I 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6517 
To direct the Secretary of Education to make grants to State-based STEM 
networks to expand STEM education. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 21, 2012 
Mr. HONDA (for himself, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. SIRES, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, 
Ms. LEE of California, Mr. POLIS, and Ms. MATSUI) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the 
Workforce 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Education to make grants to 
State-based STEM networks to expand STEM education. 
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 ‘‘STEM Network Act’’. 
SEC. 2. GRANTS AUTHORIZED. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—From amounts made available to 
carry out this Act, the Secretary of Education shall make 
grants to eligible networks to expand STEM education. 
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(b) ELIGIBLE NETWORK DEFINED.—In this Act, the 
term ‘‘eligible network’’ means a State-based STEM net-
work or similar organization, which— 
(1) may include the participation of State offi-
cials, educators, administrators, parents, industry 
leaders, philanthropists, and representatives from 
the STEM communities; and 
(2) aims to increase student achievement in the 
STEM disciplines at the elementary schools and sec-
ondary schools in its State, particularly at schools 
with a high concentration of low-income students 
and at rural schools (within the meaning of part B 
of title VI of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6201 et seq.)). 
SEC. 3. ELIGIBLE NETWORK APPLICATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—An eligible network seeking a 
grant under section 2 shall submit an application at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information as 
the Secretary may reasonably require. 
(b) MATCHING REQUIREMENT.—In order to receive 
a grant under section 2, an eligible network shall agree 
to provide, either directly or through private contributions, 
non-Federal matching funds equal to not less than 30 per-
cent of the amount of the grant. 
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SEC. 4. USES OF FUNDS. 
Each eligible network receiving a grant under section 
2 shall use the funds to carry out one or more of the fol-
lowing: 
(1) Testing, validating, sharing, and scaling up 
STEM education research, promising practices, and 
exemplary programs among members of the network 
and with other eligible networks receiving grants 
under section 3. 
(2) Identifying points of weakness and strength 
among State STEM education efforts, prioritizing 
strategies for addressing problem areas, and commu-
nicating State needs to the Secretary. 
(3) Assisting in the implementation of rigorous 
common content standards in STEM education for 
grades prekindergarten through grade 12 that re-
flect common elements between such disciplines and 
take into consideration— 
(A) the Next Generation Science Stand-
ards and the Common Core State Standards 
Initiative; 
(B) established international standards 
and 21st century skills; 
(C) the needs of English language learners 
and special education students; and 
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(D) the need to increase scientific literacy 
of prekindergarten through grade 12 students. 
(4) Assisting and supporting the development 
and implementation of innovative STEM assess-
ments based on common content standards in math-
ematics and science. 
(5) Promoting and developing rigorous under-
graduate pre-service teacher programs in institutions 
of higher education that emphasize STEM content 
in the part of the program that focuses on elemen-
tary school education. 
(6) Promoting and developing curriculum tools 
and professional development for in-service STEM 
teachers that foster innovation and inventiveness. 
(7) Developing STEM career pathways that re-
flect the projected STEM workforce needs of the 
21st century that may include mentoring programs 
and STEM professional outreach. 
(8) Developing STEM-related workforce edu-
cation and training programs in secondary schools 
and institutions of higher education to enhance the 
skills of workers to meet the needs of business and 
industry. 
(9) Developing systems for the implementation 
of extended learning times on school sites to enhance 
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STEM education inside and outside of the class-
room. 
SEC. 5. EVALUATION AND REPORT. 
Not later than 2 years after receiving a grant under 
section 2, each eligible network receiving such a grant 
shall— 
(1) conduct periodic independent evaluations, 
by grant or by contract, of the eligible network’s ef-
fectiveness at accomplishing the activities described 
in section 4, which shall include an assessment of 
the impact of such activities on STEM teaching and 
learning; and 
(2) prepare and submit a report on the results 
of each evaluation described in paragraph (1) to the 
Secretary. 
SEC. 6. PROHIBITIONS. 
In implementing this Act, the Secretary may not— 
(1) endorse, approve, or sanction any STEM 
curriculum designed for use in any elementary 
school, secondary school, or institution of higher 
education; or 
(2) engage in oversight, technical assistance, or 
activities that will require the adoption of a specific 
STEM program or instructional materials by a 
State, local educational agency, or school. 
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SEC. 7. TOTAL AMOUNT OF GRANTS. 
The total amount of grants made under this Act in 
any fiscal year may not exceed $20,000,000. 
SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) The terms ‘‘elementary school’’, ‘‘local edu-
cational agency’’, and ‘‘secondary school’’ have the 
meanings given such terms in section 9101 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(2) The term ‘‘high concentration of low-income 
students’’ has the meaning given such term in sec-
tion 1707 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6537). 
(3) The term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ 
has the meaning given such term in section 101 of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1001). 
(4) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 
of Education. 
(5) The term ‘‘State’’ means each of the several 
States of the United States, the District of Colum-
bia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the 
Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Amer-
ican Samoa, and the United States Virgin Islands. 
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(6) The term ‘‘STEM’’ means science, tech-
nology, engineering, and mathematics. 
Æ 
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