A bill to establish within the Department of Education the Innovation Inspiration school grant program, and for other purposes.

Summary: Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive matching grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to: (1) promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in secondary schools; (2) support the participation of secondary school students in nonprofit robotics or STEM competitions; and (3) broaden secondary school students' access to STEM careers.

Allows secondary schools to apply for such grants if their LEA does not.

Gives priority to grant applications that address the needs of: (1) rural or urban schools; (2) low-performing schools or school districts; or (3) LEAs or schools that serve at least 10,000 poor children or a student population at least 20% of which is poor.

Authorizes the Secretary to waive all or part of the matching requirement for financially-strapped LEAs or schools.

Directs the Secretary to: (1) publicize the grant program and nontraditional STEM teaching methods; and (2) evaluate the efficacy of the grant program.

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) According to the National Science Board's 2008 Science 
        and Engineering Indicators, only 5 percent of American college 
        graduates major in engineering, compared with 13 percent of 
        European students and 20 percent of students in Asia.
            (2) Although United States fourth graders score well 
        against international competition, United States students fall 
        near the bottom or dead last by 12th grade in mathematics and 
        science, respectively.
            (3) Admissions requirements for undergraduate engineering 
        schools include a solid background in mathematics (algebra, 
        geometry, trigonometry, and calculus) and science (biology, 
        chemistry, and physics), in addition to courses in English, 
        social studies, and humanities.
            (4) According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall 
        engineering employment is expected to grow by 11 percent over 
        the 2008 through 2018 decade, and, as a group, engineers earn 
        some of the highest average starting salaries among individuals 
        holding bachelor's degrees.
            (5) According to the Department of Labor, engineers should 
        be creative, inquisitive, analytical, and detail oriented. 
        Engineers should be able to work as part of a team and to 
        communicate well, both orally and in writing. Communication 
        abilities are becoming increasingly important as engineers 
        interact more frequently with specialists in a wide range of 
        fields outside engineering.
            (6) Exposure to project- and problem-based learning, in a 
        competitive team environment, gives 9th through 12th graders 
        the skills the students need to be successful in engineering 
        programs of study and engineering careers.
            (7) According to Brandeis University's Center for Youth and 
        Communities, participants in FIRST Robotics (a nonprofit 
        organization that inspires young people to be science and 
        technology leaders by engaging the young people in mentor-based 
        programs)--
                    (A) are more likely to attend college full-time 
                than nonparticipants (88 percent versus 53 percent);
                    (B) are nearly 2 times as likely to major in a 
                science or engineering field; and
                    (C) are more than 3 times as likely to have majored 
                specifically in engineering.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
                    (A) a local educational agency; or
                    (B) if a local educational agency chooses not to 
                apply for a grant under this Act, a secondary school 
                served by the nonapplying local educational agency.
            (2) Local educational agency.--The term ``local educational 
        agency'' has the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        7801).
            (3) Poverty line.--The term ``poverty line'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 9101 of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965.
            (4) Secondary school.--The term ``secondary school'' has 
        the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
            (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
            (6) STEM.--The term ``STEM'' means science, technology, 
        engineering, or mathematics.

