I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5106 
To amend the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 to 
authorize grants for Partnerships for Access to Laboratory Science (PALS). 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 5, 2006 
Mr. HINOJOSA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Science, and in addition to the Committee on Education and 
the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speak-
er, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the ju-
risdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the National Science Foundation Authorization 
Act of 2002 to authorize grants for Partnerships for 
Access to Laboratory Science (PALS). 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
Section 5(e) of the National Science Foundation Au-
thorization Act of 2002 (116 Stat. 3039) is amended to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(e) FISCAL YEAR 2007.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Foundation $9,839,262,000 for 
fiscal year 2007. 
‘‘(2) SPECIFIC ALLOCATION.—Of the amounts 
appropriated 
pursuant 
to 
paragraph 
(1), 
$50,000,000 shall be for the Partnerships for Access 
to Laboratory Sciences described in section 10A.’’. 
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR PARTNERSHIPS FOR ACCESS 
TO LABORATORY SCIENCES. 
Section 8 of the National Science Foundation Au-
thorization Act of 2002 (116 Stat. 3043) is amended by 
adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(12) PARTNERSHIPS FOR ACCESS TO LABORA-
TORY SCIENCE (PALS).—The partnerships for access 
to laboratory science described in section 10A.’’. 
SEC. 3. PARTNERSHIPS FOR ACCESS TO LABORATORY 
SCIENCE DESCRIBED. 
The National Science Foundation Authorization Act 
of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1861 note) is amended by inserting 
after section 10 the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 10A. PARTNERSHIPS FOR ACCESS TO LABORATORY 
SCIENCE (PALS). 
‘‘(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.— 
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‘‘(A) AUTHORITY TO MAKE GRANTS.—The 
Director shall carry out a program to award 
grants to high-need local educational agencies 
to establish partnerships for access to labora-
tory science to improve laboratories and provide 
instrumentation as part of a comprehensive 
program to enhance the quality of mathematics, 
science, engineering, and technology instruction 
at the secondary school level. 
‘‘(B) CRITERIA FOR AWARDING GRANTS.— 
Grants shall be awarded under this section on 
a competitive, merit-reviewed basis. 
‘‘(2) PARTNERSHIPS.—In order to be eligible to 
receive a grant under this section, a high-need local 
educational agency shall enter into a partnership 
that— 
‘‘(A) includes an institution of higher edu-
cation or a community college; 
‘‘(B) includes a business or eligible non-
profit organization; and 
‘‘(C) may include a State educational agen-
cy, other public agency, National Laboratory, or 
community-based organization. 
‘‘(3) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of 
the cost of activities carried out using amounts from 
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a grant under this section shall not exceed 33 per-
cent. 
‘‘(4) DURATION.—A high-need local educational 
agency that receives approval of a grant application 
submitted under this section shall be eligible to re-
ceive grants under this section for activities de-
scribed in the application for a period of 3 fiscal 
years. 
‘‘(5) PLAN REQUIRED.—In order to be eligible 
for a grant under this section, a high-need local edu-
cational agency shall submit to the Director a plan, 
developed in consultation with teachers, science ad-
ministrators, scientists, education researchers, and 
other individuals with expertise in laboratory science 
and classroom instruction, for carrying out the pro-
gram under this section. Such plan shall— 
‘‘(A) describe how the proposed laboratory 
improvements and instrumentation are con-
sistent with State mathematics and science aca-
demic achievement standards; 
‘‘(B) describe how the proposed laboratory 
improvement and instrumentation are part of a 
comprehensive program to enhance the quality 
of mathematics, science, engineering, and tech-
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nology instruction, including a description of 
how the laboratory experiences— 
‘‘(i) are designed to produce clear 
learning outcomes; 
‘‘(ii) are sequenced to complement the 
classroom science instruction; 
‘‘(iii) are designed to integrate science 
learning with science content; and 
‘‘(iv) will incorporate ongoing student 
reflection and discussion; 
‘‘(C) describe professional development and 
training activities for teachers and school per-
sonnel who will be working in the laboratory fa-
cilities; 
‘‘(D) provide assurances that all safety re-
quirements as required by State or local ordi-
nance or by the Director will be met; 
‘‘(E) describe how the laboratory and in-
strumentation will be maintained after the pe-
riod of financial assistance provided under the 
grant; and 
‘‘(F) describe how assessment methods will 
be used to expand the available research lit-
erature regarding the effect of laboratory 
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science on student understanding of scientific 
concepts and student achievement. 
‘‘(6) USES OF FUNDS.—Grants awarded under 
this section— 
‘‘(A) shall be used to supplement and not 
supplant existing programs or activities; and 
‘‘(B) shall be used for activities that draw 
upon the expertise of all partners to improve 
secondary science education by improving lab-
oratories and providing instrumentation as part 
of a comprehensive program to enhance the 
quality of mathematics, science, engineering, 
and technology instruction at the secondary 
school level in a manner that is consistent with 
State mathematics and science student aca-
demic achievement standards, including— 
‘‘(i) development of a plan for labora-
tory improvement and instrumentation 
that is consistent with State mathematics 
and science academic achievement stand-
ards; 
‘‘(ii) purchase, rental, or leasing of 
equipment, instrumentation, and other sci-
entific educational materials; 
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‘‘(iii) maintenance, renovation, and 
improvement of laboratory facilities; 
‘‘(iv) professional development and 
training for teachers; 
‘‘(v) development of curricula and in-
structional programs designed to integrate 
the laboratory experience with classroom 
instruction; 
‘‘(vi) training in laboratory safety for 
a school personnel; 
‘‘(vii) design and implementation of 
hands-on laboratory experiences to encour-
age the interest of individuals identified in 
section 33 or 34 of the Science and Engi-
neering Equal Opportunities Act (42 
U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b) in mathematics, 
science, engineering, and technology and 
help prepare such individuals to pursue 
postsecondary studies in these fields; 
‘‘(viii) development of tools to evaluate 
activities funded under this subsection; and 
‘‘(ix) any other activities the Director 
determines will accomplish the goals of this 
subsection. 
