Oppose federal legislation that infringes on state authority in the regulation of teacher preparation programs. The certification and regulation of teacher education programs is most appropriately handled through the collaborative efforts of accreditors and appropriate statewide entities.

Provide federal funds for research and evaluation of teacher preparation programs, including improvement of state P-20 data systems through the linkage of teachers with student outcomes in order to inform and improve program performance, productivity and impact on student learning. Ensure that preparation programs have access to data by which they are being evaluated.

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Provide federal funding to increase the number of educators from underrepresented and nontraditional teaching populations through various incentive structures, including centers of excellence based at institutions of higher education.

Support service-payback models, such as the TEACH Grant program, to recruit students who agree to teach in targeted school districts, especially schools that are difficult to staff or where salaries are often not comparable to those of more affluent school districts.

■ Support loan forgiveness for teachers who work in high-need schools or teach in high-need subject areas.

Support continued incentives for partnerships among institutions and states to strengthen traditional and nontraditional pathways for qualified candidates to teach in STEM fields.

Boost appropriations to support recruitment, training, placement and retention of STEM teachers in areas of greatest need and to encourage federal incentives to improve their compensation.

Invest in research initiatives for the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health and other agencies that support institutional research efforts.