SEC. 3. INNOVATIVE INSPIRATION SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Goals of Program.--The goals of the Innovation Inspiration 
grant program are--
            (1) to provide opportunities for eligible entities to 
        support non-traditional STEM education teaching methods;
            (2) to support the participation of students in nonprofit 
        robotics or STEM competitions;
            (3) to foster innovation and broaden interest in and access 
        to careers in the STEM fields by investing in programs 
        supported by teachers and professional mentors who receive 
        hands-on training and ongoing communications that strengthen 
        the interactions of the teachers and mentors with--
                    (A) students on competitive robotics or STEM teams; 
                and
                    (B) other students in the STEM classrooms and 
                communities of the teachers and mentors; and
            (4) to encourage the collaboration among students, 
        engineers, and professional mentors to design, build, program, 
        and compete in challenges with sophisticated robots.
    (b) Program Authorized.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to award 
        grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to enable 
        the eligible entities--
                    (A) to promote STEM in secondary schools;
                    (B) to support the participation of secondary 
                school students in robotics or STEM competitions; and
                    (C) to broaden secondary school students' access to 
                careers in STEM.
            (2) Duration.--The Secretary shall award each grant under 
        this Act for a period of not more than 5 years.
            (3) Amounts.--The Secretary shall award a grant under this 
        Act in an amount that is sufficient to carry out the goals of 
        this Act.
    (c) Application.--
            (1) In general.--Each eligible entity desiring a grant 
        under this Act shall submit an application to the Secretary at 
        such time, in such manner, and containing such information as 
        the Secretary may reasonably require.
            (2) Contents.--The application shall, at a minimum, include 
        a description of how the eligible entity will--
                    (A) carry out each of the elements of a robotics or 
                STEM competition described in subparagraphs (B) through 
                (F) of subsection (d)(1);
                    (B) establish robotics or STEM competition programs 
                to inspire students in grades 9 through 12 to become 
                innovators in STEM;
                    (C) identify and recruit mentors for the programs 
                described in subparagraph (B) and the participants in 
                the programs;
                    (D) support teachers who lead the programs and 
                participants in the programs through stipends or other 
                incentives;
                    (E) recruit young women and individuals from 
                populations traditionally underrepresented in the STEM 
                fields to participate in the programs;
                    (F) identify public and private partners that can 
                support the programs with cash or in-kind 
                contributions;
                    (G) plan for sustaining the programs financially 
                beyond the grant period; and
                    (H) evaluate the grant project and the results of 
                the grant project among participating students, 
                including--
                            (i) comparing students who participate in 
                        the grant project to similar students who do 
                        not so participate; and
                            (ii) evaluating--
                                    (I) secondary school graduation 
                                rates;
                                    (II) college-going rates;
                                    (III) the number of students taking 
                                advanced STEM related secondary school 
                                classes; and
                                    (IV) the ability of students 
                                participating in the grant project to 
                                partner with professional mentors.
            (3) Preference.--In developing the criteria for grant 
        awards under this Act, the Secretary shall give preference to 
        an application that addresses the needs of--
                    (A) a rural or urban school;
                    (B) a low-performing school or school district; or
                    (C) a local educational agency or school that 
                serves--
                            (i) not fewer than 10,000 children from 
                        families with incomes below the poverty line; 
                        or
                            (ii) a student population not less than 20 
                        percent of whom are from families with incomes 
                        below the poverty line.
    (d) Uses of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--Each eligible entity that receives a grant 
        under this Act may use the grant funds for the following:
                    (A) STEM education and career activities.--
                Promotion of STEM education and career activities.
                    (B) Purchase of parts.--The purchase of parts 
                required to support participation in team robotics or 
                STEM competitions.
                    (C) Teacher incentives and stipends.--Incentives 
                and stipends for teachers involved in robotics or STEM 
                competitions.
                    (D) Support and expenses.--Support and expenses for 
                participation in regional and national robotics or STEM 
                competitions.
                    (E) Additional materials and support.--Additional 
                materials and support, such as equipment, facility use, 
                and other expenses, directly associated with robotics 
                or STEM competitions.
                    (F) Evaluation.--Carrying out the evaluation 
                described in subsection (c)(2)(H).
            (2) Nonprofit competitions.--Grant funds made available 
        under this Act for robotics or STEM competitions shall only be 
        used to support participation in nonprofit robotics or STEM 
        competitions.
            (3) Administrative costs.--Each eligible entity that 
        receives a grant under this Act may use not more than 2 percent 
        of the grant funds for administrative costs related to the 
        administration of the project supported by the grant.
    (e) Matching Requirement.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2) each eligible 
        entity that receives a grant under this Act shall secure, 
        toward the cost of the activities assisted under the grant, 
        from non-Federal sources, an amount equal to 50 percent of the 
        grant. The non-Federal contribution may be provided in cash or 
        in kind.
            (2) Waiver.--The Secretary may waive all or part of the 
        matching requirement described in paragraph (1) for an eligible 
        entity if the Secretary determines that applying the matching 
        requirement would result in a serious financial hardship or a 
        financial inability to carry out the goals of the grant 
        project.
    (f) Supplement, Not Supplant.--Grant funds provided to an eligible 
entity under this Act shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, 
funds that would otherwise be used for activities authorized under this 
Act.
    (g) Secretary's Activities.--
            (1) Communications and outreach program.--From amounts 
        appropriated under subsection (h) for a fiscal year, the 
        Secretary shall establish a communications and outreach program 
        to publicize--
                    (A) non-traditional teaching methods applicable to 
                STEM; and
                    (B) the availability and application procedure for 
                the grant program established by this Act.
            (2) Evaluation program.--The Secretary shall establish an 
        evaluation program to determine the efficacy of the grant 
        program established by this Act, which shall include assessing 
        the impact, of student participation in the grant project 
        assisted under this Act, on future course-taking and 
        postsecondary study, by comparing students so participating to 
        similar students who do not so participate.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        the Secretary to carry out this Act such sums as may be 
        necessary for each of the fiscal years 2011 through 2015.
            (2) Limitations.--Of the amounts appropriated under 
        paragraph (1) for a fiscal year--
                    (A) not more than 1 percent shall be used for the 
                communications and outreach program under subsection 
                (g)(1); and
                    (B) not more than 1 percent shall be used for the 
                evaluation program under subsection (g)(2).