Under such research program, the Secretary shall deter-
mine existing authority to— 
(1) create State and regional workshops to 
train teachers in science and technology project- 
based learning; 
(2) establish between institutions of higher edu-
cation, businesses, and local public and private edu-
cational agencies that serve students comprised of 
40 percent or more of professional and academic 
under represented areas to provide materials and 
teaching aids to teachers who successfully complete 
the science and technology project-based learning 
program under this section; 
(3) identify no cost or low cost summer and 
after school science and technology education pro-
grams and broadly disseminate that information to 
the public; and 
(4) make grants to local educational agencies to 
support the participation of teachers of elementary 
school and secondary school in science and tech-
nology training programs by providing travel and en-
rollment expenses, with a priority given to teachers 
who work in schools serving neglected, delinquent, 
migrant students, English learners, at-risk students, 
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and Native Americans, as determined by the Sec-
retary. 
(b) AUTHORITY.—The Secretary shall have the au-
thority under this statute to conduct a limited pilot project 
to test recommendations on possible programs that would 
be low-cost but have the greatest impact on instilling the 
importance of technology and science education. 
(c) REPORT
TO CONGRESS.—The Secretary shall 
submit to Congress an annual report on the program es-
tablished under this section. 
(d) PROJECT-BASED SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY 
LEARNING DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘project- 
based science and technology learning’’ means a system-
atic teaching method that engages students in learning es-
sential science, technology, engineering and mathematics 
through knowledge and life-enhancing skills through an 
extended, student-influenced inquiry process structured 
around complex, authentic questions and carefully de-
signed products and tasks developed specifically for edu-
cation. 
SEC. 104. MATCHING FUNDS FOR STATE AND PRIVATELY 
FINANCED 
SCIENCE 
AND 
TECHNOLOGY 
AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity shall provide matching funds to local educational 
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agencies for after-school programs dedicated to science, 
technology, engineering, and math in an amount equal to 
the amount provided to the program by a State, local, trib-
al, or territorial government or by a nonprofit or private 
entity. 
(b) CRITERIA.—In selecting programs for which to 
provide funds under this section, the Secretary shall con-
sider— 
(1) the number of students served by the pro-
grams; and 
(2) the participation in the programs of stu-
dents from populations referred to in section 230A 
of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by 
section 101. 
(c) LIMITATION ON AMOUNT OF FUNDING.—For any 
fiscal year, no individual school’s after-school program 
shall receive more than $5,000 under this section. 
SEC. 105. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BOARD OF ADVI-
SORS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 
Department of Homeland Security the ‘‘Research K–12 
Science and Technology Education Board of Advisors’’ 
(hereinafter in this section referred to as the ‘‘Board’’). 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 
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(1) COMPOSITION.—The Board shall be com-
posed of 15 members appointed by the Secretary of 
Homeland Security, all of whom shall have K–12 
education expertise in programs. The Secretary shall 
appoint members based on the following qualifica-
tions: 
(A) Members of the Board shall have expe-
rience in K–12 science, technology, engineering, 
and mathematics education programs. 
(B) Members of the Board shall have expe-
rience in training K–12 educators on providing 
science and technology instruction. 
(C) Members of the Board shall have expe-
rience in the promotion of science and tech-
nology education among under represented pop-
ulations, as defined by section 230A of the 
Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by 
section 101. 
(2) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENT.—All mem-
bers of the Board shall be appointed not later than 
60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(3) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy in the member-
ship of the Board shall not affect its powers and 
shall be filled in the same manner in which the origi-
nal appointment was made. 
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(4) COMPENSATION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Members of the Board 
shall not receive any compensation for their 
service. 
(B) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—While away from 
their homes or regular places of business in the 
performance of services for the Board, members 
of the Board shall be allowed travel expenses, 
including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the 
same manner as persons employed intermit-
tently in the Government service are allowed ex-
penses under section 5703(b) of title 5, United 
States Code. 
(C) PROHIBITION
OF
CONSULTANT
OR 
CONTRACTING
WORK.—No member of the 
Board while serving in this capacity or for 1 
year following departure from the Board may 
work as a consultant or contract worker for the 
Department of Homeland Security in a position 
related to the work of the Board or member 
agency that participates as a member of the 
Board. 
(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The responsibilities of the 
Board are to research and make recommendations to the 
Secretary on— 
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(1) the status of K–12 science and technology 
education domestically and internationally; 
(2) how to increase the quality and diversity of 
science and technology curriculum; 
(3) promoting K–12 science and technology 
competitions; 
(4) establishing a virtual network to support 
teacher and student science and technology edu-
cation and development; 
(5) ascertaining, evaluating, and reporting on 
best practices for project-based science and tech-
nology learning (as such term is defined in section 
103(c)); and 
(6) identifying K–12 science and technology 
education efforts that are successful in engaging 
youth, with proven competence in engaging females, 
minorities, individuals residing in rural areas, indi-
viduals residing in majority minority districts, home 
schooled students. 
