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107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 573
To provide grants to State educational agencies and local educational agencies
for the provision of classroom-related technology training for elementary
and secondary school teachers.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 13, 2001
Mrs. CAPPS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Education and the Workforce
A BILL
To provide grants to State educational agencies and local
educational agencies for the provision of classroom-re-
lated technology training for elementary and secondary
school teachers.
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 ‘‘Teacher Technology
Training Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Between 1994 and 2005, more than
1,000,000 new computer scientists and engineers,
system analysts, and computer programmers will be
required in the United States.
(2) Today’s elementary school and secondary
school students need effective computer training in
schools so that the students can effectively compete
in tomorrow’s job market.
(3) More schools are using computers than ever
before creating a greater need for teachers to utilize
computer equipment effectively in a classroom set-
ting.
(4) In just 3 years, the percentage of public
schools with Internet access increased from 35 per-
cent in the fall of 1994 to 78 percent in the fall of
1997, with 98 percent of all schools owning com-
puters.
(5) The need for teachers who have knowledge
and mastery of computer skills in the classroom is
great.
(6) Schools need increased funding to serve the
computer and technology needs of their rapidly
growing student populations.
(7) Only 23 percent of elementary school and
secondary school teachers feel qualified in using
computers and related technology, according to the
Department of Education.
SEC. 3 DEFINITIONS.
The terms used in this Act have the meanings given
the terms in section 14101 of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965.
SEC. 4. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary is authorized to
award grants to State educational agencies to enable the
State educational agencies to award grants to local edu-
cational agencies for the provision of classroom-related
technology training for licensed or certified elementary
school or secondary school teachers.
(b) NEED BASIS.—Each State educational agency
that receives a grant under this Act shall use the grant
funds to award grants to local educational agencies in the
State on the basis of the local educational agencies’ dem-
onstrated need for strengthening teacher training in the
use of technology in instruction.
(c) DURATION.—A grant made under this Act shall
be awarded for a period not to exceed 5 years.
SEC. 5. GRANT AWARD.
(a) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible to receive a grant
under this Act—
(1) a State educational agency shall submit an
application to the Secretary at such time and in
such form as the Secretary may require; and
(2) a local educational agency shall submit an
application to the State educational agency at such
time and in such form as the State educational
agency may require.
(b) NUMBER.—A State educational agency shall
award not less than one grant under this Act to a local
educational agency in the State that meets the criteria for
the grant award that are established by the Secretary. If
the amount appropriated under section 8 for a fiscal year
is $50,000,000 or greater, the Secretary shall award one
grant to each State educational agency that applies and
serves one of the 50 States of the United States.
SEC. 6. USES OF FUNDS.
A local educational agency that receives a grant
under this Act may use the grant funds to strengthen in-
struction and learning, provide professional development,
and pay the costs of training, related to the use of tech-
nologies in instruction. A local educational agency that re-
ceives a grant under this Act may use the grant funds
to provide training by local educational agency personnel
on school premises.
SEC. 7. EVALUATION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after the
Secretary first awards grants under this Act, the Sec-
retary shall evaluate the technology training programs for
teachers developed by local educational agencies under this
Act.
(b) DISSEMINATION
OF RESULTS.—The Secretary
shall collect information related to the evaluation and
make available to the public upon request the results of
the evaluation.
(c) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—The Secretary may
use not more than 2 percent of the total amount appro-
priated under section 8 for fiscal year 2000 to conduct
the evaluation under subsection (a).
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out
this Act $100,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2002,
2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006.
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