I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1903 

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide 

grants to local educational agencies to encourage girls and underrepresented minorities to pursue studies and careers in science, mathematics, 

engineering, and technology. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 13, 2011 

Ms. WOOLSEY (for herself, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. REYES, and Ms. FUDGE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 

A BILL 

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 

of 1965 to provide grants to local educational agencies 

to encourage girls and underrepresented minorities to 

pursue studies and careers in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘21st Century STEM 

5 for Girls and Underrepresented Minorities Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. GRANTS TO PREPARE GIRLS AND UNDERREP2 RESENTED MINORITIES. 

3 Title V of the Elementary and Secondary Education 

4 Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6001 et seq.) is amended by add5 ing at the end the following: 

6 ‘‘PART E—PREPARING GIRLS AND UNDERREP7 RESENTED MINORITIES FOR THE 21ST CEN8 TURY 

9 ‘‘SEC. 5701. PROGRAM AUTHORITY. 

10 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—From funds provided under sec11 tion 5702, the Secretary is authorized to provide grants 

12 to, and enter into contracts or cooperative agreements 

13 with, local educational agencies on behalf of elementary 

14 and secondary schools to establish and implement a pro15 gram to encourage the ongoing interest of girls and under16 represented minorities in science, mathematics, engineer17 ing, and technology and to prepare girls and underrep18 resented minorities to pursue undergraduate and graduate 

19 degrees and careers in science, mathematics, engineering, 

20 or technology. 

21 ‘‘(b) APPLICATION.— 

22 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to receive a 

23 grant, or enter into a contract or cooperative agree24 ment, under this part, a local educational agency 

25 shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 


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1 time, in such form, and containing such information 

2 as the Secretary may reasonably require. 

3 ‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—The application shall con4 tain, at a minimum, the following: 

5 ‘‘(A) A program description, including the 

6 content of the program and the research and 

7 models used to design the program. 

8 ‘‘(B) A description of the collaboration be9 tween elementary and secondary schools to ful10 fill goals of the program and how the applicant 

11 will ensure that there is a comprehensive plan 

12 to improve science, mathematics, engineering, 

13 and technology education for girls and under14 represented minorities in grades kindergarten 

15 through 12. 

16 ‘‘(C) A description of the process for re17 cruitment and selection of participants. 

18 ‘‘(D) A description of the planned instruc19 tional and motivational activities. 

20 ‘‘(E) A description of any collaboration 

21 among local, regional, or national institutions 

22 and organizations that will occur in order to 

23 fulfill the goals of the program. 

24 ‘‘(3) PRIORITY.—In selecting among applica25 tions, the Secretary shall give priority to applicants 


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1 that partner or coordinate, to the extent possible, 

2 with local, regional, or national institutions and or3 ganizations who have extensive experience, expertise 

4 and research on increasing the participation of girls 

5 or underrepresented minorities in science, mathe6 matics, engineering and technology. 

7 ‘‘(c) USE OF FUNDS.—Funds provided under this 

8 section shall be used for the following: 

9 ‘‘(1) Acquainting and preparing girls and 

10 underrepresented minorities with careers in science, 

11 mathematics, engineering, and technology, and the 

12 advantages of pursuing careers in these areas. 

13 ‘‘(2) Educating the parents of girls and under14 represented minorities about the opportunities and 

15 advantages of science, mathematics, engineering, 

16 and technology careers. 

17 ‘‘(3) Enlisting the help of the parents of girls 

18 and unrepresented minorities in overcoming the ob19 stacles these groups face and encouraging their 

20 child’s continued interest and involvement in science, 

21 mathematics, engineering, and technology. 

22 ‘‘(4) Providing tutoring and mentoring pro23 grams in science, mathematics, engineering, and 

24 technology. 


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1 ‘‘(5) Establishing partnerships and other oppor2 tunities that expose girls and underrepresented mi3 norities to role models in the fields of science, math4 ematics, engineering and technology. 

5 ‘‘(6) Enabling female and underrepresented mi6 nority students and their teachers to attend events 

7 and academic programs in science, mathematics, en8 gineering, and technology. 

9 ‘‘(7) Providing after-school activities designed 

10 to encourage interest, and develop skills of girls and 

11 underrepresented minorities, in science, mathe12 matics, engineering, and technology. 

13 ‘‘(8) Summer programs designed in order that 

14 girls and unrepresented minorities develop an inter15 est in, develop skills in, and understand the rel16 evance and significance of, science, mathematics, en17 gineering, and technology. 

18 ‘‘(9) Purchasing— 

19 ‘‘(A) educational instructional materials or 

20 software designed to encourage interest of girls 

21 and underrepresented minorities in science, 

22 mathematics, engineering, and technology; or 

23 ‘‘(B) equipment, instrumentation, or hard24 ware used for teaching and to encourage inter25 est of girls and underrepresented minorities in 


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1 science, mathematics, engineering, and tech2 nology. 

3 ‘‘(10) Field trips to locations, including institu4 tions of higher education, to educate and encourage 

5 girls’ and underrepresented minorities’ interest in 

6 science, mathematics, engineering, and technology 

7 and acquaint them with careers in these fields. 

8 ‘‘(11) Providing academic advice and assistance 

9 in high school course selection that encourages girls 

10 and underrepresented minorities to take advanced 

11 courses in areas of science, technology, engineering, 

12 and mathematics. 

13 ‘‘(12) Paying up to 50 percent of the cost of an 

14 internship in science, mathematics, engineering, or 

15 technology for female and underrepresented minority 

16 students. 

17 ‘‘(13) Providing professional development for 

18 teachers and other school personnel, including— 

19 ‘‘(A) how to eliminate gender and racial 

20 bias in the classroom; 

21 ‘‘(B) how to be sensitive to gender and ra22 cial differences; 

23 ‘‘(C) how to engage students in the face of 

24 gender-based and racial peer pressure and pa25 rental expectations; 


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1 ‘‘(D) how to create and maintain a positive 

2 environment; and 

3 ‘‘(E) how to encourage girls and under4 served minorities through academic advice and 

5 assistance to pursue advanced classes and ca6 reers in science, mathematics, engineering, and 

7 technology fields. 

8 ‘‘(d) SUPPLEMENT, NOT SUPPLANT.—The Secretary 

9 shall require each local educational agency to use the as10 sistance provided under this section only to supplement, 

11 and not to supplant, any other assistance or funds made 

12 available from non-Federal sources for the activities as13 sisted under this section. 

14 ‘‘(e) EVALUATIONS.—Each local educational agency 

15 that receives funds under this section shall provide the 

16 Secretary, at the conclusion of every school year during 

17 which the funds are received, with an evaluation, in a form 

18 prescribed by the Secretary. This evaluation shall in19 clude— 

20 ‘‘(1) a description of the programs and activi21 ties conducted by the local educational agency using 

22 the funds; 

23 ‘‘(2) data on curriculum and partnerships devel24 oped using the funds; 


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1 ‘‘(3) data on the amount of time spent on sub2 jects allowed for under the grant; and 

3 ‘‘(4) such other information as may be required 

4 by the Secretary. 

5 ‘‘SEC. 5702. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

6 ‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 

7 this part $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2012 and such sums 

8 as may be necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal 

9 years.’’. 

Æ 


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