry out this section.