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H.R. 848: Great Teaching and Leading for Great Schools Act of 2015

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H.R. 848: Great Teaching and Leading for Great Schools Act of 2015

114th Congress · introduced 2015-02-10 · Education · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2015-02-10 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Polis, Jared [D-CO-2] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Great Teaching and Leading for Great Schools Act of 2015

Plain summary

Great Teaching and Leading for Great Schools Act of 2015 Amends part A (Teacher and Principal Training and Recruiting Fund) of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require states to use at least 50% of their part A grant funds that are reserved for state activities for programs and activities to improve principal effectiveness. Adds to the state activities those grants may fund, the development and implementation of: teacher and principal licensure systems that provide a single license for entry into the profession for candidates who complete a state-approved teacher or principal preparation program; a teacher evaluation system that has at least three different performance ratings and is based on student academic outcomes and observations of teacher performance; and a school principal evaluation system that has at least three different performance ratings and is based on student academic outcomes, principal leadership practices, and the recruitment, development, evaluation, and retention of effective teachers. Requires local educational agencies (LEAs) that receive a subgrant under part A to use at least 10% of the subgrant for programs and activities to improve principal effectiveness. Adds to the educator training, retention, and recruiting efforts those subgrants may fund: the development of strategies that provide differentiated pay and recognition for teachers and principals based on effectiveness and increased responsibilities; efforts to increase the knowledge and skills of principal managers, principals, assistant principals, coaches and teacher leaders; the implementation of the teacher and principal evaluation systems developed by their state; and the implementation of a formal evaluation system to determine the effectiveness of the programs carried out under such systems. Redefines "professional development" as a comprehensive system of professional learning to increase educator effectiveness in improving student learning and achievement that: fosters collective responsibility for improved student performance; is aligned with rigorous state student academic achievement standards and related LEA and school improvement goals; is conducted among educators at the school and facilitated by well-prepared school principals and school-based professional development coaches, mentors, master teachers, or other teacher leaders who have demonstrated success with the given student population; primarily occurs several times per week, or the equivalent of several hours per week, among established teams of teachers, principals, and other instructional staff members that engage in a continuous cycle of improvement; and may be supported by activities such as courses, workshops, institutes, networks, and conferences that are provided by entities outside the school.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Great Teaching and Leading for Great Schools Act of 2015

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Polis, Jared [D-CO-2] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong114-hr848 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114