INSPIRES Act

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 by establishing a program to support the modernization, renovation, or repair of career and technical education facilities, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Inspiring New STEM Professionals by Investing in Renovation of Education Spaces Act INSPIRES Act 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Over the past 10 years, the growth in jobs requiring science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (referred to in this section as STEM (2) STEM skills and knowledge are now required in a wide range of occupations, including many that are not traditionally considered to be science or engineering related. (3) Over 50 percent of jobs that require STEM skills do not require a baccalaureate degree, and demand for these middle-skill STEM workers is distributed nationwide. (4) When including sub-baccalaureate workers (those with 2-year degrees or occupational licenses or certifications), there may be as many as 26,000,000 jobs in the United States that require STEM competency in at least 1 field. (5) In recent years, the unemployment rate for STEM workers has been approximately half of the unemployment rate of non-STEM workers, and the average annual wage for STEM workers has been substantially higher than that of non-STEM workers. (6) In order for students to be high-performing, the education facilities used by the students must also be high-performing. (7) Many school facilities required for STEM and career and technical education are inefficient and outdated. 3. Career and technical education facilities (a) Career and technical education facilities Part D of title V of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7241 et seq. 22 Career and technical education facilities 5621. Definitions In this subpart: (1) Career and technical education The term career and technical education 20 U.S.C. 2302 (2) Community college The term community college (A) a junior or community college, as that term is defined in section 312(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1058(f) (B) an institution of higher education (as defined in section 101 of such Act ( 20 U.S.C. 1001 (i) baccalaureate degrees (or an equivalent); or (ii) master’s, professional, or other advanced degrees. (3) Eligible entity The term eligible entity (4) Qualified project The term qualified project (A) means the modernization, renovation, or repair of a facility that will be used to improve the quality and availability of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or career and technical education instruction to public elementary school or secondary school, or community college, students, and that may include— (i) improving the energy efficiency of the facility; (ii) improving the cost-effectiveness of the facility in delivering quality education; (iii) improving student, faculty, and staff health and safety at the facility; (iv) improving, installing, or upgrading educational technology infrastructure; (v) retrofitting an existing building for career and technical education purposes; and (vi) a one-time repair of serviceable equipment at the facility, or replacement of equipment at the facility that is at the end of its serviceable lifespan, that will be used to further educational outcomes; and (B) does not include new construction or the payment of routine maintenance costs. 5622. Career and technical education facilities improvement (a) Program authorized From amounts appropriated under section 5401(b), the Secretary shall carry out a program to improve career and technical education facilities by— (1) awarding grants to eligible entities to enable the eligible entities to carry out qualified projects; (2) guaranteeing loans made to eligible entities for qualified projects; or (3) making payments of interest on bonds, loans, or other financial instruments (other than a refinancing) that are issued to eligible entities for qualified projects. (b) Application An eligible entity that desires to receive a grant, loan guarantee, or payment of interest under this subpart shall submit an application to the Secretary at such a time, in such a manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. The application shall include— (1) a detailed description of the qualified project; (2) in the case of a qualified project described in section 5621(4)(A)(vi), a description of the educational outcomes to be furthered by the one-time repair of serviceable equipment or replacement of equipment; (3) an indication as to whether the eligible entity prefers to receive a grant, loan guarantee, or payment of interest; (4) a description of the need for the qualified project; (5) a description of how the eligible entity will ensure that the qualified project will be adequately maintained; (6) an identification of any public elementary school or secondary school or community college that will benefit from the qualified project; (7) a description of how the qualified project will improve instruction and educational outcomes at the facility, including any opportunities to integrate project activities within the curriculum of such school or community college; (8) a description of how the facility supported by the qualified project will be used for providing educational services in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or career and technical education; (9) a description of how the eligible entity will ensure that the modernization, renovation, or repair supported by the qualified project meets Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building rating standards, Energy Star standards, Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) criteria, Green Building Initiative environmental design and rating standards (Green Globes), the Living Building Challenge certification standards, or equivalent standards adopted by entities with jurisdiction over or related to the eligible entity; (10) a description of the fiscal capacity of the eligible entity; (11) the percentage of students enrolled in the public elementary school or secondary school or community college to be served by the qualified project who are from low-income families; (12) in the case of a qualified project at a facility that is used by students in a secondary school, the secondary school graduation rates; and (13) such additional information and assurances as the Secretary may require. (c) Priority In making awards under this subpart, the Secretary shall use not less than a total of 25 percent of the funds appropriated under section 5401(b) to eligible entities for qualified projects to benefit— (1) public elementary schools or secondary schools served by high-need local educational agencies, as described in section 2102(3)(A); or (2) community colleges serving a substantial number of rural students, as determined by the Secretary. (d) Supplement not supplant Funds made available under this subpart shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, other Federal and State funds available to carry out the activities supported under this subpart. (e) Technical assistance and administrative costs The Secretary may reserve not more than 3 percent of funds appropriated under section 5401(b) for the administrative costs of this subpart and to provide technical assistance to community colleges and local educational agencies concerning best practices in school facility renovation, repair, and modernization. (f) Reporting requirements Not later than 1 year after funds are appropriated to carry out this subpart, and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the effect of the qualified projects supported under this subpart on improving academic achievement. . (b) Authorization of appropriations Section 5401 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7241 (1) by striking the matter preceding paragraph (1) and inserting the following: (a) In general There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part (except for subpart 22) the following amounts: ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (b) Authorization for subpart 22 There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out subpart 22 $75,000,000 for fiscal year 2016 and each succeeding fiscal year. . (c) Conforming amendments The table of contents in section 2 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 5618 the following: SUBPART 22—Career and technical education facilities Sec. 5621. Definitions. Sec. 5622. Career and technical facilities improvement. .

Summary: Inspiring New STEM Professionals by Investing in Renovation of Education Spaces Act or the INSPIRES Act Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to direct the Department of Education (ED) to support local educational agencies (LEAs), community colleges, and other appropriate entities in modernizing, renovating, or repairing facilities used to provide science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or career and technical education to public elementary, secondary school, or community college students. Requires ED to furnish such support by providing eligible entities with grants or loan guarantees or by making payments of interest on the financial instruments they use to fund the modernization, renovation, or repair of those facilities. Prohibits the use of that support for new construction or the payment of routine maintenance costs. Requires ED to direct at least 25% of the funds made available under this Act to: (1) public schools or secondary schools served by high-need LEAs, or (2) community colleges that serve a substantial number of rural students.