((a)) ** Methods** In complying with sections 1022d and 1022e of this title, the Secretary shall ensure that States and institutions of higher education use fair and equitable methods in reporting and that the reporting methods do not reveal personally identifiable information.

((b)) ** Special rule** For each State that does not use content assessments as a means of ensuring that all teachers teaching in core academic subjects within the State meet the applicable State certification and licensure requirements, including any requirements for certification obtained through alternative routes to certification, in accordance with the State plan submitted or revised under , and that each person employed as a special education teacher in the State who teaches elementary school or secondary school meets the qualifications described in , the Secretary shall—

((1)) to the extent practicable, collect data comparable to the data required under this part from States, local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, or other entities that administer such assessments to teachers or prospective teachers; and

((2)) notwithstanding any other provision of this part, use such data to carry out requirements of this part related to assessments, pass rates, and scaled scores.

((c)) ** Release of information to teacher preparation programs**

((1)) ** In general** For the purpose of improving teacher preparation programs, a State that receives funds under this chapter, or that participates as a member of a partnership, consortium, or other entity that receives such funds, shall provide to a teacher preparation program, upon the request of the teacher preparation program, any and all pertinent education-related information that—

((A)) may enable the teacher preparation program to evaluate the effectiveness of the program’s graduates or the program itself; and

((B)) is possessed, controlled, or accessible by the State.

((2)) ** Content of information** The information described in paragraph (1)—

((A)) shall include an identification of specific individuals who graduated from the teacher preparation program to enable the teacher preparation program to evaluate the information provided to the program from the State with the program’s own data about the specific courses taken by, and field experiences of, the individual graduates; and

((B)) may include—

((i)) kindergarten through grade 12 academic achievement and demographic data, without revealing personally identifiable information about an individual student, for students who have been taught by graduates of the teacher preparation program; and

((ii)) teacher effectiveness evaluations for teachers who graduated from the teacher preparation program.