In October 1998, Congress voiced its concern for the quality of teacher preparation by enacting Title II of the Higher Education Act (HEA). Title II authorizes new federal grant programs that support the efforts of states, institutions of higher education, and their school district partners to improve the recruitment, preparation, and support of new teachers. Title II also includes new accountability measures in the form of reporting requirements for institutions and states on teacher preparation and licensing.
 
Section 207 of Title II requires the annual preparation and submission of three reports on teacher preparation and licensing: one from institutions to states, a second from states to the U.S. Secretary of Education, and a third from the Secretary to Congress and the public.
 
In this three-stage reporting process, institutions will first report to their states on several items related to their teacher preparation programs. Institutions must also report this information to the public through publications such as school catalogs and promotional materials that the institution sends to prospective students, secondary school guidance counselors, and prospective employers of their graduates. States will then compile a more comprehensive report that covers all teacher preparation programs in their states and other information on state assessments and requirements for certification and licensure. Finally, the Department will compile all state reports into a national report.
 
By law, these reports must be submitted annually. For the first reporting cycle, Institutions of Higher Education must submit their annual reports to their States no later than April 7, 2001. States must submit their annual reports to the U.S. Department of Education by October 7, 2001. These reports shall continue annually thereafter on the same dates. The Secretary of Education will provide to Congress, and publish and make widely available a report card on teacher qualifications and preparation in the United States, including all the information reported by States and Institutions of Higher Education for the first time on April 7, 2002 and annually thereafter.
 
The Higher Education Opportunity Act (Public Law 110-315) (HEOA) was enacted on August 14, 2008, and reauthorizes the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (the HEA).
 
The information provided on this website documents Kansas compliance with the federal reporting guidelines.