I

107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 100

To establish and expand programs relating to science, mathematics,

engineering, and technology education, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 3, 2001

Mr. EHLERS (for himself, Mr. KOLBE, Mr. HORN, Mr. BACA, Mr. SANDLIN,

Mr. CAMP, Mr. FILNER, and Mr. GIBBONS) introduced the following bill;

which was referred to the Committee on Science, and in addition to the

Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such

provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

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,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Science Edu5 cation Act’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

7 Congress finds the following:
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1 (1) As concluded in the report of the Com2 mittee on Science of the House of Representatives,

3 ‘‘Unlocking Our Future Toward a New National

4 Science Policy’’, which was adopted by the House of

5 Representatives, the United States must maintain

6 and improve its preeminent position in science and

7 technology in order to advance human under8 standing of the universe and all it contains, and to

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

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

11 economic growth of the United States today results

12 directly from research and development in science

13 and technology. The most fundamental research is

14 responsible for investigating our perceived universe,

15 to extend our observations to the outer limits of

16 what our minds and methods can achieve, and to

17 seek answers to questions that have never been

18 asked before. Applied research continues the process

19 by applying the answers from basic science to the

20 problems faced by individuals, organizations, and

21 governments in the everyday activities that make our

22 lives more livable. The scientific-technological sector

23 of our economy, which has driven our recent eco24 nomic boom and led the United States to the longest
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1 period of prosperity in history, is fueled by the work

2 and discoveries of the scientific community.

3 (3) The effectiveness of the United States in

4 maintaining this economic growth will be largely de5 termined by the intellectual capital of the United

6 States. Education is critical to developing this re7 source.

8 (4) The education program of the United States

9 needs to provide for 3 different kinds of intellectual

10 capital. First, it needs scientists, mathematicians,

11 and engineers to continue the research and develop12 ment that are central to the economic growth of the

13 United States. Second, it needs technologically pro14 ficient workers who are comfortable and capable

15 dealing with the demands of a science-based, high16 technology workplace. Last, it needs scientifically lit17 erate voters and consumers to make intelligent deci18 sions about public policy.

19 (5) Student performance on the recent Third

20 International Mathematics and Science Study high21 lights the shortcomings of current K–12 science and

22 mathematics education in the United States, par23 ticularly when compared to other countries. We must

24 expect more from our Nation’s educators and stu25 dents if we are to build on the accomplishments of
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1 previous generations. New methods of teaching

2 science, mathematics, engineering, and technology

3 are required, as well as better curricula and im4 proved training of teachers.

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

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

7 upon observations and data that leads to a way of

8 knowing and explaining in logically derived concepts

9 and theories. Mathematics is more than procedures

10 to be memorized. It is a field that requires rea11 soning, understanding, and making connections in

12 order to solve problems. Engineering is more than

13 just designing and building. It is the process of mak14 ing compromises to optimize design and assessing

15 risks so that designs and products best solve a given

16 problem. Technology is more than using computer

17 applications, the Internet, and programming. Tech18 nology is the innovation, change, or modification of

19 the natural environment, based on scientific, mathe20 matical, and engineering principles.

21 (7) Students should learn science primarily by

22 doing science. Science education ought to reflect the

23 scientific process and be object-oriented, experiment24 centered, and concept-based. Students should learn

25 mathematics with understanding that numeric sys-
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1 tems have intrinsic properties that can represent ob2 jects and systems in real life, and can be applied in

3 solving problems. Engineering education should re4 flect the realities of real world design, and should in5 volve hands-on projects and require students to

6 make trade-offs based upon evidence. Students

7 should learn technology as both a tool to solve other

8 problems and as a process by which people adapt the

9 natural world to suit their own purposes. Computers

10 represent a particularly useful form of technology,

11 enabling students and teachers to acquire data,

12 model systems, visualize phenomena, communicate

13 and organize information, and collaborate with oth14 ers in powerful new ways. A background in the ba15 sics of information technology is essential for success

16 in the modern workplace and the modern world.

