§6673 School Leader Recruitment and Support

Summary

The Secretary of Education must run a competition to give grants to groups that help find, train, place, support, and keep strong principals and other school leaders in high-need schools. Grants can pay for leadership training and residency programs, recruiting and selecting future or current leaders, placing leaders in schools needing improvement (including team- and cohort-based work), ongoing professional learning, sharing best practices, and other evidence-based activities. Grants last up to 5 years and may be renewed once for 2 more years. The Secretary should spread grants across urban, suburban, and rural areas and may give only one grant to the same entity in a competition. Grantees must provide at least 25% of each year’s total cost from non‑Federal sources, which can be cash or in-kind contributions like equipment or services; the Secretary can waive this for financial hardship. Applicants must apply when and how the Secretary requires. Priority goes to groups with a strong record of preparing principals who improved student outcomes, who became and stayed leaders in high-need schools, and who will use evidence-based activities (as defined in section 7801(21)(A)(i)). Eligible entities include local and state education agencies, the Bureau of Indian Education, and partnerships with nonprofits or colleges. A high-need elementary school has at least 50% low-income students; a high-need secondary school has at least 40% low-income students.