(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided under 
paragraph (2), the grant awarded to the consortium 
under this section shall be not more than 
$20,000,000. 
(2) ADDITIONAL FUNDS.—For each fiscal year 
of the grant period, the Secretary of Education shall 
award to the consortium awarded a grant under this 
section $2,000,000 for each additional State that is 
a member of the consortium beyond the minimum 5 
States required under subsection (d). 
(d) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT.—To be eligible to 
receive a grant under this section, the consortium shall 
include at least 5 States considering the need to provide 
an equitable geographic representation of the United 
States, according to the regional divisions used by the Bu-
reau of the Census. 
(e) USE OF GRANT FUNDS.—The consortium shall 
use the grant funds awarded under this section for the 
following purposes: 
(1) To establish the State Consortium on 
STEM Education. 
(2) To convene an Interstate Council on 
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics 
Education (which may be referred to as the Inter-
state Council on STEM Education) that includes a 
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diverse group of individuals representing a variety of 
perspectives on STEM education, the STEM dis-
ciplines, business, curriculum, assessments, English 
language learners, and special education, includ-
ing— 
(A) representatives from States that shall 
include not less one State Governor, one Chief 
State School Officer, and one representative of 
a State educational agency or their designee; 
(B) representatives from local educational 
agencies (LEAs) that shall include not less than 
one current school administrator, and three ex-
pert STEM educators that represent early 
childhood, elementary, middle, and secondary 
school perspectives; 
(C) not less than 4 representatives from 
STEM education and the STEM fields at insti-
tutions of higher education that include commu-
nity colleges, and public and private four-year 
institutions of higher education; 
(D) not less than one representative from 
a STEM education professional organization, 
such as but not limited to the National Science 
Teachers Association, the National Council for 
Teachers of Mathematics, those representing 
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engineering educators, career and technical edu-
cation, and organizations that represent under-
represented communities in STEM; and 
(E) not less than one representative from 
each of the following categories of relevant 
STEM related organizations: informal STEM 
education, business and industry, a STEM dis-
ciplinary or professional society, private or cor-
porate foundations, and other relevant organi-
zations. 
(3) To support at least one full-time staff mem-
ber for each State. 
(4) To share STEM education research, prom-
ising practices and exemplary programs, and pro-
grams through the NSERR. 
(f) FUNCTIONS.—The State Consortium on STEM 
Education— 
(1) shall establish small working groups com-
prised of members of the State Council on STEM 
Education and outside experts in appropriate fields 
consulting widely to address the functions outlined 
in this subsection; 
(2) shall identify points of weakness and 
strength among State STEM education efforts, 
prioritize strategies for addressing problem areas, 
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and communicate State needs to the STEM Edu-
cation Committee within the OSTP and the Assist-
ant Secretary for STEM Education; 
(3) shall develop rigorous common content 
standards in STEM education for grades prekinder-
garten through grade 12 reflecting common elements 
between disciplines with consideration of— 
(A) established international standards and 
21st Century Skills; and 
(B) the needs of English language learners 
and special education students; 
(4) shall develop and implement strategies to 
integrate STEM education into other subject areas, 
such as language arts, social studies, physical and 
health education, music and other performing arts, 
and environmental education; 
(5) shall develop innovative STEM assessment 
practices that include a substantial proportion of ex-
tended constructed response items, such as perform-
ance-based measures, that measure higher order 
thinking skills and understanding, application and 
transferability knowledge, problem solving, analysis, 
and synthesis, and include administration through a 
variety of modalities, such as audio-visual and inter-
active technology; 
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(6) shall identify and utilize, to the maximum 
extent possible, the expertise and resources of edu-
cators, institutions of higher education, business and 
industry, and Federal agencies in the development 
and implementation of functions outlined in this 
subsection; 
(7) shall develop strategies to increase the par-
ticipation and success of individuals identified in sec-
tion 33 or 34 of the Science and Engineering Equal 
Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b) in 
STEM fields with consideration of first generation 
students; 
(8) shall issue periodic reports on the status of 
STEM education in the States; 
(9) shall make STEM education research, 
promising practices and exemplary programs, and 
effective STEM programs widely available through 
the NSERR; 
(10) may establish and strengthen partnerships 
between two-year colleges and minority serving insti-
tutions and research institutions to provide STEM 
students at two-year colleges and minority serving 
institutions (MSIs) expanded degree possibilities and 
opportunities to access research facilities and men-
tors including but not limited to— 