(d) CHAIR.—The Chair of the Board shall be des-
ignated by the Secretary from among the members of the 
Board. 
(e) MEETINGS.— 
(1) INITIAL MEETING.—The Board shall meet 
and begin the operations of the Board by not later 
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than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
(2) SUBSEQUENT MEETINGS.—After its initial 
meeting, the Board shall set the time and place of 
its next meeting. The Board can upon the call of the 
chairman or a majority of its members meet. 
(3) QUORUM.—A majority of the Board shall 
constitute a quorum. 
(4) VOTING.—Proxy voting shall be allowed on 
behalf of a member of the Board. 
(5) RULES OF PROCEDURE.—The Board may 
establish rules for the conduct of the Board’s busi-
ness, if such rules are not inconsistent with this sec-
tion or other applicable law. 
(f) POWERS.— 
(1) HEARINGS AND EVIDENCE.—The Board or, 
on the authority of the Board, any subcommittee or 
member thereof, may, for the purpose of carrying 
out this title hold such hearings and sit and act at 
such times and places, take such testimony, receive 
such evidence, administer such oaths. 
(2) FEDERAL AGENCY STAFF.—The Secretary 
shall make decisions regarding Federal agency staff 
to be detailed to support the work of the Board. 
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(3) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Board may 
enter into contracts with the approval of the Sec-
retary to such extent and in such amounts as nec-
essary for the Board to discharge its duties under 
this section. 
(4) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—After providing notice 
to the Secretary who may provide staff from 
the Department to meet the staffing needs of 
the Board. After 10 working days following no-
tice to the Secretary the Board is authorized to 
secure directly from any executive department, 
bureau, agency, board, office, independent es-
tablishment, or instrumentality of the Govern-
ment, information, suggestions, estimates, and 
statistics for the purposes of this title. Each de-
partment, bureau, agency, board, office, inde-
pendent establishment, or instrumentality shall, 
to the extent authorized by law, furnish such 
information, suggestions, estimates, and statis-
tics directly to the Board, upon request made 
by the chairman, the chairman of any sub-
committee created by a majority of the Board, 
or any member designated by a majority of the 
Board. 
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(B) RECEIPT, HANDLING, STORAGE, AND 
DISSEMINATION.—Information shall only be re-
ceived, handled, stored, and disseminated by 
members of the Board and its staff consistent 
with all applicable statutes, regulations, and 
Executive orders. 
(5) ASSISTANCE FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 
(A) 
GENERAL
SERVICES
ADMINISTRA-
TION.—The Administrator of General Services 
shall provide to the Board on a reimbursable 
basis administrative support and other services 
for the performance of the Board’s functions. 
(B) OTHER
DEPARTMENTS
AND
AGEN-
CIES.—In addition to the assistance prescribed 
in subparagraph (A), departments and agencies 
of the United States may provide to the Board 
such services, funds, facilities, staff, and other 
support services as they may determine advis-
able and as may be authorized by law. 
(C) POSTAL SERVICES.—The Board may 
use the United States mails in the same man-
ner and under the same conditions as depart-
ments and agencies of the United States. 
(g) STAFF.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.— 
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(A) APPOINTMENT AND COMPENSATION.— 
The Chair, in accordance with rules agreed 
upon by the Board, may appoint and fix the 
compensation of a staff director and such other 
personnel as may be necessary to enable the 
Board to carry out its functions, without regard 
to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, 
governing appointments in the competitive serv-
ice, and without regard to the provisions of 
chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of 
such title relating to classification and General 
Schedule pay rates, except that no rate of pay 
fixed under this subsection may exceed the 
equivalent of that payable for a position at level 
V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 
of title 5, United States Code. 
(B) PERSONNEL
AS
FEDERAL
EMPLOY-
EES.— 
(i) IN
GENERAL.—The executive di-
rector and any personnel of the Board who 
are employees shall be employees under 
section 2105 of title 5, United States 
Code, for purposes of chapters 63, 81, 83, 
84, 85, 87, 89, and 90 of that title. 
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(ii) MEMBERS
OF
THE
BOARD.— 
Clause (i) shall not be construed to apply 
to members of the Board. 
(2) DETAILEES.—Any Federal Government em-
ployee may be detailed to the Board without reim-
bursement from the Board, and such detailee shall 
retain the rights, status, and privileges of his or her 
regular employment without interruption. 
(3) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT FROM THE DE-
PARTMENT.—At the request of the Board, the Sec-
retary of Homeland Security shall provide the Board 
with Administrative support necessary for the Board 
to carry out its duties under this title. 
(h) REPORTS.— 
(1) QUARTERLY
REPORTS.—The Board shall 
submit to the Secretary of Homeland Security quar-
terly reports on the activities of the Board. 
(2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than two years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Board shall submit to the Secretary a final report 
containing such findings conclusions, and rec-
ommendations as have been agreed to by a majority 
of Board members. 
(i) APPLICABILITY OF FACA.— 
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