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[House Report 107-134]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

107th Congress                                            Rept. 107-134
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session                                                     Part 1

======================================================================

 
           NATIONAL MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE PARTNERSHIPS ACT

                                _______
                                

 July 11, 2001.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

  Mr. Boehlert, from the Committee on Science, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 1858]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Science, to whom was referred the bill 
(H.R. 1858) to make improvements in mathematics and science 
education, and for other purposes, having considered the same, 
report favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that 
the bill as amended do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
   I. Amendment.......................................................2
  II. Purpose of the Bill............................................16
 III. Background and Need for the Legislation........................16
  IV. Summary of Hearings............................................20
   V. Committee Action...............................................21
  VI. Summary of Major Provisions of the Bill........................22
 VII. Section-By-Section Analysis (By Title and Section).............24
VIII. Committee Views................................................31
  IX. Cost Estimate..................................................42
   X. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate......................43
  XI. Compliance with Public Law 104-4 (Unfunded Mandates)...........44
 XII. Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations...............45
XIII. Constitutional Authority Statement.............................45
 XIV. Federal Advisory Committee Statement...........................45
  XV. Congressional Accountability Act...............................45
 XVI. Statement on Preemption of State, Local, or Tribal Law.........45
XVII. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, As Reported..........45
XVIII.Committee Recommendations......................................47

 XIX. Statement on General Performance Goals and Objectives..........47
  XX. Exchange of Committee Correspondence...........................49
 XXI. Proceedings of Subcommittee Markup.............................51
XXII. Proceedings of Full Committee Markup..........................128

  The amendment is as follows:
  Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
following:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

  This Act may be cited as the ``National Mathematics and Science 
Partnerships Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

  The Congress finds the following:
          (1) 12 years ago the President of the United States convened 
        the Nation's Governors to establish common goals for the 
        improvement of elementary and secondary education.
          (2) Among the National Education Goals established was the 
        goal that by the year 2000 United States students would be 
        first in the world in mathematics and science achievement.
          (3) Despite these goals, 8th graders in the United States 
        showed just average performance in mathematics and science in 
        the Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat 
        and demonstrated lower relative performance than the cohort of 
        4th graders 4 years earlier.
          (4) The United States must redouble its efforts to provide 
        all of its students with a world-class education in 
        mathematics, science, engineering, and technology.
          (5) The American economy has become the most robust in the 
        world, not through state planning and government intervention, 
        but through the hard work and innovation of its citizens. This 
        success is founded in our Constitutional tradition of respect 
        for individual liberty to pursue personal career objectives.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

  In this Act--
          (1) the term ``Director'' means the Director of the National 
        Science Foundation;
          (2) the term ``institution of higher education'' has the 
        meaning given such term in section 101 of the Higher Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001);
          (3) the term ``eligible nonprofit organization'' means a 
        nonprofit research institute or a nonprofit professional 
        association with demonstrated experience delivering mathematics 
        or science education as determined by the Director;
          (4) the term ``local educational agency'' has the meaning 
        given such term in section 1401 of the Elementary and Secondary 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8801(19));
          (5) the term ``State educational agency'' has the meaning 
        given such term in section 1401 of the Elementary and Secondary 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8801);
          (6) the term ``elementary school'' has the meaning given that 
        term by section 14101(14) of the Elementary and Secondary 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8801(14)); and
          (7) the term ``secondary school'' has the meaning given that 
        term by section 14101(25) of the Elementary and Secondary 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8801(25)).

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS.

  Any authorization of appropriations in this Act shall be considered 
to be in addition to amounts otherwise authorized or appropriated for 
the National Science Foundation.

SEC. 5. MATCHING REQUIREMENTS.

  The Director may establish matching fund requirements for any 
programs authorized by this Act except those established in title IV.

        TITLE I--MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS

       Subtitle A--Mathematics and Science Education Partnerships

SEC. 101. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

  (a) In General.--(1) The Director shall establish a program to award 
grants to institutions of higher education or eligible nonprofit 
organizations (or consortia thereof) to establish mathematics and 
science education partnership programs to improve the instruction of 
elementary and secondary science education.
  (2) Grants shall be awarded under this section on a merit-reviewed 
competitive basis.
  (b) Partnerships.--(1) In order to be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, an institution of higher education or eligible 
nonprofit organization (or consortium thereof) shall enter into a 
partnership with one or more local educational agencies that may also 
include a State educational agency or one or more businesses, or both.
  (2) A participating institution of higher education shall include 
mathematics, science, or engineering departments in the programs 
carried out through a partnership under this subsection.
  (c) Uses of Funds.--Grants awarded under this section shall be used 
for activities that draw upon the expertise of the partners to improve 
elementary or secondary education, or both, in mathematics or science, 
or both. Such activities may include--
          (1) recruiting and preparing students for careers in 
        elementary or secondary mathematics or science education;
          (2) offering professional development programs, including 
        summer or academic year institutes or workshops, designed to 
        strengthen the capabilities of existing mathematics and science 
        teachers;
          (3) offering innovative programs that instruct teachers on 
        using technology more effectively in teaching mathematics and 
        science, including programs that recruit and train 
        undergraduate and graduate students to provide technical 
        support to teachers;
          (4) developing distance learning programs for teachers or 
        students, including developing courses, curricular materials 
        and other resources for the in-service professional development 
        of teachers that are made available to teachers through the 
        Internet;
          (5) offering teacher preparation and certification programs 
        for professional mathematicians, scientists, and engineers who 
        wish to begin a career in teaching;
          (6) developing assessment tools to measure student mastery of 
        content and cognitive skills;
          (7) developing or adapting elementary and secondary school 
        curricular materials, aligned to State standards, that 
        incorporate contemporary research on the science of learning;
          (8) developing undergraduate mathematics and science courses 
        for education majors;
          (9) using mathematicians, scientists, and engineers employed 
        by private businesses to help recruit and train mathematics and 
        science teachers;
          (10) developing a cadre of master teachers who will promote 
        reform and improvement in schools;
          (11) developing and offering mathematics or science 
        enrichment programs for students, including after-school and 
        summer programs;
          (12) providing research opportunities in business or academia 
        for students and teachers;
          (13) bringing mathematicians, scientists and engineers from 
        business and academia into elementary and secondary school 
        classrooms; and
          (14) any other activities the Director determines will 
        accomplish the goals of this section.
  (d) Science Enrichment Programs for Girls.--Activities carried out in 
accordance with subsections (c)(11) and (12) shall include elementary 
and secondary school programs to encourage the ongoing interest of 
girls in science, mathematics, engineering and technology and to 
prepare girls to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees and careers 
in science, mathematics, engineering or technology. Funds made 
available through awards to partnerships for the purposes of this 
subsection may support programs for--
          (1) encouraging girls to pursue studies in science, 
        mathematics, engineering and technology and to major in such 
        fields in postsecondary education;
          (2) tutoring girls in science, mathematics, engineering and 
        technology;
          (3) providing mentors for girls in person and through the 
        Internet to support such girls in pursuing studies in science, 
        mathematics, engineering and technology;
          (4) educating the parents of girls about the difficulties 
        faced by girls to maintain an interest and desire to achieve in 
        science, mathematics, engineering and technology, and enlisting 
        the help of parents in overcoming these difficulties; and
          (5) acquainting girls with careers in science, mathematics, 
        engineering and technology and encouraging girls to plan for 
        careers in such fields.
  (e) Research in Secondary Schools.--Activities carried out in 
accordance with subsection (c)(11) may include support for research 
projects performed by students at secondary schools. Uses of funds made 
available through awards to partnerships for purposes of this 
subsection may include--
          (1) training secondary school mathematics and science 
        teachers in the design of research projects for students;
          (2) establishing a system for students and teachers involved 
        in research projects funded under this section to exchange 
        information about their projects and research results; and
          (3) assessing the educational value of the student research 
        projects by such means as tracking the academic performance and 
        choice of academic majors of students conducting research.
  (f) Stipends.--Grants awarded under this section may be used to 
provide stipends for teachers or students participating in training or 
research activities that would not be part of their typical classroom 
activities.

SEC. 102. SELECTION PROCESS.

  (a) Application.--An institution of higher education or an eligible 
nonprofit organization (or a consortium thereof) seeking funding under 
section 101 shall submit an application to the Director at such time, 
in such manner, and containing such information as the Director may 
require. The application shall include, at a minimum--
          (1) a description of the partnership and the role that each 
        member will play in implementing the proposal;
          (2) a description of each of the activities to be carried 
        out, including--
                  (A) how such activities will be aligned with State 
                and local standards and with other activities that 
                promote student achievement in mathematics and science; 
                and
                  (B) how such activities will be based on a review of 
                relevant research, how such activities will encourage 
                the interest of women and minorities in science, 
                mathematics, engineering and technology and will help 
                prepare women and minorities to pursue postsecondary 
                studies in these fields, and why such activities are 
                expected to improve student performance and strengthen 
                the quality of mathematics and science instruction;
          (3) a description of the number, size and nature of any 
        stipends that will be provided to students or teachers and the 
        reasons such stipends are needed;
          (4) how the partnership will serve as a catalyst for reform 
        of mathematics and science education programs; and
          (5) how the partnership will assess its success.
  (b) Review of Applications.--In evaluating the applications submitted 
under subsection (a), the Director shall consider, at a minimum--
          (1) the ability of the partnership to effectively carry out 
        the proposed programs;
          (2) the extent to which the members of the partnership are 
        committed to making the partnership a central organizational 
        focus;
          (3) the degree to which activities carried out by the 
        partnership are based on relevant research and likely to result 
        in increased student achievement;
          (4) the degree to which such activities are aligned with 
        State or local standards; and
          (5) the likelihood that the partnership will demonstrate 
        activities that can be widely implemented as part of larger 
        scale reform efforts.
  (c) Awards.--(1) The Director shall ensure, to the extent 
practicable, that partnership grants be awarded under section 101 in a 
wide range of geographic areas and that the partnership program include 
rural, suburban, and urban local educational agencies.
  (2) Not less than 50 percent of the partnerships funded under section 
101 shall include businesses.
  (3) The Director shall award grants under this subtitle for a period 
not to exceed 5 years.

SEC. 103. ACCOUNTABILITY AND DISSEMINATION.

  (a) Assessment Required.--The Director shall evaluate the 
partnerships program established under section 101. At a minimum, such 
evaluations shall--
          (1) use a common set of benchmarks and assessment tools to 
        identify best practices and materials developed and 
        demonstrated by the partnerships; and
          (2) to the extent practicable, compare the effectiveness of 
        practices and materials developed and demonstrated by the 
        partnerships authorized under this subtitle with those of 
        partnerships funded by other State or Federal agencies.
  (b) Dissemination of Results.--(1) The results of the evaluations 
required under subsection (a) shall be made available to the public, 
including through the National Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and 
Technology Education Digital Library, and shall be provided to the 
Committee on Science of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate.
  (2) Materials developed under the program established under section 
101 that are demonstrated to be effective shall be made available 
through the National Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology 
Education Digital Library.
  (c) Annual Meeting.--The Director shall convene an annual meeting of 
the partnerships participating under this subtitle to foster greater 
national collaboration.

SEC. 104. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

  There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science 
Foundation to carry out this subtitle $200,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2002 through 2006.

            Subtitle B--Teacher Research Scholarship Program

SEC. 111. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

  (a) In General.--(1) The Director shall establish a program to award 
grants to institutions of higher education or eligible nonprofit 
organizations (or consortia thereof) to provide research opportunities 
in mathematics, science, and engineering for elementary or secondary 
school teachers of mathematics or science. Such institutions of higher 
education or eligible nonprofit organizations may include one or more 
businesses or Federal or State laboratories as partners under the 
program.
  (2) Grants shall be awarded under this section on a merit-reviewed 
competitive basis.
  (b) Program Components.--Grant recipients under this section--
          (1) shall recruit and select teachers and provide such 
        teachers with opportunities to conduct research in academic, 
        business, or government laboratories;
          (2) shall ensure that the teachers have mentors and other 
        programming support to ensure that their research experience 
        will contribute to their understanding of mathematics, science, 
        and engineering and improve their performance in the classroom;
          (3) shall provide teachers with a scholarship stipend; and
          (4) may provide room and board for residential programs.
  (c) Use of Funds.--(1) Not more than 25 percent of the funds provided 
under a grant under this section may be used for programming support 
for teachers.
  (2) The Director shall issue guidelines specifying the minimum and 
maximum amounts of stipends recipients may provide to teachers under 
this section.
  (d) Duration.--A teacher may participate in research under the 
program under this section for up to 1 calendar year or 2 sequential 
summers.

SEC. 112. SELECTION PROCESS.

  (a) Application.--An institution of higher education or an eligible 
nonprofit organization (or a consortium thereof) seeking funding under 
section 111 shall submit an application to the Director at such time, 
in such manner, and containing such information as the Director may 
require. The application shall include, at a minimum--
          (1) a description of the research opportunities that will be 
        made available to elementary or secondary school teachers, or 
        both, by the applicant;
          (2) a description of how the applicant will recruit teachers 
        to participate in the program and the criteria that will be 
        used to select the participants;
          (3) a description of the number, types, and amounts of the 
        scholarships that the applicant intends to offer to 
        participating teachers; and
          (4) a description of the programming support that will be 
        provided to participating teachers.
  (b) Review of Applications.--In evaluating the applications submitted 
under subsection (a), the Director shall consider, at a minimum--
          (1) the ability of the applicant to effectively carry out the 
        proposed program;
          (2) the extent to which the applicant is committed to making 
        the program a central organizational focus; and
          (3) the likelihood that the research experiences and 
        programming to be offered by the applicant will improve 
        elementary and secondary education.
  (c) Awards.--(1) The Director shall ensure, to the extent 
practicable, that grants be awarded under this subtitle in a wide range 
of geographic areas and to assist teachers from rural, suburban, and 
urban local educational agencies.
  (2) The Director shall award grants under this subtitle for a period 
not to exceed 5 years.

SEC. 113. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

  There are authorized to be appropriated for the National Science 
Foundation to carry out this subtitle $15,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2002 through 2006.

 TITLE II--NATIONAL SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, ENGINEERING, AND TECHNOLOGY 
                       EDUCATION DIGITAL LIBRARY

SEC. 201. IN GENERAL.

  The Director shall establish a program to expand the National 
Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology Education Digital 
Library (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the ``Digital 
Library'') program to enable timely and continuous dissemination of 
elementary and secondary science, math, engineering, and technology 
educational resources, materials, practices, and policies through the 
Internet and other digital technologies. The expanded Digital Library 
shall--
          (1) contain an Internet-based repository of curricular 
        materials, practices, and teaching modules;
          (2) contain, to the extent practicable, an Internet-based 
        repository of information about national and regional 
        conferences related to the improvement of elementary and 
        secondary mathematics, science, engineering and technology 
        education, including, if appropriate, links to materials 
        generated by those conferences.
          (3) provide users of the Digital Library with access to all 
        materials in the Digital Library through a single entry point;
          (4) contain only materials that have been peer-reviewed and 
        tested to ensure factual accuracy and effectiveness and that 
        are aligned with recognized State and national mathematics and 
        science standards;
          (5) present materials in a format that is consistent, 
        facilitates ease of comparison and use by classroom teachers, 
        and contains appropriate links to other Federal educational 
        clearinghouses; and
          (6) provide materials related to mathematics and science 
        partnership programs, including--
                  (A) links to all of the programs developed through 
                the mathematics and science partnerships established 
                under subtitle A of title I;
                  (B) data related to assessment and evaluation and 
                final program reports developed under subtitle A of 
                title I, including both positive and negative outcomes 
                of the program;
                  (C) materials developed by the partnerships under 
                subtitle A of title I that have been demonstrated to be 
                effective; and
                  (D) a mechanism for users to make comments or 
                suggestions regarding the use and effectiveness of 
                posted materials.

SEC. 202. GRANTS AND CONTRACT.

  (a) Grants.--The Director may award grants to institutions of higher 
education or other qualified entities--
          (1) to design all or parts of the Digital Library;
          (2) to provide assistance to schools in the selection and 
        adaptation of curricular materials, practices and teaching 
        methods made available through the Digital Library; or
          (3) to carry out the activities described in both paragraphs 
        (1) and (2).
Grants awarded under this subsection may cover the costs of acquiring 
and reviewing educational materials for dissemination through the 
Digital Library.
  (b) Operation.--The Director may contract out the operation and 
management of the Digital Library.
  (c) Competitive Awards.--Grants and contracts shall be awarded under 
this section on a competitive basis.

SEC. 203. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

  There are authorized to be appropriated for the National Science 
Foundation to carry out this title $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2002 through 2006.

            TITLE III--STRATEGIC EDUCATION RESEARCH PROGRAM

                          Subtitle A--Centers

SEC. 301. ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTERS FOR RESEARCH ON LEARNING AND 
                    EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT.

  (a) In General.--(1) The Director shall award grants to institutions 
of higher education (or consortia thereof) to establish 4 
multidisciplinary Centers for Research on Learning and Education 
Improvement.
  (2) Grants shall be awarded under this subsection on a merit-reviewed 
competitive basis.
  (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Centers shall be to conduct and 
evaluate research in cognitive science, education and related fields 
and to develop ways in which the results of such research can be 
applied in elementary and secondary classrooms to improve the teaching 
of mathematics and science.
  (c) Focus.--(1) Each Center shall be focused on a different challenge 
faced by elementary or secondary school teachers of mathematics and 
science. In determining the research focus of the Centers, the Director 
shall consult with the National Academy of Sciences and take into 
account the extent to which other Federal programs support research on 
similar questions.
  (2) The proposal solicitation issued by the Director shall state the 
focus of each Center and applicants shall apply for designation as a 
specific Center.

SEC. 302. SELECTION PROCESS.

  (a) Application.--An institution of higher education (or a consortium 
thereof) seeking funding under this title shall submit an application 
to the Director at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Director may require. The application shall include, 
at a minimum a description of--
          (1) the initial research projects that will be undertaken by 
        the Center and the process by which new projects will be 
        identified;
          (2) how the Center will work with other research institutions 
        and schools to broaden the national research agenda on learning 
        and teaching;
          (3) how the Center will promote active collaboration among 
        physical, biological, and social science researchers;
          (4) how the Center will promote active participation by 
        elementary and secondary mathematics and science teachers and 
        administrators; and
          (5) how the Center will reduce the results of its research to 
        educational practice and assess the success of new practices.
  (b) Review of Applications.--In evaluating the applications submitted 
under subsection (a), the Director shall consider, at a minimum--
          (1) the ability of the applicant to effectively carry out the 
        research program and reduce its results to effective 
        educational practice;
          (2) the experience of the applicant in conducting research on 
        the science of teaching and learning and the capacity of the 
        applicant to foster new multidisciplinary collaborations;
          (3) the capacity of the applicant to attract precollege 
        educators from a diverse array of schools and professional 
        experiences for participation in Center activities; and
          (4) the capacity of the applicant to attract and provide 
        adequate support for graduate students to pursue research at 
        the intersection of educational practice and basic research on 
        human cognition and learning.
  (c) Awards.--The Director shall ensure, to the extent practicable, 
that the Centers funded under this section conduct research and develop 
educational practices designed to improve the educational performance 
of a broad range of students, including those from groups 
underrepresented in mathematics, science and engineering.

SEC. 303. ANNUAL CONFERENCE.

  The Director shall convene an annual meeting of the Centers to foster 
collaboration among the Centers and to further disseminate the results 
of the Centers' activities.

SEC. 304. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

  There are authorized to be appropriated for the National Science 
Foundation to carry out this title $12,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2002 through 2006.

                        Subtitle B--Fellowships

SEC. 311. EDUCATION RESEARCH TEACHER FELLOWSHIPS.

  (a) Establishment.--(1) The Director shall establish a program to 
award grants to institutions of higher education or eligible nonprofit 
entities (or consortia thereof) to provide research opportunities 
related to the science of learning to elementary and secondary school 
teachers of science and mathematics.
  (2) Grants shall be awarded under this section on a merit-reviewed 
competitive basis.
  (b) Program Components.--Grant recipients under this section--
          (1) shall recruit and select teachers and provide such 
        teachers with opportunities to conduct research in the fields 
        of--
                  (A) brain research as a foundation for research on 
                human learning;
                  (B) behavioral, cognitive, affective, and social 
                aspects of human learning;
                  (C) science and mathematics learning in formal and 
                informal educational settings; or
                  (D) learning in complex educational systems;
          (2) shall ensure that participating teachers have mentors and 
        other programming support to ensure that their research 
        experience will contribute to their understanding of the 
        science of learning;
          (3) shall provide programming, guidance, and support to 
        ensure that participating teachers disseminate information 
        about the current state of education research and its 
        implications on classroom practice to other elementary and 
        secondary educators and can use that information to improve 
        their performance in the classroom;
          (4) shall provide participating teachers with a scholarship 
        stipend; and
          (5) may provide room and board for residential programs.
  (c) Use of Funds.--(1) Not more than 25 percent of the funds provided 
under a grant under this section may be used for programming support 
for participating teachers.
  (2) The Director shall issue guidelines specifying the minimum or 
maximum amounts of stipends grant recipients may provide to teachers 
under this section.
  (d) Duration.--A teacher may participate in research under the 
program under this section for up to 1 calendar year or 2 sequential 
summers.
  (e) Application.--An institution of higher education or eligible 
nonprofit entity (or a consortium thereof) seeking funding under this 
section shall submit an application to the Director at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as the Director may 
require. The application shall include, at a minimum--
          (1) a description of the research opportunities that will be 
        made available to elementary or secondary school teachers, or 
        both, by the applicant;
          (2) a description of how the applicant will recruit teachers 
        to participate in the program, and the criteria that will be 
        used to select the participants;
          (3) a description of the number, types, and amounts of the 
        scholarships that the applicant intends to offer to 
        participating teachers; and
          (4) a description of the programming support that will be 
        provided to participating teachers to enhance their research 
        experience and to enable them to educate their peers about the 
        value, findings, and implications of education research.
  (f) Review of Applicants.--In evaluating the applications submitted 
under subsection (e), the Director shall consider, at a minimum--
          (1) the ability of the applicant to effectively carry out the 
        proposed program;
          (2) the extent to which the applicant is committed to making 
        the program a central organizational focus; and
          (3) the likelihood that the research experiences and 
        programming to be offered by the applicant will improve 
        elementary and secondary education.
  (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the National Science Foundation for carrying out this 
section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2004.

               TITLE IV--ROBERT NOYCE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

SEC. 401. DEFINITIONS.

