107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 100

AN ACT

To establish and expand programs relating to

science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education, and for other purposes.

107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 100

AN ACT

To establish and expand programs relating to science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education, and for

other purposes.

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

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Science Edu3 cation Act’’.

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

5 Congress finds the following:

6 (1) As concluded in the report of the Com7 mittee on Science of the House of Representatives,

8 ‘‘Unlocking Our Future Toward a New National

9 Science Policy’’, the United States must maintain

10 and improve its preeminent position in science and

11 technology in order to advance human under12 standing of the universe and all it contains, and to

13 improve the lives, health, and freedoms of all people.

14 (2) It is estimated that more than half of the

15 economic growth of the United States today results

16 directly from research and development in science

17 and technology. The most fundamental research is

18 responsible for investigating our perceived universe,

19 to extend our observations to the outer limits of

20 what our minds and methods can achieve, and to

21 seek answers to questions that have never been

22 asked before. Applied research continues the process

23 by applying the answers from basic science to the

24 problems faced by individuals, organizations, and

25 governments in the everyday activities that make our

26 lives more livable. The scientific-technological sector
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1 of our economy, which has driven our recent eco2 nomic boom and led the United States to the longest

3 period of prosperity in history, is fueled by the work

4 and discoveries of the scientific community.

5 (3) The effectiveness of the United States in

6 maintaining this economic growth will be largely de7 termined by the intellectual capital of the United

8 States. Education is critical to developing this re9 source.

10 (4) The education program of the United States

11 needs to provide for 3 different kinds of intellectual

12 capital. First, it needs scientists, mathematicians,

13 and engineers to continue the research and develop14 ment that are central to the economic growth of the

15 United States. Second, it needs technologically pro16 ficient workers who are comfortable and capable

17 dealing with the demands of a science-based, high18 technology workplace. Last, it needs scientifically lit19 erate voters and consumers to make intelligent deci20 sions about public policy.

21 (5) Student performance on the recent Third

22 International Mathematics and Science Study high23 lights the shortcomings of current K–12 science and

24 mathematics education in the United States, par25 ticularly when compared to other countries. We must
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1 expect more from our Nation’s educators and stu2 dents if we are to build on the accomplishments of

3 previous generations. New methods of teaching

4 science, mathematics, engineering, and technology

5 are required, as well as better curricula and im6 proved training of teachers.

7 (6) Science is more than a collection of facts,

8 theories, and results. It is a process of inquiry built

9 upon observations and data that leads to a way of

10 knowing and explaining in logically derived concepts

11 and theories. Mathematics is more than procedures

12 to be memorized. It is a field that requires rea13 soning, understanding, and making connections in

14 order to solve problems. Engineering is more than

15 just designing and building. It is the process of mak16 ing compromises to optimize design and assessing

17 risks so that designs and products best solve a given

18 problem. Technology is more than using computer

19 applications, the Internet, and programming. Tech20 nology is the innovation, change, or modification of

21 the natural environment, based on scientific, mathe22 matical, and engineering principles.

23 (7) Students should learn science primarily by

24 doing science. Science education ought to reflect the

25 scientific process and be object-oriented, experiment-
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1 centered, and concept-based. Students should learn

2 mathematics with understanding that numeric sys3 tems have intrinsic properties that can represent ob4 jects and systems in real life, and can be applied in

5 solving problems. Engineering education should re6 flect the realities of real world design, and should in7 volve hands-on projects and require students to

8 make trade-offs based upon evidence. Students

9 should learn technology as both a tool to solve other

10 problems and as a process by which people adapt the

11 natural world to suit their own purposes. Computers

12 represent a particularly useful form of technology,

13 enabling students and teachers to acquire data,

14 model systems, visualize phenomena, communicate

15 and organize information, and collaborate with oth16 ers in powerful new ways. A background in the ba17 sics of information technology is essential for success

18 in the modern workplace and the modern world.

