Title II — Preparing, training, and recruiting high-quality teachers and principals

“(2) enhance the knowledge of elementary school principals and other school administrators in early childhood development and learning and to build ongoing relationships with early childhood education programs to create a continuum of developmentally appropriate and effective learning; and”

“(4) A description of how the State educational agency, in collaboration with other agencies that oversee early childhood development and education programs and the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care designated or established under section 642B of the Head Start Act, will ensure that high-quality, evidence-based professional development activities assisted under this subpart reflect research and best practices across all domains of child development and learning.”

“(12) A description of the State’s plan for reforming, by not later than the end of the 2015–2016 school year and consistent with section 2113(c)(1), teacher certification or licensing requirements that reflect the specialized knowledge and skills needed for teachers of children in the early grades of elementary school and younger children, and elementary school principal certification or licensing requirements to reflect knowledge of child development and learning.”

“(1) Reforming teacher and principal certification (including recertification) or licensing requirements to ensure that—

“(A) teachers have the necessary subject matter knowledge and teaching skills in the academic subjects that the teachers teach and the necessary specialized knowledge of child development and learning for those teachers working with children in the early grades of elementary school and younger children, including knowledge of State early learning guidelines and State early grade standards, and understanding of child instructional assessment, including observational assessment, to improve instruction and services for children;

“(B) principals have the instructional leadership skills, including collaboration with other early childhood education providers and support services, and knowledge of child development and learning to help teachers teach and students learn;

“(C) teacher certification (including recertification) or licensing requirements are aligned with challenging State academic content standards and State early learning guidelines, including a separate certification for teachers of early childhood education for the early grades of elementary school and younger children; and

“(D) teachers have the subject matter knowledge and teaching skills, including technology literacy, and principals have the instructional leadership skills and knowledge of child development and learning and collaboration with early childhood education providers, necessary to help—

“(i) students meet challenging State student academic achievement standards, and State early learning guidelines and State early grade standards; and

“(ii) promote appropriate and effective transitions from early childhood education programs to school.”

“(7) Developing high-quality, evidence-based professional development opportunities—

“(A) for principals, superintendents, and local educational agency staff with responsibility for curriculum, assessment, special education, and teacher professional development, to gain knowledge of—

“(i) child development and learning (including cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development and approaches to learning) of children from birth through the early grades of elementary school; and

“(ii) developmentally appropriate practices to support children’s positive development and learning; and

“(B) to create collaborations with community-based early childhood education programs for joint high-quality, evidence-based professional development and transition activities for young children and families.

“(8) Providing joint high-quality, evidence-based professional development for elementary school teachers and staff with early childhood education program staff, for—

“(A) a shared understanding and communication of continuity of expectations for students in all domains of learning and development (including language, literacy, mathematics, creative arts, science, social studies, social and emotional development, physical development and health, and approaches to learning);

“(B) appropriate curricula and instructional assessment practices;

“(C) family engagement; and

“(D) transition between community-based early childhood education programs and school.”

“(A) teach and address the needs of children in the early grades of elementary school and younger children with different learning styles, particularly students with disabilities, students with special learning needs (including students who are gifted and talented), students with limited English proficiency;

“(B) improve student behavior in the classroom and identify early and appropriate interventions to help students described in subparagraph (A) learn;

“(C) engage families in their child's education in a meaningful, and culturally and linguistically appropriate, manner;

“(D) understand and use data and assessments to improve classroom practice and student learning; and

“(E) understand and implement effective, developmentally appropriate curricula, teaching, and instructional assessment practices for children in the early grades of elementary school and younger children in all domains of learning and development (including language, literacy, mathematics, creative arts, science, social studies, social and emotional development, physical development and health, and approaches to learning), and including the principles of universal design for learning.”

“(i) involve collaborative groups of teachers and administrators;

“(ii) involve joint high-quality, evidence-based professional development with other early childhood education programs (including Head Start programs, child care programs, and State funded prekindergarten programs) on developmentally appropriate curricula, assessments for instructional improvement, and other supports of children’s development and learning and shared expectations for transitions from preschool to kindergarten and the early elementary grades;

“(iii) provide training in how to teach and address the needs of students with different learning styles, particularly students with disabilities, students with special learning needs (including students who are gifted and talented), and students with limited English proficiency;

“(iv) provide training in child development and learning (including cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development and approaches to learning) of children from birth through the early grades of elementary school;

“(v) provide training in methods of—

“(I) improving student behavior in the classroom; and

“(II) identifying early and appropriate interventions to help students described in clause (iii) learn;

“(vi) provide training to enable teachers and principals to involve parents in their child's education, especially parents of limited English proficient children and immigrant children;

“(vii) provide training on how to understand and use data and assessments to improve classroom practice and student learning; and

“(viii) provide training on how to implement the principles of universal design for learning.”

“(7) Carrying out high-quality, evidence-based professional development for elementary school principals and other school administrators in early childhood development and education, including—

“(A) knowledge of child development and developmentally appropriate curricula and teaching practices;

“(B) collaboration with community-based early childhood education programs, such as Head Start programs, Early Head Start programs, and child care programs;

“(C) meaningful engagement of families in children’s learning and development; and

“(D) support for teachers in the early grades of elementary school to use developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate curricula and teaching practices.”