I
104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3921
To recognize businesses which show an exemplary commitment to participat-
ing with schools to enhance educators’ technology capabilities and to
make every student technologically literate.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 30, 1996
Ms. WOOLSEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities
A BILL
To recognize businesses which show an exemplary commit-
ment to participating with schools to enhance educators’
technology capabilities and to make every student techno-
logically literate.
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 ‘‘Business and Edu-
cation Sharing Technology Act (BEST)’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSES.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress makes the following
findings:
Member represents of the recognition program and re-
quest nominations of local businesses for recognition.
(b) SENATE.—Members of the United States Senate,
who choose to participate in this program, shall notify the
State educational agency to request nominations of busi-
nesses engaged in statewide or regional technology part-
nerships with schools.
(c) NOMINATIONS.—Such nominations shall, if avail-
able, include—
(1) name of business;
(2) address of business;
(3) Internet address of business;
(4) a description of the partnership between
school or school district and the business, including
the specific services provided by the business to the
school;
(5) a description of how the partnership is help-
ing to enhance the technological capabilities of edu-
cators or to make every student technologically lit-
erate; and
(6) a description of why the partnership is ex-
emplary.
(d) SELECTION.—Members shall appoint a board of
qualified individuals to select, through a competitive proc-
ess, the businesses engaged in regional or statewide tech-
nology partnerships with schools to receive a BEST
award.
SEC. 4. CRITERIA.
To be eligible to receive a BEST recognition award—
(1) a business must be in an active partnership
with a school, consortium of schools, or local edu-
cational agency;
(2) the purpose of the partnership must be to
enhance educators’ technology capabilities and con-
tribute to making every student technologically lit-
erate;
(3) the partnership must have a plan to en-
hance educators’ technology capabilities or contrib-
ute to making every student technologically literate
which can be shared with other schools; and
(4) the partnership activities must be of a high
level of quality.
SEC. 5. NATIONAL RECOGNITION.
(a) NOMINATION INFORMATION.—Not later than
April 1st of each year beginning in 1997, the board ap-
pointed under section 3(d) will forward the information
regarding the business selected for recognition to the
White House and to the Department of Education.
(b) CEREMONY.—Not later than June 15th of each
year beginning in 1997, the White House shall convene
a ceremony to honor the businesses whose names have
been received from such board.
SEC. 6. DISSEMINATION.
Using online dissemination capabilities and the infor-
mation gathered pursuant to section 3(c), the Department
of Education will make information and descriptions re-
garding the programs and partnerships that are chosen
for a BEST recognition award available to schools nation-
wide.
SEC. 7. PRIVATE DONATIONS.
No funds are authorized to carry out this Act. The
White House ceremony and the dissemination by the De-
partment of Education shall not occur unless all costs as-
sociated with such activities are donated by private dona-
tions.
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