19 (8) Children are naturally curious and inquisi20 tive. To successfully tap into these innate qualities,

21 education in science, mathematics, engineering, and

22 technology must begin at an early age and continue

23 throughout the entire school experience.

24 (9) Teachers provide the essential connection

25 between students and the content they are learning.
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1 Prospective teachers need to be identified and re2 cruited by presenting to them a career that is re3 spected by their peers, is financially and intellectu4 ally rewarding, contains sufficient opportunities for

5 advancement, and has continuing access to profes6 sional development.

7 (10) Teachers need to have incentives to remain

8 in the classroom and improve their practice, and

9 training of teachers is essential if the results are to

10 be good. Teachers need to be knowledgeable of their

11 content area, of their curriculum, of up-to-date re12 search in teaching and learning, and of techniques

13 that can be used to connect that information to their

14 students in their classroom.

15 SEC. 3. DUPLICATION OF PROGRAMS.

16 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the National

17 Science Foundation shall review the education programs

18 of the National Science Foundation that are in operation

19 as of the date of enactment of this Act to determine

20 whether any of such programs duplicate the programs au21 thorized in this Act.

22 (b) IMPLEMENTATION.—(1) As programs authorized

23 in this Act are implemented, the Director shall terminate

24 any existing duplicative program or merge the duplicative

25 program into a program authorized in this Act.
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1 (2) The Director shall not establish any new program

2 that duplicates a program that has been implemented pur3 suant to this Act.

4 (c) REPORT.—(1) The Director of the Office of

5 Science and Technology Policy shall review the education

6 programs of the National Science Foundation to ensure

7 compliance with the provisions of this section.

8 (2) Not later than one year after the date of the en9 actment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Science

10 and Technology Policy shall complete a report on the re11 view carried out under this subsection and shall submit

12 the report to the Committee on Science, the Committee

13 on Education and the Workforce, and the Committee on

14 Appropriations of the House of Representatives.

15 (3) Beginning one year after the date of enactment

16 of this Act, the Director of the Office of Science and Tech17 nology Policy, shall, as part of the annual budget submis18 sion to Congress, submit an updated version of the report

19 required by paragraph (2).

20 SEC. 4. MASTER TEACHER GRANT PROGRAM.

21 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section—

22 (1) The term ‘‘sponsoring school’’ means an ele23 mentary or secondary school that employs a teacher

24 who is participating in a program funded in accord25 ance with this section.
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1 (2) The term ‘‘nonclassroom time’’ means time

2 during regular school hours that is not utilized by a

3 master teacher for instructing elementary or sec4 ondary school children in the classroom.

5 (3) The term ‘‘master teacher’’ means a mathe6 matics or science teacher who works to improve the

7 instruction of mathematics or science in kinder8 garten through 9th grade through—

9 (A) participating in the development or re10 vision of science, mathematics, engineering, or

11 technology curricula;

12 (B) serving as a mentor to mathematics or

13 science teachers at the sponsoring school or

14 other schools;

15 (C) coordinating and assisting teachers in

16 the use of hands-on inquiry materials, equip17 ment, and supplies, and when appropriate, su18 pervising acquisition and repair of such mate19 rials;

20 (D) providing in-classroom teaching assist21 ance to mathematics or science teachers; and

22 (E) providing professional development, in23 cluding for the purposes of training other mas24 ter teachers, to mathematics and science teach25 ers.
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1 (4) The term ‘‘mathematics or science teacher’’

2 means a teacher of mathematics, science, engineer3 ing, or technology in an elementary or secondary

4 school.

5 (b) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—(1) The Director of the

6 National Science Foundation shall establish a program to

7 award competitive, merit-reviewed grants to institutions of

8 higher education (or consortia thereof) to train master

9 teachers and assist elementary and secondary schools to

10 design and implement master teacher programs.

