The U.S. Department of Education is urging districts to invest Title II federal funds in collaborative teacher models—especially team teaching and staffing structures that let strong teachers share expertise—according to new guidance referenced in a Government Accountability Office report for Congress. The push highlights that more than two-thirds of public K-12 teachers say collaboration is the most useful element of professional development. The GAO analysis, using RAND Corp. data, found collaboration-linked PD was more likely to associate with improved student test scores than models focused primarily on curricular alignment or coaching. At the same time, a separate budget proposal signals risk to the Title II program itself. The reporting notes the administration proposed eliminating Title II grants for states and collapsing funding into a smaller block-grant structure, setting up a potential direct conflict between federal priorities for collaboration and future funding design.