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(A) conducting a needs assessment of how 
to enhance the flow of STEM students from 
two-year colleges and MSIs to research institu-
tions; and 
(B) establishing articulation agreements 
that shall address pathways and credit transfers 
between the institutions; 
(11) may improve and align STEM preservice 
teacher training among the member States, includ-
ing but not limited to developing common— 
(A) STEM preservice teacher training de-
gree programs; 
(B) STEM teacher credentials; and 
(C) alternative pathways to STEM teacher 
certification; 
(12) may promote and develop curriculum tools 
and professional development for inservice teachers 
that foster innovation and inventiveness; 
(13) may evaluate the impact that STEM edu-
cation professional development organizations have 
on classroom instruction and student learning in 
member States; 
(14) may provide technical support to States 
who are members of the Consortium to establish or 
strengthen existing P–16 and/or P–20 Councils and 
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to align secondary school graduation requirements 
with the demands of 21st century postsecondary 
education endeavors and support P–16 education 
data systems established by States and in section 
6401 of the America COMPETES Act (Public Law 
110–69; 121 Stat. 668; 20 U.S.C. 9871), and serve 
as a resource center for the STEM Education ef-
forts of P–16 and/or P–20 Councils; 
(15) may develop STEM Career Awareness 
Programs in collaboration with school guidance 
counselors that reflect the projected STEM work-
force needs of the 21st century that may include 
mentoring programs and STEM professional out-
reach; and 
(16) may develop STEM-related workforce edu-
cation and training programs to enhance the skills 
of workers to meet the needs of business and indus-
try. 
(g) OUTSIDE FUNDS.—The State Consortium on 
STEM Education shall be permitted to accept and solicit 
outside funds. 
(h) EVALUATION AND REPORT.—The State Consor-
tium on STEM Education shall conduct an annual inde-
pendent evaluation, by grant or by contract, of the State 
Consortium on STEM Education’s effectiveness at accom-
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plishing the functions outlined in subsection (e), which 
shall include— 
(1) an assessment of the impact of such activi-
ties on STEM teaching and learning; and 
(2) the preparation and submission of an an-
nual report on the results of the evaluation described 
in paragraph (1) to the Assistant Secretary of 
STEM Education. 
(i) PROHIBITIONS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—In implementing this sec-
tion, the Secretary may not— 
(A) endorse, approve, or sanction any 
STEM curriculum designed for use in any 
school; or 
(B) engage in oversight, technical assist-
ance, or activities that will require the adoption 
of a specific STEM program or instructional 
materials by a State, local educational agency, 
or school. 
SEC. 8. NATIONAL STEM EDUCATION RESEARCH REPOSI-
TORY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—From amounts made available to 
carry out this section, the Secretary of Education, acting 
through the Office of STEM Education, shall make a 
grant to the National Science Digital Library for use by 
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the Library to establish a National STEM Education Re-
search Repository to coordinate and organize scientifically 
valid STEM education research, and STEM education 
programs that demonstrate promising practices and exem-
plary programs, among governmental and nongovern-
mental agencies. 
(b) USE OF GRANT AMOUNTS.—The recipient of the 
grant under subsection (a) shall use the grant to provide 
basic operational support to the NSERR, including con-
tent development and maintenance, office space, equip-
ment, personnel, and other operational costs. 
(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The NSERR shall have the 
following responsibilities: 
(1) Integrating existing STEM education collec-
tions, teacher professional development opportunities 
and student programs available through the Federal 
Agencies and including, but not limited to, Science 
Education Resource Center, Research from Institu-
tions of Higher Education, Regional Education Cen-
ters (labs, comprehensive centers, and technical as-
sistance centers), Applied Math and Science Reposi-
tory, Education Resources Information Center 
(ERIC), State initiatives, national experts, and oth-
ers. 
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(2) Developing criteria for STEM education re-
search and promising practices and exemplary pro-
grams, in collaboration with relevant STEM edu-
cation experts, for inclusion in the NSERR. 
(3) Publishing, not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the criteria devel-
oped under paragraph (2). 
(4) Ensuring that STEM education research, 
promising practices, have been evaluated by experts, 
and those and exemplary programs meeting the es-
tablished minimum criteria in paragraph (2) are 
made widely available. 
(5) Providing summaries of STEM education 
research and promising practices and exemplary pro-
grams that were submitted and evaluated under 
paragraph (4), including contact information for 
questions, an example of successful implementation, 
and other information that may be beneficial to edu-
cators. 
(d) OUTSIDE FUNDS.—The NSERR shall be per-
mitted to accept and solicit outside funds. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated $1,500,000 to carry out 
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this section for fiscal year 2009 and such sums as may 
be necessary for each fiscal year thereafter. 
Æ 
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