I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2536 
To provide, develop, and support 21st century readiness initiatives that assist 
students in acquiring the skills necessary to think critically and solve 
problems, be an effective communicator, collaborate with others, and 
learn to create and innovate. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 14, 2011 
Mr. PETRI (for himself and Mr. LOEBSACK) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To provide, develop, and support 21st century readiness ini-
tiatives that assist students in acquiring the skills nec-
essary to think critically and solve problems, be an effec-
tive communicator, collaborate with others, and learn 
to create and innovate. 
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 ‘‘21st Century Readi-
ness Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) Students must be prepared in core academic 
subjects. 
(2) Students must possess the skills to be able 
to think critically and solve problems, be effective 
communicators, collaborate with others, and learn to 
create and innovate. 
(3) In order for students in the United States 
to be prepared to succeed in citizenship and work-
places of the present and future, core academic sub-
jects must be fused with critical thinking and prob-
lem solving, communication, collaboration, and cre-
ativity and innovation skills, as such skills are crit-
ical for success in the 21st century. 
(4) The work of the National Governors Asso-
ciation, along with the Council of Chief State School 
Officers, in developing a set of voluntary and inter-
nationally benchmarked national common standards 
in mathematics and English that include rigorous 
content and 21st century skills, is a positive develop-
ment and should serve as a basis for incorporating 
those skills and other critical skills throughout other 
core academic subjects in the future. Federal policy 
must support State leadership and encourage contin-
ued State innovation. 
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SEC. 3. COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS STATEMENT OF 
PURPOSE. 
Section 1001 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (11), by striking ‘‘and’’ after 
the semicolon; 
(2) in paragraph (12), by striking the period 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(13) fusing core academic subject knowledge 
mastery and higher-order thinking skills (such as 
critical thinking and problem solving, communica-
tion, collaboration, creativity, and innovation) to en-
sure that students can apply a range of skill com-
petencies alongside content knowledge, and do so in 
real-world contexts.’’. 
SEC. 4. EVALUATING OF COLLEGE AND CAREER READI-
NESS. 
Section 1501(a)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6491(a)(2)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by redesignating subparagraph (O) as sub-
paragraph (P); and 
(2) by inserting after subparagraph (N) the fol-
lowing: 
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‘‘(O) The extent to which fusing core aca-
demic subjects and higher-order thinking skills 
(such as critical thinking and problem solving, 
communication, collaboration, creativity, and in-
novation) to ensure that students can apply a 
range of skill competencies alongside content 
knowledge in real-world contexts leads to readi-
ness for postsecondary education and careers.’’. 
SEC. 5. SCHOOL REFORM THROUGH 21ST CENTURY READI-
NESS INITIATIVES. 
Section 1606(a) of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6516(a)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph 
(10); 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (11) as para-
graph (12); and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (10) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(11) includes a 21st century readiness initia-
tive designed to fuse core academic subject knowl-
edge and higher-order thinking skills (such as crit-
ical thinking and problem solving, communication, 
collaboration, creativity, and innovation) to ensure 
students can apply a range of skill competencies 
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alongside content knowledge, and do so in real-world 
contexts; and’’. 
SEC. 6. SCHOOL DROPOUT PREVENTION STRATEGIES 
THROUGH 21ST CENTURY READINESS INITIA-
TIVES. 
Section 1822(b)(1) of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6561a(b)(1)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subparagraph (I), by striking ‘‘and’’ after 
the semicolon; 
(2) in subparagraph (J), by striking the period 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(K) implementing 21st century readiness 
initiatives, such as initiatives that fuse core aca-
demic subject knowledge and higher-order 
thinking skills (such as critical thinking and 
problem solving, communication, collaboration, 
creativity, and innovation) to ensure students 
can apply a range of skill competencies along-
side content knowledge, and do so in real-world 
contexts.’’. 
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SEC. 7. HIGH-QUALITY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INI-
TIATIVES AROUND 21ST CENTURY SKILLS. 
Section 2102 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6602) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through 
(6) as paragraphs (5) through (7), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(4) HIGH-QUALITY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOP-
MENT.—The term ‘high-quality professional develop-
ment’ means professional development that incor-
porates an aligned system of teaching and learning 
that includes 21st century skills (such as critical 
thinking and problem solving, communication, col-
laboration, creativity, and innovation), standards, 
curriculum, instruction, and assessments, such as 
high-quality professional development that— 
‘‘(A) ensures that educators understand 
the importance of 21st century skills and how 
best to integrate such skills into daily instruc-
tion; 
‘‘(B) enables collaboration among all par-
ticipants; 
‘‘(C) allows educators to construct their 
own learning communities; 
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‘‘(D) uses expertise within a school or local 
educational agency through coaching, men-
toring, and team teaching; 
‘‘(E) supports educators in their role as 
facilitators of learning; and 
‘‘(F) uses 21st century skills technology 
tools.’’. 
SEC. 8. HIGH-QUALITY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AP-
PLICATION. 
Section 2122(b) of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6622(b)) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(12) A description of how the local educational 
agency will provide high-quality professional develop-
ment to enable educators to— 
‘‘(A) deliver instruction on higher-order 
thinking skills (such as critical thinking and 
problem solving, communication, collaboration, 
creativity, and innovation) to ensure that stu-
dents can apply a range of skill competencies 
alongside core academic subject knowledge, and 
do so in real-world contexts; and 
‘‘(B) use the latest available technology to 
deliver instruction on higher-order thinking 
skills.’’. 
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SEC. 
9. 
HIGH-QUALITY 
PROFESSIONAL 
DEVELOPMENT 
TRAINING. 
Section 2123(a)(3)(B) of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6623(a)(3)(B)) 
is amended— 
(1) in clause (iv), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(2) in clause (v), by striking the period at the 
end and adding ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(vi) provide training on how to de-
liver instruction on higher-order thinking 
skills (such as critical thinking and prob-
lem solving, communication, collaboration, 
creativity, and innovation) so that students 
can apply a range of skill competencies 
alongside core academic subject knowledge, 
and do so in real-world contexts, which 
may include effectively integrating tech-
nology into curricula and instruction.’’. 
SEC. 10. EXPANDED 21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING 
CENTER ACTIVITIES. 
Section 4205(a) of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7175(a)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (11), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
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(2) in paragraph (12), by striking the period at 
the end and adding ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(13) initiatives that allow students to apply a 
range of skill competencies (such as critical thinking 
and problem solving, communication, collaboration, 
creativity, and innovation) alongside core academic 
subjects, and do so in real-world contexts, which 
may include effectively using technology to improve 
student achievement.’’. 
SEC. 11. 21ST CENTURY READINESS ASSESSMENTS. 
Section 6111(2) of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7301(2)) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(I) Developing or improving assessments 
that use technology to measure core academic 
subject knowledge and higher-order thinking 
skills (such as critical thinking and problem 
solving, 
communication, 
collaboration, 
cre-
ativity, and innovation) to ensure that students 
can apply a range of skill competencies along-
side core academic subject knowledge, and do so 
in real-world contexts.’’. 
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SEC. 12. 21ST CENTURY READINESS INITIATIVE DEFINI-
TION. 
Section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through 
(43) as paragraphs (2) through (44), respectively; 
and 
(2) by inserting before paragraph (2), the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(1) 21ST CENTURY READINESS INITIATIVE.— 
The term ‘21st century readiness initiative’ means 
any initiative that— 
‘‘(A) embeds core academic subjects with 
critical skills; and 
‘‘(B) is focused on ensuring that students 
are prepared for postsecondary education and 
careers, 
upon 
graduation 
from 
secondary 
school.’’. 
Æ 
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