I 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4955 
To authorize the National Science Foundation to provide grants for imple-
menting or expanding research-based reforms in undergraduate STEM 
education for the purpose of increasing the number and quality of stu-
dents studying toward and completing baccalaureate degrees in STEM. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 25, 2010 
Ms. KOSMAS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Science and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on 
Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To authorize the National Science Foundation to provide 
grants for implementing or expanding research-based re-
forms in undergraduate STEM education for the purpose 
of increasing the number and quality of students study-
ing toward and completing baccalaureate degrees in 
STEM. 
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 ‘‘Transforming Under-
graduate STEM Education Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. TRANSFORMING UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION IN 
STEM. 
Section 17 of the National Science Foundation Au-
thorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n–6) is amended 
to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 17. TRANSFORMING UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION 
IN STEM. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall award grants, 
on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis, to institutions of 
higher education to implement or expand research-based 
reforms in undergraduate STEM education for the pur-
pose of increasing the number and quality of students 
studying toward and completing baccalaureate degrees in 
STEM. 
‘‘(b) USES
OF FUNDS.—Activities supported by 
grants under this section may include— 
‘‘(1) development, implementation, and assess-
ment of innovative, research-based approaches to 
transforming the teaching and learning of discipli-
nary or interdisciplinary STEM at the under-
graduate level; 
‘‘(2) expansion of successful STEM reform ef-
forts beyond a single course or group of courses to 
achieve reform within an entire academic unit, or ex-
pansion of successful reform efforts beyond a single 
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academic unit to other STEM academic units within 
an institution; 
‘‘(3) creation of multidisciplinary or inter-
disciplinary courses or programs that formalize col-
laborations for the purpose of improved student in-
struction and research in STEM; 
‘‘(4) expansion of undergraduate STEM re-
search opportunities to include interdisciplinary re-
search opportunities and research opportunities in 
industry, at Federal labs, and at international re-
search institutions or research sites; 
‘‘(5) implementation or expansion of bridge, co-
hort, tutoring, or mentoring programs proven to en-
hance student recruitment or persistence to degree 
completion in STEM; 
‘‘(6) improvement of undergraduate STEM 
education for nonmajors, including education ma-
jors; 
‘‘(7) implementation of technology-driven re-
form efforts, including the installation of technology 
to facilitate such reform, that directly impact under-
graduate STEM instruction or research experiences; 
‘‘(8) development and implementation of faculty 
development programs focused on improved instruc-
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tion, mentoring, evaluation, and support of under-
graduate STEM students; 
‘‘(9) 
support 
for 
graduate 
students 
and 
postdoctoral fellows to participate in instructional or 
assessment activities at primarily undergraduate in-
stitutions; and 
‘‘(10) research on teaching and learning of 
STEM at the undergraduate level related to the pro-
posed reform effort, including assessment and eval-
uation of the proposed reform activities and research 
on scalability and sustainability of approaches to re-
form. 
‘‘(c) SELECTION PROCESS.— 
‘‘(1) APPLICATIONS.—An institution of higher 
education seeking a grant under this section shall 
submit an application to the Director at such time, 
in such manner, and containing such information as 
the Director may require. The application shall in-
clude, at a minimum— 
‘‘(A) a description of the proposed reform 
effort; 
‘‘(B) a description of the research findings 
that will serve as the basis for the proposed re-
form effort or, in the case of applications that 
propose an expansion of a previously imple-
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mented reform effort, a description of the pre-
viously implemented reform effort, including 
data on student recruitment, persistence to de-
gree completion, and academic achievement; 
‘‘(C) evidence of institutional support for, 
and commitment to, the proposed reform effort, 
including long-term commitment to implement 
successful strategies from the current reform 
effort beyond the academic unit or units in-
cluded in the grant proposal; 
‘‘(D) a description of existing or planned 
institutional policies and practices regarding 
faculty hiring, promotion, tenure, and teaching 
assignment that reward faculty contributions to 
undergraduate STEM education; and 
‘‘(E) a description of the plans for assess-
ment and evaluation of the proposed reform ac-
tivities, including evidence of participation by 
individuals with experience in assessment and 
evaluation of teaching and learning programs. 
‘‘(2) REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS.—In selecting 
grant recipients under this section, the Director 
shall consider at a minimum— 
‘‘(A) the likelihood of success in under-
taking the proposed effort at the institution 
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submitting the application, including the extent 
to which the faculty, staff, and administrators 
of the institution are committed to making the 
proposed institutional reform a priority of the 
participating academic unit or units; 
‘‘(B) the degree to which the proposed re-
form will contribute to change in institutional 
culture and policy such that a greater value is 
placed on faculty engagement in undergraduate 
education; 
‘‘(C) the likelihood that the institution will 
sustain or expand the reform beyond the period 
of the grant; and 
‘‘(D) the degree to which scholarly assess-
ment and evaluation plans are included in the 
design of the reform effort. 
‘‘(3) PRIORITY.—For proposals that include an 
expansion of existing reform efforts beyond a single 
academic unit, the Director shall give priority to 
proposals for which a senior institutional adminis-
trator, including a dean or other administrator of 
equal or higher rank, serves as the principal investi-
gator. 
‘‘(4) GRANT
DISTRIBUTION.—The Director 
shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that grants 
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awarded under this section are made to a variety of 
types of institutions of higher education.’’. 
Æ 
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