student achievement. (10) Teacher residencies create long-term benefits for local educational agencies, schools, and students. Research suggests that residencies bring greater gender and racial diversity into the teaching workforce and have significantly higher retention rates for graduates than traditional preparation programs. (11) Grow Your Own teacher preparation models provide a promising solution for hard-to-staff schools, such as those in rural communities. These models help to recruit graduates of local schools and members of the school’s community into the teaching profession. 3. Definitions In this Act: (1) General ESEA definitions The terms dual or concurrent enrollment program , elementary school , local educational agency , and secondary school have the meanings given the terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7801 ). (2) 2+2 program The term 2+2 program means a partnership between a junior or community college, as defined in section 312 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1058 ), and a 4-year degree-granting institution of higher education in which teacher candidates can begin teacher preparation in the junior or community college and fully transfer their credits to the 4-year institution of higher education, where the students complete their teacher preparation. (3) Certified teacher The term certified teacher means an individual who possesses a document certifying that the individual has met the full requirements of a State for employment as a teacher in the public schools of that State. (4) Eligible entity The term eligible entity means a local educational agency (or a consortium of such agencies) partnering with one or more institutions of higher education. (5) Grow your Own program The term Grow Your Own program means a program that works to recruit graduates of local schools and members of the school’s community into the teaching profession of a school. (6) Historically Black college or university The term historically Black college