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Title 20 — EducationRelease 119-73

§6631 Purposes; definitions

Title 20 › Chapter CHAPTER 70— - STRENGTHENING AND IMPROVEMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - PREPARING, TRAINING, AND RECRUITING HIGH-QUALITY TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS, OR OTHER SCHOOL LEADERS › Part Part B— - National Activities › Subpart subpart 1— - teacher and school leader incentive program › § 6631

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Helps states, school districts, and nonprofits create, run, or improve pay and human-resources systems for teachers, principals, and other school leaders that reward them for helping students learn more and for closing gaps between high- and low-performing students, especially in schools with the greatest needs. It also supports studying those pay and human-resources systems to see if they work well, are fair, and give consistent, reliable results. Eligible entity: a local school district (including charter schools that act as districts), a state education or other state agency the governor chooses, the Bureau of Indian Education, or a partnership of those agencies with at least one nonprofit or for-profit group. High-need school: a public elementary or secondary school where 30% or more of students live in poverty. Human capital management system: how a district makes and carries out staffing and pay decisions and that includes a performance-pay plan. Performance-based compensation system: pay that varies in part with measurable student learning gains and may include bonuses for hard-to-staff schools or subjects and recognition for extra duties or proven skills.

Full Legal Text

Title 20, §6631

Education — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The purposes of this subpart are—
(1)to assist States, local educational agencies, and nonprofit organizations to develop, implement, improve, or expand comprehensive performance-based compensation systems or human capital management systems for teachers, principals, or other school leaders (especially for teachers, principals, or other school leaders in high-need schools) who raise student academic achievement and close the achievement gap between high- and low-performing students; and
(2)to study and review performance-based compensation systems or human capital management systems for teachers, principals, or other school leaders to evaluate the effectiveness, fairness, quality, consistency, and reliability of the systems.
(b)In this subpart:
(1)The term “eligible entity” means—
(A)a local educational agency, including a charter school that is a local educational agency, or a consortium of local educational agencies;
(B)a State educational agency or other State agency designated by the chief executive of a State to participate under this subpart;
(C)the Bureau of Indian Education; or
(D)a partnership consisting of—
(i)1 or more agencies described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C); and
(ii)at least 1 nonprofit or for-profit entity.
(2)The term “high-need school” means a public elementary school or secondary school that is located in an area in which the percentage of students from families with incomes below the poverty line is 30 percent or more.
(3)The term “human capital management system” means a system—
(A)by which a local educational agency makes and implements human capital decisions, such as decisions on preparation, recruitment, hiring, placement, retention, dismissal, compensation, professional development, tenure, and promotion; and
(B)that includes a performance-based compensation system.
(4)The term “performance-based compensation system” means a system of compensation for teachers, principals, or other school leaders—
(A)that differentiates levels of compensation based in part on measurable increases in student academic achievement; and
(B)which may include—
(i)differentiated levels of compensation, which may include bonus pay, on the basis of the employment responsibilities and success of effective teachers, principals, or other school leaders in hard-to-staff schools or high-need subject areas; and
(ii)recognition of the skills and knowledge of teachers, principals, or other school leaders as demonstrated through—
(I)successful fulfillment of additional responsibilities or job functions, such as teacher leadership roles; and
(II)evidence of professional achievement and mastery of content knowledge and superior teaching and leadership skills.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 6631, Pub. L. 89–10, title II, § 2131, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title II, § 201, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1633, defined terms in subpart 3 of 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. A prior section 2211 of Pub. L. 89–10 was classified to section 6651 of this title, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 107–110.

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.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

20 U.S.C. § 6631

Title 20 — Education

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73