11 (2) Institutions of higher education receiving grants

12 under this section shall offer programs to train master

13 teachers. As part of such programs, a grantee shall—

14 (A) recruit and select teachers to receive train15 ing;

16 (B) ensure that training covers both content

17 and pedagogy;

18 (C) ensure that participating teachers have

19 mentors; and

20 (D) assist participating teachers with the devel21 opment and implementation of master teacher pro22 grams at their sponsoring schools.

23 (3) Grants awarded under this section may be used

24 to—
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1 (A) develop and implement professional develop2 ment programs to train elementary or secondary

3 school teachers to become master teachers and to

4 train existing master teachers;

5 (B) provide stipends and reimbursement for

6 travel to allow teachers to participate in professional

7 development programs in the summer and through8 out the year;

9 (C) provide guidance to sponsoring schools to

10 enable them to develop and implement a plan for the

11 use of master teachers;

12 (D) support participating teachers during the

13 summer in research programs conducted at institu14 tions of higher education, private entities, or govern15 ment facilities;

16 (E) provide educational materials and equip17 ment to master teachers;

18 (F) provide computer equipment and network

19 connectivity necessary to enable master teachers to

20 collaborate with other master teachers, to access

21 educational materials available online, and to com22 municate with scientists or other mentors at remote

23 locations; and

24 (G) fund any other activities the Director deter25 mines will accomplish the goals of this section.
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1 (c) SELECTION PROCESS.—(1) An institution of

2 higher education seeking funding under this section shall

3 submit an application at such time, in such manner, and

4 containing such information as the Director may require.

5 The application shall include, at a minimum—

6 (A) a description of which classroom subjects

7 and grade levels the training will address;

8 (B) a description of the activities to be carried

9 out, including—

10 (i) how such activities will be aligned with

11 State and local standards and with other activi12 ties that promote student achievement in math13 ematics and science; and

14 (ii) how such activities will be based on a

15 review of relevant research and why such activi16 ties are expected to strengthen the quality of

17 mathematics and science instruction;

18 (C) a description of how the applicant will en19 sure the active participation of its mathematics,

20 science, or engineering departments in the develop21 ment and implementation of the program;

22 (D) an explanation of how the program will en23 sure that teachers are given instruction in both con24 tent and pedagogy;
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1 (E) a description of how the applicant will re2 cruit teachers to participate in the program and the

3 criteria that will be used to select the participants;

4 (F) a description of the type and amount of any

5 financial assistance that will be provided to teachers

6 to enable them to participate; and

7 (G) a description of how the applicant will work

8 with schools to ensure the success of the partici9 pating teachers.

10 (2) In evaluating the applications submitted under

11 this subsection, the Director shall consider, at a

12 minimum—

13 (A) the ability of the applicant to effectively

14 carry out the proposed program;

15 (B) the experience the applicant has in devel16 oping and implementing high-quality professional de17 velopment programs for mathematics or science

18 teachers; and

19 (C) the extent to which the applicant is com20 mitted to making the program a central organiza21 tional focus.

22 (3) In evaluating the applications submitted under

23 this subsection, the Director shall give priority to those

24 applications that demonstrate the greatest participation of

25 mathematics, science, or engineering departments.
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1 (d) TEACHER ELIGIBILITY.—(1) To be eligible to

2 participate in a program funded under this section, a

3 mathematics or science teacher shall submit to the Direc4 tor, at such time and in such manner as the Director may

5 require, an assurance executed by the sponsoring school,

6 that, after completing the program funded by this section,

7 the participating teacher will be provided sufficient non8 classroom time to serve as a master teacher. A copy of

9 this assurance must be submitted to the institution of

10 higher education as part of the teacher’s application to

11 participate in the master teacher program.

12 (2) No funds authorized by this section may be used

13 to train any teacher who has not complied with paragraph

14 (1).

