SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Science Edu-
cation Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) As concluded in the report of the Com-
mittee on Science of the House of Representatives,
‘‘Unlocking Our Future Toward a New National
Science Policy’’, the United States must maintain
and improve its preeminent position in science and
technology in order to advance human under-
standing of the universe and all it contains, and to
improve the lives, health, and freedoms of all people.
(2) It is estimated that more than half of the
economic growth of the United States today results
directly from research and development in science
and technology. The most fundamental research is
responsible for investigating our perceived universe,
to extend our observations to the outer limits of
what our minds and methods can achieve, and to
seek answers to questions that have never been
asked before. Applied research continues the process
by applying the answers from basic science to the
problems faced by individuals, organizations, and
governments in the everyday activities that make our
lives more livable. The scientific-technological sector
of our economy, which has driven our recent eco-
nomic boom and led the United States to the longest
period of prosperity in history, is fueled by the work
and discoveries of the scientific community.
(3) The effectiveness of the United States in
maintaining this economic growth will be largely de-
termined by the intellectual capital of the United
States. Education is critical to developing this re-
source.
(4) The education program of the United States
needs to provide for 3 different kinds of intellectual
capital. First, it needs scientists, mathematicians,
and engineers to continue the research and develop-
ment that are central to the economic growth of the
United States. Second, it needs technologically pro-
ficient workers who are comfortable and capable
dealing with the demands of a science-based, high-
technology workplace. Last, it needs scientifically lit-
erate voters and consumers to make intelligent deci-
sions about public policy.
(5) Student performance on the recent Third
International Mathematics and Science Study high-
lights the shortcomings of current K–12 science and
mathematics education in the United States, par-
ticularly when compared to other countries. We must
expect more from our Nation’s educators and stu-
dents if we are to build on the accomplishments of
previous generations. New methods of teaching
science, mathematics, engineering, and technology
are required, as well as better curricula and im-
proved training of teachers.
(6) Science is more than a collection of facts,
theories, and results. It is a process of inquiry built
upon observations and data that leads to a way of
knowing and explaining in logically derived concepts
and theories. Mathematics is more than procedures
to be memorized. It is a field that requires rea-
soning, understanding, and making connections in
order to solve problems. Engineering is more than
just designing and building. It is the process of mak-
ing compromises to optimize design and assessing
risks so that designs and products best solve a given
problem. Technology is more than using computer
applications, the Internet, and programming. Tech-
nology is the innovation, change, or modification of
the natural environment, based on scientific, mathe-
matical, and engineering principles.
(7) Students should learn science primarily by
doing science. Science education ought to reflect the
scientific process and be object-oriented, experiment-
centered, and concept-based. Students should learn
mathematics with understanding that numeric sys-
tems have intrinsic properties that can represent ob-
jects and systems in real life, and can be applied in
solving problems. Engineering education should re-
flect the realities of real world design, and should in-
volve hands-on projects and require students to
make trade-offs based upon evidence. Students
should learn technology as both a tool to solve other
problems and as a process by which people adapt the
natural world to suit their own purposes. Computers
represent a particularly useful form of technology,
enabling students and teachers to acquire data,
model systems, visualize phenomena, communicate
and organize information, and collaborate with oth-
ers in powerful new ways. A background in the ba-
sics of information technology is essential for success
in the modern workplace and the modern world.
(8) Children are naturally curious and inquisi-
tive. To successfully tap into these innate qualities,
education in science, mathematics, engineering, and
technology must begin at an early age and continue
throughout the entire school experience.
(9) Teachers provide the essential connection
between students and the content they are learning.
Prospective teachers need to be identified and re-
cruited by presenting to them a career that is re-
spected by their peers, is financially and intellectu-
ally rewarding, contains sufficient opportunities for
advancement, and has continuing access to profes-
sional development.
(10) Teachers need to have incentives to remain
in the classroom and improve their practice, and
training of teachers is essential if the results are to
be good. Teachers need to be knowledgeable of their
content area, of their curriculum, of up-to-date re-
search in teaching and learning, and of techniques
that can be used to connect that information to their
students in their classroom.
SEC. 3. DUPLICATION OF PROGRAMS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the National
Science Foundation shall review the education programs
of the National Science Foundation that are in operation
as of the date of enactment of this Act to determine
whether any of such programs duplicate the programs au-
thorized in this Act.
(b) IMPLEMENTATION.—(1) As programs authorized
in this Act are implemented, the Director shall terminate
any existing duplicative program or merge the duplicative
program into a program authorized in this Act.