  In this title--
          (1) the term ``mathematics and science teacher'' means a 
        mathematics, science, or technology teacher at the elementary 
        or secondary school level;
          (2) the term ``mathematics, science, or engineering 
        professional'' means a person who holds a baccalaureate, 
        masters, or doctoral degree in science, mathematics, or 
        engineering and is working in that field or a related area;
          (3) the term ``scholarship'' means an award under section 
        405; and
          (4) the term ``scholarship recipient'' means a student 
        receiving a scholarship;
          (5) the term ``stipend'' means an award under section 406;
          (6) the term ``stipend recipient'' means a science, 
        mathematics or engineering professional receiving a stipend; 
        and
          (7) the term ``cost of attendance'' has the meaning given 
        such term in section 472 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
        (20 U.S.C. 1087ll).

SEC. 402. SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

  (a) In General.--(1) The Director shall establish a program to award 
grants to institutions of higher education (or consortia thereof) to 
provide scholarships and programming designed to recruit and train 
mathematics and science teachers. Such program shall be known as the 
``Robert Noyce Scholarship Program''.
  (2) Grants shall be provided under this section on a merit-reviewed 
competitive basis.
  (b) Use of Grants.--Grants provided under this title shall be used by 
institutions of higher education--
          (1) to develop and implement a program to encourage top 
        college juniors and seniors majoring in mathematics, science, 
        and engineering at the grantee's institution to become 
        mathematics and science teachers, through--
                  (A) administering scholarships in accordance with 
                section 405;
                  (B) offering programs to help scholarship recipients 
                to teach in elementary and secondary schools, including 
                programs that will result in teacher certification; and
                  (C) offering programs to scholarship recipients, both 
                before and after they receive their baccalaureate 
                degree, to enable the recipients to become better 
                mathematics and science teachers, and to exchange ideas 
                with others in their fields; or
          (2) to develop and implement a program to encourage science, 
        mathematics, or engineering professionals to become mathematics 
        and science teachers, through--
                  (A) administering stipends in accordance with section 
                406;
                  (B) offering programs to help stipend recipients 
                obtain teacher certification; and
                  (C) offering programs to stipend recipients, both 
                during and after matriculation, to enable recipients to 
                become better mathematics and science teachers and 
                exchange ideas with others in their fields; or
          (3) for both of the purposes described in paragraphs (1) and 
        (2).

SEC. 403. SELECTION PROCESS.

  (a) Application.--An institution of higher education (or a consortium 
thereof) seeking funding under this title shall submit an application 
to the Director at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Director may require. The application shall include, 
at a minimum--
          (1) a description of the scholarship or stipend program, or 
        both, that the applicant intends to operate, including the 
        number of scholarships or the size and number of stipends the 
        applicant intends to award, and the selection process that will 
        be used in awarding the scholarships or stipends;
          (2) evidence that the applicant has the capability to 
        administer the scholarship or stipend program in accordance 
        with the provisions of this title; and
          (3) a description of the programming that will be offered to 
        scholarship or stipend recipients during and after their 
        matriculation.
  (b) Review of Applications.--In evaluating the applications submitted 
under subsection (a), the Director shall consider, at a minimum--
          (1) the ability of the applicant to effectively carry out the 
        program;
          (2) the extent to which the applicant is committed to making 
        the program a central organizational focus;
          (3) the ability of the proposed programming to enable 
        scholarship or stipend recipients to become successful 
        mathematics and science teachers;
          (4) the number and quality of the students that will be 
        served by the program; and
          (5) the ability of the applicant to recruit students who 
        would otherwise not pursue a career in teaching.

SEC. 404. AWARDS.

  (a) Designation.--The Director shall designate institutions awarded 
grants under this title as ``National Teacher Scholarship Centers''.
  (b) Distribution.--The Director shall ensure, to the extent 
practicable, that grants be awarded under this title in a wide range of 
geographic areas and to prepare students for jobs in rural, suburban, 
and urban local educational agencies.
  (c) Duration.--Grants awarded under this title shall be for a period 
of 10 years.

SEC. 405. SCHOLARSHIP REQUIREMENTS.

  (a) In General.--Scholarships under this title shall be available 
only to students who are--
          (1) majoring in science, mathematics, or engineering; and
          (2) in the last 2 years of a baccalaureate degree program.
  (b) Selection.--Individuals shall be selected to receive scholarships 
primarily on the basis of academic merit, with consideration given to 
financial need and to the goal of promoting the participation of 
minorities, women, and people with disabilities.
  (c) Amount.--Scholarships under this title shall be in the amount of 
$7,500 per year, or the cost of attendance, whichever is less. 
Individuals may receive a maximum of 2 years of scholarship support.
  (d) Service Obligation.--If an individual receives a scholarship, 
that individual shall be required to complete, within 6 years after 
graduation from the baccalaureate degree program for which the 
scholarship was awarded, 2 years of service as a mathematics or science 
teacher for each year a scholarship was received. Service required 
under this subsection shall be performed at a school receiving 
assistance under chapter 1 of title I of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (Public Law 89-10).

SEC. 406. STIPENDS.

  (a) In General.--Stipends under this title shall be available only to 
mathematics, science, and engineering professionals who, while 
receiving the stipend, are enrolled in a program to receive 
certification to teach.
  (b) Selection.--Individuals shall be selected to receive stipends 
under this title primarily on the basis of academic merit, with 
consideration given to financial need and to the goal of promoting the 
participation of minorities, women, and people with disabilities.
  (c) Amount.--Stipends under this title shall be for an amount of up 
to $7,500 per year, but in no event more than the cost of attendance. 
Individuals may receive a maximum of 1 year of stipend support.
  (d) Service Obligation.--If an individual receives a stipend under 
this title, that individual shall be required to complete, within 6 
years after graduation from the program for which the stipend was 
awarded, 2 years of service as a mathematics or science teacher for 
each year a stipend was received. Service required under this 
subsection shall be performed at a school receiving assistance under 
chapter 1 of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (Public Law 89-10).

SEC. 407. CONDITIONS OF SUPPORT.

  As a condition of acceptance of a scholarship or stipend under this 
title, a recipient shall enter into an agreement with the institution 
of higher education--
          (1) accepting the terms of the scholarship or stipend 
        pursuant to sections 405 and 409 or section 406;
          (2) agreeing to provide the awarding institution of higher 
        education with annual certification of employment and current 
        contact information and to participate in surveys provided by 
        the institution of higher education as part of an ongoing 
        assessment program; and
          (3) establishing that any scholarship recipient shall be 
        liable to the United States for any amount that is required to 
        be repaid in accordance with the provisions of section 409.

SEC. 408. COLLECTION FOR NONCOMPLIANCE.

  (a) Monitoring Compliance.--An institution of higher education (or 
consortium thereof) receiving a grant under this title shall, as a 
condition of participating in the program, enter into an agreement with 
the Director to monitor the compliance of scholarship and stipend 
recipients with their respective service requirements.
  (b) Collection of Repayment.--(1) In the event that a scholarship 
recipient is required to repay the scholarship under section 409, the 
institution shall be responsible for collecting the repayment amounts.
  (2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), any repayment shall be 
returned to the Treasury of the United States.
  (3) A grantee may retain a percentage of any repayment it collects to 
defray administrative costs associated with the collection. The 
Director shall establish a single, fixed percentage that will apply to 
all grantees.

SEC. 409. FAILURE TO COMPLETE SERVICE OBLIGATION.

  (a) General Rule.--If an individual who has receive a scholarship 
under this title--
          (1) fails to maintain an acceptable level of academic 
        standing in the educational institution in which the individual 
        is enrolled, as determined by the National Science Foundation;
          (2) is dismissed from such educational institution for 
        disciplinary reasons;
          (3) withdraws from the baccalaureate degree program for which 
        the award was made before the completion of such program;
          (4) declares that the individual does not intend to fulfill 
        his service obligation under this title; or
          (5) fails to fulfill the service obligation of the individual 
        under this title,
such individual shall be liable to the United States as provided in 
subsection (b).
  (b) Amount of Repayment.--(1) If a circumstance described in 
subsection (a) occurs before the completion of one year of a service 
obligation under this title, the United States shall be entitled to 
recover from the individual, within one year after the date of the 
occurrence of such circumstance, an amount equal to--
          (A) the total amount of awards received by such individual 
        under this title; plus
          (B) the interest on such amounts which would be payable if at 
        the time the amounts were received they were loans bearing 
        interest at the maximum legal prevailing rate, as determined by 
        the Treasurer of the United States,
multiplied by 2.
  (2) If a circumstance described in subsection (a)(4) or (a)(5) occurs 
after the completion of one year of a service obligation under this 
title, the United States shall be entitled to recover from the 
individual, within one year after the date of the occurrence of such 
circumstance, an amount equal to--
          (A) the total amount of awards received by such individual 
        under this title minus $3,750 for each full year of service 
        completed; plus
          (B) the interest on such amounts which would be payable if at 
        the time the amounts were received they were loans bearing 
        interest at the maximum legal prevailing rate, as determined by 
        the Treasurer of the United States.
  (c) Exceptions.--(1) The National Science Foundation may provide for 
the partial or total waiver or suspension of any service obligation or 
payment by an individual under this title whenever compliance by the 
individual is impossible or would involve extreme hardship to the 
individual, or if enforcement of such obligation with respect to the 
individual would be unconscionable.
  (2) Any obligation of an individual under this title for payment 
under subsection (b) may be released by a discharge in bankruptcy under 
title 11, United States Code, only if such discharge is granted after 
the expiration of the 5-year period beginning on the first date that 
such payment is required.

SEC. 410. REPORT.

  (a) Data Collection.--Institutions receiving grants under this title 
shall supply to the Director any relevant statistical and demographic 
data on scholarship recipients and stipend recipients the Director may 
request, including information on employment required by section 407.
  (b) Assessment.--Not later than 7 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit to Congress a report 
assessing the impact of the implementation of this title on drawing 
into teaching top mathematics and science students, including students 
from groups underrepresented in mathematics, science and engineering.

SEC. 411. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

  (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
National Science Foundation to carry out this title $20,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2002 through 2005.
  (b) Specific Appropriations.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
to the National Science Foundation to support the activities described 
in subsections (b)(1)(A) and (C) and (b)(2)(A) and (C) of section 402, 
such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2006 through 
2011.

               TITLE V--REQUIREMENTS FOR RESEARCH CENTERS

SEC. 501. REQUIREMENTS FOR RESEARCH CENTERS.

  The Director shall ensure that any National Science Foundation 
program that awards grants for the establishment of research centers at 
institutions of higher education after the date of the enactment of 
this Act--
          (1) requires that every center offer programs for elementary 
        and secondary mathematics and science teachers and students to 
        increase their understanding of the field in which the center 
        specializes; and
          (2) uses the quality of a center's proposed precollege 
        education programs as a criterion in determining grant awards.

              TITLE VI--EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES RESEARCH

SEC. 601. EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH CENTERS.

  (a) In General.--(1) The Director shall establish a program to award 
grants to institutions of higher education (or consortia thereof) to 
establish centers to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of 
information technologies in elementary and secondary mathematics and 
science education.
  (2) Grants shall be awarded under this title on a merit-reviewed 
competitive basis.
  (b) Activities.--Centers established under this title shall, at a 
minimum--
          (1) identify educational approaches and techniques that are 
        based on the use of information technology and that have the 
        potential for being effective in classroom settings;
          (2) develop methods to measure the effectiveness of various 
        applications of information technology in mathematics and 
        science education, including methods to measure student 
        performance;
          (3) evaluate the effectiveness of the use of technology in 
        elementary and secondary mathematics and science education in a 
        variety of classroom settings; and
          (4) identify the key variables that influence educational 
        effectiveness and the conditions necessary to implement 
        successfully an approach or technique determined to be 
        educationally effective for a particular educational setting;
          (5) ensure that the results of such evaluations are widely 
        disseminated; and
          (6) develop a program to work with local educational agencies 
        to help them apply the results of the research conducted under 
        this section.

SEC. 602. SELECTION PROCESS.

  (a) Application.--An institution of higher education (or a consortium 
thereof) seeking funding under this title shall submit an application 
to the Director at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Director may require. The application shall include, 
at a minimum, a description of--
          (1) the approaches to the use of information technology that 
        the center will initially evaluate, how it chose those 
        approaches, how it will seek out any additional approaches, and 
        how assessment procedures would be developed and applied;
          (2) how the center will work with local education agencies to 
        evaluate the approaches in classrooms;
          (3) how the center will disseminate the results of its work; 
        and
          (4) how the center will develop an outreach program to work 
        with local educational agencies to help them apply the results 
        of its research.
  (b) Review of Applications.--In evaluating the applications submitted 
under subsection (a), the Director shall consider, at a minimum, the 
ability of the applicant to effectively evaluate information technology 
approaches and to help local education agencies apply the results of 
those evaluations.
  (c) Awards.--The Director shall ensure, to the extent practicable, 
that the program established under this title evaluates information 
technology--
          (1) in a wide range of grade levels and geographic areas;
          (2) in rural, suburban, and urban schools; and
          (3) with a wide variety of students in terms of race, 
        ethnicity, and income.

SEC. 603. DOCUMENTATION AND DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS.

  (a) In General.--The results of the research and evaluations 
conducted in accordance with section 601 shall be documented and widely 
disseminated, including through publication in peer-reviewed scholarly 
journals.
  (b) Workshops, Conference, and Web Sites.--The Director is authorized 
to sponsor and support workshops, conferences, and dedicated web sites 
to disseminate information about the activities of the educational 
technology research centers established under section 601.
  (c) Deposit in Library.--Information about effective approaches and 
techniques, including information and materials necessary for their 
implementation, shall be deposited in the Digital Library.

SEC. 604. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

  There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science 
Foundation to carry out the program established under section 601--
          (1) $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2004; 
        and
          (2) $30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2005 and 2006.

                  TITLE VII--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC. 701. MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE PROFICIENCY PARTNERSHIPS.

  (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
          (1) Proficiency in mathematics, science, and information 
        technology is necessary to prepare all students in the United 
        States for participation in the 21st Century and to guarantee 
        that the United States economy remains vibrant and competitive.
          (2) In order to achieve such results, it is important that 
        the Federal Government shows interest in economically 
        disadvantaged students who have not been provided with 
        opportunities that will improve their knowledge of mathematics, 
        science, and technology.
          (3) Many economically disadvantaged students in urban and 
        rural America share a common need to receive a quality 
        education, but often the schools of such students lack the 
        needed resources to lift those students into the information 
        age.
          (4) The schools and businesses serving urban and rural 
        communities are strategically positioned to form a unique 
        partnership with students that will increase their mathematics, 
        science, and technology proficiency and encourage and support 
        their undergraduate study in those fields for the benefit of 
        the Nation.
  (b) Authority.--(1)(A) The Director shall establish a demonstration 
project under which the Director awards grants in accordance with this 
section to eligible local educational agencies.
  (B) A local educational agency that receives a grant under this 
section may use such grant funds to develop a program that builds or 
expands mathematics, science, and information technology curricula, to 
purchase equipment necessary to establish such program, and to provide 
professional development to enhance teacher quality in those fields.
  (2) A program described in paragraph (1) shall--
          (A) provide teacher professional development specifically in 
        information technology, mathematics, and science; and
          (B) provide students with a rich standards-based course of 
        study in mathematics, science, and information technology.
  (c) Eligible Local Educational Agencies.--For purposes of this 
section, a local educational agency is eligible to receive a grant 
under this section if the agency--
          (1) provides assurances that it has executed conditional 
        agreements with representatives of the private sector to 
        provide services and funds described in subsection (d); and
          (2) agrees to enter into an agreement with the Director to 
        comply with the requirements of this section.
  (d) Private Sector Participation.--The conditional agreements 
referred to in subsection (c)(1) shall describe participation by the 
private sector, including--
          (1) the donation of computer hardware, software, and other 
        technology tools;
          (2) the establishment of internship and mentoring 
        opportunities for students who participate in the mathematics, 
        science, and information technology program; and
          (3) the donation of higher education scholarship funds for 
        eligible students to continue their study of mathematics, 
        science, and information technology.
  (e) Application.--(1) To apply for a grant under this section, each 
eligible local educational agency shall submit an application to the 
Director in accordance with guidelines established by the Director 
pursuant to paragraph (2).
  (2)(A) The guidelines referred to in paragraph (1) shall require, at 
a minimum, that the application include--
          (i) a description of proposed activities consistent with the 
        uses of funds and program requirements under paragraphs (1)(B) 
        and (2) of subsection (b);
          (ii) a description of the higher education scholarship 
        program, including criteria for selection, duration of 
        scholarship, number of scholarships to be awarded each year, 
        and funding levels for scholarships; and
          (iii) evidence of private sector participation and financial 
        support to establish an internship, mentoring, and scholarship 
        program.
  (B) The Director shall issue and publish such guidelines not later 
than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act.
  (3) The Director shall select a local educational agency to receive 
an award under this section on the basis of merit to be determined 
after conducting a comprehensive review.
  (f) Priority.--The Director shall give special priority in awarding 
grants under this section to eligible local educational agencies that--
          (1) demonstrate the greatest ability to obtain commitments 
        from representatives of the private sector to provide services 
        and funds described under subsection (d); and
          (2) demonstrate the greatest economic need.
  (g) Assessment.--The Director shall assess the effectiveness of 
activities carried out under this section.
  (h) Study and Report.--The Director--
          (1) shall initiate an evaluative study of the effectiveness 
        of the activities carried out under this section in improving 
        student performance in mathematics, science, and information 
        technology at the precollege level and in stimulating student 
        interest in pursuing undergraduate studies in those fields; and
          (2) shall report the findings of the study to Congress not 
        later than 4 years after the award of the first scholarship.
Such report shall include the number of students graduating from an 
institution of higher education with a major in mathematics, science, 
or information technology and the number of students who find 
employment in such fields.
  (i) Definitions.--In this section:
          (1) The term ``conditional agreement'' means an arrangement 
        between representatives of the private sector and local 
        educational agencies to provide certain services and funds, 
        such as, but not limited to, the donation of computer hardware 
        and software, the establishment of internship and mentoring 
        opportunities for students who participate in mathematics, 
        science, and information technology programs, and the donation 
        of scholarship funds for use at institutions of higher 
        education by eligible students who have participated in the 
        mathematics, science, and information technology programs.
          (2) The term ``eligible student'' means a student enrolled in 
        the 12th grade who--
                  (A) has participated in a mathematics, science, and 
                an information technology program established pursuant 
                to this section;
                  (B) has demonstrated a commitment to pursue a career 
                in information technology, mathematics, science, or 
                engineering; and
                  (C) has attained high academic standing and maintains 
                a grade point average of not less than 2.7 on a 4.0 
                scale for the period from the beginning of the 10th 
                grade through the time of application for a 
                scholarship.
  (j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the National Science Foundation to carry out this 
section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2004.
  (k) Maximum Grant Award.--An award made to an eligible local 
educational agency under this section may not exceed $300,000.

SEC. 702. ARTICULATION PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND 
                    SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

  (a) Outreach Grants.--In making awards for outreach grants authorized 
under section 3(c)(2) of the Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 
1992 (42 U.S.C. 1862i(c)(2)), the Director shall give priority to 
proposals that involve secondary schools with a majority of students 
from groups that are underrepresented in the science, mathematics and 
engineering workforce. Awards in such cases shall not be subject to the 
requirement under section 3(f)(3) of such Act for a matching 
contribution.
  (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the National Science Foundation to carry out this 
section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2004.

SEC. 703. ASSESSMENT OF IN-SERVICE TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 
                    PROGRAMS.

  (a) Assessment.--The Director shall review all programs sponsored by 
the National Science Foundation that support in-service teacher 
professional development for science teachers to determine--
          (1) the level of resources and degree of emphasis placed on 
        training teachers in the effective use of information 
        technology in the classroom; and
          (2) the allocation of resources between summer activities and 
        follow-on reinforcement training and support to participating 
        teachers during the school year.
  (b) Report.--The Director shall submit to Congress, not later than 1 
year after the date of the enactment of this Act, a report that--
          (1) describes the results of the review and assessment 
        conducted under subsection (a);
          (2) summarizes the major categories of in-service teacher 
        professional development activities supported at the time of 
        the review, and the funding levels for such activities; and
          (3) describes any proposed changes, including new funding 
        allocations, to strengthen the in-service teacher professional 
        development programs of the National Science Foundation that 
        support activities described in paragraphs (a)(1) and (2).

SEC. 704. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS.

  The Director may award competitive, merit-reviewed grants for the 
development of educational materials on energy production and use, 
energy conservation, and renewable energy for use in elementary and 
secondary schools.

SEC. 705. STUDY OF BROADBAND NETWORK ACCESS FOR SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES.

  (a) Report to Congress.--The Director shall conduct a study of the 
issues described in subsection (c), and not later than 1 year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, transmit to Congress a report 
including recommendations to address those issues. Such report shall be 
updated annually for 6 additional years.
  (b) Consultation.--In preparing the reports under subsection (a), the 
Director shall consult with the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and 
such other Federal agencies and educational entities as the Director 
considers appropriate.
  (c) Issues To Be Addressed.--The reports shall--
          (1) identify the current status of high-speed, large 
        bandwidth capacity access to all public elementary and 
        secondary schools and libraries in the United States;
          (2) identify how the provision of high-speed, large bandwidth 
        capacity access to the Internet to such schools and libraries 
        can be effectively utilized within each school and library;
          (3) consider the effect that specific or regional 
        circumstances may have on the ability of such institutions to 
        acquire high-speed, large bandwidth capacity access to achieve 
        universal connectivity as an effective tool in the education 
        process; and
          (4) include options and recommendations to address the 
        challenges and issues identified in the reports.

SEC. 706. EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE; LEARNING COMMUNITY 
                    CONSORTIUM.

  Section 3 of the Scientific and Advanced Technology Act of 1992 
(Public Law 102-476; 42 U.S.C. 1862i) is amended by redesignating 
subsections (d), (e), (f), and (g) as subsections (f), (g), (h), and 
(i), respectively, and by inserting after subsection (c) the following 
new subsections:
  ``(d) Educational Technology Assistance.--
          ``(1) In general.--The Director is authorized to make awards 
        on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis to associate-degree 
        granting colleges, bachelor-degree granting institutions, or 
        education service agencies (or consortia thereof) to establish 
        centers to assist elementary and secondary schools in the use 
        of information technology for mathematics, science, or 
        technology instruction.
          ``(2) Activities.--Activities of centers funded under this 
        subsection may include--
                  ``(A) helping schools evaluate their need for 
                information technology;
                  ``(B) training teachers on how to best use 
                information technology in instruction; and
                  ``(C) providing other information and training to 
                help schools and teachers ensure that they have access 
                to appropriate information technologies and are using 
                them to maximum advantage.
          ``(3) Application.--An application to receive funds under 
        this subsection shall include, at a minimum--
                  ``(A) a description of the services that will be 
                provided to schools and teachers;
                  ``(B) a list of the schools expected to be served;
                  ``(C) a description of how the applicant will draw on 
                the expertise of its faculty and students to assist 
                schools and teachers; and
                  ``(D) a description of how the applicant will operate 
                the program after funding made available by this 
                subsection has expired.
          ``(4) Selection.--In evaluating applications submitted under 
        paragraph (3), the Director shall consider, at a minimum--
                  ``(A) the ability of the applicant to effectively 
                carry out the program;
                  ``(B) the number of schools and students who would be 
                served and the their need for assistance;
                  ``(C) the extent to which the applicant has worked 
                with participating schools to ensure that priority 
                problems would be addressed by the assistance provided 
                under this subsection; and
                  ``(D) the ability of the applicant to continue to 
                provide assistance after funding under this subsection 
                has expired.
          ``(5) Awards.--(A) The Director shall ensure, to the extent 
        practicable, that the program established by this subsection 
        assists schools in rural, suburban, and urban areas.
          ``(B) No institution shall receive funds under this 
        subsection for more than three years.
          ``(6) Report.--Not later than April 1, 2005, the Director 
        shall provide a report to Congress assessing the success of the 
        program funded under this subsection and the need of schools 
        for continued assistance, and, based on the experience with the 
        program, recommending ways information technology assistance to 
        schools could be made more broadly available.
          ``(7) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
        to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation to carry 
        out this subsection $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 
        2002 through 2004.
  ``(e) Learning Community Consortium.--The Director is authorized to 
provide to a consortium composed of associate-degree granting colleges 
a grant in the amount of $10,000,000 for the purpose of carrying out a 
pilot project to encourage women, minorities and persons with 
disabilities to enter and complete programs in mathematics, science, 
engineering and technology.''.