15 (e) ACCOUNTABILITY AND DISSEMINATION.—(1) The

16 Director shall evaluate the activities carried out under this

17 section. At a minimum such evaluations shall use a com18 mon set of benchmarks and assessment tools to identify

19 best practices and materials developed and demonstrated

20 with funds provided under this section.

21 (2) The results of the evaluations required under this

22 subsection shall be made available to the public, including

23 through the National Science, Mathematics, Engineering,

24 and Technology Education Digital Library, and shall be

25 provided to the Committee on Science of the House of
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1 Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education,

2 Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.

3 (3) Materials developed under the program estab4 lished under this section that are demonstrated to be effec5 tive shall be made available through the National Science,

6 Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology Education

7 Digital Library.

8 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

9 are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science

10 Foundation to carry out this section $50,000,000 for each

11 of fiscal years 2002 through 2004.

12 SEC. 5. DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION ON REQUIRED

13 COURSE OF STUDY FOR CAREERS IN

14 SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, ENGINEERING, AND

15 TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION.

16 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the National

17 Science Foundation shall, jointly with the Secretary of

18 Education, compile and disseminate information (includ19 ing through outreach, school counselor education, and vis20 iting speakers) regarding—

21 (1) typical standard prerequisites for middle

22 school and high school students who seek to enter a

23 course of study at an institution of higher education

24 in science, mathematics, engineering, or technology
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1 education for purposes of teaching in an elementary

2 or secondary school; and

3 (2) the licensing requirements in each State for

4 science, mathematics, engineering, or technology ele5 mentary or secondary school teachers.

6 (b) LOCAL CONTROL.—Nothing in this section shall

7 be construed to authorize an officer or employee of the

8 Federal Government to direct, review, or control the in9 structional content, curriculum, or related activities of a

10 State or local educational agency or a school.

11 (c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

12 are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science

13 Foundation to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each

14 of fiscal years 2002 through 2004.

15 SEC. 6. REQUIREMENT TO CONDUCT STUDY EVALUATION.

16 (a) STUDY REQUIRED.—The Director of the National

17 Science Foundation shall enter into an agreement with the

18 National Academies of Sciences and Engineering under

19 which the Academies shall review existing studies on the

20 effectiveness of technology in the classroom on learning

21 and student performance, using various measures of learn22 ing and teaching outcome including standardized tests of

23 student achievement, and explore the feasibility of one or

24 more methodological frameworks to be used in evaluations

25 of technologies that have different purposes and are used
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1 by schools and school systems with diverse educational

2 goals. The study evaluation shall include, to the extent

3 available, information on the type of technology used in

4 each classroom, the reason that such technology works,

5 and the teacher training that is conducted in conjunction

6 with the technology.

7 (b) DEADLINE FOR COMPLETION.—The study eval8 uation required by subsection (a) shall be completed not

9 later than one year after the date of the enactment of this

10 Act.

11 (c) DEFINITION OF TECHNOLOGY.—In this section,

12 the term ‘‘technology’’ has the meaning given that term

13 in section 3113(11) of the Elementary and Secondary

14 Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6813(11)).

15 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

16 are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science

17 Foundation for the purpose of conducting the study eval18 uation required by subsection (a), $600,000.

19 SEC. 7. SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, ENGINEERING, AND

20 TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS EDUCATION CON21 FERENCE.

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the

23 date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Na24 tional Science Foundation shall convene the first of an an25 nual 3- to 5-day conference for kindergarten through 12th
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1 grade science, mathematics, engineering, and technology

2 education stakeholders, including—

3 (1) representatives from Federal, State, and

4 local governments, private industries, private busi5 nesses, and professional organizations;

6 (2) educators;

7 (3) science, mathematics, engineering, and tech8 nology educational resource providers;

9 (4) students; and

10 (5) any other stakeholders the Director deter11 mines would provide useful participation in the con12 ference.