(2) The Director shall not establish any new program
that duplicates a program that has been implemented pur-
suant to this Act.
(c) REPORT.—(1) The Director of the Office of
Science and Technology Policy shall review the education
programs of the National Science Foundation to ensure
compliance with the provisions of this section.
(2) Not later than one year after the date of the en-
actment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Science
and Technology Policy shall complete a report on the re-
view carried out under this subsection and shall submit
the report to the Committee on Science, the Committee
on Education and the Workforce, and the Committee on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
(3) Beginning one year after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Director of the Office of Science and Tech-
nology Policy, shall, as part of the annual budget submis-
sion to Congress, submit an updated version of the report
required by paragraph (2).
SEC. 4. MASTER TEACHER GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section—
(1) The term ‘‘sponsoring school’’ means an ele-
mentary or secondary school that employs a teacher
who is participating in a program funded in accord-
ance with this section.
(c) SELECTION PROCESS.—(1) An institution of
higher education seeking funding under this section shall
submit an application at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Director may require.
The application shall include, at a minimum—
(A) a description of which classroom subjects
and grade levels the training will address;
(B) a description of the activities to be carried
out, including—
(i) how such activities will be aligned with
State and local standards and with other activi-
ties that promote student achievement in math-
ematics and science; and
(ii) how such activities will be based on a
review of relevant research and why such activi-
ties are expected to strengthen the quality of
mathematics and science instruction;
(C) a description of how the applicant will en-
sure the active participation of its mathematics,
science, or engineering departments in the develop-
ment and implementation of the program;
(D) an explanation of how the program will en-
sure that teachers are given instruction in both con-
tent and pedagogy;
(E) a description of how the applicant will re-
cruit teachers to participate in the program and the
criteria that will be used to select the participants;
(F) a description of the type and amount of any
financial assistance that will be provided to teachers
to enable them to participate; and
(G) a description of how the applicant will work
with schools to ensure the success of the partici-
pating teachers.
(2) In evaluating the applications submitted under
this subsection, the Director shall consider, at a
minimum—
(A) the ability of the applicant to effectively
carry out the proposed program;
(B) the experience the applicant has in devel-
oping and implementing high-quality professional de-
velopment programs for mathematics or science
teachers; and
(C) the extent to which the applicant is com-
mitted to making the program a central organiza-
tional focus.
(3) In evaluating the applications submitted under
this subsection, the Director shall give priority to those
applications that demonstrate the greatest participation of
mathematics, science, or engineering departments.
(d) TEACHER ELIGIBILITY.—(1) To be eligible to
participate in a program funded under this section, a
mathematics or science teacher shall submit to the Direc-
tor, at such time and in such manner as the Director may
require, an assurance executed by the sponsoring school,
that, after completing the program funded by this section,
the participating teacher will be provided sufficient non-
classroom time to serve as a master teacher. A copy of
this assurance must be submitted to the institution of
higher education as part of the teacher’s application to
participate in the master teacher program.
(2) No funds authorized by this section may be used
to train any teacher who has not complied with paragraph
(1).
(e) ACCOUNTABILITY AND DISSEMINATION.—(1) The
Director shall evaluate the activities carried out under this
section. At a minimum such evaluations shall use a com-
mon set of benchmarks and assessment tools to identify
best practices and materials developed and demonstrated
with funds provided under this section.
(2) The results of the evaluations required under this
subsection shall be made available to the public, including
through the National Science, Mathematics, Engineering,
and Technology Education Digital Library, and shall be
provided to the Committee on Science of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.
(3) Materials developed under the program estab-
lished under this section that are demonstrated to be effec-
tive shall be made available through the National Science,
Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology Education
Digital Library.
(f) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science
Foundation to carry out this section $50,000,000 for each
of fiscal years 2002 through 2004.
SEC. 5. DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION ON REQUIRED
COURSE 
OF 
STUDY 
FOR 
CAREERS 
IN
SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, ENGINEERING, AND
TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the National
Science Foundation shall, jointly with the Secretary of
Education, compile and disseminate information (includ-
ing through outreach, school counselor education, and vis-
iting speakers) regarding—
(1) typical standard prerequisites for middle
school and high school students who seek to enter a
course of study at an institution of higher education
in science, mathematics, engineering, or technology
education for purposes of teaching in an elementary
or secondary school; and
(2) the licensing requirements in each State for
science, mathematics, engineering, or technology ele-
mentary or secondary school teachers.
