I
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2724
To provide assistance to States to enable such States to raise the quality
of instruction in mathematics and science by providing equipment and
materials necessary for hands-on instruction.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 23, 1993
Mr. SAWYER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and Labor
A BILL
To provide assistance to States to enable such States to
raise the quality of instruction in mathematics and
science by providing equipment and materials necessary
for hands-on instruction.
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 ‘‘Elementary Science
Facilities Act’’.
SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.
It is the purpose of this Act to raise the quality of
instruction in mathematics and science in the Nation’s ele-
mentary schools by providing equipment and materials
necessary for hands-on instruction through assistance to
State and local educational agencies.
SEC. 3. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
(a) GRANTS.—The Secretary is authorized to make
allotments to State educational agencies under section 4
to enable such agencies to award grants to local edu-
cational agencies for the purpose of providing equipment
and materials to elementary schools to improve mathe-
matics and science education in such schools.
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated $30,000,000 for each
of fiscal years 1994, 1995, and 1996 to carry out this
Act.
SEC. 4. ALLOTMENTS OF FUNDS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—From the amount appropriated
under section 3(b) for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall
reserve—
(1) not more than one-half of 1 percent for al-
lotment among Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin
Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic
of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Mi-
cronesia, and the Republic of Palau according to
their respective needs for assistance under this Act;
and
(2) one-half of 1 percent for programs for In-
dian students served by schools funded by the Sec-
retary of the Interior which are consistent with the
purposes of this part.
(b) ALLOTMENT.—From the amount not reserved
pursuant to subsection (a), the Secretary shall allot among
State educational agencies as follows:
(1) One-half of such remainder shall be distrib-
uted among the State educational agencies by allot-
ting to each State educational agency an amount
which bears the same ratio to such one-half of such
remainder as the number of children aged 5 to 11,
inclusive, in the State bears to the number of such
children in all States.
(2) One-half of such remainder shall be distrib-
uted among the State educational agencies according
to each State’s share of allocations under chapter 1
of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965.
(c) DEFINITIONS.—For the purposes of this Act—
(1) the term ‘‘elementary school’’ has the same
meaning given such term in section 1471(8) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965;
(2) the term ‘‘local educational agency’’ has the
same meaning given such term in section 1471(12)
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965;
(3) the term ‘‘Secretary’’, unless otherwise
specified, means the Secretary of Education;
(4) the term ‘‘State’’ means each of the 50
States, the District of Columbia, and the Common-
wealth of Puerto Rico; and
(5) the term ‘‘State educational agency’’ has
the same meaning given to such term by section
1471(23) of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965.
(d) DATA.—The number of children aged 5 to 11,
inclusive, in the State and in all States shall be determined
by the Secretary on the basis of the most recent satisfac-
tory data available to the Secretary.
SEC. 5. STATE GRANTS.
(a) APPLICATION.—Each State educational agency
desiring to receive an allotment under this Act shall file
an application with the Secretary which covers a period
of 3 fiscal years. Such application shall be filed at such
time, in such manner, and containing or accompanied by
such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.
(b) CONTENTS OF APPLICATION.—Each application
described in subsection (a) shall—
(1) provide assurances that—
(A) the State educational agency shall use
the allotment provided under this Act to award
grants to local educational agencies within the
State to enable such local educational agencies
to carry out the purpose of this Act;
(B) the State educational agency will pro-
vide such fiscal control and funds accounting as
the Secretary may require;
(C) every elementary school in the State is
eligible to receive a grant under this Act once
over the 3-year duration of the program as-
sisted under this Act;
(D) funds provided under this Act will sup-
plement, not supplant, State and local funds
made available for activities authorized under
this Act;
(E) during the 3-year period described in
the application, the State educational agency
will evaluate its standards and programs for
teacher preparation and inservice professional
development for elementary teachers of mathe-
matics and science;
(F) the State educational agency will take
into account the needs for greater access to and
participation in mathematics and science by
students 
and 
teachers 
from 
historically
underrepresented groups, including females, mi-
norities, individuals with limited-English pro-
ficiency, the economically disadvantaged, and
individuals with disabilities; and
(G) that the needs of teachers and stu-
dents in areas with high concentrations of low-
income students and sparsely populated areas
will be considered in awarding grants under this
Act;
(2) provide a description of how funds paid
under this Act will be used with State and local
funds and other Federal resources, particularly with
respect to programs for the professional development
and inservice training of elementary school teachers
in science and mathematics; and
(3) describe procedures—
(A) for submitting applications for pro-
grams described in sections 6 and 7 for dis-
tribution of payments under this Act within the
State; and
(B) for approval of applications by the
State educational agency, including appropriate
procedures to assure that such agency will not
(4) describe the process which will be used to
determine different levels of grant amounts to be
awarded to schools with different needs.
(c) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants, the State edu-
cational agency shall give priority to applications that—
(1) assign highest priority to schools which are
most seriously under-equipped;
(2) 
are 
attentive 
to 
the 
needs 
of
underrepresented groups in science and mathe-
matics;
(3) demonstrate how science and mathematics
equipment will be part of a comprehensive plan of
curriculum planning or implementation and teacher
training supporting hands-on laboratory activities;
and
(4) include plans for dissemination of lessons
and activities using grant equipment and materials
to teachers in schools not receiving grants.
SEC. 7. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.
(a) COORDINATION.—Each State educational agency
receiving a grant under this Act shall—
(1) disseminate information to school districts
and schools, including private schools, regarding the
grant program;