                        II. Purpose of the Bill

    The purpose of the bill is to make improvements in K-12 
mathematics and science education, and for other purposes.

              III. Background and Need for the Legislation

    For years the United States has not provided many of its 
children with a world-class education. In 1983, Secretary of 
Education Terrence Bell spurred a national dialogue about 
mathematics and science education by releasing the provocative 
report ``A Nation At risk'' which documented the steady decline 
in the educational achievement of our children. The report 
stated its findings in dramatic terms:

          If an unfriendly power had attempted to impose on 
        America the mediocre educational performance that 
        exists today, we might well have viewed it as an act of 
        war. As it stands, we have allowed this to happen to 
        ourselves. We have even squandered the gains in 
        achievement make in the wake of the Sputnik challenge. 
        Moreover, we have dismantled essential support systems 
        which helped make those gains possible. We have, in 
        effect, been committing an act of unthinking, 
        unilateral educational disarmament.

    In September of 1989, President George H. Bush responded to 
this report by convening an Education Summit at which the 49 
participating Governors agreed to set national education goals. 
The Charlottesville Summit was the first time that national and 
state political leaders from both parties, with diverse views 
on education reform, reached consensus on what the nation's 
highest education priorities should be. One year later 
President Bush formally proposed, and the Governors adopted, 
eight national goals. Among these was the goal that by the year 
2000, the United States would be first in the world in 
mathematics and science.
    Unfortunately, recent evidence demonstrates quite clearly 
that the United States is not meeting the education goals it 
set for itself more than ten years ago. In 1995, the Third 
International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) evaluated 
the math and science performance of students in fourth, eighth, 
and twelfth grades in 42 different countries. While U.S. fourth 
graders performed above the international average in both 
science and mathematics, eighth grade students performed at the 
international average in science and below the international 
average in mathematics. U.S. students in the twelfth grade, 
including our most advanced students, ranked among the lowest 
of all countries participating in the study.

    In 1999, a repeat of the TIMSS study (TIMSS-R) demonstrated 
that despite the high scores made four years earlier by fourth-
grade students, the mathematics and science achievement of U.S. 
eight-grade students was still only at about the international 
average. This follow-up study confirmed that the decline in 
relative performance of students during the middle school years 
continues to be a serious problem. Clearly, we can no longer 
assume that our best and brightest students will be able to 
provide the extraordinary intellectual leadership that has 
allowed the United States to overcome the obstacles created by 
an education system that fails many of its students.
    The inability of our Nation's schools to provide children 
with a world-class education in mathematics and science as 
illustrated by the TIMSS-R has strategic and economic 
consequences. On February 15, 2001, the U.S. Commission on 
National Security/21st Century, released its report ``Road Map 
for National Security: Imperative for Change.''
    This Federal Commission was chartered by the Secretary of 
Defense and the Congress to deliver a security strategy and 
implementation plan designed to meet the emerging challenges of 
the 21st century. Echoing ``A Nation At Risk,'' the report 
concluded that:

          The scale and nature of the ongoing revolution in 
        science and technology, and what this implies for the 
        quality of human capital in the 21st century, pose 
        critical national security challenges for the United 
        States. Second only to a weapon of mass destruction 
        detonating in an American city, we can think of nothing 
        more dangerous than a failure to manage properly 
        science, technology, and education for the common good 
        over the next quarter century.

    Clearly, significant and immediate efforts must be made to 
better prepare today's math and science students who will be 
tomorrow's technology workers, researchers, educators, policy 
makers, leaders and citizens. These efforts must involve all 
segments of our society.
    President George W. Bush has called on the Nation to 
develop partnerships involving parents, teachers, school 
administrators, chief state school officers, leaders of the 
business community, and institutions of higher education. 
Individually, none of these groups has the capacity to address 
the problem that is before us. By forming partnerships, 
however, each group can make meaningful contributions and can 
accomplish together what none of them can accomplish alone.
    The National Mathematics and Science Partnerships Act 
responds to the President's call. Using the resources of the 
National Science Foundation, it encourages local communities to 
participate in model partnerships designed to reform the 
instruction of elementary and secondary school mathematics and 
science education. The Partnerships Act recognizes the unique 
contribution that institutions of higher education and 
businesses can make to education reform. It draws upon these 
strengths to develop model programs that, if proven successful, 
will hold the key to large-scale education reform efforts that 
can be conducted by state and local educational agencies.
    One of the first challenges that the partnerships must face 
will be the development and implementation of better 
preparatory training and professional programs for teachers. 
Under the partnership model, successful efforts will look 
beyond the colleges of education to involve professional 
scientists, mathematicians and engineers from institutions of 
higher education, government and industry. New models for 
professional development will be developed and elementary and 
secondary mathematics and science teachers will be given 
opportunities to expand their own horizons through research 
opportunities at universities, government or industry 
laboratories.
    The need to recruit well-prepared teachers is an equally 
critical challenge to mathematics and science education reform. 
A recent study conducted by the National Council for 
Accreditation of Teacher Preparation showed that 50,000 new 
teachers enter the profession each year lacking appropriate 
preparation. Nearly 25% of all secondary teachers do not have a 
college major or minor in their main teaching field and, in 
particular, more than 30% of secondary mathematics teachers 
hold neither a major nor a minor in mathematics. Teachers must 
possess a command of science and math content at a level 
sufficient to distill the important concepts and methodology 
and to present activities and opportunities to students that 
will allow them to explore and understand basic concepts, 
logic, and applications of mathematics and science. To 
encourage mathematics, science, and engineering students to 
pursue careers in teaching, the Act establishes the Noyce 
Scholarship Program in which students are offered scholarships 
in exchange for a commitment to teach. In addition, the Noyce 
Scholarship Program will facilitate transitions to careers in 
teaching for the most capable science, engineering, mathematics 
and technology professionals. These scholarships are named for 
Robert N. Noyce, an inventor of the integrated circuit and co-
founder of Intel.
    Teacher recruitment, preparation and professional 
development and other education reform efforts must be guided 
by a more robust body of research about student learning. 
Recent reports of the National Academy of Sciences have shown 
that a wide and troublesome gap exists between our current 
understanding of how the brain functions during learning and 
actual classroom practices. The gap between research and 
practice is even wider in the use of educational technologies 
in instruction or assessment. Aggressive technological 
expansion programs have resulted in the acquisition of computer 
technology by over 99% of schools, yet many schools have not 
optimized the use of these computers for instruction, 
assessment, or teacher enhancement. In part, this disparity in 
the use of technology is the result of a shortage of 
professional development opportunities for teachers, but also 
reflects a fundamental lack of understanding of how best to use 
technology in teaching. The Partnerships Act recognizes that 
better research must provide the foundation for state and local 
education reform efforts. Titles III and VI of the Partnerships 
Act authorize research programs designed to provide educators 
and policy makers with scientifically based methods and 
materials upon which to build education reform activities.
    In short, this Act calls on individuals, institutions of 
higher education, state and local educational agencies and 
corporations to collaboratively develop and implement programs 
to recruit the Nation's brightest into careers in teaching, 
support these teachers through meaningful training, engage them 
in high quality lifelong learning opportunities, and arm them 
with scientifically-based, empirically validated teaching tools 
and practices to enable them to be successful in their work.

                        IV. Summary of Hearings

    On Wednesday, March 7, 2001, the House Committee on Science 
held a hearing to gather teachers' perspectives on how the 
federal government can help improve K-12th grade science and 
math education. Testifying before the committee were four 
teachers representing elementary, middle, and secondary math 
and science educators, three of whom were recipients of the 
prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and 
Mathematics Teaching. These witnesses spoke to the importance 
of improvingthe quality and availability of professional 
development, developing better student assessment tools, increasing the 
prestige of mathematics and science teachers, reducing the professional 
isolation experienced in the classroom, and building stronger 
partnerships between schools and universities.
    On Wednesday, May 2, 2001, the House Science Committee's 
Subcommittee on Research held a hearing on ways the National 
Science Foundation could most effectively stimulate K-12 math 
and science education reform. The witnesses addressed the 
central role that higher education, business, and school 
district partnerships can play in stimulating science and 
mathematics education reform. The witnesses emphasized the 
importance of high quality professional development programs, 
the important role that the prestige of business partners can 
play in encouraging broader acceptance of reform activities, 
the need to recruit better prepared teachers, the important 
mentoring role that can be played by master teachers, and the 
importance of long-term rather than short-term programs.
    On May 10, 2001, the House Science Committee's Subcommittee 
on Research held a hearing to examine the gap that currently 
exists between what is known about how people learn and the 
methods and materials educators use to teach. The witnesses 
gave testimony to the critical importance of establishing a 
long-term research agenda designed to bridge the gap between 
cognitive science and education research and to finding better 
ways to ensure that the results of this research are 
incorporated into teacher education, professional development, 
and classroom activities.

                          V. Committee Action

    On May 16, 2001, Science Committee Chairman Sherwood 
Boehlert introduced H.R. 1858, the National Mathematics and 
Science Partnerships Act, a bill to authorize appropriations 
for science, mathematics, engineering and technology education 
for Fiscal Years 2003 through 2011.
    The Subcommittee on Research met on June 7, 2001, to 
consider the bill. An en bloc amendment was offered by 
Subcommittee Chairman Nick Smith and the ranking member of the 
Subcommittee, Eddie Bernice Johnson. In addition to making 
technical corrections to the bill, the amendment (1) removed 
the requirement for matching funds for each authorized program 
and instead permitted the Director of the National Science 
Foundation (NSF) to establish matching requirements for any of 
the programs authorized by the bill with the exception of the 
Noyce Scholarship program; (2) specified that allowable 
activities under the Mathematics and Science Education 
Partnerships include programs that encourage the interest of 
girls in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology; (3) 
required applications for Partnership grants that will provide 
education programs for students to describe how the proposed 
activities will encourage the interest of women and minorities 
in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology and 
prepared them to pursue further education in those fields; (4) 
enabled funds from Digital Libraries grants to be used to 
provide assistance to schools using materials made available 
through the Digital Library; (5) required the NSF Director to 
consider the capacity of grant applicants for the Strategic 
Education Research Centers to attract and support graduate 
students studying education research and related fields; (6) 
established a fellowship program for K-12 teachers to pursue 
education research at institutions of higher education; (7) 
changed the amount that Noyce scholarship recipients must pay 
back if they fail to complete their full service obligation; 
(8) removed the requirement that NSF hold a conference on 
improving K-12 science, mathematics, engineering, and 
technology education; (9) established a program at NSF to award 
grants to local educational agencies working in partnership 
with industry to develop and improve K-12 math, science, and 
information technology education programs; (10) required the 
NSF Director to give priority to grant proposals under the 
Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992 to proposals 
that involve secondary schools with a majority of students from 
groups underrepresented in the science, mathematics, and 
engineering workforce; (11) required the NSF Director to review 
NSF's in-service teacher professional development programs; and 
(12) established a program to award grants for the creation of 
centers to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of K-12 
information technologies. The amendment was adopted by voice 
vote. With a quorum present, Ms. Johnson moved that the 
Subcommittee favorably report the bill, H.R. 1858, as amended, 
to the Full Committee on Science with the recommendation that 
it be in order for the amendment, in the nature of a substitute 
adopted by the Subcommittee, to be considered as an original 
bill for the purpose of amendment under the five minute rule at 
Full Committee, and that the staff be instructed to make 
technical and conforming changes to the bill as amended. The 
motion was agreed to by a voice vote.
    On June 13, 2001, the Full Committee met to consider the 
bill, H.R. 1858, as reported by the Subcommittee on Research. 
An en bloc amendment was offered by Committee Chairman Sherwood 
Boehlert and ranking member Ralph Hall. In addition to making 
technical corrections to the bill, the amendment (1) specified 
that allowable activities under the Mathematics and Science 
Education Partnerships includes programs that support research 
projects performed by high school students; (2) allowed funds 
for Mathematics and Science Education Partnerships to be used 
to provide stipends for teachers or students participating in 
certain training or research activities; (3) required the 
Digital Library to compile information on national and regional 
K-12 education conferences; (4) required the Strategic 
Education Research Centers to conduct research and development 
activities designed to improve the performance of a broad range 
of students; (5) required Noyce Scholarship program recipients 
to supply relevant statistical and demographic data on 
scholarship and stipend recipients; (6) required the NSF 
Director to submit a report to Congress on the impact of the 
program; (7) allowed the NSF Director to award grants for the 
development of K-12 educational materials on energy issues; (8) 
required the NSF Director to conduct a study on the impact of 
and access to high bandwidth capacity to the Internet for 
schools and libraries; (9) allowed the NSF Director to award 
grants to higher education institutions to establish centers to 
assist K-12 schools in the use of information technology for 
math, science and technology instruction; and (10) allowed the 
NSF Director to award a grant to a consortium of community 
colleges to encourage women, minorities, and persons with 
disabilities to study mathematics, science, engineering, and 
technology. The amendment was adopted by voice vote. With a 
quorum present, Mr. Gordon movedthat the Committee favorably 
report the bill, H.R. 1858, as amended, to the House with the 
recommendation that the bill as amended do pass, and that the staff be 
instructed to make technical and conforming changes to the bill as 
amended and prepare the legislative report, and that the Chairman take 
all necessary steps to bring the bill before the House for 
consideration. The motion was agreed to by a voice vote.

              VI. Summary of Major Provisions of the Bill

     Authorizes NSF to establish a program of 
mathematics and science education partnerships involving 
universities and local educational agencies. These partnerships 
will focus on a wide array of reform efforts ranging from 
professional development to curriculum reform. The partnerships 
may include the state educational agency and 50% of the awards 
must go to partnerships that include businesses. The program is 
authorized at $200 million per year for Fiscal Years 2002 
through 2006.
     Authorizes a partnership program through which 
universities will provide scholarships to math and science 
teachers allowing them to participate in research projects at 
university, business, state or federal laboratories. The 
program is authorized at $15 million per year for Fiscal Years 
2002 through 2006.
     Authorizes the expansion of the National Science, 
Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology Education Digital 
Library to include peer reviewed elementary and secondary 
mathematics, science, engineering, and technology education 
materials. The program is authorized at $20 million per year 
for Fiscal Years 2002 through 2006.
     Authorizes the establishment of four national 
university-based centers for research on learning and education 
improvement. The multidisciplinary research centers will 
conduct and evaluate research in cognitive science and related 
fields, and will translate the results of that research to 
educational practice. The program is authorized at $12 million 
per year for Fiscal Years 2002 through 2006.
     Authorizes a program to provide fellowships to 
enable K-12 teachers to participate in cognitive science, 
behavioral, and learning research at universities so that they 
will better understand the connections between the science of 
learning and the practice of teaching. The program is 
authorized at $5 million per year for Fiscal Years 2002 through 
2004.
     Authorizes a new scholarship program designed to 
encourage mathematics, science, and engineering majors to 
pursue careers in teaching. The program provides grants to 
universities who will, in turn, award scholarships to 
mathematics, science and engineering majors who intend to 
teach. The institutions must also provide education and support 
programs for the scholarship recipients prior to graduation and 
during their early years of teaching. Scholarship recipients 
are required to teach in a K-12 school as payback for the 
award. Stipends may also be offered to math, science, or 
engineering professionals who need course work to transition to 
a career in teaching. The program is authorized at $20 million 
per year for Fiscal Years 2002 through 2006.
     Requires that any new National Science Foundation-
supported research centers at institutions of higher education 
must work to improve elementary and secondary mathematics and 
science education.
     Authorizes a program to award grants to 
universities to establish centers to evaluate and improve the 
effectiveness of information technologies in elementary and 
secondary mathematics and science education. The program is 
authorized at $25 million per year for Fiscal Years 2002 
through 2004 and at $30 million per year for Fiscal Years 2005 
and 2006.
     Authorizes grants to encourage partnerships 
between school districts and businesses for enhanced 
mathematics and science education, including information 
technology education. Participating businesses must agree to 
provide mentoring and scholarship opportunities for students. 
This program is authorized at $5 million per year for Fiscal 
Years 2002 through 2004.
     Provides additional support for articulation 
partnerships between community colleges and secondary schools 
($5 million per year from 2002-2004), requires the NSF to 
conduct an assessment of in-service teacher professional 
development programs and to study broadband access for schools 
and libraries, and authorizes a community college pilot project 
to encourage women, minorities and persons with disabilities to 
enter and complete programs in mathematics, science, 
engineering and technology ($10 million).
     Authorizes educational technology assistance 
centers to assist K-12 schools in the use of information 
technology for math, science and technology instruction. The 
program is authorized at $5 million per year for Fiscal Years 
2002 through 2004.

        VII. Section-by-Section Analysis (By Title and Section)

Section 1. Short title

    Cites the Act as the ``National Mathematics and Science 
Partnerships Act.''

Section 2. Findings

    The Committee finds that: (1) 12 years ago the President 
called upon the Nation's Governors to establish common goals 
for the improvement of K-12 education; (2) one of the goals was 
that by the year 2000, U.S. students would be first in the 
world in mathand science achievement; (3) despite the goals, 
U.S. 8th graders have only demonstrated average performance in math and 
science achievement; and (4) the U.S. must redouble its efforts in 
math, science, engineering, and technology education.

Section 3. Definitions

    Defines: (1) ``Director'' as the Director of the National 
Science Foundation; (2) ``institution of higher education'' as 
defined in the Higher Education Act of 1965; (3) ``eligible 
nonprofit organization'' as nonprofit research institute or 
nonprofit professional association with a demonstrated 
experience delivering science and math education as determined 
by the Director; (4) ``local educational agency,'' ``state 
educational agency,'' ``elementary school,'' and ``secondary 
school'' as defined in the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965.

Section 4. Authorizations of appropriations

    States that any authorization of appropriations in the bill 
is in addition to amounts otherwise authorized or appropriated 
for the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Section 5. Matching requirements

    Allows the Director of NSF to establish matching fund 
requirements for any of the programs authorized by the bill, 
with the exception of the Noyce Scholarship program authorized 
in Title IV.

        Title I. Mathematics and Science Education Partnerships

       SUBTITLE A. MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS

Section 101. Program authorized

    Establishes a competitive, merit-based program to award 
grants to institutions of higher education or eligible 
nonprofit organizations to establish math and science 
partnership programs. Requires institutions of higher education 
to partner with one or more local educational agencies to be 
eligible to receive a partnership grant. Includes the option 
for participation of a State educational agency and/or one or 
more businesses. Requires that the higher education institution 
include a mathematics, science or engineering department in the 
programs carried out through the partnership. Possible 
activities for partnership programs include teacher 
recruitment, training, and professional development--including 
training in educational techniques--distance learning programs, 
development of curricular materials and assessment tools, and 
others, including any other activities the NSF Director 
determines will accomplish the goals of the program. Activities 
directed toward students should encourage the ongoing interest 
of girls in science, mathematics, engineering and technology 
and prepare girls for continued study and careers in these 
areas. Activities may also include research projects performed 
by students at secondary schools.

Section 102. Selection process

    Establishes minimum requirements for grant applications and 
describes criteria the Director must consider in reviewing 
them. Requires institutions of higher education to enumerate 
the Partnership activities to be supported by grant funds and 
also to describe the role of each partner in the activities of 
the project. Directs the applicant to describe the activities 
of the project and their alignment with State and local 
education standards, the project's basis in relevant education 
research, how it will serve as a catalyst for reform, and how 
the project's impact on improved student learning will be 
assessed. Requires that not fewer than fifty percent of the 
awards include business. Requires that the Director strive for 
geographic diversity in making the awards and that they be for 
no longer than five years.

Section 103. Accountability and dissemination

    Requires the Director to evaluate the impact of 
partnerships using a common set of benchmarks and assessment 
tools to identify best practices and materials developed by 
Partnership awardees. Requires results of this evaluation 
effort to be made public through the Digital Library and other 
media. Establishes that an annual meeting for partnerships 
awardees be held by the Director to enhance national 
collaboration.

Section 104. Authorization of appropriations

    Authorizes $200 million for each of fiscal years 2002 
through 2006.

            SUBTITLE B. TEACHER RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Section 111. Program authorized

    Establishes a competitive, merit-based grant program to 
enable institutions of higher education or eligible nonprofit 
organizations to provide research opportunities in mathematics, 
science, and engineering for math and science teachers. 
Businesses or government laboratories may be included as 
partners in the program. Grant recipients recruit and select 
teachers, provide opportunities to conduct research, and 
provide them with mentors and programming support. Grant 
recipients must provide a stipend to participating teachers and 
may provide room and board. Teachers may engage in research 
opportunities during the school year or during up to two 
sequential summers.

Section 112. Selection process

    Establishes minimum requirements for grant applications and 
describes criteria the Director must consider in reviewing 
them. Requires institutions of higher education to describe the 
proposed research, mentoring, and support programs that will be 
made available to teacher research fellows and the number, 
types and amounts of scholarships that will be offered to 
participating teachers. Limits awards to five years in 
duration.

Section 113. Authorization of appropriations

    Authorizes $15 million for each of fiscal years 2002 
through 2006.

 Title II. National Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology 
                       Education Digital Library

Section 201. In general

    Directs the NSF director to expand the National Science, 
Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology Education Digital 
Library to provide timely and continuous dissemination of K-12 
science, mathematics, engineering, and technology educational 
resources, materials, practices, and policies through the 
Internet and other digital technologies. Requires dissemination 
of effective materials developed by the math and science 
partnerships established under subtitle A of title I including 
relevant evaluations and assessments and user comments 
pertaining to those materials.