17 (8) Children are naturally curious and inquisi18 tive. To successfully tap into these innate qualities,

19 education in science, mathematics, engineering, and

20 technology must begin at an early age and continue

21 throughout the entire school experience.

22 (9) Teachers provide the essential connection

23 between students and the content they are learning.

24 Prospective teachers need to be identified and re25 cruited by presenting to them a career that is re-
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1 spected by their peers, is financially and intellectu2 ally rewarding, contains sufficient opportunities for

3 advancement, and has continuing access to profes4 sional development.

5 (10) Teachers need to have incentives to remain

6 in the classroom and improve their practice, and

7 training of teachers is essential if the results are to

8 be good. Teachers need to be knowledgeable of their

9 content area, of their curriculum, of up-to-date re10 search in teaching and learning, and of techniques

11 that can be used to connect that information to their

12 students in their classroom.

13 SEC. 3. ASSURANCE OF CONTINUED LOCAL CONTROL.

14 Nothing in this Act may be construed to authorize

15 any department, agency, officer, or employee of the United

16 States to exercise any direction, supervision, or control

17 over the curriculum, program of instruction, administra18 tion, or personnel of any educational institution or school

19 system.

20 SEC. 4. MASTER TEACHER GRANT PROGRAM.

21 (a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—The Director of the

22 National Science Foundation shall conduct a grant pro23 gram to make grants to a State or local educational agen24 cy, a private elementary or middle school, or a consortium
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1 of any combination of those entities, for the purpose of

2 hiring a master teacher.

3 (b) ELIGIBILITY.—In order to be eligible to receive

4 a grant under this subsection, a State or local educational

5 agency, private elementary or middle school, or consortium

6 described in subsection (a) shall submit to the Director

7 a description of the relationship the master teacher will

8 have vis-a-vis other administrative and managerial staff

9 and the State and local educational agency, the ratio of

10 master teachers to other teachers, and the requirements

11 for a master teacher of the State or local educational agen12 cy or school, including certification requirements and job

13 responsibilities of the master teacher. The description of

14 job responsibilities must include a discussion of any re15 sponsibility the master teacher will have for—

16 (1) development or implementation of science,

17 mathematics, engineering, or technology curricula;

18 (2) in-classroom assistance;

19 (3) authority over hands-on inquiry materials,

20 equipment, and supplies;

21 (4) mentoring other teachers or fulfilling any

22 leadership role; and

23 (5) professional development, including training

24 other master teachers or other teachers, or devel-
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1 oping or implementing professional development pro2 grams.

3 (c) ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTIVENESS.—The Director

4 shall assess the effectiveness of activities carried out under

5 this section.

6 (d) FUNDS.—

7 (1) SOURCE.—Grants shall be made under this

8 section out of funds available for the National

9 Science Foundation for education and human re10 sources activities.

11 (2) AUTHORIZATION.—There are authorized to

12 be appropriated to the National Science Foundation

13 to carry out this section $50,000,000 for each of fis14 cal years 2002 through 2004.

15 SEC. 5. DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION ON REQUIRED

16 COURSE OF STUDY FOR CAREERS IN

17 SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, ENGINEERING, AND

18 TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION.

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

20 Science Foundation shall, jointly with the Secretary of

21 Education, compile and disseminate information (includ22 ing through outreach, school counselor education, and vis23 iting speakers) regarding—

24 (1) typical standard prerequisites for middle

25 school and high school students who seek to enter a
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1 course of study at an institution of higher education

2 in science, mathematics, engineering, or technology

3 education for purposes of teaching in an elementary

4 or secondary school; and

5 (2) the licensing requirements in each State for

6 science, mathematics, engineering, or technology ele7 mentary or secondary school teachers.

8 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

9 are authorized to be appropriated for the National Science

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

11 of fiscal years 2002 through 2004.

