of STEM at the pre-K–12 level, and may enter into 
an arrangement with the National Research Council 
for these purposes. 
(c) TOPICS TO CONSIDER.—In identifying the grand 
challenges under subsection (a), the Director and the Sec-
retary shall, at a minimum, consider research and develop-
ment on— 
(1) scalability, sustainability, and replication of 
successful STEM activities, programs, and models, 
in formal and informal environments; 
(2) model systems that support improved teach-
ing and learning of STEM across entire local edu-
cational agencies and States, including rural areas, 
and encompassing and integrating the teaching and 
learning of STEM in formal and informal venues; 
(3) implementation of new State mathematics 
and science standards; 
(4) what makes a STEM teacher effective and 
STEM teacher professional development effective, 
including development of tools and methodologies to 
measure STEM teacher effectiveness; 
(5) cyber-enabled and other technology tools for 
teaching and learning, including massive open online 
courses; 
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(6) STEM teaching and learning in informal 
environments, including development of tools and 
methodologies for assessing STEM teaching and 
learning in informal environments; and 
(7) how integrating engineering with mathe-
matics and science education may— 
(A) improve student learning of mathe-
matics and science; 
(B) increase student interest and persist-
ence in STEM; or 
(C) improve student understanding of engi-
neering design principles and of the built world. 
(d) REPORT
TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 12 
months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Direc-
tor and the Secretary shall report to Congress with a de-
scription of— 
(1) the grand challenges identified pursuant to 
this section; 
(2) the role of each agency in supporting re-
search and development activities to address the 
grand challenges; 
(3) the common metrics that will be used to as-
sess progress toward meeting the grand challenges; 
(4) plans for periodically updating the grand 
challenges; 
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(5) how the agencies will disseminate and pro-
mote the utilization of the results of research and 
development activities carried out under this section 
to STEM education practitioners, to other Federal 
agencies that support STEM programs and activi-
ties, and to non-Federal funders of STEM edu-
cation; and 
(6) how the agencies will support implementa-
tion of best practices identified by the research and 
development activities. 
SEC. 204. NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL REPORT ON 
STEAM EDUCATION. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) the Science, Technology, Engineering, and 
Mathematics (STEM) Talent Expansion Program 
set an important goal of increasing the number of 
students graduating with associate or baccalaureate 
degrees in the STEM fields, and this should con-
tinue to be a focus of that program; 
(2) to further the goal of the STEM Talent Ex-
pansion Program, as well as STEM education pro-
motion programs across the Federal Government, in-
novative approaches are needed to enhance STEM 
education in the United States; 
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