Section 202. Grants and contracts

    Allows NSF to provide grants to institutions of higher 
education and other qualified entities to design all or parts 
of the digital library and/or provide assistance to schools for 
the selection and adaptation of curricular materials, 
practices, and teaching methods that are made available through 
the Digital Library. Allows the Director to contract out 
operation of the Digital Library.

Section 203. Authorization of appropriations

    Authorizes $20 million for each of fiscal years 2002 
through 2006.

            Title III. Strategic Education Research Program

                          SUBTITLE A. CENTERS

Section 301. Establishment of centers for research on learning and 
        education improvement

    Directs the NSF Director to establish four 
multidisciplinary Centers for Research on Learning and 
Education Improvement by awarding grants, using a merit-based, 
competitive process, to institutions of higher education. 
Centers are to conduct and evaluate research in cognitive 
science, education and related fields and to develop ways in 
which the results of such research can be applied to the 
teaching of K-12 math and science. Each Center is to have a 
distinct research focus, determined by the Director in 
consultation with the National Academy of Sciences.

Section 302. Selection process

    Establishes minimum requirements for grant applications and 
describes criteria the Director must consider in reviewing 
them. Requires institutions of higher education to describe how 
the Center will promote active collaboration between scientific 
disciplines and with other research institutions, the plan by 
which existing research will be evaluated, and the way new 
areas of research will be initiated to fill research gaps. Also 
requires that proposals describe a plan to promote active 
partnerships with elementary and secondary schools and to 
reduce research results to educational practice.

Section 303. Annual conference

    Requires NSF to convene an annual conference of the Centers 
to foster collaboration and dissemination of results.

Section 304. Authorization of appropriations

    Authorizes $12 million for each of fiscal years 2002 
through 2006.

                        SUBTITLE B--FELLOWSHIPS

Section 311. Education research teacher fellowships

    Establishes a fellowship program for K-12 science and 
mathematics teachers to pursue education research fellowships 
at institutions of higher education. Grants are to be awarded 
on a competitive, peer-reviewed basis to institutions of higher 
education to set up programs that will enable K-12 teachers to 
conduct research--on cognitive science; brain research as the 
basis of human learning; or science and mathematics learning in 
formal, informal or complex educational settings--under the 
guidance of a researcher at the institution. Grant recipients 
must recruit and select teachers, give them opportunities to 
conduct research, and provide them with mentors and programming 
support for up to one calendar year or across two sequential 
summers for each teacher. Grant recipients must provide a 
stipend to participating teachers and may provide room and 
board. Authorizes $5 million for each of fiscal years 2002 
through 2004.

               Title IV. Robert Noyce Scholarship Program

Section 401. Definitions

    Defines: (1) ``mathematics and science teacher'' as a 
mathematics, science, or technology teacher at the elementary 
or secondary school level; (2) ``mathematics, science, or 
engineering professional'' as a person who holds at least a 
baccalaureate degree in science, mathematics or engineering and 
is working in that field or a related area; (3) ``scholarship'' 
as an award under section 405; (4) ``scholarship recipient'' as 
a student receiving a scholarship; (5) ``stipend'' as an award 
under section 406; (6) ``stipend recipient'' as a science, 
mathematics or engineering professional receiving a stipend; 
and (7) ``cost of attendance'' as defined in section 472 of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965.

Section 402. Scholarship program

    Establishes a competitive, merit-based grant program to 
enable institutions of higher education to obtain grants to 
award scholarships for the purpose of recruiting andtraining K-
12 science and math teachers. Requires grant recipients to establish 
programs to encourage top college science, math, and engineering 
juniors and seniors, and/or science, math, and engineering 
professionals, to become K-12 science and math teachers by 
administering scholarships and stipends, offering programs to 
facilitate the acquisition of teaching skills and teacher certification 
credentials, and developing post-graduate support programs for teachers 
following graduation and placement in the field.

Section 403. Selection process

    Establishes minimum requirements for grant applications and 
describes criteria the Director must consider in reviewing 
them. Directs institutions of higher education to describe the 
scholarship or stipend program including the number of 
scholarships or number and size of stipends to be awarded, the 
selection process by which individuals will be selected to 
receive such awards, and the programming that will be offered 
to scholarship or stipend recipients during and after 
matriculation.

Section 404. Awards

    Designates institutions awarded grants under this title as 
``National Teacher Scholarships Centers'' and requires the 
Director, to the extent practicable, to insure geographic 
diversity within the funding portfolio. Establishes a 10-year 
duration for awards made under this title.

Section 405. Scholarship requirements

    Requires scholarship recipients to be students who are 
majoring in science, mathematics or engineering and who are in 
the last two years of a baccalaureate degree program, and 
requires selection of recipients to be based primarily on 
academic merit with consideration given to financial need and 
the goals of promoting participation of minorities, women, and 
people with disabilities. Sets the scholarship amount at $7,500 
per year, or the cost of attendance, which is less, for a 
maximum of two years of support. Requires scholarship 
recipients to complete two years of service as a mathematics or 
science teacher for each year a scholarship was received.

Section 406. Stipends

    Requires stipend recipients to be mathematics, science, and 
engineering professionals who are enrolled in a teacher 
certification program while receiving the stipend. Requires 
that scholarships be awarded on the basis of academic merit 
with consideration given to financial need and the goal of 
promoting the participation of women, minorities, and people 
with disabilities. Allows stipends of up to $7,500, or the cost 
of attendance, whichever is less, for a maximum of one year. 
Requires stipend recipients to complete two years of service as 
a mathematics or science teacher in return for the year of 
stipend support.

Section 407. Conditions of support

    Requires a scholarship or stipend recipient to accept the 
service obligation and repayment terms set forth by sections 
405 and 409, or section 406; to agree to provide the awarding 
institution of higher education with annual certification of 
employment and current contact information; and to agree to 
participate in surveys as part of the project assessment 
program.

Section 408. Collection for noncompliance

    Requires grant recipient institutions to monitor the 
compliance of scholarship and stipend recipients for their 
respective service requirements and to collect repayment in the 
event that the service obligation is not met. Allows the 
grantee to retain a percentage of any repayment it collects to 
defray the administrative cost of collection.

Section 409. Failure to complete service obligation

    Details the repayment requirement for scholarship 
recipients who fall below acceptable academic achievement 
standards, are dismissed from educational institutions for 
disciplinary reasons, withdraw from the degree program, declare 
an unwillingness to fulfill the service obligation, or fail to 
complete the service obligation. Requires scholarship 
recipients who do not complete even a single year of their 
service obligation to pay back the amount of the award (plus 
interest) multiplied by two. Requires scholarship recipients 
who complete at least one year of their service obligation but 
do not complete the rest to repay the total amount of their 
award, less $3,750 for each year of service completed, plus 
interest. Allows suspension of the repayment obligation in 
cases of undue hardship.

Section 410. Report

    Requires institutions receiving awards through this title 
to provide the Director with relevant statistical and 
demographic data on scholarship and stipend recipients 
including information on employment required by section 407. 
Requires the Director to report to Congress, no later than 
seven years after the date of enactment of this Act, on the 
extent to which the program succeeded in drawing top 
mathematics and science students, including those from 
underrepresented groups, into math and science teaching 
careers.

Section 411. Authorization of appropriations

    Authorizes $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 
through 2005 and the necessary sums to fund the program 
support, reporting, compliance and collections requirements of 
awardees for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2011.

               Title V. Requirements for Research Centers

Section 501. Requirements for research centers

    Requires the Director of NSF to ensure that grants to 
establish new research centers at institutions of higher 
education incorporate an elementary and secondary mathematics, 
science, engineering or technology education component into 
their research and outreach program.

              Title VI. Educational Technologies Research

Section 601. Educational technology research centers

    Establishes an NSF program to award grants, through a 
competitive, merit-based process, to institutions of higher 
education to establish centers to evaluate and improve the 
effectiveness of information technologies in K-12 math and 
science education. Centers will identify and study the 
effectiveness of educational approaches and techniques that 
utilize information technology, identify the key variables 
affecting educational effectiveness, and ensure that the 
results of this analysis are widely disseminated to K-12 
schools.

Section 602. Selection process

    Establishes minimum requirements for grant applications and 
describes criteria the Director must consider when reviewing 
them. Directs the Director to award grants to institutions of 
higher education based on the ability of the applicant to 
effectively evaluate educational uses of information technology 
and to help local educational agencies apply the results of 
those evaluations.

Section 603. Documentation and dissemination of results

    Requires dissemination of results of projects supported by 
this title through print media and the digital library and 
allows the Director to sponsor conferences, workshops, and 
websites in order to disseminate information further.

Section 604. Authorization of appropriations

    Authorizes $25 million for each of fiscal years 2002 
through 2004 and $30 million for each of fiscal years 2005 and 
2006.

                  Title VII. Miscellaneous provisions

Section 701. Mathematics and science proficiency partnerships

    Establishes an NSF program to award grants of up to 
$300,000 (through a competitive merit-based process) to local 
educational agencies to develop mathematics, science, and 
information technology curricula, purchase equipment necessary 
to establish such programs, and provide professional 
development opportunities for teachers in support of improved 
math, science and technology education. In order to qualify for 
such a grant, the local educational agency must execute an 
agreement with a private sector entity to provide services and 
funds that include donations of computers, establishment of 
internship and mentoring programs, and the provision of college 
scholarships for students committed to pursuing a career in 
math, science or information technology. Special priority is to 
be given to grant applicants that demonstrate the greatest 
economic need and the greatest ability to attract funds and 
services from the private sector. Authorizes $5 million for 
each of fiscal years 2002 through 2004.

Section 702. Articulation partnerships between community colleges and 
        secondary schools

    For grant awards authorized under section 3(c)(2) of the 
Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992, requires the 
Director to give priority to grant proposals that involve 
secondary schools with a majority of students from groups that 
are underrepresented in the science, mathematics, and 
engineering workforce. Authorizes $5 million for each of fiscal 
years 2002 through 2004.

Section 703. Assessment of in-service teacher professional development 
        programs

    Requires the Director to review all NSF programs that 
support teacher training programs to determine (1) what level 
of resources and degree of emphasis is placed on the training 
of teachers in the effective use of information technologies 
and (2) the allocation of resources between summer activities 
and follow-on training and support to participating teachers 
during the school year. Requires that a report be made to 
Congress on the results of the review.

Section 704. Instructional materials

    Allows the NSF Director to award competitive, merit-
reviewed grants for the development of educational materials on 
energy issues for use in elementary and secondary schools.

Section 705. Study of broadband network access for schools and 
        libraries

    Requires the NSF Director to conduct a study, in 
consultation with the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration, the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, and other appropriate entities, on issues related 
to the current status of high-speed, large bandwidth capacity 
access to public elementary and secondary schools and 
libraries.

Section 706. Educational technology assistance; learning community 
        consortium

    Authorizes the NSF Director to make awards on a 
competitive, merit-reviewed basis to associate-degree granting 
colleges, bachelor-degree granting institutions, or education 
service agencies (or consortia thereof) to establish centers to 
assist K-12 schools in the use of information technology for 
mathematics, science, or technology education. Authorizes $5 
million for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2004. Also 
authorizes the NSF Director to provide a grant to a consortium 
of community colleges for the purpose of carrying out a pilot 
project to encourage women, minorities and persons with 
disabilities to enter and complete programs in mathematics, 
science, engineering and technology. Authorizes $10 million for 
this program.

                         VIII. Committee Views

             Mathematics and Science Education Partnerships

    The Committee believes that efforts to improve K-12 math 
and science education have not drawn sufficiently on the 
expertise and resources of either universities and colleges, or 
business and industry. The Partnerships program is designed to 
change that.
    If the partnerships are to succeed, they must be truly 
collaborative. Institutions of higher education and local 
educational agencies must work together (with any other 
participating partners) to determine what assistance schools 
most need, and what assistance universities and colleges are 
best equipped to provide. In evaluating proposals, NSF must 
ensure that the partnerships are truly meeting the needs of our 
nation's schools. Proposals in which a university dictates the 
terms of the program, or in which a school district seeks a 
superficial link with a university should be rejected.
    NSF is well positioned to run this program. For years, it 
has been a leader in involving higher education and businesses 
in innovative education and research projects.
    The Committee believes that the Partnership program in this 
Act is complementary to, and not duplicative of a similarly 
titled math and science partnership program in H.R. 1, ``The No 
Child Left Behind Act of 2001.'' While NSF has demonstrated 
strength in funding innovative demonstration programs to 
develop and test new models of educational reform, the 
Department of Education has an infrastructure well suited to 
the broad implementation and dissemination of new teaching 
materials, curricula and training programs. The Committee 
anticipates that the two programs will draw on each other's 
strengths and that the most promising NSF-funded projects will 
be used as models and brought to full scale by the Department 
of Education's partnership program. The Committee expects that 
the Director of NSF and the Secretary of Education and their 
staffs will consult regularly to ensure the effective and 
efficient implementation of both programs.
    NSF's strength in education reform is largely due to its 
policy of awarding grants on the basis of a competitive merit 
review. The Partnership program explicitly requires that that 
standard of review be continued.
    The Partnership program also explicitly requires that math, 
science and engineering departments in institutions of higher 
education be active participants in the partnerships. One of 
the strengths that universities and colleges bring to the 
partnerships is the deep expertise of their faculty in the 
subjects that are taught in elementary and secondary schools. 
The faculty members also have first-hand knowledge of what 
kinds of preparation are needed for students to succeed in 
post-secondary math, science and engineering programs.
    While this Act requires that mathematics, science and 
engineering departments participate in the partnerships, the 
Committee wants to encourage departments and colleges of 
education to play an active role as well. The partnerships 
should be structured to address both subject content and 
pedagogy, and departments and colleges of education can 
contribute to assuring that both aspects of teaching are 
addressed.
    The Act also allows ``eligible non-profit organizations'' 
to participate in the partnerships, and leaves the 
determination of eligibility to the Director. The Committee is 
aware of important contributions to math and science education 
improvement being made by organizations like the Carnegie 
Institute and the American Chemical Society. The Committee is 
also aware of the important role that community-based 
organizations and other non-profit public interest groups can 
make to improving education and involving a wide variety of 
students. NSF should allow, and encourage the partnerships to 
include non-profit research institutes, professional 
associations, community-based organizations and other entities 
that have demonstrated experience, providing math and science 
education.
    The Act also allows consortia of institutions of higher 
education to submit partnership proposals. The Committee 
encourages institutions to form consortia to build on their 
respective strengths. State systems of higher education can 
apply to the program as consortia.
    The Committee expects the partnership program to involve 
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). HBCUs 
have a proven record of training African American teachers and 
often have strong relationships with schools in surrounding 
communities, especially with schools located in some of the 
nation's most economically disadvantaged and isolated areas. 
HBCUs, either individually or as part of consortia, can help 
meet the requirement that the partnership program strive to 
address the needs of all types of school districts in all parts 
of the country.
    A key element of ongoing education reform efforts has been 
the establishment by each of the states of challenging math and 
science standards and accountability measures. The Committee 
expects the partnerships funded under this Act tocoordinate 
with state education agencies in the development and implementation of 
proposals to ensure that the programs and materials are aligned with 
state and local standards.
    The Act includes an extensive list of potential activities 
that may be undertaken by the partnerships. The Committee 
emphasizes, however, that this list is not exhaustive and that 
no partnership is required to undertake any particular activity 
listed in the Act. The partnership program should support a 
broad, innovative (and effective) collection of activities, and 
NSF, through its merit review procedures, has wide latitude to 
determine which proposed activities would fulfill the purposes 
of this Act.
    The Committee does believe, however, that providing 
professional development opportunities that enable teachers to 
use educational technologies effectively should be an important 
focus of the partnership program. In providing such 
opportunities, the Act authorizes partnerships to make the 
technical expertise of graduate and undergraduate students 
available to elementary and secondary school teachers. Computer 
literate post-secondary students could provide valuable 
assistance to teachers in using technology and maintaining an 
operational technology infrastructure. The Committee also 
believes that professional development opportunities offered 
through the partnerships should incorporate the results of 
research funded under Titles III and VI of this Act (as 
reported).
    The Act allows partnership grants to be used for stipends 
for teachers or students participating in activities that would 
not be part of their typical classroom activities. Activities 
eligible for stipends could include summer or after-school 
research opportunities for teachers or secondary school 
students, and summer training programs for teachers. Graduate 
or undergraduate students providing assistance to schools 
through activities permitted by section 101(c)(3) might also 
receive stipends.
    In evaluating applications, NSF is to consider the extent 
to which the members of the partnerships are committed to 
making the partnership a central organizational focus. 
Partnerships are unlikely to succeed unless the top 
administrators of the participating institutions are committed 
to the program. In addition, partnerships should involve as 
many aspects of the participating universities, school 
districts and businesses as possible, and the partnership 
activities should be widely known within each of those 
institutions. A partnership that involves only an isolated 
faculty member or teacher or two is unlikely to have much 
impact.
    Also, in evaluating whether an institution of higher 
education is likely to be able to carry out the proposed 
activities, NSF should be aware of whether the institution has 
been identified as a low-performing school under section 208 of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965.
    The Act requires the Director to strive to involve a range 
of geographic areas in the partnership program. The partnership 
program is designed to highlight and support a variety of 
partnership models that could be widely copied. If such 
proliferation is to occur, the models must be designed for, and 
tested in a variety of locations, and in rural, suburban and 
urban areas. That does not mean, however, that partnerships 
must be awarded in every state.
    The Committee also wants to ensure that partnerships 
increase the involvement of businesses in K-12 education. 
Therefore, the bill requires that at least half the 
partnerships include business partners. The Committee 
understands, though, that it may not be appropriate or possible 
for business to participate in every partnership because, for 
example, no appropriate business is near a participating school 
district, or because the particular activities to be undertaken 
by a partnership do not lend themselves to business 
participation. While NSF should strive to involve businesses in 
as many partnerships as possible, and must meet the 50 percent 
requirement, lack of business participation should never 
automatically disqualify a proposal.
    The Committee wants to ensure that the partnerships are 
closely evaluated and that information about successful 
partnerships is widely disseminated. The Committee stresses the 
importance of in-depth, quantitative assessments of the 
partnerships. The assessments should use common metrics to 
facilitate useful comparisons, and should measure quantitative 
factors and not just attitudinal changes. Assessment should be 
an integral part of partnership activities. NSF should work 
with the Department of Education to ensure that the 
effectiveness of the partnerships funded under this Act can be 
compared with those created under H.R. 1.

            Subtitle B--Teacher Research Scholarship Program

    On March 7, 2001 the Committee held its first education 
hearing entitled ``K-12th Grade Math and Science Education: The 
View from the Blackboard''. One of of the themes the emerged 
from this hearing was that the classroom can become a very 
``isolating space'' for young mathematics and science teachers.
    The Partnerships Act contains several provisions that are 
designed to mitigate this isolation and reintegrate elementary 
and secondary school teachers into the wider professional world 
of mathematics and scientists. The Teacher Research Scholarship 
Program--modeled after successful programs developed by Cornell 
University, Columbia University and the Department of Energy--
is designed to create opportunities for elementary and 
secondary mathematics and science teachers to actively engage 
in research projects without having to leave their teaching 
careers. The Committee expects that grant recipients will 
recruit teachers from a wide array of urban, rural, and 
suburban school districts in order to maximize the impact of 
the program.
    The Teacher Research Scholarship Program requires that 
participating institutions provide programming and guidance to 
teachers, as well as research opportunities, and allows up to 
25 percent of each grant to be used for programming. The 
Committee expects that grant awardees will contribute some of 
their own resources toprogramming, as well. (The remainder of 
the grant money is for the scholarships, which are more exclusively a 
federal responsibility.)
    Programming is essential to the success of the scholarship 
program. Programming should give teachers the background to 
understand the nature and implications of the research they are 
conducting, should deepen their understanding of the field in 
which they are conducting research, should help them determine 
how they can integrate their research experiences into their 
teaching, should allow them to interact with other teachers and 
research institutions. The Committee intends that the quality 
of programming be a major factor in determining grant awards.

  Title II--National Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology 
                       Education Digital Library

    In 1994 NSF, the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects 
Agency initiated the National Digital Library Initiative (DLl). 
This initiative funds research necessary to support the 
development of the next generation of digital libraries, to 
advance the use and usability of globally distributed, 
networked information, and to encourage existing and new users 
to focus on developing innovative applications and educational 
materials. The National Science, Mathematics, Engineering and 
Technology Education Digital Library (Digital Library), 
supported by NSF as part of the initiative, also supports 
research on the long-term social, behavioral and economic 
implications of and effects of new digital libraries.
    In 1998 the National Research Council, at the request of 
the National Science Board, convened a workshop to explore ways 
the Digital Library could best support the efforts of 
elementary and secondary school teachers to improve student 
achievement. The workshop participants noted that a successful 
digital library would ``differ from a traditional library in 
being not only used but created by groups of people. Such a 
library would be constructed, collected, and organized by a 
community of users.''
    Building on the recommendations derived from the workshop, 
the Act authorizes NSF to award grants to institutions of 
higher education or other qualified entities to expand the 
Digital Library to address the special needs of elementary and 
secondary mathematics and science teachers. The expanded 
program may award grants to: (1) coordinate and manage the 
library's core collections and services and to develop the 
library's central portal; (2) develop, aggregate and manage a 
subset of the library's educational content within a coherent 
theme or specialty (e.g., earth science); and, (3) develop 
services which support users, collection providers, and which 
enhance the impact, efficiency, and value of the library. The 
Committee anticipates that the Digital Library will enable 
elementary and secondary teachers--including those most 
geographically isolated--to share experiences, develop 
solutions to common problems and locate high quality 
educational materials and resources.
    The Committee believes that, while the Internet is a source 
of a great deal of information of potential value to teachers, 
the abundance of individual web sites and the lack of quality 
assurance renders this information of little use to teachers. 
The Digital Library will utilize two mechanisms to ensure that 
educational resources and materials accessible through the 
library are accurate, effective, and relevant. First, resources 
and materials must be demonstrated to be accurate and effective 
through peer review prior to being made accessible through the 
Digital Library. Second, the Library will provide a forum 
through which elementary and secondary mathematics and science 
teachers can continuously review, critique, and improve upon 
materials and resources made accessible through the library. 
Teachers themselves will have an opportunity to actively review 
and shape the content of the library.
    Some of the material that is accessible through the digital 
library will have been developed and evaluated with funds made 
available through this Act. The Committee is aware of excellent 
work to digitize high quality instructional resources that is 
already being done by non-profit entities like WGBH of Boston 
and WETA of Washington, D.C. The Committee expects that the 
Director will also draw upon the expertise of these and other 
qualified organizations and support their efforts to expand the 
content that is available through the Digital Library.
    The Committee is also aware that many private sector 
entities are attempting to create Internet portals to 
educational teaching modules, curricular materials and 
practices. The Digital Library must be designed and implemented 
in a way that does not impede continued efforts to provide such 
resources and which encourages the healthy private sector 
competition necessary to ensure the efficient development of 
quality resources.

