I
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3702
To ensure excellent recruitment and training of math and science teachers
at institutions of higher education.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 29, 2000
Mr. ALLEN (for himself, Mr. ROEMER, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. BALDACCI, Mrs.
CAPPS, Mr. CAPUANO, Ms. CARSON, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. DELAHUNT, Ms.
DEGETTE, Mr. DOOLEY of California, Mr. FROST, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr.
MCGOVERN, Ms. MCKINNEY, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr. OLVER, Mr.
OWENS, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. STUPAK, Mr. WAXMAN, and Mr.
WEYGAND) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Education and the Workforce
A BILL
To ensure excellent recruitment and training of math and
science teachers at institutions of higher education.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. TEACHER RECRUITMENT.
(a) FUTURE MATH
AND SCIENCE TEACHER RE-
CRUITMENT.—Title X of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1102 et seq.) is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following new part:
‘‘PART L—FUTURE MATH AND SCIENCE TEACHER
RECRUITMENT
‘‘SEC. 10995A. SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS.
‘‘(a) SHORT TITLE.—This part may be cited as the
‘Recruit and Reward Future Math and Science Teachers
of America Act of 2000’.
‘‘(b) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:
‘‘(1) United States high school students rate
16th and 19th, respectively, in science and math out
of 21 countries.
‘‘(2) Of United States high school students who
take physical science and math courses, 56 percent
and 27 percent, respectively, are taught by teachers
who did not prepare in that field.
‘‘(3) Teachers’ knowledge and skills powerfully
influence student learning.
‘‘(4) More than 2,000,000 teachers will need to
be hired over the next decade.
‘‘(5) The ability of the United States to place
highly qualified math and science teachers special-
izing in their field of instruction will depend on
proactive policies that increase funding for teacher
training, recruitment, and induction.
‘‘SEC. 10995B. PURPOSE; APPROPRIATIONS AUTHORIZED.
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this part to
make grants available, through a pilot program, to eligible
institutions described in section 10995C, to enable such
institutions to provide 500 scholarship awards to out-
standing students enrolled in an accredited teacher train-
ing graduate program who are committed to pursuing ca-
reers teaching math and science at an urban or rural sec-
ondary level classroom.
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part
$5,000,000 in each of the fiscal years 2001, 2002, and
2003.
‘‘SEC. 10995C. SCHOLARSHIP DESIGNATION AND SELEC-
TION CRITERIA.
‘‘(a) SCHOLARSHIP
DESIGNATION.—Funds made
available under this part shall be designated as the ‘Na-
tional Math and Science Teacher Scholarships’.
‘‘(b) SELECTION CRITERIA.—The Secretary of Edu-
cation may award funds for National Math and Science
Teacher Scholarships on a competitive basis to qualifying
higher education institutions with graduate programs in
teacher training. The Secretary may not provide any indi-
vidual higher education institution more than $100,000
per academic year for the purpose of the National Math
and Science Teacher Scholarships. An institution applying
for such scholarships may only be eligible to receive funds
if such institution is ranked by the Secretary in the top
25 percent of schools in the State in which the institution
is located with the highest percentage of graduates passing
the State teacher qualification assessment for new teach-
ers. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if there are
fewer than 4 such institutions in a State, only the institu-
tion with the highest percentage of such graduates shall
be eligible to receive funding.
‘‘(c) PRIORITIES.—The Secretary shall give priority
to eligible institutions that meet 1 or more of the following
criteria:
‘‘(1) Provide a year long internship program in
a professional development school.
‘‘(2) Provide mentoring programs for novice
teachers in their first 3 years.
‘‘(3) Demonstrate a history of placing grad-
uates in rural and urban schools.
‘‘(4) Demonstrate that there is a high retention
rate of teachers that the institution places in teach-
ing positions.
‘‘SEC. 10995D. INDIVIDUAL SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY.
‘‘An individual may be eligible for a National Math
and Science Teacher Scholarship only if such individual—
‘‘(1) is a citizen or national of the United
States or an alien lawfully admitted to the United
States for permanent residence;
‘‘(2) is majoring in a physical or life science or
mathematics graduate teacher training program;
‘‘(3) is enrolled in a higher education institution
that—
‘‘(A) is ranked by the Secretary in the top
25 percent of schools in the State in which the
institution is located with the highest percent-
age of graduates passing the State teacher
qualification assessment for new teachers; or
‘‘(B) if there are are fewer than 4 such in-
stitutions in a State, is the institution with the
highest percentage of such graduates; and
‘‘(4) is willing to teach math or science in a
rural or urban public secondary school for no less
than 3 full academic years.
‘‘SEC. 10995E. SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNT.
‘‘(a) AMOUNT OF AWARD.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The amount of a scholar-
ship awarded by participating teacher training grad-
uate programs under this part for any academic
year shall be $10,000 per student, except that in no
case shall the total amount of the scholarship exceed
the total cost of attendance.
‘‘(2) INSUFFICIENT FUNDS.—In any fiscal year
in which the amount appropriated to carry out this
part is insufficient to award 500 scholarships, the
Secretary shall reduce the number of awards to eligi-
ble institutions.
‘‘(b) ASSISTANCE NOT TO EXCEED COST OF AT-
TENDANCE.—No individual shall receive an award under
this part in any academic year which exceeds the cost of
attendance. A scholarship awarded under this part shall
not be reduced on the basis of the student’s receipt of
other forms of Federal student financial assistance.
‘‘SEC. 10995F. AGREEMENT; SCHOLARSHIP REPAYMENT
PROVISIONS.
‘‘(a) AGREEMENT.—Recipients of the National Math
and Science Teachers Scholarships shall agree to teach in
an urban or rural public secondary school for no less than
3 full academic years.
‘‘(b) REPAYMENT
FOR
FAILURE
TO
FULFILL
AGREEMENT.—Any recipients of a Scholarship found by
the Secretary to be in noncompliance with the agreement
entered into under subsection (a) of this section shall be
required to repay a pro rata amount of the scholarship
awards received, plus interest and, where applicable, rea-
sonable collection fees, on a schedule and at a rate of in-
terest prescribed by the Secretary by regulations.
‘‘SEC. 10995G. EXCEPTIONS TO REPAYMENT PROVISIONS.
‘‘An individual recipient of a Scholarship under this
part shall not be considered in violation of the agreement
entered into pursuant to section 10995F during any pe-
riod in which the recipient—
‘‘(1) is pursuing a full-time course of study in
math and science at an accredited institution;
‘‘(2) is serving, not in excess of 3 years, as a
member of the armed services of the United States;
‘‘(3) is temporarily disabled for a period of time
not to exceed 3 years as established by sworn affi-
davit of a qualified physician;
‘‘(4) is seeking and unable to find full-time em-
ployment for a single period not to exceed 12
months;
‘‘(5) is seeking and unable to find full-time em-
ployment as a math and science teacher in a public
or private nonprofit elementary or secondary school
or education program for a single period not to ex-
ceed 27 months;
‘‘(6) satisfies the provision of additional repay-
ment exceptions that may be prescribed by the Sec-
retary in regulations issued pursuant to this section;
or
‘‘(7) is permanently totally disabled, as estab-
lished by sworn affidavit of a qualified physician.
‘‘SEC. 10995H. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
‘‘Three years after the date on which funds are first
made available to carry out this part, the Secretary of
Education shall submit a report to Congress evaluating
the success of the National Math and Science Teacher
Scholarships pilot program in recruiting math and science
teachers to teach in America’s public secondary schools.’’.
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