I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2427
To recognize businesses which show an exemplary commitment to participat-
ing with schools to enhance educators’ technology capabilities and to
make every student technologically literate.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 5, 1997
Ms. WOOLSEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and the Workforce
A BILL
To recognize businesses which show an exemplary commit-
ment to participating with schools to enhance educators’
technology capabilities and to make every student techno-
logically literate.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Business and Edu-
cation Sharing Technology Act (BEST)’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSES.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress makes the following
findings:
(1) America’s most important investment is in
our children’s education.
(2) Educational technologies help children learn
and teachers teach.
(3) Students who learn to use educational tech-
nologies are prepared for both high wage, high
skilled jobs, and higher education.
(4) Local businesses can play a key role in mov-
ing technology into schools, enhancing educators’
technology capabilities and making every student
technologically literate.
(b) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this Act—
(1) to establish a program to give local and na-
tional recognition to businesses which show an exem-
plary commitment to participating with schools to
make every student technologically literate; and
(2) to make information about these exemplary
partnerships available to other businesses and
schools.
SEC. 3. LOCAL RECOGNITION.
(a) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.—Members of the
House of Representative who choose to participate in this
program shall notify local educational agencies and indi-
vidual schools in the congressional district which such
Member represents of the recognition program and re-
quest nominations of local businesses for recognition.
(b) SENATE.—Members of the United States Senate,
who choose to participate in this program, shall notify the
State educational agency to request nominations of busi-
nesses engaged in statewide or regional technology part-
nerships with schools.
(c) NOMINATIONS.—Such nominations shall, if avail-
able, include—
(1) name of business;
(2) address of business;
(3) Internet address of business;
(4) a description of the partnership between
school or school district and the business, including
the specific services provided by the business to the
school;
(5) a description of how the partnership is help-
ing to enhance the technological capabilities of edu-
cators or to make every student technologically lit-
erate; and
(6) a description of why the partnership is ex-
emplary.
(d) SELECTION.—Members shall appoint a board of
qualified individuals to select, through a competitive proc-
ess, the businesses engaged in regional or statewide tech-
nology partnerships with schools to receive a BEST
award.
SEC. 4. CRITERIA.
To be eligible to receive a BEST recognition award—
(1) a business must be in an active partnership
with a school, consortium of schools, or a local or
State educational agency;
(2) the purpose of the partnership must be to
enhance educators’ technology capabilities or con-
tribute to making every student technologically lit-
erate;
(3) the partnership must have a plan to en-
hance educators’ technology capabilities or contrib-
ute to making every student technologically literate
which can be shared with other schools; and
(4) the partnership activities must be of a high
level of quality.
SEC. 5. NATIONAL RECOGNITION.
(a) NOMINATION INFORMATION.—Not later than
April 1 of each year after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the board appointed under section 3(d) will for-
ward the information regarding the business selected for
recognition to the Department of Education.
(b) CEREMONY.—Not later than June 15 of each
year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the De-
partment of Education shall convene a ceremony to honor
the businesses whose names have been received from such
board.
SEC. 6. DISSEMINATION.
Using online dissemination capabilities and the infor-
mation gathered pursuant to section 3(c), the Department
of Education will make information and descriptions re-
garding the programs and partnerships that are chosen
for a BEST recognition award available to schools nation-
wide.
SEC. 7. CONFORMING AMENDMENT.
Section 10101(b)(1)(L) of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965 is amended by inserting
before the semicolon the following: ‘‘and programs selected
for Business and Education Sharing Technology (BEST)
recognition awards’’.
Æ