  Title III--Strategic Education Research Program, Subtitle A--Centers

    The education of our nation's children in grades K-12 
consumes approximately 7 percent of GDP; less than 0.03 percent 
of that is invested in research on what educational techniques 
actually work or on methods to improve teaching. In 1997, the 
President's Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology 
(PCAST) recommended that the nation's education research 
investment be increased to 0.5 percent and that educational 
hypotheses be subjected to appropriately rigorous evaluation 
involving large numbers of children in authentic classroom 
environments.
    In 1998, the National Research Council convened an expert 
panel to evaluate new developments in the science of learning 
and the relevance of these basic science findings to education. 
The Committee believes that many of the panel's 
recommendations, summarized in the report How People Learn: 
Brain, Mind, Experience and School, could make a significant 
impact on the problems facing the nation's K-12 classrooms. 
Among the recommendations made by the panel were to develop 
research questions based on problems of consequence to 
classroom teachers; to find ways to convert research knowledge 
into effective instructional methods; and to support 
interdisciplinary collaborations of science and education 
researchers and practitioners. A subsequent document, How 
People Learn: Bridging Research and Practice, further 
emphasized the need to support ``use-inspired'' research 
focused on issues of importance to teaching and learning.
    Title III of this Act implements the recommendations of the 
National Research Council through the establishment of four 
interdisciplinary research centers, each focused on a 
significant problem of importance to classroom educators. The 
Director is instructed to consult with the National Academy of 
Science to select the research focus of each ofthe centers, 
based on the current needs of the education practitioners. The 
Committee strongly believes that the focus of each center on a 
particular research area--a strategic research effort--is critical to 
the success of the program. Failure to identify a clear strategic focus 
will result in activities that spread the research effort too thinly by 
trying to answer too many different questions.
    The Committee believes that the centers must have two key 
characteristics to succeed. The first is a commitment to 
interdisciplinary research. Each center must bring together 
researchers from a wide variety of fields. Progress in 
understanding teaching and learning is most likely to be made 
at the intersection of differing disciplines.
    The second is a commitment to reducing research findings to 
educational practice. Too often, new insights into teaching and 
learning have no impact in the classroom either because 
teachers are entirely unaware of them or have no idea how to 
incorporate them into classroom practice. The centers must be 
designed to overcome such barriers. The centers can ensure the 
relevance of their research results in a variety of ways, 
including setting up partnerships with particular schools or 
teachers. The Committee intends that a major determinant in 
awarding grants under this Title will be the ability of a 
proposed center to reduce its research results to practice and 
to test and disseminate its recommended practices. Moreover, 
practices should be tested in a variety of schools--urban, 
suburban and rural--serving a variety of demographic groups.
    The Committee recognizes the central, if intangible, role 
that motivation plays in the implementation of successful 
mathematics and science education reform programs. Successful 
school leaders motivate teachers to actively participate in 
professional development programs and to use new educational 
techniques and materials. Similarly, successful teachers 
motivate students and their parents to actively pursue not only 
the learning opportunities available in school but those 
available after school as well. The Committee expects that the 
education research program will examine what is known by 
cognitive science about motivation and develop ways that this 
knowledge can more effectively be transferred to the classroom.

     Title III, Subtitle B--Strategic Education Research Program--
                              Fellowships

    On May 10, 2001, the Subcommittee on Research of the 
Committee on Science held a hearing entitled ``Classrooms as 
Laboratories: The Science of Learning Meets the Practice of 
Teaching.'' At this hearing the witnesses testified that the 
gap between education research and practice is driven primarily 
by the following factors: (1) teachers do not have the time or 
resources to read the research literature; (2) research 
findings are not written in ways that are easily understandable 
or translatable to their daily classroom practice; and (3) 
researchers often lack any experience teaching in the K-12 
setting and do not adequately understand the demands or 
limitations of this environment. The Committee believes it is 
important to actively encourage the participation of teachers 
in education research projects to ensure the relevance of the 
research to actual classrooms, to facilitate the use of their 
classrooms for evaluation of materials and practices, and to 
enable teachers to make distinctions between research-based 
methods and curricula and those which are without a research 
foundation. The Partnerships Act authorizes grants to 
institutions of higher education to provide fellowships to 
encourage teachers to become part of the research enterprise.
    The Education Research Teacher Fellowship Program requires 
that participating institutions provide programming and 
guidance to teachers, as well as research opportunities, and 
allows up to 25 percent of each grant to be used for 
programming. The Committee expects that grant awardees will 
contribute some of their own resources to programming, as well. 
(The remainder of the grant money is for the fellowships, which 
are more exclusively a federal responsibility.)
    Programming is essential to the success of the fellowship 
program. Programming should give teachers the background to 
understand the nature and implications of the research they are 
conducting, should deepen their understanding of the field in 
which they are conducting research, should help them determine 
how they can integrate their research experiences into their 
teaching, should allow them to interact with other teachers 
conducting research, and should help build continuing 
relationships between teachers and research institutions. The 
Committee intends that the quality of programming be a major 
factor in determining grant awards.

               title iv--robert noyce scholarship program

    The single most important step needed to improve 
mathematics and science education is to get smarter, better 
prepared teachers into the classroom. As of now, we are not 
even producing enough qualified mathematics and science 
teachers for our elementary and secondary classrooms. A 1994 
survey of school administrators revealed that 50% of all 
schools with openings for teachers in the physical or life 
sciences had difficulty filling the positions. The same was 
true for 40% of the schools with openings in mathematics.
    As a result, school districts have been forced to hire 
teachers inadequately prepared for the classroom. In 1994, 21% 
of all public school teachers lacked even a minor in their 
primary field and 59% had less than a minor in their secondary 
teaching field. The problem is even greater in mathematics and 
science. The National Commission on Teaching and America's 
Future, a non-partisan commission established with initial 
funding from the Rockefeller Foundation and the Carnegie 
Corporation of New York, reported in 1996 that out-of-field 
teachers teach 56% of all high school students taking physical 
science and 27% of high school students taking mathematics.
    Recognizing that the most powerful predictor of higher 
student achievement in mathematics and science is a fully 
certified teacher who majored in the field being taught, the 
Committee believes that it is critical that steps be taken to 
encourage the brightest of our Nation's mathematics, science 
and engineering majors to pursue careers as elementary and 
secondary mathematics and science teachers. The Noyce 
Scholarship Progam--named for Robert Noyce, an inventor of the 
integrated circuit--represents an effort to attract these 
students to careers in teaching by offering them scholarships 
in exchange for a commitment to teach for two years for each 
year of scholarship received.
    This program is designed to attract a diverse, talented 
group of science, mathematics, engineering and technology 
students to careers as high performing elementary and secondary 
school teachers. The Director should select institutions of 
higher education that have demonstrated their ability to 
attract talented science, mathematics, engineering and 
technology majors and minors from diverse backgrounds and have 
a plan to recruit and prepare them for successful teaching 
careers. The Committee recognizes that there are many measures 
of academic proficiency and success but believes that 
scholarship recipients should maintain a grade point average of 
at least 3.0 and should be among the top performing students in 
the departments.
    The Noyce Scholarship Program is intended to do more than 
distribute scholarship money to students. A critically 
important feature of this Title is that participating 
universities must provide programming to enable scholarship 
recipients to become skilled teachers and to encourage them to 
continue teaching once their service requirement has been 
fulfilled. Programming should be provided both while 
scholarship recipients are undergraduates and while they are 
fulfilling their service requirement. Programming could include 
providing classes toward teaching certification, offering 
student teaching opportunities, providing students with K-12 
teachers as mentors, and bringing scholarship recipients back 
to campus for annual conferences while they are teaching. The 
Committee intends that the quality of programming to be offered 
to scholarship recipients be a major factor in determining 
grant awards.
    The Committee also believes that a large number of 
professional mathematicians, scientists, and engineers would 
like to teach but lack the teaching credentials required to 
make the transition into a teaching career. The Noyce 
Scholarship Program will offer stipends to these professionals 
to enable them to take the coursework they need to become 
certified teachers. As in the case of the scholarship program, 
the Committee believes that it is not enough to encourage 
mathematicians, scientists, and engineers to enter careers in 
teaching. Academic programming must be provided by the 
institution of higher education during the early formative 
years of teaching to ensure that these new teachers not only 
enter, but also remain productive members of, the teaching 
profession.
    The President has proposed a loan forgiveness program that 
provides financial incentives to mathematics and science majors 
after they graduate to encourage them to enter careers in 
teaching. The Noyce Scholarship Program is complementary to 
this effort while being more comprehensive in scope. The 
Scholarship Program actively recruits students prior to 
graduation, prepares them for careers in teaching, and provides 
the support needed to enable them to succeed during their early 
years of service. The Committee believes that the combination 
of the Noyce Scholarship Program and the economic incentive of 
loan forgiveness will provide powerful new tools for 
encouraging our best students to become high performing 
teachers.
    In order for the full benefit of the Noyce Scholarship 
Program (with or without other recruitment incentive programs) 
to be realized, participating institutions of higher education 
must develop and implement high quality professional 
development programs, closely follow the post-graduation 
classroom performance of their scholarship recipients, and 
collect scholarship funds from students who fail to fulfill 
their service obligations. The Committee recognizes that to be 
effective these activities require significant investments in 
program and administration at participating institutions and 
has authorized funds to cover the costs of these activities.
    The Noyce Scholarship Program requires that scholarship 
recipients serve for two years as an elementary or secondary 
science or mathematics teacher for each year of scholarship 
received. The Committee recognizes that circumstances can arise 
in which this service requirement would pose an undue hardship 
upon the individual or their family and has authorized NSF to 
waive or suspend the service or repayment requirements under 
these circumstances. The Committee assumes that such 
circumstances would be rare. They might include temporary or 
permanent disability, required military service, or overseas 
deployment with a spouse serving in the armed forces or U.S. 
Foreign Service.

               Title V--Requirements for Research Centers

    One of the primary objectives of this Act is to ensure that 
NSF and institutions of higher education are fully engaged in 
improving elementary and secondary mathematics and science 
education. Title V of the Act requires the Director of NSF to 
ensure that every new center grant that is awarded by the 
Foundation contains an elementary or secondary school 
mathematics or science education reform component. It is the 
Committee's expectation that this requirement will encourage 
all applicants for center grants to think more closely about 
the ways that they can aid education reform activities in their 
local communities and across the nation.

              Title VI--Educational Technologies Research

    The Higher Education Amendments of 1998 authorized the 
establishment of the Web-Based Education Commission to assess 
the educational software available in retail markets for use by 
secondary and postsecondary students. The Commission called for 
federally sponsored education research focused on ``high 
payback targets of educational opportunity, where present 
understanding of learning theory supports technological 
innovations.'' The Commission also endorsed previous 
recommendations of the President's Committee of Advisors on 
Science and Technology for a large-scale program of empirical 
research to identify the technology-based educational practices 
and approaches that produce improvements in student learning.
    Title VI of the Partnerships Act responds to these 
recommendations by authorizing a program to establish research 
centers at institutions of higher education to evaluate and 
improve the use of information technologies in elementary and 
secondary mathematics and science education. The objectives of 
this program are to develop methods to measure the 
effectiveness of applications of educational technology in 
improving student achievement; identify the variables that 
influence the effectiveness of educational technologies in a 
variety of educational settings; and identify 
educationalapplications of information technology that contribute to 
increased student achievement.
    The Committee intends that the research provide information 
that will inform the decisions of educators on which 
educational approaches and techniques based on the use of 
information technology work in classrooms and on the key 
factors that affect educational outcomes for particular 
educational settings. The Committee stresses the quantitative 
nature of the results sought in terms of student performance 
and the importance of widespread dissemination of the results 
of the research.

                  Title VII--Miscellaneous Provisions

    The Web-Based Education Commission also called attention to 
the lack of support for teachers in the use of educational 
technologies, including both intellectual support in how to 
integrate technology into classroom instruction and technical 
support for the equipment. Their report, The Power of the 
Internet for Learning, indicates that only about 10 percent of 
teachers work in what could be described as a high quality 
technologically supported environment. Even for the 20 percent 
of schools with district technology coordinators, the 
Commission's report cites surveys showing that the average time 
to fix a technical problem is two days. The program created by 
section 706 is intended to develop local centers to provide 
assistance to schools in selecting and maintaining appropriate 
information technologies and to help train teachers in how to 
use technology in the classroom.
    Further, the Committee believes that opportunities to bring 
the technical expertise of graduate and undergraduate students 
to teachers, as authorized under section 101(c)(3), should be 
exploited whenever feasible. Computer literate post secondary 
students could provide valuable assistance to teachers in how 
to use technology and how to keep it working. Similarly, the 
educational technology assistance program created by section 
706 is intended to develop local centers to provide assistance 
to schools in selecting and maintaining appropriate information 
technologies and to help train teachers in how to use 
technology in the classroom.
    The recent report of the Congressional Commission on the 
Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science, Engineering and 
Technology Development points out that women and minorities 
represent the fastest growing segments of the nation's 
workforce but comprise only a small fraction of scientists and 
engineers. Nearly 70 percent of the S&E workforce consists of 
white males, while approximately 15 percent are white females 
and only about 5 percent are African Americans or Hispanics. 
The future needs of the economy cannot be met unless all 
segments of society are fully represented in science and 
engineering careers. Two provisions of the bill are especially 
designed to address this issue.
    Section 701 of the bill establishes a pilot program to 
provide federal funding for improvements in science and 
mathematics education programs in schools in economically 
disadvantaged areas to leverage private sector funding for 
undergraduate scholarships and summer internships for talented 
students from these schools who go on to pursue science and 
engineering studies. The Committee intends for NSF to make 
competitive awards to schools that demonstrate the greatest 
economic need and that are most successful in obtaining 
commitments from the private sector for substantial non-federal 
funding for scholarships and educational support activities. 
The Committee also expects NSF to carefully evaluate the 
effectiveness of the program, particularly in terms of the 
number of participating students who obtain undergraduate 
degrees in science, mathematics and engineering.
    Section 702 of the bill authorizes funding for outreach 
grants first authorized, but never funded, by section 3(c)(2) 
of the Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992. These 
grants were intended to support collaborations between 2-year 
colleges and secondary schools to recruit and help prepare 
students for undergraduate courses in science, mathematics and 
technology. The Committee expects NSF to give priority 
consideration in making these awards to proposals that involve 
secondary schools with a majority of students from groups that 
are underrepresented in the science, mathematics and 
engineering workforce.
    Title VII also authorizes two activities that NSF can 
clearly undertake under its existing authority. The Committee 
expects NSF to carry out these activities regardless of whether 
they are included in the final version of this Act. One 
activity is the awarding of competitive, merit-reviewed grants 
for the development of educational materials on energy 
production and use, energy conservation, and renewable energy 
for use in elementary and secondary schools. The other is the 
awarding of a $10 million grant to a consortium composed of 
associate-degree granting colleges for the purpose of carrying 
out a pilot project to encourage women, minorities and persons 
with disabilities to enter and complete programs in 
mathematics, science, engineering and technology.

                           IX. Cost Estimate

    Rule XIII, clause 3(d)(2) of the House of Representatives 
requires each committee report accompanying each bill or joint 
resolution of a public character to contain: (1) an estimate, 
made by such committee, of the costs which would be incurred in 
carrying out such bill or joint resolution in the fiscal year 
in which it is reported, and in each of the five fiscal years 
following such fiscal year (or for the authorized duration of 
any program authorized by such bill or joint resolution, if 
less than five years); (2) a comparison of the estimate of 
costs described in subparagraph (1) of this paragraph made by 
such committee with an estimate of such costs made by any 
Government agency and submitted to such committee; and (3) when 
practicable, a comparison of the total estimated funding level 
for the relevant program (or programs) with the appropriate 
levels under current law. However, House Rule XIII, clause 
3(d)(3)(B) provides that this requirement does not apply when a 
cost estimate and comparison prepared by the Director of the 
Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 has been timely submitted 
prior to the filing of the report and included in the report 
pursuant to House Rule XIII, clause 3(c)(3). A cost estimate 
and comparison prepared by the Director of the Congressional 
Budget Office under section402 of the Congressional Budget Act 
of 1974 has been timely submitted to the Committee on Science prior to 
the filing of this report and is included in Section X of this report 
pursuant to House Rule XIII, clause 3(c)(3).
    Rule XIII, clause 3(c)(2) of the House of Representatives 
requires each committee report that accompanies a measure 
providing new budget authority (other than continuing 
appropriations), new spending authority, or new credit 
authority, or charges in revenues or tax expenditures to 
contain a cost estimate, as required by section 308(a)(1) of 
the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and, when practicable with 
respect to estimates of new budget authority, a comparison of 
the total estimated funding level for the relevant program (or 
programs) to the appropriate levels under current law. H.R. 
1858 does not contain any new budget authority, credit 
authority, or changes in revenues or tax expenditures. Assuming 
that the sums authorized under the bill are appropriated, H.R. 
1858 does authorize additional discretionary spending, as 
described in the Congressional Budget Office report on the 
bill, which is contained in Section X of this report.

              X. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                     Washington, DC, June 21, 2001.
Hon. Sherwood L. Boehlert,
Chairman, Committee on Science,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1858, the National 
Mathematics and Science Partnerships Act.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Julie 
Middleton.
            Sincerely,
                                          Barry B. Anderson
                                    (For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
    Enclosure.

H.R. 1858--National Mathematics and Science Partnerships Act

    Summary: H.R. 1858 would authorize the appropriation of 
approximately $1.5 billion over the 2002-2006 period and $100 
million after 2006 for education initiatives of the National 
Science Foundation (NSF). This bill would authorize NSF to 
implement several new grant and teacher scholarship programs 
related to mathematics and science education, expand the NSF's 
digital library of elementary and secondary education 
resources, and conduct several studies related to improving 
technology in education. Most of the money authorized by this 
bill would fund a program to establish partnerships between 
university researchers and local school districts to improve 
the instruction of elementary and secondary science education.
    Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO 
estimates that implementing H.R. 1858 would result in outlays 
of about $1.1 billion over the 2002-2006 period and an 
additional $459 million after 2006. H.R. 1858 would not affect 
direct spending or receipts; therefore, pay-as-you-go 
procedures would not apply. H.R. 1858 contains no 
intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA).
    Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated 
budgetary impact of H.R. 1858 is shown in the following table. 
The costs of this legislation fall within budget function 250 
(general science, space, and technology).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
                                                              2001     2002     2003     2004     2005     2006
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION

Spending under current law:
    Budget authority......................................       25        0        0        0        0        0
    Estimated outlays.....................................        3       10        8        1        0        0
Proposed changes:
    Estimated authorization level.........................        0      317      314      314      299      299
    Estimated outlays.....................................        0       42      186      273      290      290
Spending under H.R. 1858:
    Estimated authorization level \1\.....................       25      317      314      314      299      299
    Estimated outlays.....................................        3       52      194      274      290      290
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ $25 million was appropriated in 2001 for the digital library.

    Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that H.R. 
1858 would be enacted in fiscal year 2001, and that the amounts 
authorized will be appropriated each year. In addition, based 
on information from NSF, CBO estimates that H.R. 1858 would 
authorize the appropriation of $3 million in 2002 for studies 
related to the use of technology in education. Estimates of 
outlays for all activities are based on information from NSF 
and historical spending patterns for similar programs.
    Pay-as-you-go considerations: None.
    Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 1858 
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as 
defined in UMRA. The bill would authorize the Director of NSF 
to establish grant programs that would provide about $1.5 
billion over five years; any costs incurred by state and local 
governments to apply for and administer such grants would 
result from complying with conditions of aid. The grants would 
benefit state and local governments, including local school 
districts and public universities, by assisting them in 
improving mathematics, science, and technology education.
    Estimate prepared by: Federal costs: Julie Middleton; 
impact on State, local, and tribal governments: Elyse Goldman; 
impact on the private sector; Lauren Marks.
    Estimate approved by: Robert A. Sunshine, Assistant 
Director for Budget Analysis.

                  XI. Compliance With Public Law 104-4

    H.R. 1858 contains no unfunded mandates.

         XII. Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations

    Rule XIII, clause 3(c)(1) of the House of Representatives 
requires each committee report to include oversight findings 
and recommendations required pursuant to clause 2(b)(1) of rule 
X. The Committee on Science's oversight findings and 
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.

                XIII. Constitutional Authority Statement

    Rule XIII, clause 3(d)(1) of the House of Representatives 
requires each report of a committee on a bill or joint 
resolution of a public character to include a statement citing 
the specific powers granted to the Congress in the Constitution 
to enact the law proposed by the bill or joint resolution. 
Article I, section 8 of the Constitution of the United States 
grants Congress the authority to enact H.R. 1858.

               XIV. Federal Advisory Committee Statement

    H.R. 1858 does not establish nor authorize the 
establishment of any advisory committee.

                  XV. Congressional Accountability Act

    The Committee finds that H.R. 1858 does not relate to the 
terms and conditions of employment or access to public services 
or accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of 
the Congressional Accountability Act (Public Law 104-1).

      XVI. Statement on Preemption of State, Local, or Tribal Law

    This bill is not intended to preempt any state, local, or 
tribal law.

