SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) According to studies by the National Acad-
emy of Engineering, there is a widespread interest 
in improving science, technology, engineering, and 
mathematics (STEM) education in elementary and 
secondary schools. 
(2) STEM education is important in part be-
cause it can develop student interest and aptitude in 
subjects directly relevant to the Nation’s capacity for 
research and innovation. This capacity is largely 
credited with supporting United States economic 
health, national security, and quality of life. 
(3) STEM education contributes to scientific 
and technological literacy, important attributes for 
all citizens. 
(4) Science is the intellectual and practical ac-
tivity encompassing the systematic study of the 
structure and behavior of the physical and natural 
world through observation and experiment. 
(5) Engineering is the application of scientific 
and mathematical principles to innovate, analyze, de-
sign, evaluate, and manufacture machines, processes, 
and systems. 
(6) The share of engineering education in the 
Federal STEM education portfolio, according to a 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:20 Jul 12, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5679.IH
H5679
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
survey by the National Science and Technology 
Council, 
is 
only 
0.4 
percent 
of 
the 
nearly 
$3,500,000,000 annual expenditures. 
(7) Available evidence suggests that pre-college 
engineering education can stimulate interest and im-
prove learning in mathematics and science as well as 
improve understanding of engineering and tech-
nology. 
(8) Engineering education is a vital component 
in attaining licensure as a professional engineer that 
requires rigorous education, training, experience, 
and continuing education. 
(9) According to the National Academy of En-
gineering there is relatively limited experience with 
engineering education in elementary and secondary 
schools. 
(10) Some States have included engineering in 
their science or technology and vocational standards, 
and many school districts provide informal or after- 
school engineering education. 
(11) The Next Generation Science Standards 
developed by a consortium of States, the National 
Science Teachers Association, the American Associa-
tion for the Advancement of Science, the National 
Research Council, and Achieve has identified content 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:20 Jul 12, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5679.IH
H5679
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
and science and engineering practices that all stu-
dents should learn from kindergarten to high school 
graduation. States and local districts will have the 
responsibility for providing more detailed guidance 
to classroom teachers to help students learn the key 
ideas in the standards. 
(12) According to the National Academy of En-
gineering there is not at present a critical mass of 
teachers qualified to deliver engineering instruction. 
(13) It is imperative that teachers have relevant 
professional training that coordinates concepts in en-
gineering with the diverse learning styles of stu-
dents. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 
the Director of the National Science Foundation. 
(2) ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘elemen-
tary school’’ has the meaning given that term by 
section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given that term by section 101(a) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:20 Jul 12, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5679.IH
H5679
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(4) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.—The term 
‘‘local educational agency’’ has the meaning given 
that term by section 8101 of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(5) SECONDARY
SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘sec-
ondary school’’ has the meaning given that term by 
section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(6) STEM EDUCATION.—The term ‘‘STEM 
education’’ has the meaning given that term in sec-
tion 2 of the STEM Education Act of 2015 (42 
U.S.C. 6621 note). 
SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall establish a 
grant program to encourage States and local educational 
agencies to develop and implement sustainable engineering 
education programs in elementary and secondary schools 
through public-private partnerships to— 
(1) conduct research, review, and analyze the 
effectiveness of existing formal and informal re-
search-based instructional materials; 
(2) select or develop new research-based in-
structional materials; 
(3) teach students the overall analytical ap-
proach used in engineering to prepare them to deal 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:20 Jul 12, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5679.IH
H5679
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
with complex technical and non-technical problems 
and issues; 
(4) prepare students who may enter STEM-re-
lated careers; 
(5) prepare students who may pursue engineer-
ing studies in college; 
(6) increase participation of underrepresented 
student groups in the engineering pipeline; and 
(7) provide professional development for pre- 
service and in-service teachers to teach pre-college 
engineering. 
(b) ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS.—Grants under this sec-
tion shall be provided to an institution of higher education, 
with at least two co-principal investigators, one from the 
college of engineering and one from the college of edu-
cation, except that if the institution does not have colleges 
of both engineering and education, faculty from a college 
of education or engineering from another institution in the 
area of jurisdiction of the same local educational agency 
or the same State may participate as a co-principal inves-
tigator. 
(c) CONSORTIA.—Public private partnerships shall be 
established for program coordination, consisting of, but 
not limited to— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:20 Jul 12, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5679.IH
H5679
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(1) an institution or institutions of higher edu-
cation described in subsection (b); 
(2) one or more local educational agencies in 
the same State as the institution or institutions de-
scribed in paragraph (1), with participation by at 
least three elementary or secondary schools; and 
(3) one or more private sector or government 
organizations in the same State that employ one or 
more engineers. 
(d) GRANTS.— 
(1) DURATION; DISTRIBUTION.—Grants under 
this section shall be awarded in amounts sufficient 
to cover a period of four years. 
