(c) EXCEPTIONS.—(1) The National Science Founda-
tion may provide for the partial or total waiver or suspen-
sion of any service obligation or payment by an individual
under this title whenever compliance by the individual is
impossible or would involve extreme hardship to the indi-
vidual, or if enforcement of such obligation with respect to
the individual would be unconscionable.
(2) Any obligation of an individual under this title
for payment under subsection (b) may be released by a dis-
charge in bankruptcy under title 11, United States Code,
only if such discharge is granted after the expiration of the
5-year period beginning on the first date that such payment
is required.
SEC. 410. REPORT.
(a) DATA COLLECTION.—Institutions receiving grants
under this title shall supply to the Director any relevant
statistical and demographic data on scholarship recipients
and stipend recipients the Director may request, including
information on employment required by section 407.
(b) ASSESSMENT.—Not later than 7 years after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit
to Congress a report assessing the impact of the implemen-
tation of this title on drawing into teaching top mathe-
matics and science students, including students from groups
underrepresented in mathematics, science and engineering.
SEC. 411. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated to the National Science Foundation to carry out
this title $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 through
2005.
(b) SPECIFIC APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized
to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation to
support the activities described in subsections (b)(1)(A) and
(C) and (b)(2)(A) and (C) of section 402, such sums as may
be necessary for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2011.
TITLE V—REQUIREMENTS FOR
RESEARCH CENTERS
SEC. 501. REQUIREMENTS FOR RESEARCH CENTERS.
The Director shall ensure that any National Science
Foundation program that awards grants for the establish-
ment of research centers at institutions of higher education
after the date of the enactment of this Act—
(1) requires that every center offer programs for
elementary and secondary mathematics and science
teachers and students to increase their understanding
of the field in which the center specializes; and
(2) uses the quality of a center’s proposed
precollege education programs as a criterion in deter-
mining grant awards.
TITLE VI—EDUCATIONAL
TECHNOLOGIES RESEARCH
SEC. 601. EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH CEN-
TERS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—(1) The Director shall establish a
program to award grants to institutions of higher education
(or consortia thereof) to establish centers to evaluate and
improve the effectiveness of information technologies in ele-
mentary and secondary mathematics and science education.
(2) Grants shall be awarded under this title on a
merit-reviewed competitive basis.
(b) ACTIVITIES.—Centers established under this title
shall, at a minimum—
(1) identify educational approaches and tech-
niques that are based on the use of information tech-
nology and that have the potential for being effective
in classroom settings;
(2) develop methods to measure the effectiveness
of various applications of information technology in
mathematics and science education, including meth-
ods to measure student performance;
(3) evaluate the effectiveness of the use of tech-
nology in elementary and secondary mathematics and
science education in a variety of classroom settings;
and
(4) identify the key variables that influence edu-
cational effectiveness and the conditions necessary to
implement successfully an approach or technique de-
termined to be educationally effective for a particular
educational setting;
(5) ensure that the results of such evaluations are
widely disseminated; and
(6) develop a program to work with local edu-
cational agencies to help them apply the results of the
research conducted under this section.
SEC. 602. SELECTION PROCESS.
(a) APPLICATION.—An institution of higher education
(or a consortium thereof) seeking funding under this title
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 include, at a
minimum, a description of—
(1) the approaches to the use of information tech-
nology that the center will initially evaluate, how it
chose those approaches, how it will seek out any addi-
tional approaches, and how assessment procedures
would be developed and applied;
(2) how the center will work with local education
agencies to evaluate the approaches in classrooms;
(3) how the center will disseminate the results of
its work; and
(4) how the center will develop an outreach pro-
gram to work with local educational agencies to help
them apply the results of its research.
(b) REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS.—In evaluating the ap-
plications submitted under subsection (a), the Director shall
consider, at a minimum, the ability of the applicant to ef-
fectively evaluate information technology approaches and to
help local education agencies apply the results of those eval-
uations.
(c) AWARDS.—The Director shall ensure, to the extent
practicable, that the program established under this title
evaluates information technology—
(1) in a wide range of grade levels and geo-
graphic areas;
(2) in rural, suburban, and urban schools; and
(3) with a wide variety of students in terms of
race, ethnicity, and income.
SEC. 603. DOCUMENTATION AND DISSEMINATION OF RE-
SULTS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The results of the research and eval-
uations conducted in accordance with section 601 shall be
documented and widely disseminated, including through
publication in peer-reviewed scholarly journals.
(b) WORKSHOPS, CONFERENCE, AND WEB SITES.—
The Director is authorized to sponsor and support work-
shops, conferences, and dedicated web sites to disseminate
information about the activities of the educational tech-
nology research centers established under section 601.
(c) DEPOSIT IN LIBRARY.—Information about effective
approaches and techniques, including information and ma-
terials necessary for their implementation, shall be depos-
ited in the Digital Library.
SEC. 604. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Na-
tional Science Foundation to carry out the program estab-
lished under section 601—
(1) $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002
through 2004; and
(2) $30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2005 and
2006.
TITLE VII—MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS
SEC. 701. MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE PROFICIENCY PART-
NERSHIPS.
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:
(1) Proficiency in mathematics, science, and in-
formation technology is necessary to prepare all stu-
dents in the United States for participation in the
21st Century and to guarantee that the United States
economy remains vibrant and competitive.