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‘‘(7) LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS.—Grants 
awarded under this section shall not be used for con-
struction of new facilities. 
‘‘(b) SELECTION PROCESS.— 
‘‘(1) APPLICATION.—A high-need local edu-
cational agency seeking a grant under this section 
shall submit an application to the Director at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such informa-
tion as the Director may require. The application 
shall include, at a minimum— 
‘‘(A) a description of the partnership en-
tered into under subsection (a)(2) and the role 
that each member will play in implementing the 
proposal; 
‘‘(B) the plan described in subsection 
(a)(5); 
‘‘(C) a description of each of the activities 
to be carried out using amounts from the grant, 
together with— 
‘‘(i) a description of how such activi-
ties will be aligned with State mathematics 
and science student academic achievement 
standards and with other activities that 
promote student achievement in mathe-
matics and science; 
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‘‘(ii) a description of how such activi-
ties will be based on a review of relevant 
research, including best practices; 
‘‘(iii) a description of why such activi-
ties are expected to improve student per-
formance and strengthen the quality of 
mathematics and science instruction; 
‘‘(iv) a description of any activities 
that will encourage the interest of individ-
uals identified in section 33 or 34 of the 
Science and Engineering Equal Opportuni-
ties Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b) in 
mathematics, science, engineering, and 
technology and how such activities will help 
prepare such individuals to pursue postsec-
ondary studies in these fields; and 
‘‘(v) a description of how changes in 
student achievement will be assessed; 
‘‘(D) a description of how the partnership 
will assess its success; and 
‘‘(E) a description of how programmatic 
assessments will be made available to the larger 
research community. 
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‘‘(2) REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS.—In evaluating 
the applications submitted under paragraph (1), the 
Director shall consider, at a minimum— 
‘‘(A) the ability of the partnership to carry 
out effectively the proposed programs; 
‘‘(B) the degree to which activities carried 
out by the partnership are based on relevant re-
search, including best practices, and are likely 
to result in increased student achievement; 
‘‘(C) the degree to which such activities 
are aligned with State mathematics and science 
student academic achievement standards; 
‘‘(D) the likelihood that the partnership 
will demonstrate activities that can be widely 
implemented as part of larger scale reform ef-
forts; and 
‘‘(E) the extent to which the activities will 
encourage the interest of individuals identified 
in section 33 or 34 of the Science and Engi-
neering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 
1885a or 1885b) in mathematics, science, engi-
neering, and technology and will help prepare 
such individuals to pursue postsecondary stud-
ies in these fields. 
‘‘(c) ACCOUNTABILITY AND DISSEMINATION.— 
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‘‘(1) ASSESSMENT
REQUIRED.—The Director 
shall evaluate the program established under this 
section. At a minimum, such evaluation shall— 
‘‘(A) use a common set of benchmarks and 
assessment tools to identify best practices and 
materials developed and demonstrated by the 
partnerships; and 
‘‘(B) to the extent practicable, compare the 
effectiveness of practices and materials devel-
oped and demonstrated by the the partnerships 
authorized under this section with those of 
partnerships funded by other State or Federal 
agencies. 
‘‘(2) DISSEMINATION.— 
‘‘(A) DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS.—The 
Director shall make the results of the evalua-
tion required under paragraph (1) available to 
the public and shall provide such results to the 
Committee on Science and the Committee on 
Education and the Workforce of the House of 
Representatives, and to the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation and the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions of the Senate. 
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‘‘(B) DISSEMINATION
OF
MATERIALS.— 
The Director shall make widely available to the 
public materials developed under the program 
established under this section that are dem-
onstrated to be effective. 
‘‘(d) TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE
AND
COORDINA-
TION.— 
‘‘(1) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—At the request 
of a high-need local educational agency, the Director 
shall provide the agency with technical assistance in 
meeting any requirements of this section, including 
providing advice from experts on how to develop— 
‘‘(A) a quality application for a grant; and 
‘‘(B) quality activities from funds received 
from a grant under this section. 
‘‘(2) ANNUAL MEETING.—The Director, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of Education, shall con-
vene an annual meeting of the high-need local edu-
cational agencies that are recipients of a grant 
under this section to foster greater national collabo-
ration. 
‘‘(3) REPORT ON COORDINATION.—The Direc-
tor, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, 
shall provide to the Committee on Science and the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce of the 
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House of Representatives, and to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pen-
sions of the Senate, an annual report describing how 
the program authorized under this section has been 
and will be coordinated with the program authorized 
under part B of title II of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6601 et 
seq.). The report required by this paragraph shall be 
submitted concurrently with the President’s annual 
budget request. 
‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following 
definitions apply: 
‘‘(1) HIGH-NEED LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGEN-
CY.—The term ‘high-need local educational agency’ 
includes a local educational agency eligible to receive 
a grant under the Rural and Low-Income School 
Program authorized by section 6221 of the Elemen-
tary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 7351). 
‘‘(2) NATIONAL LABORATORY.—The term ‘Na-
tional Laboratory’ has the meaning given the term 
in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
U.S.C. 15801). ’’. 
Æ 
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