12 SEC. 6. REQUIREMENT TO CONDUCT STUDY EVALUATION.

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

14 Science Foundation shall enter into an agreement with the

15 National Academies of Sciences and Engineering under

16 which the Academies shall review existing studies on the

17 effectiveness of technology in the classroom on learning

18 and student performance, using various measures of learn19 ing and teaching outcome including standardized tests of

20 student achievement, and explore the feasibility of one or

21 more methodological frameworks to be used in evaluations

22 of technologies that have different purposes and are used

23 by schools and school systems with diverse educational

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

25 available, information on the type of technology used in
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1 each classroom, the reason that such technology works,

2 and the teacher training that is conducted in conjunction

3 with the technology.

4 (b) DEADLINE FOR COMPLETION.—The study eval5 uation required by subsection (a) shall be completed not

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

7 Act.

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

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

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

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

12 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

13 are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science

14 Foundation for the purpose of conducting the study eval15 uation required by subsection (a), $600,000.

16 SEC. 7. TEACHER TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOP17 MENT.

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

19 Science Foundation shall establish a grant program under

20 which grants may be made to a State or local educational

21 agency, a private elementary or middle school, or a consor22 tium consisting of any combination of those entities for

23 instruction of teachers for grades kindergarten through

24 the 12th grade on the use of information technology in
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1 the classroom. Grants awarded under this section shall be

2 used for training teachers to use—

3 (1) classroom technology, including hardware,

4 software, communications technologies, and labora5 tory equipment; or

6 (2) specific technology for science, mathematics,

7 engineering or technology instruction, including data

8 acquisition, modeling, visualization, simulation, and

9 numerical analysis.

10 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

11 are authorized to be appropriated for the National Science

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

13 of fiscal years 2002 through 2004.

14 SEC. 8. SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, ENGINEERING, AND

15 TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS EDUCATION CON16 FERENCE.

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

18 date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Na19 tional Science Foundation shall convene the first of an an20 nual 3- to 5-day conference for kindergarten through the

21 12th grade science, mathematics, engineering, and tech22 nology education stakeholders, including—

23 (1) representatives from Federal, State, and

24 local governments, private industries, private busi25 nesses, and professional organizations;
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1 (2) educators;

2 (3) science, mathematics, engineering, and tech3 nology educational resource providers;

4 (4) students; and

5 (5) any other stakeholders the Director deter6 mines would provide useful participation in the con7 ference.

8 (b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the conference con9 vened under subsection (a) shall be to—

10 (1) identify and gather information on existing

11 science, mathematics, engineering, and technology

12 education programs and resource providers, includ13 ing information on distribution, partners, cost as14 sessment, and derivation;

15 (2) determine the extent of any existing coordi16 nation between providers of curricular activities, ini17 tiatives, and units; and

18 (3) identify the common goals and differences

19 among the participants at the conference.

20 (c) REPORT AND PUBLICATION.—At the conclusion

21 of the conference the Director of the National Science

22 Foundation shall—

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

24 House of Representatives and to the Committee on

25 Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Sen-
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1 ate a report on the outcome and conclusions of the

2 conference, including an inventory of curricular ac3 tivities, initiatives, and units, the content of the con4 ference, and strategies developed that will support

5 partnerships and leverage resources; and

6 (2) ensure that a similar report is published

7 and distributed as widely as possible to stakeholders

8 in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology

9 education.

10 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

11 are authorized to be appropriated for the National Science

12 Foundation to carry out this section—

13 (1) $300,000 for fiscal year 2002; and

14 (2) $200,000 for each of fiscal years 2003 and

15 2004.

16 SEC. 9. GRANTS FOR DISTANCE LEARNING.

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

18 Science Foundation may make competitive, merit-based

19 awards to develop partnerships for distance learning of

20 science, mathematics, engineering, and technology edu21 cation to a State or local educational agency or to a pri22 vate elementary, middle, or secondary school, under any

23 grant program administered by the Director using funds

24 appropriated to the National Science Foundation for ac25 tivities in which distance learning is integrated into the
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1 education process in grades kindergarten through the 12th

2 grade.

