Title II A - Effective Instruction

Title II, Part A - provides flow-through grants to LEAs to (1) increase student academic achievement through strategies such as improving teacher quality and increasing the number of highly qualified teachers in the classroom and highly qualified principals and assistant principals in schools and (2) hold LEAs and schools accountable for improvements in student academic achievement. Districts’ use of funds must target schools that have the lowest proportion of highly qualified teachers, have the largest average class size or are identified for school improvement. Funds may be used for the following:

·         Recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers

·         Developing and implementing initiatives to assist in recruiting, hiring and retaining highly qualified teachers, such as providing scholarships, signing bonuses, or other financial incentives

·         Providing professional development activities that will improve the knowledge of teachers and principals, and in appropriate cases, paraprofessionals focused in one or more of the core academic subjects that teachers teach; and effective instructional strategies, methods and skills

·         Developing and implementing initiatives to promote retention of highly qualified teachers and principals within schools with a high percentage of low-achieving students, including programs that provide teacher mentoring from exemplary teachers

·         Carrying out professional development activities and programs designed to improve the quality of the teacher force, principals, etc.

·         Hiring quality teachers including teachers who become highly qualified through an alternate route.