McClellan-led bill in Congress aims address national teacher shortage

Teacher vacancies remain high across the United States, particularly in high-need schools and subject areas like special education, STEM and early childhood education.

The Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) Program supports high-quality preparation and residency programs, like the RTR Teacher Residency Program in Virginia, which increase educator retention, improve effectiveness and support long-term student success.

U.S. Reps. Jennifer McClellan of Virginia and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania introduced H.R. 1331, the Teacher and School Leader Quality Partnership Grants Act, to help combat the national teacher and school administrator shortage and strengthen partnerships between universities and high-need schools.

“The TQP Program helps foster connections and build employment pipelines in our communities to ensure every student has access to highly-trained educators, regardless of zip code or socioeconomic status. Burdensome eligibility requirements can create barriers to use for many higher education institutions, K-12 schools, and early childhood education programs. Now more than ever, we must take every possible action to strengthen our educator workforce and protect students’ right to a high-quality education. The Teacher and School Leader Quality Partnerships Grant Act will streamline requirements and make it easier for institutions in our district to take advantage of this program,” McClellan said.

Fitzpatrick said that effective school leadership is the cornerstone of student success. In his district in Pennsylvania, educators and school leaders are committed to shaping the future of children.

“But to continue this vital work, they need access to the best resources and training available. That’s why I’m proud to introduce the Teacher and School Leader Quality Partnership Grants Act. This legislation strengthens partnerships between high-need schools, local agencies, and top educational institutions, ensuring our educators receive the high-quality preparation they need to lead with confidence and excellence, and empower our next generation of leaders to succeed,” Fitzpatrick said.

The bipartisan Teacher and School Leader Quality Partnership Grant Act enhances the TQP Grant Program by:

• Defining teacher residency programs and school leader residency programs under the Teacher Quality Partnership Grant Program.
• Clarifying eligible partnerships to include high-need local educational agencies, schools, early childhood education programs, and partner institutions.
• Requiring evidence-based training methods and strong evaluation measures to ensure quality preparation.
• Establishing an advisory committee within the Department of Education to identify best practices for educator training and readiness.

The legislation is endorsed by Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). In 2024, VCU received a $2.3 million grant award following support from McClellan.