3 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

4 are authorized to be appropriated for the National Science

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

6 of fiscal years 2002 through 2004.

7 SEC. 10. SCHOLARSHIPS TO PARTICIPATE IN CERTAIN RE8 SEARCH ACTIVITIES.

9 (a) IN GENERAL.—The President, acting through the

10 National Science Foundation, shall provide scholarships to

11 teachers at public and private schools in grades kinder12 garten through the 12th grade in order that such teachers

13 may participate in research programs conducted at private

14 entities or Federal or State government agencies. The pur15 pose of such scholarships shall be to provide teachers with

16 an opportunity to expand their knowledge of science,

17 mathematics, engineering, technology, and research tech18 niques.

19 (b) REQUIREMENTS.—In order to be eligible to re20 ceive a scholarship under this section, a teacher described

21 in subsection (a) shall be required to develop, in conjunc22 tion with the private entity or government agency at which

23 the teacher will be participating in a research program,

24 a proposal to be submitted to the President describing the

25 types of research activities involved.
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1 (c) PERIOD OF PROGRAM.—Participation in a re2 search program in accordance with this section may be

3 for a period of one academic year or two sequential sum4 mers.

5 (d) USE OF FUNDS.—The Director may only use

6 funds for purposes of this section for salaries of scholar7 ship recipients, administrative expenses (including infor8 mation dissemination, direct mailing, advertising, and di9 rect staff costs for coordination and accounting services),

10 expenses for conducting an orientation program, reloca11 tion expenses, and the expenses of conducting final selec12 tion interviews.

13 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

14 are authorized to be appropriated for the National Science

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

16 of fiscal years 2002 through 2004.

17 SEC. 11. INTERAGENCY COORDINATION OF SCIENCE EDU18 CATION PROGRAMS.

19 (a) INTERAGENCY COORDINATION COMMITTEE.—

20 (1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Director of the Of21 fice of Science and Technology Policy shall establish

22 an interagency committee to coordinate Federal pro23 grams in support of science and mathematics edu24 cation at the elementary and secondary level.
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1 (2) MEMBERSHIP.—The membership of the

2 committee shall consist of the heads, or designees, of

3 the National Science Foundation, the Department of

4 Energy, the National Aeronautics and Space Admin5 istration, the Department of Education, and other

6 Federal departments and agencies that have pro7 grams directed toward support of elementary and

8 secondary science and mathematics education.

9 (3) FUNCTIONS.—The committee shall—

10 (A) prepare a catalog of Federal research,

11 development, demonstration and other pro12 grams designed to improve elementary and sec13 ondary science or mathematics education, in14 cluding for each program a summary of its

15 goals and the kinds of activities supported, a

16 summary of accomplishments (including evi17 dence of effectiveness in improving student

18 learning), the funding level, and, for grant pro19 grams, the eligibility requirements and the se20 lection process for awards;

21 (B) review the programs identified under

22 subparagraph (A) in order to—

23 (i) determine the relative funding lev24 els among support for—
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1 (I) teacher professional develop2 ment;

3 (II) curricular materials;

4 (III) improved classroom teach5 ing practices;

6 (IV) applications of computers

7 and related information technologies;

8 and

9 (V) other major categories of ac10 tivities;

11 (ii) assess whether the balance among

12 kinds of activities as determined under

13 clause (i) is appropriate and whether un14 necessary duplication or overlap among

15 programs exists;

16 (iii) assess the degree to which the

17 programs assist the efforts of State and

18 local school systems to implement stand19 ards-based reform of science and mathe20 matics education, and group the programs

21 in the categories of high, moderate, and

22 low relevance for assisting standards-based

23 reform;

24 (iv) for grant programs, identify ways

25 to simplify the application procedures and
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1 requirements and to achieve greater con2 formity among the procedures and require3 ments of the agencies; and

4 (v) evaluate the adequacy of the as5 sessment procedures used by the depart6 ments and agencies to determine whether

7 the goals and objectives of programs are

8 being achieved, and identify the best prac9 tices identified from the evaluation for as10 sessment of program effectiveness; and

11 (C) monitor the implementation of the plan

12 developed under subsection (c) and provide to

13 the Director of the Office of Science and Tech14 nology Policy its findings and recommendations

15 for modifications to that plan.

