The “Teacher and School Leader Quality Partnership Grants Act” Would Help School Divisions Receive Federal Funding to Support Teacher & Administrator Residency Programs

DALE CITY, Va. — U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger today — while visiting Dale City Elementary School to learn more about Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Education’s RTR teacher residency program and their partnership with Prince William County Public Schools — announced the introduction of new bipartisan legislation to help local school divisions recruit, train, and retain educators and school administrators.

During her visit, Spanberger stopped by an elementary school classroom that is hosting a teacher resident from VCU and a mentor teacher in Prince William County Public Schools. VCU’s RTR program works to recruit, train, and support educators for high-needs and hard-to-staff schools. Earlier this month, the program received more than $2.3 million in U.S. Department of Education grant funding — for which Spanberger wrote a letter of support — from the Teacher Quality Partnership grant program.

The bipartisan Teacher and School Leader Quality Partnership Grants Act would support teacher and administrator residency programs, like VCU’s RTR program, that invest in teacher training and retention in Virginia and nationwide by strengthening the Teacher Quality Partnership grant program. Specifically, this legislation defines teacher and administrator residency programs under the grant program to help these programs demonstrate clear eligibility for Teacher Quality Partnership grants. The bipartisan bill also requires that eligible partnerships be between a high-needs school division, high-needs school or early childhood education program, and partner institution. Eligible partnerships must also be able to track and meet measurable performance objectives.

During today’s announcement, Spanberger praised the demonstrated outcomes of the VCU School of Education’s RTR program and emphasized how this new bipartisan legislation would help connect successful residency programs with available federal support.

“Allowing more educators-in-training to get hands-on experience in the classroom as they earn their degree is a proven way to grow a strong education workforce. Prince William County Public Schools and Virginia Commonwealth University understand the benefits these learning opportunities provide, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to see firsthand how this partnership enriches the lives of local students, sets aspiring educators up for success in the classroom, and inspires mentor teachers,” said Spanberger. “To help expand these successful partnerships to more communities, I introduced bipartisan legislation to make sure that the investments available to VCU’s teacher and administrator residency program exist for programs across Virginia and across our country.”

Spanberger co-led the introduction of this bipartisan bill with U.S. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01).

“Supporting immersive initiatives like teacher residencies is essential for strengthening and retaining our education workforce, especially as our nation confronts a significant shortage of education professionals,” said Fitzpatrick. “The bipartisan Teacher and School Leader Quality Partnership Grants Act makes a significant investment in our education system and strengthens the pipeline of skilled professionals prepared to lead the educational journey of our future leaders in PA-1 and across the nation.”

At Dale City Elementary School, Spanberger was joined by Dr. LaTanya D. McDade, Superintendent of Prince William County Public Schools; Kathleen M. Rudasill, Interim Dean, VCU School of Education; ​Dr. Babur Lateef, Prince William County Public Schools Chairman At-Large; Kim McKnight, Director, RTR Teacher Residency and Center for Teacher Leadership, VCU School of Education; Brian Slater, Principal, Dale City Elementary School; Tracy Blake, Board Member, Prince William County Public Schools; and additional representatives from VCU and Prince William County Public Schools.

“VCU thanks Congresswoman Spanberger for her efforts to strengthen teacher and leader residency programs,” said Kim McKnight, Ph.D., Executive Director, RTR Teacher Residency. “This legislation will help programs like RTR by supporting the recruitment, training, and retention of extraordinary and inspiring teachers and leaders — because every student deserves great teachers.”

The Teacher and School Leader Quality Partnership Grants Act has been endorsed by the Virginia Education Association (VEA), National Education Association (NEA), American Federation of School Administrators (AFSA), School Superintendents Association (AASA), and National Association of Secondary School Principals.

“The Virginia Education Association enthusiastically supports the introduction of H.R. 9986, the Teacher and School Leader Quality Partnership Grants Act, a bipartisan effort by Rep. Spanberger and Rep. Fitzpatrick. This crucial legislation aims to strengthen the recruitment, preparation and retention of teachers and school leaders and focuses on addressing the growing teacher shortage and improving education quality by supporting high-need schools and providing better pathways for educators,” says Carol Bauer, President, Virginia Education Association. “We all remember, that one incredible, committed teacher who changed our lives. Unfortunately, today a historic number of classrooms in Virginia sit empty or filled with substitutes. Virginia students can’t afford to wait. We applaud Representative Spanberger’s bold leadership in championing this bill, and we stand fully behind this critical effort to rebuild our teacher pipeline and support our schools. The act will allow aspiring educators to gain hands-on classroom experience while working alongside seasoned mentors by providing grants to support high-quality residency programs. It will also invest in developing school leaders, ensuring they are equipped to support teachers and students effectively. These steps will ultimately improve educational outcomes for all students by ensuring that our teachers and leaders have the resources, training, and mentorship they need to succeed.”

“The Teacher and School Leader Partnership Grants Act is a vital step toward ensuring that school leaders, including principals, are better equipped to serve their schools and communities,” said Dr. Leonard P. Pugliese, president of the American Federation of School Administrators. “By expanding this program to include school leader residency programs, this bill provides crucial support for the professional learning and development of education leaders. This emphasis on leadership development is not only essential for improving retention rates among school leaders, but also for enhancing student outcomes across the board. Rep. Abigail Spanberger’s direction on this important legislation highlights her deep understanding of the challenges facing K-12 schools today.”

“This bill is a game-changer for building a sustainable educator pipeline. By encouraging residency programs to partner with high-needs districts, we’re ensuring our most vulnerable students get access to well-prepared teachers and principals who are set up to succeed on day one,” said Ronn Nozoe, CEO, National Association of Secondary School Principals. “I thank Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger (VA-07) for her leadership on this legislation and we are encouraged to work with her as this bill moves forward.”

Click here for the full bill text.

BACKGROUND

The Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Education’s RTR teacher residency program, which has 21 partner school divisions across Virginia, pays for residents’ academic degrees in exchange for three years of service in a high-needs school after graduation. Since its founding in 2011, more than 370 teachers have been prepared and trained by RTR. Click here to learn more about this local program.

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