      XVII. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, As Reported

  In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
matter is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is 
proposed is shown in roman):

    SECTION 3 OF THE SCIENTIFIC AND ADVANCED-TECHNOLOGY ACT OF 1992

SEC. 3. SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

  (a)  * * *

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

  (d) Educational Technology Assistance.--
          (1) In general.--The Director is authorized to make 
        awards on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis to 
        associate-degree granting colleges, bachelor-degree 
        granting institutions, or education service agencies 
        (or consortia thereof) to establish centers to assist 
        elementary and secondary schools in the use of 
        information technology for mathematics, science, or 
        technology instruction.
          (2) Activities.--Activities of centers funded under 
        this subsection may include--
                  (A) helping schools evaluate their need for 
                information technology;
                  (B) training teachers on how to best use 
                information technology in instruction; and
                  (C) providing other information and training 
                to help schools and teachers ensure that they 
                have access to appropriate information 
                technologies and are using them to maximum 
                advantage.
          (3) Application.--An application to receive funds 
        under this subsection shall include, at a minimum--
                  (A) a description of the services that will 
                be provided to schools and teachers;
                  (B) a list of the schools expected to be 
                served;
                  (C) a description of how the applicant will 
                draw on the expertise of its faculty and 
                students to assist schools and teachers; and
                  (D) a description of how the applicant will 
                operate the program after funding made 
                available by this subsection has expired.
          (4) Selection.--In evaluating applications submitted 
        under paragraph (3), the Director shall consider, at a 
        minimum--
                  (A) the ability of the applicant to 
                effectively carry out the program;
                  (B) the number of schools and students who 
                would be served and their need for assistance;
                  (C) the extent to which the applicant has 
                worked with participating schools to ensure 
                that priority problems would be addressed by 
                the assistance provided under this subsection; 
                and
                  (D) the ability of the applicant to continue 
                to provide assistance after funding under this 
                subsection has expired.
          (5) Awards.--(A) The Director shall ensure, to the 
        extent practicable, that the program established by 
        this subsection assists schools in rural, suburban, and 
        urban areas.
          (B) No institution shall receive funds under this 
        subsection for more than three years.
          (6) Report.--Not later than April 1, 2005, the 
        Director shall provide a report to Congress assessing 
        the success of the program funded under this subsection 
        and the need of schools for continued assistance, and, 
        based on the experience with the program, recommending 
        ways information technology assistance to schools could 
        be made more broadly available.
          (7) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated to the National Science 
        Foundation to carry out this subsection $5,000,000 for 
        each of the fiscal years 2002 through 2004.
  (e) Learning Community Consortium.--The Director is 
authorized to provide to a consortium composed of associate-
degree granting colleges a grant in the amount of $10,000,000 
for the purpose of carrying out a pilot project to encourage 
women, minorities and persons with disabilities to enter and 
complete programs in mathematics, science, engineering and 
technology.
  [(d)] (f) Coordination With Other Federal Departments.--In 
carrying out this section, the Director shall consult, 
cooperate, and coordinate, to enhance program effectiveness and 
to avoid duplication, with the programs and policies of other 
relevant Federal agencies. In carrying out subsection (c), the 
Director shall coordinate activities with programs receiving 
assistance under part B of title I of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965.
  [(e)] (g) Limitation on Funding.--To qualify for a grant 
under this section, an associate-degree-granting college, or 
consortium thereof, shall provide assurances adequate to the 
Director that it will not decrease its level of spending of 
funds from non-Federal sources on advanced scientific and 
technical education and training programs.
  [(f)] (h) Functions of the Director.--In carrying out this 
Act, the Director shall--
          (1)  * * *

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

  [(g)] (i) Definitions.--As used in this section--
          (1)  * * *

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

                    XVIII. Committee Recommendations

    On June 13, 2001, a quorum being present, the Committee on 
Science favorably reported the National Mathematics and Science 
Partnerships Act, by a voice vote, and recommends its 
enactment.

       XIX. Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives

    Pursuant to clause (3)(c) of House rule XIII, the goals of 
H.R. 1858 are to improve the instruction of science, 
mathematics, engineering and technology education in elementary 
and secondary schools, increase the number of mathematics, 
science or engineering majors who pursue teaching careers, and 
to increase the performance of American students to 
internationally competitive levels.
    The Committee requires that all of the programs authorized 
under the Partnerships Act be awarded on the basis of a 
competitive, merit-review process. This process is expected to 
ensure that only those projects that hold the most promise for 
contributing to state and local education reform efforts will 
receive funding. In addition, the Act subjects each project and 
program to rigorous accountability and assessment requirements. 
Each project and program must incorporate performance 
benchmarks and assessments in the design of the project or 
program to ensure that the project or program will be able to 
identify methods and materials that improve student achievement 
as well as identify those that impede student achievement. One 
of the hallmarks of cutting edge scientific research is that 
one learns as much or more from negative or unexpected outcomes 
as from successful or anticipated results. The Committee 
expects that lessons from projects or programs that do not meet 
initial expectations will also be widely disseminated and 
incorporated into subsequent projects and programs.
    Title I of H.R. 1858 authorizes the Director of NSF to 
award grants to institutions of higher educations or eligible 
non-profit organizations to establish mathematics and science 
partnership programs. The program is designed to test a diverse 
range of proposals with an equally diverse range of objectives. 
In general, however, the program is expected to contribute to 
the reform of elementary and secondary mathematics and science 
curricula, expand the number of high quality professional 
development programs for teachers, improve the quality of 
classroom instruction, and to develop partnership models that 
can serve as the foundation for state and local reform 
activities.
    Title II of H.R. 1858 authorizes the Director of NSF to 
expand the National Science, Mathematics, Engineering and 
Technology Education Digital Library to provide timely and 
continuous dissemination of K-12 science, mathematics, 
engineering, and technology educational resources, materials, 
practices, and policies through the internet and other digital 
technologies. The performance objective of this program is to 
improve the quality of classroom instruction by increasing the 
access of mathematics and science teachers to peer reviewed 
resources and providing a forum through which they can exchange 
ideas, share experiences, and contribute to the continuous 
improvement of educational materials
    Title III of the Act authorizes the Director of NSF to 
establish four multidisciplinary education research centers. 
The general performance objective for this program is to 
stimulate multidisciplinary research that bridges the current 
gap between cognitive science and education research and 
generates results that are readily transferable to the 
classroom.
    Title IV of the Partnerships Act authorizes the 
establishment of the Robert Noyce Scholarship Program. The 
objective of this program is to encourage talented mathematics, 
science, engineering, or technology majors, who would otherwise 
not pursue careers as elementary or secondary mathematics or 
science teachers, to enter and remain in careers as high 
performing teachers. Title IV also authorizes a stipend program 
to encourage mathematics, science, or engineering professionals 
to pursue careers as teachers. The objective of this program is 
to encourage talented professionals, who would otherwise not 
pursue careers as elementary or secondary mathematics or 
science teachers, to undertake to careers as high performing 
teachers.
    Title V of the Act requires the Director of NSF to ensure 
that all new center grants awarded by the Foundation include an 
elementary and secondary mathematics or science education 
program element. The performance objective of this program is 
to encourage broader participation by institutions of higher 
education in elementary and secondary mathematics and science 
education reform activities.
    Title VI of the Act authorizes a program to establish 
research centers at institutions of higher education to 
evaluate and improve the use of information technologies in 
elementary and secondary mathematics and science education. The 
objectives of this program are to develop methods to measure 
the effectiveness of applications of educational technology in 
improving student achievement; identify the variables that 
influence the effectiveness of educational technologies in a 
variety of educational settings; and identify educational 
applications of information technology that contribute to 
increased student achievement.
    Title VII of the Performance Act authorizes the Director to 
establish mathematics and science proficiency partnerships. The 
objectives of this program are to encourage the development of 
partnerships between schools and businesses that improve the 
quality of elementary and secondary science and mathematics 
instruction and to encourage economically disadvantaged 
students to enroll in college.
    Section 703 also authorizes the Director to award a grant 
to a consortium of community colleges for a pilot program 
testing ways to encourage women, minorities, and persons with 
disabilities to enter and complete programs in science, 
mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET). The goal of 
this program is to identify and demonstrate effective ways to 
attract these students to SMET programs and to improve their 
retention and graduation rates.

                XX. Exchange of Committee Correspondence

                                      Committee on Science,
                                     Washington, DC, June 25, 2001.
Hon. John Boehner,
Chairman, House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Rayburn House 
        Office Building, Washington, DC.
    Dear Chairman Boehner: Thank you for your letter of June 
26, 2001 regarding H.R. 1858, the National Mathematics and 
Science Partnerships Act.
    I appreciate your waiving your Committee's right to a 
referral on this bill so that it can move expeditiously to the 
floor. I recognize your Committee's jurisdiction in this area 
and will support any request you may make to have conferees on 
H.R. 1858 or similar legislation.
    The exchange of letters between our two committees will be 
included in the Committee report on H.R. 1858 and will be made 
part of the floor record.
            Sincerely,
                                      Sherwood L. Boehlert,
                                                          Chairman.
                              ----------                              

                             Committee on Education
                                         and the Workforce,
                                     Washington, DC, June 26, 2001.
Hon. Sherwood L. Boehlert,
Chairman, Committee on Science, Rayburn HOB, Washington, DC.
    Dear Chairman Boehlert: Thank you for working with me 
regarding your bill, H.R. 1858, the ``National Mathematics and 
Science Partnerships Act'', which was referred to the Committee 
on Science and in addition the Committee on Education and the 
Workforce and ordered favorably reported by your Committee on 
June 13, 2001. I understand your desire to have this 
legislation considered expeditiously by the House; hence, I do 
not intend to hold a hearing or markup on this legislation.
    In agreeing to waive consideration by our Committee, I 
would expect you to agree that this procedural route should not 
be construed to prejudice the Committee on Education and the 
Workforce's jurisdictional interest and prerogatives on this or 
any similar legislation and will not be considered as precedent 
for consideration of matters of jurisdictional interest to my 
Committee in the future. I would also expect your support in my 
request to the Speaker for the appointment of conferees from my 
Committee with respect to matters within the jurisdiction of my 
Committee should a conference with the Senate be convened on 
this or similar legislation.
    I would appreciate your including our exchange of letters 
in your Committee's report to accompany H.R. 1858. Again, I 
thank you for working with me in developing this legislation 
and I look forward to working with you on these issues in the 
future.
            Sincerely,
                                              John Boehner,
                                                          Chairman.
                              ----------                              

                                      Committee on Science,
                                      Washington, DC, July 9, 2001.
Hon. Billy Tauzin,
Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Chairman Tauzin: Thank you for your letter regarding 
H.R. 1858, the ``National Mathematics and Science Partnership 
Act.'' Although the Parliamentarian did not refer H.R. 1858 to 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce, I understand your concern 
with the bill as amended.
    While sec. 704 of Title VII of H.R. 1858, ``Study of 
Broadband Network Access for Schools and Libraries,'' requires 
the Director of the National Science Foundation to conduct a 
study of high-speed, large bandwidth capacity access to all 
public elementary and secondary schools and libraries, it is 
not the intent of the Committee on Science to encroach upon 
your Committee's jurisdiction in the broadband area. Sec. 704 
merely requires a study of network access, it does not pierce 
the Energy and Commerce Committee's telecommunications 
jurisdiction.
    The Committee on Science intends to bring H.R. 1858 to the 
floor under suspension of the rules, and would therefore not be 
subject to amendments. If, however, during future Congressional 
deliberations of H.R. 1858, the bill is altered to actually 
include subject matter falling within the Energy and Commerce 
Committee's jurisdiction, we will work with your Committee to 
address those issues of concern, including the honoring of your 
request for conferees should any subsequent version contain a 
provision that falls within your jurisdiction. We do not 
anticipate any encroachment into your jurisdiction and will 
resist effort to do so.
    I will include the exchange of letters between our 
Committees as part of the record. Thank you for your 
cooperation in this matter.
            Sincerely,
                                      Sherwood L. Boehlert,
                                                          Chairman.
                              ----------                              

                          Committee on Energy and Commerce,
                                      Washington, DC, July 9, 2001.
Hon. Sherwood L. Boehlert,
Chairman, Committee on Science, House of Representatives, Rayburn House 
        Office Building, Washington, DC.
    Dear Chairman Boehlert: I am writing with regard to H.R. 
1858, the National Mathematics and Science Partnership Act. As 
you know, H.R. 1858 was ordered reported, amended, by the 
Committee on Science on June 13, 2001.
    During the Committee on Science markup, section 704 of 
title VII was added to the bill. This section added a study to 
be done by the Director of the National Science Foundation 
concerning broadband network access for schools and libraries. 
As you are aware, under Clause 1(f) of Rule X of the Rules of 
the House, the Committee on Energy and Commerce has 
jurisdiction over the regulation of interstate and foreign 
communications, including broadband network access.
    I recognize your desire to bring this legislation before 
the House in an expeditious manner. Accordingly, I will not 
exercise the Committee's right to seek a referral on any 
provision that may be within our jurisdiction. By agreeing to 
waive its consideration of the bill, however, the Energy and 
Commerce Committee does not waive any jurisdiction over H.R. 
1858, or any provisions that may be added to the legislation. 
In addition, the Energy and Commerce Committee reserves its 
authority to seek conferees on any provisions of the bill that 
are within its jurisdiction during any House-Senate conference 
that may be convened on this legislation. I ask for your 
commitment to support any request by the Energy and Commerce 
Committee for appropriate conferees on H.R. 1858 or similar 
legislation.
    I request that you include this letter as a part of the 
Committee's report on H.R. 1858 and as part of the Record 
during consideration of the legislation on the House floor.
    Thank you for your attention to these matters.
            Sincerely,
                                     W.J. ``Billy'' Tauzin,
                                                          Chairman.

                XXI. Proceedings of Subcommittee Markup

      H.R. 1858, NATIONAL MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE PARTNERSHIPS ACT

                              ----------                              

                              JUNE 7, 2001

                  House of Representatives,
                              Committee on Science,
                                  Subcommittee on Research,
                                                    Washington, DC.
    The Subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10:05 a.m., in 
room 2318 of the Rayburn Building, Hon. Nick Smith (chairman of 
the subcommittee) presiding.
    Chairman Smith. The Subcommittee on Research will come to 
order. Barry are you counting? Oh, shucks. One, two, three, 
four, five. So we are really--have come to order then. Good 
morning. The Subcommittee on Research is meeting today to 
consider the following measures, two bills. One is H.R. 1858, 
the National Mathematics and Science Partnership Act, and H.R. 
100, the National Science Education Act.
    [Markup Notification follows:]

                              Committee on Science,
                                  Subcommittee on Research,
                                      Washington, DC, June 5, 2001.
                               memorandum
To: All Members, Subcommittee on Research.
From: Nick Smith, Chairman.
Subject: Subcommittee Markup of H.R. 1858 and H.R. 100.

    Pursuant to notice, the Subcommittee on Research, Committee on 
Science, intends to consider the following measures on Thursday, June 
7th at 10:00 a.m. in Room 2318 of the Rayburn Building.
    H.R. 1858, National Mathematics and Science Partnerships Act; and,
    H.R. 100, National Science Education Act.
    Should you have amendments to these measures, please hand deliver 
them to: Natalie Palmer, B-374 RHOB, no later than 10:00 a.m. on 
Wednesday, June 6th. In keeping with Committee precedent, all 
amendments should be drafted by the Office of Legislative Counsel.
    Attached are markup materials for your information. If you have any 
questions, please call Sharon Hays, Staff Director, or Natalie Palmer, 
Staff Assistant, at 5-7858.

    Chariman Smith. I would ask unanimous consent for the 
authority to recess the Subcommittee at any point and without 
objection it is so ordered.
    Let me make a couple remarks and then we will turn it over 
to our esteemed Ranking Member and the Chairman of the Full 
Committee for remarks.
    Today the Subcommittee meets to consider two bills that 
address an issue that I think most of us consider crucial to 
our national security and future prosperity. In fact, I have 
told the Vice-President of the Administration that I consider 
our performance in science and math education in K through 12 
to probably be at least the second greatest national security 
threat to this nation. The education of our children, that our 
children receive a math and science education is extremely 
important.
    We talk often on this Subcommittee of the important role 
that fundamental research plays in our current prosperity. We 
are in the midst of a technological revolution that has driven 
our economy, improved our productivity, and helped us live 
longer and healthier lives. A revolution fueled in large part 
by our past investment in research and development but this 
research and development is in turn enabled by the investment 
we make educating our children in math and science and the 
success of motivation in that education process.
    The two bills that we consider today take important steps 
to manage that investment. The most recent results of the 
trends in mathematics and science study show that our efforts 
to improve math and science education have had some success but 
overall have been ineffective in really significantly raising 
the U.S. performance from its middle-of-the-pack position. And 
while there are some highlights, my own state of Michigan, for 
example, achieved the top U.S. scores in both math and science, 
might be a bright spot but even with Michigan's scores 
relatively compared to the G-7 country's, not too impressive. 
We need to work harder to make these bright spots the norm and 
not the exception.
    The President's plan to improve education, No Child Left 
Behind, I think highlights the importance of partnerships 
between the K through 12 system and institutions of higher 
education in leading the math and science and education reform 
effort.
    The Chairman's bill, the first bill that we are going to 
consider today, H.R. 1858, the National Mathematics and Science 
Partnership Act, is the realization of this partnership plan. 
It is what has been suggested by the President of the United 
States, and I hope that we can conclude that in a way that the 
Administration is suggesting.
    The centerpiece of the legislation, Title I, Mathematics 
and Science Education Partnerships, authorizes a competitive 
grant program at the National Science Foundation to enable 
institutions of higher learning to partner with the local 
school districts.
    The bill authorizes the President's request of the 200 
million per year for fiscal year 2002 through 2006. The bill 
includes a number of other provisions and--that relates to 
engineering and technology education and the digital library. 
This program and an additional fellowship program I hope we 
will adopt in the Manager's Amendment form the bulk of our own 
educational research legislation. The Strategic Education 
Research Program addresses the need to bridge the gap between 
basic research on learning and classroom practice.
    And the bill authorizes the NSF-funded centers for research 
on learning and education improvement.
    I want to thank Chairman Boehlert for working with me and 
other members of the Subcommittee in crafting this bill and for 
this--the effort of this Committee and the effort of the 
Chairman to make this come to fruition.
    And the Chair, with your permission, Mr. Chairman, the 
Chair would ask our Ranking Member to make her comments and 
then we will come to you. Eddie Bernice Johnson.
    Ms. Johnson. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I am 
pleased that the Subcommittee is moving forward this morning to 
markup legislations, improve science and mathematics education 
in elementary and secondary schools.
    I congratulate you for your efforts to bring this about and 
thank Chairman Boehlert for placing science education high on 
the agenda for the committee this year.
    Over the past two Congresses the Science Committee has 
conducted a comprehensive series of hearings that have examined 
all aspects of K through 12 science and math education. I 
believe that the legislation we will consider today is well 
supported by the testimony we have received. It is now time to 
move it forward. The Democratic members of the Committee have 
separately developed several legislative proposals on science 
and math education.
    In addition they joined Ranking Member Hall in developing a 
comprehensive education bill. That is H.R. 1693, which Mr. Hall 
introduced earlier this year. I am pleased that many of the 
programs and activities set out in these bills have been 
included in the Manager's Amendment of H.R. 1858, which we will 
soon take up.
    This includes the Mathematics and Science Proficiency 
Partnership Act, which I have introduced in this and in the 
past two Congresses.
    Mr. Chairman, we have been engaged in a collegial process 
to develop a bipartisan committee product in which I believe we 
may all take pride. I want to commend Chairman Boehlert and 
Chairman Smith for both of you and your willingness to work 
cooperatively with Democratic members and thank you for 
bringing up the legislation before the Subcommittee today. I 
look forward to seeing it reported to the Full Committee and to 
the House. Thank you.
    Chairman Smith. The Chair is glad to recognize the sponsor 
of the bill and the Chairman of our Science Committee.
    Chairman Boehlert. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. This 
is an important day for this Committee because in addition to 
our normal work of having a positive impact on the shaping of 
public policy overall in the science arena, we have made it 
clear right from the beginning of this year that we are going 
to be players in the arena as we deal with shaping education, 
energy, and environmental policy. And today we are fulfilling a 
part of that commitment.
    We are making up two excellent bipartisan bills that 
demonstrate the commitment we made at the beginning of the year 
that the Science Committee would be an important, productive 
contributor to the effort to improve education. Both these 
bills draw on the strengths of the NationalScience Foundation 
to shore up science and math education in ways that would be difficult 
for other agencies to accomplish. I think NSF is uniquely positioned to 
make a significant contribution.
    The fundamental purpose of the bills is to insure that we 
are drawing on the expertise and resources of higher education 
and of businesses to improve K through 12 education. And in 
this instance I would urge my colleagues on the other side of 
the Capitol to take note of what we are doing here. The 
Manager's Amendment reflects a model, bipartisan agreement that 
improves the bill and incorporates aspects of legislation 
introduced by you, Mr. Chairman, by the Ranking Member, Ms. 
Johnson, by Ms. Woolsey among others.
    The point I wish to stress is that every step of the way in 
this process there has been no divide at the center in this 
room. Republicans and Democrats have worked cooperatively to 
fashion this package.
    Once again, I would urge my colleagues on the other side of 
the Capitol to take note of what we are doing here. I am 
delighted that we have been able to accomplish this in such a 
bipartisan fashion.
    And I also want to make note of something else that is in 
the package. We reauthorized the Noyce Scholarship Program. 
That is something that Senator Rockefeller and I several years 
ago were able to get passed by the Congress and signed into 
law. It was great because we authorized money for stipends for 
the best and the brightest in math and science and engineering 
in our undergraduate programs to incentivise them to go into 
teaching in public education.
    The problem is, and this often happens on the Hill, the 
authorization was there, and we all applauded. The 
appropriations never followed. We are going to be persevering 
as we go forward to try to make certain we also get the money 
to match--the wallet to match the will, if you will.
    So let me say to everyone in this room associated with this 
package, job well done, and let us continue. Thank you very 
much, Mr. Chairman.
    Chairman Smith. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and without 
objection all members may place opening statements in the 
record.
    We will now consider H.R. 1858 and--for the first reading 
of the bill, and I would ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
considered read and open to amendment at any time. Without 
objection it is so ordered. We will move to the first amendment 
on the bill and which the--is the Manager's Amendment offered 
by myself and Representative Johnson.
    And I would ask unanimous consent that the amendment be 
considered en Bloc. Without objection it is so ordered.
    The clerk will read the amendment.
    Madam Clerk. Amendment to H.R. 1858.
    Chairman Smith. That is enough. I would ask for unanimous 
consent that the amendment be considered read. Thank you very 
much. Without objection it is ordered.
    I recognize myself for five minutes to explain this 
bipartisan amendment.
    This amendment has been worked out with the--both 
Republicans and Democrats, and Ms. Johnson has agreed to 
cosponsor it. I know members and staff have had an opportunity 
to review the amendment so I will just try to summarize some of 
the highlights briefly.
    Title III has been expanded to include an EducationResearch 
Teacher Fellowship Program, a provision originally included in my 
education research legislation. This program similar to the Teacher 
Research Scholarship Program in Title I focuses on creating 
opportunities for elementary and secondary teachers to pursue research 
on learning in university laboratories and elsewhere with a goal of 
helping bridge the gap between the basic research and the classroom.
    The amendment would authorize $5 million to NSF to carry 
out this section. The amendment also modifies the Robert Noyce 
Scholarship Provisions of the original bill by changing the 
penalty assessed on the scholarship recipients who don't 
complete the teaching service requirement.
    In addition the amendment adds the Mathematics and Science 
Proficiency Partnerships Program originally introduced by our 
Ranking Member Ms. Johnson, a measure this Committee passed 
last year.
    It also adds a provision authorizing articulation 
partnerships between community colleges and secondary schools, 
assessment of in-service teacher professional development 
programs, and educational technology research centers.
    Again, this is a bipartisan amendment, and I am pleased to 
be joined by my Ranking Member in offering it. Now I would like 
to yield to Ms. Johnson for any comment she may have on the 
amendment.
    Ms. Johnson. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to join 
you in offering this bipartisan amendment to H.R. 1858 and 
incorporates substantial portions of H.R. 1693, the Democratic 
Science Education Bill, introduced by Ranking Member Hall.
    H.R. 1693, in turn, contains a range of provisions from the 
Democratic members that have appeared at separate bills and 
legislative proposals before the Committee during the last 
Congress.
    I want to commend the collegial process through which this 
amendment was developed. I believe we all approach this matter 
with an appreciation of the importance of finding creative and 
effective ways to address the serious deficiencies that now 
exist in K through 12 science and math education.
    The Manager's Amendment and underlying bill comprise of a 
range of proposals from several members on both sides of the 
aisle on ways to improve teacher training, to attract more 
talented students to careers as science and math teachers, and 
to develop more effective education materials and teaching 
practices to improve student learning.
    It also authorizes new research programs to improve the 
scientific bases for teacher techniques and education 
materials, as well as to determine the effectiveness of new 
education approaches on student performance.
    Mr. Chairman, I want to congratulate you and Chairman 
Boehlert for your hard work in developing this amendment and 
bringing the measure forward to a markup today. I want to 
acknowledge the efforts of Ranking Member Hall in developing 
1693 and my colleagues on this side of the aisle who 
contributed provisions to this bill.
    I am particularly pleased that the Manager's Amendment 
incorporates the Math and Science Proficiency Partnership Act, 
H.R. 1660, which I introduced this year and in the past two 
Congresses. My legislation is a targeted measure. It seeks to 
bring schools with large populations of economically-
disadvantaged students together in partnership with businesses 
to improve math and science education and to recruit and 
support students in undergraduate education in science and 
technology fields.
    The components of the partnership will include support from 
the National Science Foundation to the schools for teacher 
training, educational materials, and equipment. Industry will 
provide support for college scholarships for promising 
students, job site mentoring, and internship programs and 
donations of computer software and hardware. The overall effect 
of the partnerships would be to encouragesupport from promising 
students from undergraduate--underrepresented groups in pursuing 
careers in science and engineering. And I want to urge my colleagues to 
support the Manager's Amendment.
    Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Chairman Smith. Thank you, Congresswoman Johnson, and our 
compliments to you also and all the members. Is there any 
additional discussion? If not, the vote----
    Mr. Honda. Mr. Chairman.
    Chairman Smith. Mr. Honda. Yes.
    Mr. Honda. Thank you. I would like to move to strike the 
last word and----
    Chairman Smith. Please proceed with your comments.
    Mr. Honda. Okay. Thank you. As a former science teacher, 
Mr. Chair, I am thrilled that this Subcommittee is marking up 
legislation that will improve the quality of science and math 
education in our schools.
    I haven't been in our schools for many years as a teacher. 
I understand that America's teachers are in great need of 
technology training as well as new and challenging curriculum. 
And I have been working on two proposals that I believe address 
these needs in part.
    First I would like to see more qualified college students 
in our schools assisting teachers to better integrate 
technology in our classroom curriculum.
    And second, in the midst of this terrible energy crisis I 
think that we need to renew our effort to educate our children 
on energy conservation and renewable energies. We need to 
prepare them to be smart and critical energy consumers.
    I am working with the Majority to develop these ideas into 
amendments to H.R. 1858, and I also appreciate the willingness 
of the Chair and the Majority to work with me on this effort. 
And I look forward to developing more concrete language that we 
all can agree to.
    And let me just also recognize that I do believe that our 
Committees here is truly working in a bipartisan manner, and I 
sincerely appreciate that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
    Chairman Smith. Thank you, Mr. Honda. Mr. Etheridge.
    Mr. Etheridge. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will be brief but 
let me thank you and the--all the folks who have worked on this 
because I think it is important. One of the pieces that I am 
very pleased to see in here because I think all of us 
understand that if we are going to improve math and science 
education, we have to do a much better job of in-service 
training because the challenge of getting new people in is 
always going to be a challenge. But the real critical piece to 
improve it and do it quickly certainly at the high school level 
is how well we do for the in-service for the people we already 
have there. And this partnership that is going to be able to be 
developed here between higher education and the public schools 
I think will add an awful lot to enhancing and enriching and 
moving that along much more rapidly.
    And I thank you and commend the bill.
    Chairman Smith. We appreciate your comments. Your 
experience in education and as superintendent of schools for 
North Carolina is appreciated as we move ahead on the bill. 
Other discussion? If not, the vote occurs on the amendment. All 
in favor will signify by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed, no. In 
the opinion of the Chair the ayes have it, and the amendment is 
agreed to.
    Are there any further amendments?
    Ms. Johnson. Mr. Chairman.
    Chairman Smith. Hearing none the question is on the bill, 
H.R. 1858 as amended. Are you ready to vote? All those in favor 
will say aye. Aye. All those opposed say no. The ayes have it, 
and you might have to--Ms. Johnson, did you want to make a 
comment?
    Ms. Johnson. I was just going to move that we----
    Chairman Smith. Oh, yes. The motion. Okay. Good.
    Ms. Johnson. Mr. Chairman, I move that theSubcommittee 
favorably report the bill, H.R. 1858, as amended to the Full Committee 
with the recommendation that it be an order for the bill as amended by 
Subcommittee and incorporate it into an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute for consideration as an original bill for the purpose of 
amendment under the five-minute rule at Full Committee.
    Further, I ask unanimous consent that the staff be 
instructed to make all necessary technical and conforming 
changes to the bill as amended in accordance with the 
recommendations of the Subcommittee.
    Chairman Smith. The Committee has heard the motion. Those 
in favor will say aye. Aye. Those opposed no. The ayes have it, 
and the Chair notes the presence of a quorum. Now we will 
consider--oh, thank you, Peter. Without objection the motion to 
reconsider is laid on the table. The----
    [H.R. 1858 follows:]
    