16 (b) EXTERNAL REVIEW.—The Director of the Na17 tional Science Foundation shall enter into an agreement

18 with the National Research Council to conduct an inde19 pendent review of programs as described in subsection

20 (a)(3)(B) and to develop findings and recommendations.

21 The findings and recommendations from the National Re22 search Council review of programs shall be reported to the

23 Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy

24 and to the Congress.

25 (c) EDUCATION PLAN.—
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1 (1) PLAN CONTENTS.—On the basis of the find2 ings of the review carried out in accordance with

3 subsection (a)(3)(B) and taking into consideration

4 the findings and recommendations of the National

5 Research Council in accordance with subsection (b),

6 the Director of the Office of Science and Technology

7 Policy shall prepare a plan for Federal elementary

8 and secondary science and mathematics education

9 programs which shall include—

10 (A) a strategy to increase the effectiveness

11 of Federal programs to assist the efforts of

12 State and local school systems to implement

13 standards-based reform of elementary and sec14 ondary science and mathematics education;

15 (B) a coordinated approach for identifying

16 best practices for the use of computers and re17 lated information technologies in classroom in18 struction;

19 (C) the recommended balance for Federal

20 resource allocation among the major types of

21 activities supported, including projected funding

22 allocations for each major activity broken out

23 by department and agency;

24 (D) identification of effective Federal pro25 grams that have made measurable contributions
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1 to achieving standards-based science and math2 ematics education reform;

3 (E) recommendations to the departments

4 and agencies for actions needed to increase uni5 formity across the Federal Government for ap6 plication procedures and requirements for grant

7 awards for support of elementary and secondary

8 science and mathematics education; and

9 (F) dissemination procedures for repli10 cating results from effective programs, particu11 larly best practices for classroom instruction.

12 (2) CONSULTATION.—The Director shall con13 sult with academic, State, industry, and other appro14 priate entities engaged in efforts to reform science

15 and mathematics education as necessary and appro16 priate for preparing the plan under paragraph (1).

17 (d) REPORTS.—

18 (1) INITIAL REPORT.—The Director of the Of19 fice of Science and Technology Policy shall submit

20 to the Congress, not later than 1 year after the date

21 of the enactment of this Act, a report which—

22 (A) includes the plan described in sub23 section (c)(1);

24 (B) in accordance with subsection

25 (c)(1)(C), describes, for each department and
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1 agency represented on the committee estab2 lished under subsection (a)(1), appropriate lev3 els of Federal funding;

4 (C) includes the catalog prepared under

5 subsection (a)(3)(A);

6 (D) includes the findings from the review

7 required under subsection (a)(3)(B)(iii);

8 (E) includes the findings and recommenda9 tions of the National Research Council devel10 oped under subsection (b); and

11 (F) describes the procedures used by each

12 department and agency represented on the com13 mittee to assess the effectiveness of its edu14 cation programs.

15 (2) ANNUAL UPDATES.—The Director of the

16 Office of Science and Technology Policy shall submit

17 to the Congress an annual update, at the time of the

18 President’s annual budget request, of the report sub19 mitted under paragraph (1), which shall include, for

20 each department and agency represented on the

21 committee, appropriate levels of Federal funding for

22 the fiscal year during which the report is submitted

23 and the levels proposed for the fiscal year with re24 spect to which the budget submission applies.
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1 SEC. 12. DEFINITIONS.

2 In this Act:

3 (1) The terms ‘‘local educational agency’’ and

4 ‘‘State educational agency’’ have the meanings given

5 such terms in section 14101 of the Elementary and

6 Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8801).

7 (2) The term ‘‘institution of higher education’’

8 has the meaning given that term by section 101 of

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

10 1001).

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