(2) FIRST 2-YEAR PERIOD.— 
(A) GRANT
ACTIVITIES.—The first two 
years of funding provided under a grant shall 
be used for the selection, development, or both 
of research-based and evidenced-based— 
(i) engineering instructional materials 
that respond to local needs; and 
(ii) professional training and meth-
odologies guidelines for teachers associated 
with engineering concepts and approaches. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:20 Jul 12, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5679.IH
H5679
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(B) NATURE
OF
MATERIALS.—Instruc-
tional materials developed pursuant to subpara-
graph (A)(i) shall— 
(i) emphasize— 
(I) engineering fundamentals and 
concepts; 
(II) engineering design, manufac-
turing, and testing; and 
(III) essential skills such as sys-
tems thinking, creativity, teamwork, 
communication, and ethical consider-
ations; 
(ii) be designed to introduce students 
to modern engineering tools such as com-
puter-aided design, computer-aided manu-
facturing, statistical analysis, codes and 
standards, human factors, and reliability 
analysis; 
(iii) provide information for teachers 
on science inquiry activities related to engi-
neering; and 
(iv) be aligned with and integrated 
into relevant science, engineering, and 
mathematics standards that may exist in 
the State or may be developed. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:20 Jul 12, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5679.IH
H5679
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(3) SECOND 2-YEAR PERIOD.— 
(A) PILOT
INSTRUCTIONAL
PROGRAM.— 
The third year of funding provided under a 
grant shall be used for the implementation in 
one elementary or secondary school of an engi-
neering education program— 
(i) based on the instructional mate-
rials selected or developed under paragraph 
(2); and 
(ii) using engineering students and 
pre-service teachers from the institution or 
institutions described in subsection (b) as 
mentors for the elementary or secondary 
school students. 
(B) 
EXPANDED
INSTRUCTIONAL
PRO-
GRAM.—The fourth year of funding provided 
under a grant shall be used for the implementa-
tion of the engineering instructional education 
program in the remaining elementary or sec-
ondary schools described in subsection (c)(2), as 
revised based on evaluation of the third year ex-
perience. 
(e) APPLICATIONS.— 
(1) REQUIRED COMMITMENTS.—An application 
for a grant under this section shall demonstrate 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:20 Jul 12, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5679.IH
H5679
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
strong long-term commitment for the proposed pro-
gram from— 
(A) the institution or institutions described 
in subsection (b), through— 
(i) providing laboratory and instruc-
tional space; 
(ii) establishing ongoing professional 
training programs for pre-service and in- 
service teachers and teachers in-residence; 
and 
(iii) collaboration with the local edu-
cational agency or agencies described in 
subsection (c)(2), private sector or govern-
ment organizations described in subsection 
(c)(3), and nonprofit educational enter-
prises, as appropriate; 
(B) the local educational agency described 
in subsection (c)(2) and the State, including 
commitments— 
(i) to provide total funding to the in-
stitution or institutions of higher education 
described in subsection (b) or the elemen-
tary or secondary schools described in sub-
section (c)(2), or both, collectively with or-
ganizations described in subparagraph 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:20 Jul 12, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5679.IH
H5679
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(C)(i), at least as great as that provided by 
the grant awarded under this section; 
(ii) to support continuance or expan-
sion of the engineering education program 
after the expiration of grant funding under 
this section, with the goal of offering engi-
neering education in all elementary and 
secondary schools under the jurisdiction of 
the local educational agency or agencies; 
and 
(iii) for continuing collaboration with 
the institution or institutions described in 
subsection (b) and private sector or gov-
ernment organizations described in sub-
section (c)(3); and 
(C) private sector or government organiza-
tions through— 
(i) financial support to the institution 
or institutions of higher education de-
scribed in subsection (b) or the elementary 
or secondary schools described in sub-
section (c)(2); 
(ii) participation of personnel in the 
development and implementation of the 
program; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:20 Jul 12, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5679.IH
H5679
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(iii) provision of expertise, equipment, 
and materials; 
(iv) provisions of guidance on instruc-
tional materials and needed supplies and 
equipment; or 
(v) other support. 
(2) SELECTION.—A sufficient number of new 
grants shall be made in each fiscal year, subject to 
the availability of appropriations to achieve a meas-
urable impact. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—No addi-
tional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this Act. This Act shall be carried out using amounts 
otherwise made available for such purposes. 
SEC. 5. STUDY. 
Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Director shall enter into an arrangement 
with the National Academy of Engineering for a study 
to— 
(1) conduct a formal review of the activities 
under this Act and analyze the extent to which such 
activities will change the quality, scale, equity, and 
impact of pre-college engineering education, specifi-
cally taking into account how the development of 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:20 Jul 12, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5679.IH
H5679
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
teaching guidelines and instructional materials 
under this Act could contribute to such change; 
(2) benchmark the results with relevant recent 
studies conducted by cognizant organizations and 
the National Academy of Engineering; and 
(3) recommend if revisions to the program es-
tablished under this Act are needed to establish en-
gineering education in all secondary schools across 
the United States. 
SEC. 6. ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS. 
Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Director shall 
provide a report to Congress on activities and results 
under this Act. Such reports shall describe— 
(1) the total number of grant applications re-
ceived in each year; 
(2) the number and geographic distribution of 
the grants each year and in total; 
(3) participation of minority-serving institutions 
of higher education such as historically black col-
leges and universities and Hispanic-serving institu-
tions; 
(4) participation of underrepresented student 
groups; 
(5) plans for collaboration among grantees; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:20 Jul 12, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5679.IH
H5679
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(6) overall program outcomes and issues of con-
cern; and 
(7) recommendations for program revisions to 
achieve the desired program outcome. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:20 Jul 12, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H5679.IH
H5679
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS