Sec. 572. Improvements to certain schools of the Department of Defense Education Activity
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The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity, shall require each teacher in a 21st century school to undergo training in accordance with this subsection. The training required under paragraph
(1)shall consist of specialized instruction to provide teachers with the skills necessary to effectively teach in a 21st century school environment, including instruction in— understanding and using the physical space of a 21st century school classroom; building the relationships necessary to succeed, including relationships with students and other teachers; the curriculum and level of academic rigor necessary to increase student learning; other skills necessary to support the academic achievement and social and emotional well being of students; and such other topics as the Secretary and the Director determine appropriate. The training required under paragraph
(1)shall be provided as follows: In the case of a teacher who has been assigned to a 21st century school, but has not commenced teaching in such school, the training shall be provided before the teacher commences teaching in such school. In the case of a teacher who previously taught in a 21st century school, but subsequently taught in a school that is not a 21st century school for one or more school years, such training shall be provided before the teacher resumes teaching in a 21st Century School. In the case of a teacher who is teaching in a 21st century school as of the date of the enactment of this Act, such training shall be provided not later than 180 days after such date of enactment. In the case of a teacher who teaches in a 21st century school on an ongoing basis, and who previously received training under this subsection, such training shall be provided not less frequently than once every three years. The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity, is authorized to pay a bonus to an individual who— meets the eligibility requirements under paragraph (2); and enters into a service agreement under paragraph
(3)pursuant to which the individual agrees to serve as a teacher in a high-need school. The Secretary may pay a bonus under this subsection to an individual only if the individual— is newly appointed as an employee of the Department of Defense Education Activity; or is currently employed by the Activity; and accepts an Activity teaching position in a high-need school. To be eligible to receive a bonus under this subsection, an individual shall enter into a contract or other agreement with the Secretary of Defense pursuant to which the individual agrees to serve as a teacher in a high-need school. Such contract or other agreement shall specify— the commencement and termination dates of the required service period; the location of the service; the amount of the bonus; and the terms of repayment, in accordance with paragraph (6), if the employee fails to complete the required service period. The amount of each bonus under this subsection shall be determined by the Secretary of Defense. Each bonus under this subsection shall be disbursed as a lump sum payment made at or before the commencement of an individual’s required service period as set forth in the agreement under paragraph (3). Except as provided in subparagraph (B), an individual who receives a bonus under this subsection and who does not complete the term of the required service period specified in the agreement under paragraph
(3)shall repay such bonus to the Secretary of Defense in a pro rata manner. The Secretary of Defense may waive the requirement to repay a bonus under subparagraph
(A)on a case-by-case basis. A bonus under this subsection is not part of the basic pay of an employee for any purpose. The authority of the Secretary of Defense to pay bonuses under this subsection shall terminate five years after the date of the enactment of this Act. The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity, shall carry out a pilot program under which a qualified individual may receive and use the Department of State Standardized Regulations education allowance to pay for a dependent child of such individual to attend a non-DODEA school in Bahrain for the applicable school year. Participation in the pilot program under this subsection shall be limited to— not more than 15 qualified individuals; and a total of not more than 30 dependent children of such individuals. Any prohibition on the use of the Department of State Standardized Regulations education allowance in an area served by a school operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity shall not apply to a qualified individual participating in the pilot program under this subsection. The authority of the Secretary of Defense to carry out the pilot program under this subsection shall terminate at the conclusion of the applicable school year. In this section: The term 21st century school means a school facility operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity that has been constructed or modernized pursuant to the 21st Century Schools Program of the Activity. The term applicable school year means the first school year beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act. The term high-need school means a school operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity that— is located outside the United States; and has difficulty in recruiting or retaining teachers, as determined by the Secretary of Defense. The term non-DODEA school means a school that is not operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity. The term qualified individual means an individual who— is a member of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and stationed in Bahrain pursuant to a permanent change of station order; or is a civilian employee of the Department of Defense who— is employed on a permanent full-time basis; is stationed in Bahrain; and is a citizen or a national of the United States; is authorized to transport the dependent child of such individual to and from Bahrain at the expense of the Federal Government; and receives a housing allowance for living quarters in Bahrain. The term United States means each of the several States and the District of Columbia.