    
               XXII. Proceedings of Full Committee Markup

      H.R. 1858, NATIONAL MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE PARTNERSHIPS ACT

                              ----------                              

                             JUNE 13, 2001

                          House of Representatives,
                                      Committee on Science,
                                                    Washington, DC.
    The Committee met, pursuant to call, at 10:05 a.m., in Room 
2318 of the Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Sherwood L. 
Boehlert (chairman of the committee) presiding.
    Chairman Boehlert. Meeting will come to order. The first 
order of business is to welcome back Mr. Gilchrest to the 
Committee. By order of the Republican caucus of the House 
Committee on Science, Mr. Gilchrest will fill the vacancy on 
the Environment, Technology, and Standards Subcommittee. 
Without objection, so ordered. The Committee on Science will be 
in order. Pursuant to notice, the Committee on Science is 
meeting today to consider the following measures. H.R. 1858, 
National Mathematics and Science Partnerships Act, and H.R. 
100, National Science Education Act. I ask unanimous consent 
for the authority to recess the Committee at any point and 
without objection, so ordered. I ask unanimous consent for the 
substitutes to H.R. 1858 and H.R. 100, as adopted by the 
Subcommittee on Research on June 7, 2001, be considered as 
original text for the purpose of the Markup at Full Committee 
today.

                                       Committee on Science
                                      Washington, DC, June 7, 2001.
                               memorandum
To: Sherwood L. Boehlert, Chairman.
From: Nick Smith, Chairman, Subcommittee on Research.
Re Subcommittee Mark-up of H.R. 1858.

    On June 7, 2001, the Subcommittee on Research held a mark-up of 
H.R. 1858, National Mathematics and Science Partnerships Act. A 
Manager's Amendment was offered by Mr. Smith and Ms. Johnson and was 
adopted by a voice vote.
    Attached for your information is a section by section analysis and 
a copy of the measure.

    Chairman Boehlert. Hearing no objections, so ordered.
    The Committee will now consider H.R. 1858. I want to 
welcome everyone to today's Science Committee's first Full 
Committee markup of this Congress. I'm going to keep my remarks 
brief because I would like swift, smooth markups to be one of 
the Committee's hallmarks. When I was privileged to become 
Chairman of this Committee in January, I said that we would 
strive to have an impact on key issues facing the country. 
Specifically, education, energy policy and the environment. I 
also said I hoped we would work in a bipartisan fashion that 
would be a model for the entire Congress. With the help of my 
colleagues and the Committee staff on both sides of the aisle, 
today, we are carrying through on those pledges.

    Chairman Boehlert. We have before us two thoughtful, 
innovative, bipartisan bills that should have a significant 
impact on improving pre-college education. Both my bill and Dr. 
Ehlers' bill are designed to ensure that the resources and 
expertise of higher education and the business community are 
brought to bear on K through 12 education. And both bills 
recognize that the most essential element of education is 
ensuring that we have the brightest, most creative, best 
prepared teachers in our nation's classrooms. Everything else 
is just icing on the cake.
    Both bills have benefited from guidance on both sides of 
the aisle. My bill, for example, builds on the recommendations 
of President Bush, who in his budget, recognized the important 
education role of the National Science Foundation and of 
partnerships.
    It also includes a number of proposals that originated with 
Committee Democrats and were included in Mr. Hall's education 
package, H.R. 1653. And it includes my proposal of the Noyce 
Scholarships, which the concept was developed several years ago 
on a bipartisan basis with Senator Rockefeller. This is 
designed to attract top math and science majors into teaching.
    This is the way to pull together an education bill. Reach 
across the aisle, avoid ideological disputation, stick to 
practical ways the Federal Government can catalyze reform. I 
hope we can stick to these principles when we report out an 
energy bill next month.
    At any rate, H.R. 1858 and H.R. 100 are bills everyone on 
this Committee can be proud of and, most important, they should 
make a difference to America's students. H.R. 1858 has already 
been endorsed by a number of education groups and more will be 
signing on in the coming weeks. There is already bipartisan 
interest in the bill in the Senate. And we expect to bring this 
bill to the floor rapidly, where it should pass easily.
    So these bills are not just statements of position or 
rhetorical exercises. We expect them to become law. And we will 
work with the appropriators and the National Science Foundation 
to see that they begin helping America's students as soon as 
possible.
    Before turning to Mr. Hall, just let me say, I'd like to 
congratulate the excellent work of the very able professional 
staff, Republican and Democrat alike. We are all in this 
together and you have done us proud. Mr. Hall?
    [Statement of Ralph M. Hall follows:]
                  Opening Statement of Hon. Ralph Hall
    Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to join you in support of this important 
legislation to strengthen science and mathematics education in the 
nation's schools.
    I congratulate you for placing science education high on the 
Committee's agenda for this year and for taking the steps necessary to 
move this legislation forward.
    The bill before the Committee is the result of bipartisan effort.
    It is composed of several programs and activities authorized for 
the National Science Foundation. I believe the extensive hearing record 
the Committee has compiled over the past three years provides ample 
support for the provisions of the bill.
    The Democratic Members of the Committee have separately developed 
several legislative proposals to improve K-12 science and math 
education. In addition, with their help, I developed a comprehensive 
education bill, HR 1693, which I introduced earlier this year.
    I am pleased that many of the programs an activities set out in 
these Democratic bills are included in the Committee markup vehicle 
before us.
    In particular, I would like to highlight the programs incorporated 
from HR 1693 that explore ways to effectively use educational 
technologies in the classroom. The emphasis is on determining the 
techniques and approaches that lead to improved student performance, so 
that schools will know which approaches actually work and are worth the 
substantial investments involved in implementing them.
    Also, the markup vehicle incorporates programs from HR 1693 to 
encourage and support women and minorities in pursuing careers in 
science and engineering. The changing composition of the nation's 
workforce makes it essential that the talents of all segments of 
society are fully developed and utilized.
    We will soon consider a managers' amendment, which I am co-
sponsoring with the Chairman, that incorporates several additional 
provisions championed by Democratic Members.
    Mr. Chairman, I want to acknowledge the collegial process through 
which this bipartisan legislation has been developed. And, I want to 
congratulate Chairman Nick Smith and Ranking Member Eddie Bernice 
Johnson of the Research Subcommittee for their efforts to develop the 
bill.
    Finally, I want to thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your willingness to 
work cooperatively with Democratic Members to develop this legislation, 
and for bringing it before the Committee today.

    Mr. Hall. Mr. Chairman, thank you very much. And I am, of 
course, pleased to join you in support of this very important 
legislation to strengthen science and mathematics education in 
the nation's school. And I admire the way that you are running 
this Committee. I have some problems, though, I know there is 
going to be a time when your unanimous consent requests are 
going to be more interesting when we get to energy. I want to 
wait and see exactly how you handle that. I congratulate you, 
of course, for placing science education on the Committee's 
agenda for this year. And you have done that. You have put it 
up front. And I think that is where it belongs. And that is 
what our President has indicated, his interest in education and 
furthering some areas of improvement of this very important 
facet of our Nation's economy and our Nation's future.
    The bill before the Committee is a result, as you say, of 
bipartisan effort that is composed of several programs and 
activities authorized for the National Science Foundation. I 
think the extensive hearing record that the Committee compiled 
over the last 3 years, which, Mr. Chairman, you have been here 
and been a part of, provides ample support for the provisions 
of the bill. And that may be another reason why we will slide 
right on through this presentation today and I think you have 
deadened the timber over in the Senate for it and that is an 
admirable thing to do.
    The Democratic members of the Committee have separately 
developed some legislative proposals to improve K-12 science 
and math education. In addition to their help, we have 
developed a comprehensive education bill, H.R. 1693, which as 
the Chairman has said, I introduced earlier this year. I am 
pleased that many of the programs and activities set out in 
these Democratic bills are included in the Committee Markup 
vehicle before us today. In particular, I would like to 
highlight the programs incorporated from H.R. 1693 that explore 
ways to effectively use educational technologies in the 
classroom. Now, the emphasis is on determining the techniques 
and approaches that lead to improve student performance. So 
that helps schools to know which approaches actually work. And 
I think they are worth the substantial investments that are 
involved and it is good to know that they understand this to 
the point that they will use those investments involved in 
implementing them.
    Also, the Markup vehicle incorporates programs from H.R. 
1693 to encourage and support women and minorities in pursuing 
careers in science and engineering.
    And, Mr. Chairman, with all the talk of opening up our 
borders to bring people in from oversees to man the positions 
of labor and even management and skilled people that they are 
talking about increasing immigration for that, I think that 
points up the importance of the changing composition of the 
Nation's workforce. Make it very essential that all segments of 
society are fully developed and fully utilized. And that way, 
we are going to have to rely less on having those from other 
countries come to take these very important jobs that we are 
supporting here.
    Mr. Hall. So we will soon consider a Manager's Amendment, 
which I have co-sponsored with the Chairman that incorporates 
several additional provisions, championed by members from both 
sides. Mr. Chairman, I acknowledge the affordable process 
through which this legislation has been developed. And I want 
to congratulate chairman Nick Smith and Ranking Member Eddie 
Bernice Johnson of the Research Subcommittee for their efforts 
to develop this bill.
    And finally, Mr. Chairman, I want to, once again, thank you 
for your willingness to work cooperatively with Democratic 
Members to develop this legislation and for bringing it before 
the Committee today. I yield back my time.
    Chairman Boehlert. Thank you very much for those kind 
remarks, Mr. Hall. Without objection, all members may place 
opening statements in the record at this point. I ask unanimous 
consent that the bill be considered as read and open to 
amendment at any point. And I ask members to proceed with the 
statements in the order on the roster.

                Opening Statement of Hon. Bob Etheridge

    Thank you Mr. Chairman for recognizing me. One of the most 
difficult challenges we face today is getting well trained and 
qualified science and math teachers in every classroom. One of 
the pieces that I am very pleased to see in this bill is an 
amendment that directs the National Science Foundation to 
establish a program to improve the undergraduate education and 
in-service professional development of science and mathematics 
teachers in elementary and secondary school.
    As the former Superintendent of Schools in North Carolina, 
I have worked for many years to improve science and math 
education in our schools. We need better-qualified teachers in 
our K-12 science and math classrooms. There is a need for 
teacher enhancement and professional development for current 
teachers. Our teachers are not being adequately prepared in 
both the content and the techniques of teaching. At the very 
root of our problems is Teacher Preparation. In the long run, 
we would benefit more if we allocate resources to invest more 
in the undergraduate preparation of teachers.
    There is growing recognition that the success of nearly any 
effort to improve the academic performance of America's 
students depends critically upon their teachers' mastery of 
subject matter and their ability to teach it. The way to lift 
student achievement is to ensure that we have a qualified 
teacher in every classroom. Therefore, if America is to improve 
its public schools, teacher preparation and enhancement must 
become the first priority of education reform. I am pleased 
this bill takes several steps in that direction.
    Last year, I introduced a similar measure as an amendment 
to the bill the Science Committee has passed but that was never 
enacted. This year I expanded on that effort in the Hall bill 
and I am pleased H.R. 1858 builds on this function to 
strengthen science education in America.
    I urge adoption of this bill.
                                ------                                

               Opening Statement of Hon. Michael M. Honda
    Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Let me begin by thanking Chairmen Boehlert and Smith, as well as 
Ranking Members Hall and Johnson, for creating a climate of 
inclusiveness and cooperation. This bill and its expeditious passage 
will be a testament to the great work that can be accomplished when 
both sides of the aisle work together.
    I ask for recognition today because there are two provisions within 
the Manager's Amendment that I have offered.
    The first provision authorizes the National Science Foundation to 
provide grants to undergraduate and graduate students that go into our 
schools for the express purpose of assisting our teachers better 
utilize computers.
    It was once conventional wisdom that if we merely put computers in 
classrooms, the quality of our children's education would dramatically 
improve. No doubt, our schools are better because of the presence of 
computers, but we have learned in these few short years, that our 
teachers must be better trained and assisted if we are to maximize the 
use of computers and the Internet in schools.
    Many of our nation's undergraduate and graduate students have 
expertise in computer science. We need to draw on this wealth of 
expertise, as well as the altruism and idealism that so many of young 
people harbor.
    By coupling the specific needs of our school systems with the 
energy and intellect of some of the brightest people in our academic 
institutions, we can better begin to prepare our children with the high 
tech skills they need to navigate, adapt and succeed in the Knowledge 
Economy.
    But the challenges our children face will not be relegated to the 
career world. For example, our children, one day, will address the same 
energy challenges that we face today.
    Future generations of Americans will need to continue the important 
work of creating a balanced energy portfolio on which our country can 
rely and prosper.
    That is why I have included language in the Manager's Amendment 
that would make more explicit NSF's responsibility to encourage the 
development of energy curriculum for primary and secondary school 
children.
    In the midst of an energy crisis that is wreaking great havoc on 
the Western states, our nation is giving more thought and consideration 
to the important role that energy conservation and renewable energies 
can play in our energy portfolio.
    It will be important to tap our children into this discussion as 
early as possible, so that when they purchase homes, cars and 
dishwashers, they will be smart energy consumers. We must not pass onto 
our children the myth that fossil fuels are the only reliable and 
abundant source of energy for the United States.
    My hope and expectation is that, one day, every school in America 
will offer students an energy curriculum that accurately reflects, not 
only the great energy demands we will face in coming years, but also 
the extraordinary resources that might be available to us if only we 
invest ourselves in them. I speak of wind and solar energy, as well as 
biomass and geothermal.
    Such a curriculum must also speak to the great benefits of energy 
conservation. As a California Member of Congress, I understand the 
importance of conservation, but implementing such a system is not easy. 
It requires educating the public, so let's start early * * * let's 
teach our children to think more about the amount of energy they use.
    Again, I'm pleased that these provisions have been included in the 
Manager's Amendment and I look forward to the Amendment's passage.
    As a former science teacher, principal and school board member, I'm 
extraordinarily pleased that this Committee is marking up such a 
strong, bipartisan science education bill that, in my opinion, will 
better prepare our children for future challenges and opportunities.
    Thank you.
                                 ______
                                 
               Opening Statement of Hon. James A. Barcia
    Thank you Ranking Member Hall. I also wish to thank Chairman 
Boehlert for his willingness to work with me in such a bipartisan 
manner to craft this portion of the Manager's Amendment.
    My provision in this manager's amendment incorporates much of H.R. 
1889, the Educational Technology Utilization Extension Assistance Act, 
a bill I introduced, along with my colleagues David Wu and Mark Udall. 
This section directs the National Science Foundation to work with the 
Department of Education to create educational technology extension 
centers.
    The focus on these centers is to advise and assist local K-12 
schools to better utilize and integrate their existing educational 
technology infrastructure into their curriculum and classroom, as well 
as help schools evaluate their need for new information technologies.
    This provision addresses a problem identified by school 
administrators, independent educational organizations and scores of 
teachers, that more support resources are needed to maximize the use of 
technology in the classroom.
    Education technology centers will enhance the services provided by 
those who are currently providing assistance to teachers, like local 
intermediate school districts. Where this type of technical advice is 
not available, this legislation would initiate this important effort.
    Mr. Chairman, there simply are not enough hours in the day for our 
teachers to meet the demands placed on them in the classroom and to 
take the time needed to research all of the new technologies available 
for their students.
    I believe by establishing centers dedicated solely to provide 
teachers with information and training to effectively utilize available 
technology, we will allow teachers to provide their students with the 
resources necessary to equip them for the 21st century.
    I urge my colleagues to support the adoption of this manager's 
amendment.
                                 ______
                                 
              Opening Statement of Hon. Sheila Jackson Lee
    Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank you and Ranking Member Ralph 
Hall for this opportunity to markup, H.R. 1858, which would make 
improvements in mathematics and science education in our nation, and 
H.R. 100, the National Science and Education Act. These bills are long 
overdue and are much needed in ensuring that we have adequate numbers 
of trained scientists and mathematicians for the technological and 
economic challenges of tomorrow.
    H.R. 1858 offers support to current teachers and help to recruit 
and retain new teachers who are trained and accredited to teach math 
and science.
    In order to accomplish the goals of this legislation it would 
create new approaches for the Nations Science Foundation (NSF) to take 
in building a stronger and more diverse repository of mathematics and 
science trained teachers. The long range goal is to provide instruction 
in math and science by teachers who are trained in those areas, and 
through this effort increase the number of students who pursue math and 
science undergraduate and graduate degrees.
    It is my goal along with the committee's to create a public 
education system that would develop a technologically capable workforce 
that can compete in the global economy.
    Toward this end, I have offered several amendments to H.R. 1858. 
The first amendment directs that the National Digital Library contain 
information about electronic links to materials that educators may 
access. The second amendment requires that research center awards focus 
on research and development of educational practices designed to 
improve the academic performance of a broad range of students including 
those from underrepresented groups.
    Through the committee hearing process on these particular bills the 
groups that are underrepresented have been identified as African 
Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans and women.
    The last amendment directs that the NSF provide information on the 
awarding of Robert Noyce Scholarships. As a result of this amendment 
the NSF will be required to collect relevant statistically and 
demographic data on scholarship recipients and information on the 
locations at which scholarship recipients carry out their teaching 
requirement. This report is required by year 7 of the program assessing 
its impact on drawing math and science students into teaching careers, 
including students from underrepresented groups.
    I thank the Chair and committee members for their consideration of 
these amendments and look forward to their inclusion in the final bill 
sent to the House by this committee.
    Thank you.

    The first amendment on the roster is the Manager's 
Amendment, offered by the Ranking Minority Member, Mr. Hall and 
myself. I ask unanimous consent that the Manager's Amendment be 
considered En Bloc. Without objection, so ordered. Clerk will 
report the amendment.
    Ms. Clerk. En Block amendments to H.R. 1858, offered by Mr. 
Boehlert and Mr. Hall.

