§ 6673 — School Leader Recruitment And Support

(a) From the funds reserved under section 6671(2) of this title for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to enable such entities to improve the recruitment, preparation, placement, support, and retention of effective principals or other school leaders in high-need schools, which may include— (1) developing or implementing leadership training programs designed to prepare and support principals or other school leaders in high-need schools, including through new or alternative pathways or school leader residency programs; (2) developing or implementing programs or activities for recruiting, selecting, and developing aspiring or current principals or other school leaders to serve in high-need schools; (3) developing or implementing programs for recruiting, developing, and placing school leaders to improve schools implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities and targeted support and improvement activities under section 6311(d) of this title, including through cohort-based activities that build effective instructional and school leadership teams and develop a school culture, design, instructional program, and professional development program focused on improving student learning; (4) providing continuous professional development for principals or other school leaders in high-need schools; (5) developing and disseminating information on best practices and strategies for effective school leadership in high-need schools, such as training and supporting principals to identify, develop, and maintain school leadership teams using various leadership models; and (6) other evidence-based programs or activities described in section 6611(c)(4) of this title or section 6613(b)(3) of this title focused on principals or other school leaders in high-need schools. (1) A grant awarded by the Secretary to an eligible entity under this section shall be for a period of not more than 5 years. (2) The Secretary may renew a grant awarded under this section for 1 additional 2-year period. (3) In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that, to the extent practicable, grants are distributed among eligible entities that will serve geographically diverse areas, including urban, suburban, and rural areas. (4) The Secretary shall not award more than 1 grant under this section to an eligible entity during a grant competition. (1) An eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall provide, from non-Federal sources, not less than 25 percent of the funds for the total cost for each year of activities carried out under this section. (2) An eligible entity that receives a grant under this section may meet the requirement of paragraph (1) by providing contributions in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, including plant, equipment, and services. (3) The Secretary may waive or modify the requirement of paragraph (1) in cases of demonstrated financial hardship. (d) An eligible entity that desires a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, and in such manner, as the Secretary may require. (e) In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to an eligible entity— (1) with a record of preparing or developing principals who— (A) have improved school-level student outcomes; (B) have become principals in high-need schools; and (C) remain principals in high-need schools for multiple years; and (2) who will implement evidence-based activities, defined for the purpose of this paragraph as activities meeting the requirements of section 7801(21)(A)(i) of this title. (f) In this section: (1) The term “eligible entity” means— (A) a local educational agency, including an educational service agency, that serves a high-need school or a consortium of such agencies; (B) a State educational agency or a consortium of such agencies; (C) a State educational agency in partnership with 1 or more local educational agencies, or educational service agencies, that serve a high-need school; (D) the Bureau of Indian Education; or (E) an entity described in subparagraph (A), (B), (C), or (D) in partnership with 1 or more nonprofit organizations or institutions of higher education. (2) The term “high-need school” means— (A) an elementary school in which not less than 50 percent of the enrolled students are from families with incomes below the poverty line; or (B) a secondary school in which not less than 40 percent of the enrolled students are from families with incomes below the poverty line.