Creating Quality Technical Educators Act of 2014

Schools districts across the nation are facing serious shortages in high-quality career and technical
education (CTE) teachers. When CTE teachers have real-world experience in a related industry before
entering the classroom, students not only benefit from their hands-on knowledge, but also look to them
as career role models. Through grants in the Higher Education and Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA),
many teacher residency partnerships already exist between post-secondary institutions and local schools
to train prospective educators, but none are CTE focused.
The Creating Quality Technical Educators Act would create a CTE teacher-training grant partnership to
give aspiring CTE teachers the preparation necessary to mirror their success in the business world with
that in the classroom. The Creating Quality Technical Educators Act will foster CTE teacher training
partnerships between high-needs secondary schools and post-secondary institutions to create a one-year
residency initiative for prospective teachers.

The Creating Quality Technical Educators Act would take a robust, proactive approach to recruit and
train high-quality CTE teachers. In addition to mid-career professionals in related technical fields, CTE
teacher residencies would target teacher candidates who are recent college graduates, veterans or
currently licensed teachers with a desire to transition to a CTE focus.

The Creating Quality Technical Educators Act amends the Higher Education Act by:
Establishing a grant that will facilitate CTE-specific partnerships with high-needs schools and
post-secondary institutions to train CTE teachers
Requiring that CTE teacher-training initiatives consist of at least a one-year residency initiative
with a high-needs school and include teacher mentorship for a minimum of two years
Ensuring exposure to workforce opportunities for students by requiring that prospective teachers
have work experience in the field they will teach or, in the case of recent college graduates, have
demonstrated proficiency through relevant coursework
Requiring grantees to complete an evaluation that includes measurable performance objectives
to determine the partnerships impact