(2) In order to achieve such results, it is impor-
tant that the Federal Government shows interest in
economically disadvantaged students who have not
been provided with opportunities that will improve
their knowledge of mathematics, science, and tech-
nology.
(3) Many economically disadvantaged students
in urban and rural America share a common need to
receive a quality education, but often the schools of
such students lack the needed resources to lift those
students into the information age.
(4) The schools and businesses serving urban and
rural communities are strategically positioned to
form a unique partnership with students that will in-
crease their mathematics, science, and technology pro-
ficiency and encourage and support their under-
graduate study in those fields for the benefit of the
Nation.
(b) AUTHORITY.—(1)(A) The Director shall establish
a demonstration project under which the Director awards
grants in accordance with this section to eligible local edu-
cational agencies.
(B) A local educational agency that receives a grant
under this section may use such grant funds to develop a
program that builds or expands mathematics, science, and
information technology curricula, to purchase equipment
necessary to establish such program, and to provide profes-
sional development to enhance teacher quality in those
fields.
(2) A program described in paragraph (1) shall—
(A) provide teacher professional development spe-
cifically in information technology, mathematics, and
science; and
(B) provide students with a rich standards-based
course of study in mathematics, science, and informa-
tion technology.
(c) ELIGIBLE LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES.—For
purposes of this section, a local educational agency is eligi-
ble to receive a grant under this section if the agency—
(1) provides assurances that it has executed con-
ditional agreements with representatives of the pri-
vate sector to provide services and funds described in
subsection (d); and
(2) agrees to enter into an agreement with the
Director to comply with the requirements of this sec-
tion.
(d) PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION.—The condi-
tional agreements referred to in subsection (c)(1) shall de-
scribe participation by the private sector, including—
(1) the donation of computer hardware, software,
and other technology tools;
(2) the establishment of internship and men-
toring opportunities for students who participate in
the mathematics, science, and information technology
program; and
(3) the donation of higher education scholarship
funds for eligible students to continue their study of
mathematics, science, and information technology.
(e) APPLICATION.—(1) To apply for a grant under this
section, each eligible local educational agency shall submit
an application to the Director in accordance with guide-
lines established by the Director pursuant to paragraph (2).
(2)(A) The guidelines referred to in paragraph (1)
shall require, at a minimum, that the application include—
(i) a description of proposed activities consistent
with the uses of funds and program requirements
under paragraphs (1)(B) and (2) of subsection (b);
(ii) a description of the higher education scholar-
ship program, including criteria for selection, dura-
tion of scholarship, number of scholarships to be
awarded each year, and funding levels for scholar-
ships; and
(iii) evidence of private sector participation and
financial support to establish an internship, men-
toring, and scholarship program.
(B) The Director shall issue and publish such guide-
lines not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment
of this Act.
(3) The Director shall select a local educational agency
to receive an award under this section on the basis of merit
to be determined after conducting a comprehensive review.
(f) PRIORITY.—The Director shall give special priority
in awarding grants under this section to eligible local edu-
cational agencies that—
(1) demonstrate the greatest ability to obtain
commitments from representatives of the private sec-
tor to provide services and funds described under sub-
section (d); and
(2) demonstrate the greatest economic need.
(g) ASSESSMENT.—The Director shall assess the effec-
tiveness of activities carried out under this section.
(h) STUDY AND REPORT.—The Director—
(1) shall initiate an evaluative study of the effec-
tiveness of the activities carried out under this section
in improving student performance in mathematics,
science, and information technology at the precollege
level and in stimulating student interest in pursuing
undergraduate studies in those fields; and
(2) shall report the findings of the study to Con-
gress not later than 4 years after the award of the
first scholarship.
Such report shall include the number of students graduating
from an institution of higher education with a major in
mathematics, science, or information technology and the
number of students who find employment in such fields.
(i) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
(1) The term ‘‘conditional agreement’’ means an
arrangement between representatives of the private
sector and local educational agencies to provide cer-
tain services and funds, such as, but not limited to,
the donation of computer hardware and software, the
establishment of internship and mentoring opportuni-
ties for students who participate in mathematics,
science, and information technology programs, and
the donation of scholarship funds for use at institu-
tions of higher education by eligible students who
have participated in the mathematics, science, and
information technology programs.
(2) The term ‘‘eligible student’’ means a student
enrolled in the 12th grade who—
(A) has participated in a mathematics,
science, and an information technology program
established pursuant to this section;
(B) has demonstrated a commitment to pur-
sue a career in information technology, mathe-
matics, science, or engineering; and
(C) has attained high academic standing
and maintains a grade point average of not less
than 2.7 on a 4.0 scale for the period from the
beginning of the 10th grade through the time of
application for a scholarship.
(j) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are
authorized to be appropriated to the National Science
Foundation to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each
of fiscal years 2002 through 2004.
(k) MAXIMUM GRANT AWARD.—An award made to an
eligible local educational agency under this section may not
exceed $300,000.
SEC. 702. ARTICULATION PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN COM-
MUNITY 
COLLEGES 
AND 
SECONDARY
SCHOOLS.
(a) OUTREACH GRANTS.—In making awards for out-
reach grants authorized under section 3(c)(2) of the Sci-
entific and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C.
1862i(c)(2)), the Director shall give priority to proposals