(b) LOCAL CONTROL.—Nothing in this section shall
be construed to authorize an officer or employee of the
Federal Government to direct, review, or control the in-
structional content, curriculum, or related activities of a
State or local educational agency or a school.
(c) 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.
SEC. 6. REQUIREMENT TO CONDUCT STUDY EVALUATION.
(a) STUDY REQUIRED.—The Director of the National
Science Foundation shall enter into an agreement with the
National Academies of Sciences and Engineering under
which the Academies shall review existing studies on the
effectiveness of technology in the classroom on learning
and student performance, using various measures of learn-
ing and teaching outcome including standardized tests of
student achievement, and explore the feasibility of one or
more methodological frameworks to be used in evaluations
of technologies that have different purposes and are used
by schools and school systems with diverse educational
goals. The study evaluation shall include, to the extent
available, information on the type of technology used in
each classroom, the reason that such technology works,
and the teacher training that is conducted in conjunction
with the technology.
(b) DEADLINE FOR COMPLETION.—The study eval-
uation required by subsection (a) shall be completed not
later than one year after the date of the enactment of this
Act.
(c) DEFINITION OF TECHNOLOGY.—In this section,
the term ‘‘technology’’ has the meaning given that term
in section 3113(11) of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6813(11)).
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science
Foundation for the purpose of conducting the study eval-
uation required by subsection (a), $600,000.
SEC. 7. SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, ENGINEERING, AND
TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS EDUCATION CON-
FERENCE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Na-
tional Science Foundation shall convene the first of an an-
nual 3- to 5-day conference for kindergarten through 12th
(c) REPORT AND PUBLICATION.—At the conclusion
of the conference the Director shall—
(1) transmit to the Committee on Science of the
House of Representatives and to the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Sen-
ate a report on the outcome and conclusions of the
conference, including an inventory of curricular ac-
tivities, initiatives, and units, the content of the con-
ference, and strategies developed that will support
partnerships and leverage resources; and
(2) ensure that a similar report is published
and distributed as widely as possible to stakeholders
in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology
education.
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science
Foundation to carry out this section—
(1) $300,000 for fiscal year 2002; and
(2) $200,000 for each of fiscal years 2003 and
2004.
SEC. 8. DISTANCE LEARNING GRANTS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the National
Science Foundation shall establish a program to award
competitive, merit-based grants to institutions of higher
education to provide distance learning opportunities in
mathematics or science to elementary or secondary school
students.
(b) USE OF FUNDS.—Grants awarded under this sec-
tion shall be used by institutions of higher education to
establish programs under which elementary or secondary
school students can participate in research activities in
mathematics or science occurring at the grantees’ institu-
tion via the Internet.
(c) SELECTION PROCESS.—(1) An institution of
higher education seeking funding under this section shall
submit an application at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Director may require.
The application shall include, at a minimum—
(A) a description of the research opportunities
that will be offered;
(B) a description of how the applicant will pub-
licize these research opportunities to schools and
teachers;
(C) a description of how the applicant will in-
volve teachers of participating students in the pro-
gram;
(D) a description of how students will be se-
lected to participate;
(E) a description of how the institution of high-
er education will ensure that the research is enhanc-
ing the participants’ education and will make it
more likely that the participants will continue their
studies in mathematics or science; and
(F) a description of how the funds will be
spent.
(2) In evaluating the applications submitted under
this subsection, the Director shall consider—
(A) the ability of the applicant to effectively
carry out the proposed program;
(B) the extent to which the proposed program
will enhance the participants’ education and encour-
age them to continue the study of mathematics or
science; and
(C) the extent to which the proposed program
will provide opportunities that would not otherwise
be available to students.
(3) The Director shall ensure, to the extent prac-
ticable, that the program established under this section
serves students in a wide range of geographic areas and
in rural, suburban, and urban schools.
(d) 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 the fiscal years 2002 through 2004.
SEC. 9. COORDINATION.
In carrying out the activities authorized by this Act,
the Director of the National Science Foundation shall con-
sult and coordinate with the Secretary of Education to en-
sure close cooperation with programs authorized under the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (Public
Law 89–10).
SEC. 10. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) The term ‘‘elementary school’’ has the
meaning given that term by section 14101(14) of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 8801(14)).
(2) The term ‘‘secondary school’’ has the mean-
ing given that term by section 14101(26) of the Ele-
mentary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 8801(26)).
(3) The term ‘‘institution of higher education’’
has the meaning given that term by section 101 of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1001).
Passed the House of Representatives July 30, 2001.
Attest:
Clerk.