    Chairman Boehlert. I ask unanimous consent to dispense with 
the reading. Without objection, so ordered. I recognize myself 
for a couple of minutes to explain the Amendment. This 
Amendment, which I am offering with Mr. Hall, reflects a 
negotiated bipartisan agreement. Let me stress. It reflects a 
negotiated bipartisan agreement. It includes versions of 
proposals initially made by Mr. Akin, Mrs. Morella, Mr. Honda, 
Mr. Matheson, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Larson and Mr. Barcia, as 
well as some technical changes. Similarly, by the way, the 
Manager's Amendment at Subcommittee included version of 
proposals by Mr. Smith of Michigan, Ms. Johnson of Texas and 
Mr. Hall. I think the sponsors of the various amendments will 
explain their portions of it, so I won't belabor those items 
now.
    Let me just say that I appreciate the willingness of the 
minority to negotiate the content of the amendments. And I 
think the bill is stronger for those provisions being added. 
The amendments are consistent with the philosophy and structure 
of the underlying bill and will ensure that all students will 
benefit from having better teachers and from having and making 
better use of information technology, thanks to these 
amendments.
    I now recognize Mr. Hall to offer his comments on the 
bipartisan amendment.
    Mr. Hall. Mr. Chairman, thank you. I am pleased to join you 
in offering this bipartisan amendment to the Markup vehicle for 
H.R. 1858. The amendment, I might point out, also, includes 
several new provisions advanced by Mr. Honda, Mr. Matheson and 
Mrs. Jackson Lee, but I will defer to them, as you have done, 
for their explanation of their provisions. I want to thank you 
for working with us in this manner. And I urge your colleagues 
to support the Manager's Amendment. I yield back my time.
    Chairman Boehlert. Is there any further discussion? If no, 
the vote occurs on the amendment. All in favor----
    Ms. Morella. Mr. Chairman--Mr. Chairman?
    Chairman Boehlert. All right. Ms. Morella?
    Ms. Morella. I would love to have an opportunity to thank 
you and Ranking Member Hall for moving in such a bipartisan 
manner this important bill.
    [Statement of Constance A. Morella:]
             Opening Statement of Hon. Constance A. Morella
    Mr. Chairman, I want to personally thank you for pushing this 
legislation and holding this markup. The future of our educational 
enterprise is of paramount importance to our continued prosperity. I 
don't believe that it is an exaggeration to suggest that today's effort 
will be among the most important work this committee does this session.
    Members of this committee are keenly aware of our nation's 
lackluster performance in the most recent TIMSS, TIMSS-R, and NAEP 
reports. Perhaps most disturbing, data from the fourth through twelfth 
grades suggest that our students grow further behind our international 
counterparts the longer they are in school. In many cases, even our 
strongest districts lag behind international averages. For example, 
while I took some pride in learning that Montgomery County soundly beat 
the national average in both math and science, we still lagged Eastern 
and European powerhouses. This situation is quite simply unacceptable.
    H.R. 1858 and H.R. 100 do a number of things to address these 
problems. We need to recruit better teachers and provide additional 
training to the ones we have. Teachers, like most professionals in 
opportunities for continuous development. Education is not a static 
discipline; our needs and therefore the requirements of our teachers 
are constantly changing as technology advances. Our methodologies need 
to change with them. These bills will provide grants for the 
development of current teachers, scholarships for math and science 
majors who go into teaching, funds to provide master teachers, and 
other initiatives to improve the quality of our math and science 
instructors.
    In addition, we need to provide opportunities for traditionally 
underrepresented groups to excel in math and science related fields. 
Bureau of Labor Statistics tell us that careers in science, 
engineering, and technology are booming and over the next few years we 
will need to fill over 5 million new jobs in high-tech specialty 
occupations. To meet this demand, we will need participation from all 
sectors of our workforce. Yet, according to a report by the 
Congressional Commission on the Advancement of Women and Minorities in 
Science, Engineering, and Technology Development, women, minorities, 
and persons with disabilities still eschew technical occupations. They 
are severely underrepresented in scientific disciplines and while they 
represent the fastest growing segment of the workforce, they are not 
going into technical careers at an appreciable rate. If we are to meet 
the future demand for a highly skilled workforce, we must find ways to 
tap into these groups.
    These bills would also address this important issue. They contain 
programs and language specifically geared towards the recruitment and 
retention of qualified individuals from these underrepresented groups. 
I am thrilled that these proposals have been included in this 
legislation and I thank the Chairman and the Committee for prioritizing 
the need to strengthen the technology pipeline. Both bills that we are 
considering today will make great strides in accomplishing this goal.

    Ms. Morella. As the most recent TIMSS and TIMSS-R and NAEP 
reports have shown, the quality of the U.S. science and math 
education continues to lack the results that we expect from 
American students. Fresh ideas and new approaches are 
desperately needed. By working together under your leadership, 
we are able to implement some important reforms.
    H.R. 1858 addresses many of the concerns outlined in the 
Glenn Commission Report entitled, Before It's Too Late. 
Particularly with regard to teacher preparation. I served on 
that Glenn Commission. We explored ways for teachers to access 
professional development programs, to meet the ever-growing 
needs of our students and our S.E.T. work force. And this bill 
will establish ways to recruit more science and math 
professionals into the classroom and to make sure our 
children's instructors are trained in the specific subject 
areas they will be teaching, while improving teacher 
incentives.
    I want to thank you, Mr. Chairman and the Committee staff, 
for working with me to include my amendment in Section 706E, 
Learning Community Consortium. This grant was developed from 
recommendations of the Commission on the Advancement of Women, 
Minorities and Individuals with Disabilities in science, 
engineering and technology and will enable a consortium of 
community colleges to establish a pilot project. The report 
reflects the important role of community colleges in preparing 
the high-tech employees of the future. When we look at nearly 
45 percent of all U.S. undergraduates currently enrolled in 
community colleges, a majority of whom came from traditionally 
underrepresented groups in the science, engineering and 
technology fields--I recall Eileen Collins, even, was a product 
of community colleges.
    As we recognize that diversity in science and math, it is 
necessary for our future success that these institutions not be 
left out. Unfortunately, in a competitive world of merit 
review, these institutions generally are left behind, funds 
tend to gravitate toward traditional programs and traditional 
ideas. But our efforts need to be all encompassing and reflect 
a true diversity of students.
    Community colleges generally have strong local ties and a 
proven history of providing a qualified local work force in 
communities around the nation and fostering the types of 
partnerships sought after in this legislation.
    So Mr. Chairman, I'm enthusiastically supporting this 
legislation. I want to thank you, Ranking Member Hall, the 
Committee, the Staff, for prioritizing the need to strengthen 
the technology pipeline.
    Both bills that we are going to be looking at today are 
accomplishing that goal and will make great strides. Thank you, 
Mr. Chairman. I yield back.
    Chariman Boehlert. Thank you very much, Mrs. Morella. And 
thank you for the role you have played in your important 
Subcommittee and you are always there and we appreciate it.
    And another one that we appreciate her valuable input is 
Ms. Woolsey, who was particularly helpful at the Subcommittee 
level. The Chair now recognizes the distinguished colleague 
from California.
    [Statement of Lynn C. Woolsey follows:]
                     Statement of Hon. Lynn Woolsey
    Mr. Chairman, thank you for the time to speak in support of H.R. 
1858. And, I'd like to commend you for your efforts in bringing this 
bill together in a true bipartisan manner. That's the mark of a 
legislative success and a reason why it's such a pleasure to serve on 
the Science Committee.
    This bill can also be considered a success because it's a strong 
blueprint to further science education in our country. As a member of 
both the House Education and Science Committees, I'm quite aware of the 
challenges that our students and schools face in this area. We also 
know that having a properly educated workforce in the math and science 
fields is a major priority of employers across the country, especially 
in the hi-tech arena.
    Mr. Chairman, it's also quite clear that there is no way that 
America can truly have a technically competent workforce if the 
majority of our students--females--don't study science, math, 
engineering, or technology. That's why I'm glad that we were able to 
work together to ensure that this bill addresses this important issue.
    The ``Science Enrichment Programs for Girls,'' which is based on my 
bill--H.R. 1636 and on H.R. 1693--will authorize N.S.F. to fund 
programs in elementary and secondary schools that encourage the ongoing 
interest of girls in science, math, engineering, and technology. It 
will provide a way for girls to gain both the practical advice and the 
vision they need to pursue undergraduate, graduate or careers in these 
fields.
    In turn, this will help create a bold new workforce of energized 
young women. This means that companies will be able to hire the workers 
they need right here in America, because, the fifty percent of our 
population which is now turning away from careers in science, math, 
engineering and technology, will get the education they need to fill 
those jobs.
    This important provision is one reason I encourage my colleagues, 
on both sides of the aisle, to join me in supporting this bill.
    Thank you. I yield back my time.

    Ms. Woolsey. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thank you. I, 
too, want to support H.R. 1858. And I want to compliment you on 
your efforts at bringing this bill together in a truly 
bipartisan manner. That is why I like serving on this Committee 
so very much. We actually get things done.
    This bill can be considered a success because it is a 
strong, strong blueprint to further scientific education in our 
country. And as a member of both the House Education and 
Science Committees, as is Congressman Ehlers, we are very aware 
of the challenges that our students and schools face in this 
area of science, math and technology. We also know that having 
a properly educated workforce in these fields is a major 
priority of employers across the country. Especially in the 
high-tech arena.
    Mr. Chairman, it is also quite clear that there is no way 
that America can truly have a technically competent work force 
if the majority of our students, females, don't study science, 
math, engineering and technology. That is why I am glad that we 
are able to work together to ensure that this bill addresses 
this important issue.
    The Science Enrichment Programs for girls, which is based 
on my bill, H.R. 1636, and was also in Mr. Hall's bill, H.R. 
1693, will authorize National Science Foundation to fund 
programs in elementary and secondary schools that encourage the 
ongoing interests of girls in science, math and technology. It 
will provide a way for girls to gain both the practical advice 
and the vision they need to pursue undergraduate, graduate or 
careers in these fields.
    In turn, this will help create a bold new work force of 
energized young women. Which means that companies will be able 
to hire the workers they need right here in America because the 
50 percent of our population which is now turning away from 
careers in these fields, will get the education they need so 
that they can, if they choose, fill these jobs.
    This important provision is one reason I encourage my 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in supporting 
the bill. But there are many, many other reasons, as well. 
Thank you.
    Chairman Boehlert. Thank you very much. Anyone else who 
seeks recognition?
    Mr. Barcia. Mr. Chairman, this is on the Amendment. Is that 
correct?
    Chariman Boehlert. That is correct. The Manager's 
Amendment. Mr. Barcia.
    [Statement of James A. Barcia follows:]
                      Statement of Hon. Jim Barcia
    Thank you Chairman Boehlert and Ranking Member Hall. I also wish to 
thank Chairman Boehlert for his willingness to work with me in such a 
bipartisan manner to craft this portion of the Manager's Amendment.
    My provision in this manager's amendment incorporates much of H.R. 
1889, the Educational Technology Utilization Extension Assistance Act, 
a bill I introduced, along with my colleagues David Wu and Mark Udall. 
This section directs the National Science Foundation to work with the 
Department of Education to create educational technology extension 
centers.
    The focus of these centers is to advise and assist local K-12 
schools to better utilize and integrate their existing educational 
technology infrastructure into their curriculum and classroom, as well 
as help schools evaluate their need for new information technologies.
    This provision addresses a problem identified by school 
administrators, independent educational organizations and scores of 
teachers, that more support resources are needed to maximize the use of 
technology in the classroom.
    Education technology centers will enhance the services provided by 
those who are currently providing assistance to teachers, like local 
intermediate school districts. Where this type of technical advice is 
not available, this legislation would initiate this important effort.
    Mr. Chairman, there simply are not enough hours in the day for our 
teachers to meet the demands placed on them in the classroom and to 
take the time needed to research all of the new technologies available 
for their students.
    I believe by establishing centers dedicated solely to providing 
teachers with information and training to effectively utilize available 
technology, we will allow teachers to provide their students with the 
resources necessary to equip them for the 21st century.
    I urge my colleagues to support the adoption of this manager's 
amendment.

    Mr. Barcia. Thank you, Chairman Boehlert. I also want to, 
first of all, thank you for working together with Congressman 
Ehlers and also Ranking Member Hall. I thank you for your 
willingness to work together in a bipartisan manner to craft 
this portion of the Manager's Amendment.
    My provision in this Manager's Amendment incorporates much 
of H.R. 1889, the Educational Technology, Utilization Extension 
Assistance Act, a bill I introduced along with my colleagues, 
David Wu and Mark Udall. This section directs the National 
Science Foundation to work with the Department of Education to 
create educational technology extension centers.
    The focus of these centers is to advise and assist local K-
12 schools to better utilize and integrate their existing 
educational technology infrastructure into their curriculum and 
classroom. As well as help schools evaluate their need for new 
information technologies.
    This provision also addressed a problem identified by 
school administrators, independent educational organizations 
and scores of teachers that more support resources are needed 
to maximize the use of technology in the classroom.
    Education technology centers will enhance the services 
provided by those who are currently providing assistance to 
teachers, like local intermediate school districts. Where this 
type of technical advice is not available, this legislation 
would initiate this important effort.
    Mr. Chairman, there simply are not enough hours in the day 
for our teachers to meet the demands placed on them in the 
classroom and to take the time needed to research all of the 
new technologies available for their students.
    I believe by establishing centers dedicated solely to 
providing teachers with information and training to effectively 
utilize available technology, we will allow teachers to provide 
their students with the resources necessary to equip them for 
the 21st Century.
    And I would urge my colleagues to support the adoption of 
the Manager's Amendment.
    Chairman Boehlert. Thank you very much. Chair recognizes 
Mr. Larson.
    [Statement of John B. Larson follows:]
                    Statement of Hon. John B. Larson
    Thank you Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee.
    The United States currently finds itself at the apogee of its 
wealth, power and influence--a fact that is attributable, in no small 
part, to unprecedented innovation in the information technology 
industry. As the former Chairman of the Science Committee, the 
Gentleman from Wisconsin, Mr. Sensenbrenner, has stated in the past, 
``maintaining the Nation's global leadership in information technology 
will require keeping open the pipeline of new ideas, technologies, and 
innovations * * * unless we act soon to bolster the technological 
skills of our citizens, we risk losing our leadership.''
    As access to computers and the ability to use technology 
effectively are becoming increasingly important for full participation 
in America's economic, political and social life, it becomes necessary 
to become ever-more technologically fluent to stay competitive in a 
globalized, and increasingly digital world.
    My part of the Manager's amendment is simple: it allows the 
National Science Foundation to--as Dr. George Strawn of the NSF, who 
testified before the Science Committee last year--``[identify the] best 
educational practices to provide educators and policy makers with tools 
for using existing and evolving Internet technology more effectively as 
a part of [the nation's] educational strategy.''
    My amendment simply adds a new section to Title VII requiring the 
National Science Foundation to conduct a study--with--subsequent yearly 
updates--that identifies:
    (1) The current status of high-speed, large bandwidth capacity 
access to all public elementary and secondary schools and libraries in 
the United States;
    (2) How high-speed, large bandwidth capacity access to the Internet 
to such schools and libraries can be MOST effectively utilized within 
each school and library; and
    (3) The effect that specific or regional circumstances may have on 
these institutions' ability to acquire high-speed, large bandwidth 
capacity access to achieve universal connectivity, which has become a 
crucial tool in the education process.
    It is essential that in order to prepare our public schools for the 
21st century, we must rethink how our children's education is delivered 
into the classrooms. This amendment would provide our schools with the 
best data available from the some of the nation's top researchers to 
help schools enter the 21st century by establishing the educational 
pipeline--clearly, broadband--though which we can supply the energy 
necessary to fuel the new digital economy.
    Last year, I offered a similar amendment to H.R. 2086 that was 
adopted by the House. Unfortunately, H.R. 2086 did not move in the 
Senate and, therefore, efforts to review the impact of broadband 
technologies in instructional settings have languished. I believe it is 
imperative that we not forgo again the opportunity to study how we can 
best provide our students these critical tools for learning in the 21st 
century.
    Lastly, I want to thank the Chairman, Mr. Boehlert, Mr. Ehlers, Mr. 
Hall and the rest of the Members of the Committee for their hard work 
and cooperation in bringing together their ideas into this common-sense 
bill which, I believe, will go a long way towards accomplishing our 
Nation's goals of maintaining our leading status in the world.
    Thank you Mr. Chairman.

    Mr. Larson. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Let me join 
in the accolades for the outstanding job you have done in 
bringing these amendments forward. I would also like to thank 
Ranking Member Hall and Eddie Bernice Johnson and Mr. Smith and 
Mr. Ehlers, as well, for their cooperation in truly putting 
forward a bill that will go a long way towards addressing a 
number of the concerns the members have on this Committee as it 
relates to science and mathematics teaching within our public 
school system.
    Also, thank you for including an amendment that I have 
offered that addresses a very specific issue of broad bandwidth 
and the ability for our school systems to overcome some of the 
problems that create the inequities between urban, suburban and 
rural schools and their connectivity. I thank you again for 
your leadership and appreciate the opportunity to have 
participated in this----
    Chairman Boehlert. Let me point out that we have a 
reporting quorum here, so I would hope my colleagues would keep 
their remarks brief. And furthermore, let me say, in response 
to Mr. Barcia, it is not a willingness of the Chair to work on 
a bipartisan basis. It is an obligation. And I take that 
obligation seriously. Mr. Udall.
    [Statement of Mark Udall follows:]
                      Statement of Hon. Mark Udall
    I want to express particular support for Title IV in this bill. 
Title IV sets up the Robert Noyce Scholarship program, which would 
provide scholarships and programming designed to recruit and train 
mathematics and science teachers. As you know, Mr. Chairman, I 
introduced a similar bill earlier this year, which was incorporated 
into Mr. Hall's Science Education for the 21st Century Act. I am very 
glad you've incorporated provisions dealing with scholarships in this 
package.
    Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this bill. I'd like to recognize 
my colleagues for their good work in putting together this manager's 
amendment, and I'd like to recognize you for working with them to 
include this amendment in your bill. Given its bipartisan support, I am 
hopeful we'll be able to move this bill quickly through this Committee 
and through the Congress and to the President for his signature.

    Mr. Udall. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I, too, want to join my 
colleagues in thanking the leadership of the Committee under 
your able leadership and Ranking Member Hall for bringing this 
important legislation forward.
    In particular, the--I want to express my support for Title 
IV. Title IV sets up the Robert Noyce Scholarship Program, 
which would provide scholarships and programming designed to 
recruit and train mathematics and science teachers. As you 
know, Mr. Chairman, I introduced a similar bill earlier this 
year, which was incorporated into Mr. Hall's Science Education 
for the 21st Century Act. I am very glad you have incorporated 
provisions dealing with scholarships in this package. Again, 
thank you, and I yield back my time.
    Chairman Boehlert. Thank you very much. The Chair 
recognizes Mr. Smith.
    [Statement of Nick Smith follows:]
                  Opening Statement of Hon. Nick Smith
    Last week the Subcommittee on Research had the opportunity to 
markup the two pieces of legislation we'll consider today. I'm pleased 
to report that we reached broad bipartisan agreement on the substance 
of the bills and were able to report them unanimously to Full 
Committee. In opening that markup I noted that both bills address an 
issue that is at the heart of our national security and prosperity: the 
math and science education we provide our children. We're in the midst 
of a technological revolution that has driven our economy, improved our 
productivity, and helped us live longer, healthier lives--a revolution 
fueled in large part by our past investment in research and 
development. But this research and development is, in turn, enabled by 
the investments we make educating our children in math and science. The 
two bills we reported take important steps to manage that investment.
    I'm also pleased that the bills before us today represent the work 
and input of many Members from both sides of the Research Subcommittee 
and the Full Committee. I want to thank the Chairman for his 
willingness to include provisions important to me and the other Members 
of the Subcommittee in his bill, H.R. 1858, and particularly for his 
inclusion of language establishing the Centers on Research on Learning 
and Education and Education Research Teacher Fellowships that comprise 
Title III that originally appeared in my Education Research 
legislation. These provisions address the need to bridge the gap 
between the basic research on how children learn and actual classroom 
practice--a gap we've explored in several hearings before the 
Subcommittee. As some of the witnesses at those hearings testified, the 
``fire'' of interest within children for math and science is likely lit 
at a young age. We need to do what we can to encourage this ``fire 
starting'' in more classrooms nationwide.
    I'm pleased to offer my support to the bills today and once again 
thank Chairman Boehlert and Ranking Member Hall, as well as the Ranking 
Member of the Research Subcommittee, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson, and 
Rep. Vern Ehlers, the sponsor of H.R. 100, for bringing the bills this 
far.

    Mr. Smith. I hope all further comments can be limited to 60 
seconds and I will try to do that. These bills passed our 
Subcommittee last week. I said at that time that probably math 
and science education is the great--is the second greatest 
threat to national security of this country. Not only in 
developing greater independence in energy, but energy that 
defense technology, the economy, in general, and improving our 
productivity and developing new products.
    These two bills are going to move us ahead with hopefully, 
the beginning of a greater determination to improve math and 
science education in K through 12. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Chairman Boehlert. As Mark Negronsky used to say, you have 
had the last word. And it is a good word. And I thank you very 
much for the leadership you have demonstrated. We have a call 
to the House right now. So I would like to proceed, if there 
are no strenuous objections. Is there any further discussion? 
If no, the vote occurs on the amendment. All in favor, say aye. 
Opposed, No. The ayes have it. The amendment is agreed to. Now, 
there will be a motion to report the--are there any further 
amendments? Hearing none, the question is on the bill H.R. 
1858, National Mathematics and Science Partnership Act, as 
amended. All those in favor, say aye. Opposed, no. In the 
opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it. I will now recognize 
Mr. Gordon for a motion.
    Mr. Gordon. Mr. Chairman, I move the Committee favorably 
report H.R. 1858 as amended to House with the recommendation 
that the bill, as amended, do pass.
    Furthermore, I move that the staff be instructed to prepare 
the legislative report and make necessary technical and 
conforming changes, that the Chairman take all necessary steps 
to bring the bill before the House for consideration.
    Chairman Boehlert. The Chair notes the presence of a 
reporting quorum. The question is now on the motion to report 
the bill favorably. Those in favor of the motion will signify 
by saying aye. Opposed, no. The ayes have it. I move that 
Members have 2 subsequent calendar days in which to submit 
supplemental, minority or additional views on the measure. I 
move pursuant to Cause one of Rule 22 of the Rules of the House 
that the Committee authorized the Chairman to offer such 
motions as may be necessary in the House to go to conference 
with the Senate on the bill H.R. 1858 or a similar Senate bill.

                                  
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