13 (b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the conference con14 vened under subsection (a) shall be to—

15 (1) identify and gather information on existing

16 science, mathematics, engineering, and technology

17 education programs and resource providers, includ18 ing information on distribution, partners, cost as19 sessment, and derivation;

20 (2) determine the extent of any existing coordi21 nation between providers of curricular activities, ini22 tiatives, and units; and

23 (3) identify the common goals and differences

24 among the participants at the conference.
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1 (c) REPORT AND PUBLICATION.—At the conclusion

2 of the conference the Director shall—

3 (1) transmit to the Committee on Science of the

4 House of Representatives and to the Committee on

5 Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Sen6 ate a report on the outcome and conclusions of the

7 conference, including an inventory of curricular ac8 tivities, initiatives, and units, the content of the con9 ference, and strategies developed that will support

10 partnerships and leverage resources; and

11 (2) ensure that a similar report is published

12 and distributed as widely as possible to stakeholders

13 in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology

14 education.

15 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

16 are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science

17 Foundation to carry out this section—

18 (1) $300,000 for fiscal year 2002; and

19 (2) $200,000 for each of fiscal years 2003 and

20 2004.

21 SEC. 8. DISTANCE LEARNING GRANTS.

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the National

23 Science Foundation shall establish a program to award

24 competitive, merit-based grants to institutions of higher

25 education to provide distance learning opportunities in
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1 mathematics or science to elementary or secondary school

2 students.

3 (b) USE OF FUNDS.—Grants awarded under this sec4 tion shall be used by institutions of higher education to

5 establish programs under which elementary or secondary

6 school students can participate in research activities in

7 mathematics or science occurring at the grantees’ institu8 tion via the Internet.

9 (c) SELECTION PROCESS.—(1) An institution of

10 higher education seeking funding under this section shall

11 submit an application at such time, in such manner, and

12 containing such information as the Director may require.

13 The application shall include, at a minimum—

14 (A) a description of the research opportunities

15 that will be offered;

16 (B) a description of how the applicant will pub17 licize these research opportunities to schools and

18 teachers;

19 (C) a description of how the applicant will in20 volve teachers of participating students in the pro21 gram;

22 (D) a description of how students will be se23 lected to participate;

24 (E) a description of how the institution of high25 er education will ensure that the research is enhanc-
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1 ing the participants’ education and will make it

2 more likely that the participants will continue their

3 studies in mathematics or science; and

4 (F) a description of how the funds will be

5 spent.

6 (2) In evaluating the applications submitted under

7 this subsection, the Director shall consider—

8 (A) the ability of the applicant to effectively

9 carry out the proposed program;

10 (B) the extent to which the proposed program

11 will enhance the participants’ education and encour12 age them to continue the study of mathematics or

13 science; and

14 (C) the extent to which the proposed program

15 will provide opportunities that would not otherwise

16 be available to students.

17 (3) The Director shall ensure, to the extent prac18 ticable, that the program established under this section

19 serves students in a wide range of geographic areas and

20 in rural, suburban, and urban schools.

21 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

22 are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science

23 Foundation to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each

24 of the fiscal years 2002 through 2004.
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1 SEC. 9. COORDINATION.

2 In carrying out the activities authorized by this Act,

3 the Director of the National Science Foundation shall con4 sult and coordinate with the Secretary of Education to en5 sure close cooperation with programs authorized under the

6 Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (Public

7 Law 89–10).

8 SEC. 10. DEFINITIONS.

9 In this Act:

10 (1) The term ‘‘elementary school’’ has the

11 meaning given that term by section 14101(14) of

12 the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of

13 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8801(14)).

14 (2) The term ‘‘secondary school’’ has the mean15 ing given that term by section 14101(26) of the Ele16 mentary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20

17 U.S.C. 8801(26)).

18 (3) The term ‘‘institution of higher education’’

19 has the meaning given that term by section 101 of

20 the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.

21 1001).

Passed the House of Representatives July 30, 2001.

Attest:

Clerk.