---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 6602"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "6602"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/6602"
units:
  - "Chapter 70 — Strengthening and Improvement of Elementary and Secondary Schools"
  - "Subchapter II — Preparing, Training, and Recruiting High-Quality Teachers, Principals, or Other School Leaders"
---

# §6602. Definitions


In this subchapter:

- (1) **School leader residency program—** The term “school leader residency program” means a school-based principal or other [school leader](/usc/20/7801.md?p=44) preparation program in which a prospective principal or other [school leader](/usc/20/7801.md?p=44)—
  - (A) for 1 academic year, engages in sustained and rigorous clinical learning with substantial leadership responsibilities and an opportunity to practice and be evaluated in an authentic school setting; and
  - (B) during that academic year—
    - (i) participates in [evidence-based](/usc/20/7801.md?p=21-A) coursework, to the extent the [State](#2) (in consultation with [local educational agencies](/usc/20/7801.md?p=30-A) in the [State](#2)) determines that such evidence is reasonably available, that is integrated with the clinical residency experience; and
    - (ii) receives ongoing support from a mentor principal or other [school leader](/usc/20/7801.md?p=44), who is effective.
- (2) **State—** The term “State” means each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
- (3) **State authorizer—** The term “State authorizer” means an entity designated by the Governor of a [State](#2) to recognize [teacher, principal, or other school leader preparation academies](#4) within the [State](#2) that—
  - (A) enters into an agreement with a [teacher, principal, or other school leader preparation academy](#4) that specifies the goals expected of the academy, as described in [paragraph (4)(A)(i)](#4-A-i);
  - (B) may be a nonprofit organization, [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49), or other public entity, or consortium of such entities (including a consortium of [States](#2)); and
  - (C) does not reauthorize a [teacher, principal, or other school leader preparation academy](#4) if the academy fails to produce the minimum number or percentage of effective teachers or principals or other [school leaders](/usc/20/7801.md?p=44), respectively (as determined by the [State](#2)), identified in the academy’s authorizing agreement.
- (4) **Teacher, principal, or other school leader preparation academy—** The term “teacher, principal, or other school leader preparation academy” means a public or other nonprofit entity, which may be an [institution of higher education](/usc/20/7801.md?p=29) or an organization affiliated with an [institution of higher education](/usc/20/7801.md?p=29), that establishes an academy that will prepare teachers, principals, or other [school leaders](/usc/20/7801.md?p=44) to serve in high-needs schools, and that—
  - (A) enters into an agreement with a [State authorizer](#3) that specifies the goals expected of the academy, including—
    - (i) a requirement that prospective teachers, principals, or other [school leaders](/usc/20/7801.md?p=44) who are enrolled in the academy receive a significant part of their training through clinical preparation that partners the prospective candidate with an effective teacher, principal, or other [school leader](/usc/20/7801.md?p=44), as determined by the [State](#2), respectively, with a demonstrated record of increasing student academic achievement, including for the subgroups of students defined in [section 6311(c)(2) of this title](/usc/20/6311.md?p=c-2), while also receiving concurrent instruction from the academy in the content area (or areas) in which the prospective teacher, principal, or other [school leader](/usc/20/7801.md?p=44) will become certified or licensed that links to the clinical preparation experience;
    - (ii) the number of effective teachers, principals, or other [school leaders](/usc/20/7801.md?p=44), respectively, who will demonstrate success in increasing student academic achievement that the academy will prepare; and
    - (iii) a requirement that the academy will award a certificate of completion (or degree, if the academy is, or is affiliated with, an [institution of higher education](/usc/20/7801.md?p=29)) to a teacher only after the teacher demonstrates that the teacher is an effective teacher, as determined by the [State](#2), with a demonstrated record of increasing student academic achievement either as a student teacher or teacher-of-record on an alternative certificate, license, or credential;
    - (iv) a requirement that the academy will award a certificate of completion (or degree, if the academy is, or is affiliated with, an [institution of higher education](/usc/20/7801.md?p=29)) to a principal or other [school leader](/usc/20/7801.md?p=44) only after the principal or other [school leader](/usc/20/7801.md?p=44) demonstrates a record of success in improving student performance; and
    - (v) timelines for producing cohorts of graduates and conferring certificates of completion (or degrees, if the academy is, or is affiliated with, an [institution of higher education](/usc/20/7801.md?p=29)) from the academy;
  - (B) does not have unnecessary restrictions on the methods the academy will use to train prospective teacher, principal, or other [school leader](/usc/20/7801.md?p=44) candidates, including—
    - (i) obligating (or prohibiting) the academy’s faculty to hold advanced degrees or conduct academic research;
    - (ii) restrictions related to the academy’s physical infrastructure;
    - (iii) restrictions related to the number of course credits required as part of the program of study;
    - (iv) restrictions related to the undergraduate coursework completed by teachers teaching or working on alternative certificates, licenses, or credentials, as long as such teachers have successfully passed all relevant [State](#2)-approved content area examinations; or
    - (v) restrictions related to obtaining accreditation from an accrediting body for purposes of becoming an academy;
  - (C) limits admission to its program to prospective teacher, principal, or other [school leader](/usc/20/7801.md?p=44) candidates who demonstrate strong potential to improve student academic achievement, based on a rigorous selection process that reviews a candidate’s prior academic achievement or record of professional accomplishment; and
  - (D) results in a certificate of completion or degree that the [State](#2) may, after reviewing the academy’s results in producing effective teachers, or principals, or other [school leaders](/usc/20/7801.md?p=44), respectively (as determined by the [State](#2)) recognize as at least the equivalent of a master’s degree in education for the purposes of hiring, retention, compensation, and promotion in the [State](#2).
- (5) **Teacher residency program—** The term “teacher residency program” means a school-based teacher preparation program in which a prospective teacher—
  - (A) for not less than 1 academic year, teaches alongside an effective teacher, as determined by the [State](#2) or [local educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=30-A), who is the teacher of record for the classroom;
  - (B) receives concurrent instruction during the year described in [subparagraph (A)](#5-A)—
    - (i) through courses that may be taught by [local educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=30-A) personnel or by faculty of the teacher preparation program; and
    - (ii) in the teaching of the content area in which the teacher will become certified or licensed; and
  - (C) acquires effective teaching skills, as demonstrated through completion of a residency program, or other measure determined by the [State](#2), which may include a teacher performance assessment.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–10, title II, § 2002, as added Pub. L. 114–95, title II, § 2002, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 1914.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 6602, Pub. L. 89–10, title II, § 2102, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title II, § 201, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1620, defined terms in part A of former subchapter II of this chapter, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 114–95, § 5, title II, § 2002, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 1806, 1913, effective Dec. 10, 2015, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs.

Another prior section 6602, Pub. L. 89–10, title II, § 2002, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title I, § 101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3613, set forth purposes of this subchapter, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 107–110.

A prior section 2002 of Pub. L. 89–10 was classified to section 2982 of this title, prior to the general amendment of Pub. L. 89–10 by Pub. L. 103–382.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective Dec. 10, 2015, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see section 5 of Pub. L. 114–95, set out as an Effective Date of 2015 Amendment note under section 6301 of this title.