lcalvobartolome/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Education — Excellence
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-02-13 00:00:00

Achievement Through Technology and Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2015

Amends title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to rename part D (Achievement through Technology and Innovation) as the Achievement Through Technology and Innovation Act of 2015 or the ATTAIN Act and to reauthorize it through FY2020.

Authorizes the Secretary of Education to reserve a portion of the part D funding to provide states with technical assistance and information in adopting evidence-based best practices for using technology to transform learning.

Directs the Secretary to allot part D grants to states on the basis of each state's share of school improvement funds under part A of title I of the ESEA.

Requires state grantees to develop and implement challenging academic content and achievement standards to ensure that students are technologically literate. Declares that such standards are only for tracking technological literacy and not for assessing adequate yearly progress (AYP) under title I. Permits the assessment of student performance in gaining technology literacy through embedding assessment items in other state tests or performance-based assessments portfolios or through other valid and reliable means.

Directs states to use the bulk of their allotment to award competitive subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to improve student learning, technology literacy, and achievement. Requires that priority be given to LEAs serving schools that have been identified as needing improvement.

Require an LEA to: (1) include a new or updated local long-range strategic educational technology plan in its subgrant application, (2) use up to 5% of its subgrant to evaluate its use of the subgrant, and (3) use its remaining subgrant to implement a plan for systemic school redesign through technology integration in at least one of its schools.

Requires the plans for systemic school redesign to include: (1) professional development activities for educators; (2) the acquisition and application of technology, in conjunction with curricular or instructional changes, to improve students' learning opportunities, academic achievement, and technical literacy; and (3) the acquisition and application of technology to identify individual student learning needs and support personalized learning.
Topic: Education — Excellence
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-02-20 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate on September 24, 2015. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

STEM Education Act of 2015

 (Sec. 3) Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to continue to award competitive, merit-reviewed grants to support: (1) research and development of innovative out-of-school STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) learning and emerging STEM learning environments; and (2) research that advances the field of informal STEM education.

Requires supported activities to include research and development that improves understanding of learning and engagement in informal environments and design and testing of innovative STEM resources for such environments to improve STEM learning outcomes and increase engagement for elementary and secondary school students and teachers and the public.

(Sec. 4) Amends the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 to allow award of NSF Master Teaching Fellowships to mathematics and science teachers who possess a bachelor's degree in their field (currently limited to those with a master's degree).

Requires fellowship grants to be used, in the case of Master Teaching Fellowships for teachers with bachelor's degrees in their field who are working toward a master's degree, to: (1) offer academic courses leading to a master's degree and leadership training to prepare individuals to become master teachers, and (2) offer programs both during and after matriculation to enable fellows to become highly effective mathematics and science teachers and to exchange ideas with others in their fields. Limits fellowship support during such a master's degree program to one year, with a prorated amount in the case of enrollment in a part-time program.

Includes elementary or secondary school computer science teachers as mathematics and science teachers for purposes of the program of teacher recruiting and training grants known as the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program.
Topic: Education — Excellence
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-02-24 00:00:00

Afterschool for America's Children Act

Amends the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program under part B of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). (21st Century Community Learning Centers provide students with before school, after school, and summer learning programs to improve their academic performance.)

Requires the Centers to provide students' families with opportunities for active and meaningful engagement in their children's education.

Includes Indian tribes or organizations among the local public or private entities that are eligible for grants from states to establish the Centers.

Allows states to use a portion of the part B funds allotted to them by the Secretary of Education to: (1) assist those Centers in aligning their before school, after school, and summer learning programs with the state's academic standards; and (2) ensure that those Centers partner with nonprofit organizations in the community that have had success in carrying out, or working with, those programs.

Requires states to: (1) award grants only to local entities that propose to serve students who primarily attend schools that are eligible for schoolwide programs under part A of title I of the ESEA, and (2) give priority to applicants that propose to serve students that attend schools that have been identified as needing improvement.

Requires states to use a rigorous peer review process in reviewing grant applications.

Prohibits the Secretary or states from giving funding priority to applicants that propose to use the funds to extend the regular school day.

Allows states to renew a grant under part B based on the grantee's performance during the original grant period.

Includes among the activities grants may fund: (1) core academic subject education activities, including those that allow students to recover or attain credits; (2) services for the disabled; (3) activities and programs that support global education and competence; (4) programs that support a healthy, active lifestyle; (5) literacy education programs; and (6) programs that build science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills and support innovative STEM teaching methods.

Requires students' academic performance and overall success to be taken into account in evaluating the performance of the Centers.

Reauthorizes the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program through FY2021.
Topic: Education — Excellence
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-02-25 00:00:00

STEM Support for Teachers in Education and Mentoring (STEM) Act or the STEM 2 Act

Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award competitive planning grants to states, Indian tribes or tribal organizations, nonprofit organizations, or institutions of higher education (IHEs) to develop effective state or tribal science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) networks that coordinate STEM education efforts by: (1) facilitating communication and collaboration among public and private STEM stakeholders, and (2) identifying STEM occupational skills needed in the future.

Directs the Secretary to award competitive grants to states, Indian tribes or tribal organizations, local educational agencies (LEAs), IHEs, or nonprofit organizations to develop, implement, and evaluate STEM education training programs for teachers and administrators in elementary, middle, and secondary schools and for preservice teachers in postsecondary schools.

Requires the Secretary to award competitive grants to states, Indian tribes or tribal organizations, LEAs, public charter schools, IHEs, or nonprofit organizations to support curriculum development, assessments, or related activities that enable states to adopt new mathematics and science academic standards.

Requires the Secretary to establish a national panel to identify and recommend the most effective STEM curricula models for kindergarten through grade 12.
Topic: Education — Excellence
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-03-19 00:00:00

Recognizing Achievement in Classified School Employees Act

Directs the Secretary of Education to award National Classified School Employee of the Year Awards to classified public school employees within certain occupational specialties who provide exemplary service to students in prekindergarten through higher education.

Requires the Secretary to choose an awardee each year, out of nominations received from each state, from one of the following occupational specialties: (1) paraprofessional services, (2) clerical and administrative services, (3) transportation services, (4) food and nutrition services, (5) custodial and maintenance services, (6) security services, (7) health and student services, (8) technical services, and (9) skilled trades.
Topic: Education — Excellence
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-04-23 00:00:00

Fitness Integrated Into Teaching Kids Act or the FIT Kids Act 

This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to reauthorize and amend the Carol M. White Physical Education Program. The program is administered by the Department of Education (ED) and awards grants to local educational agencies, community-based organizations, and states to initiate, expand, and improve physical education programs for kindergarten through 12th grade students.

Of the funds appropriated for the program, ED must reserve a portion to award competitive grants for states to implement comprehensive programs based on: (1) scientifically valid research, and (2) an analysis of need that considers indicators in a state system measuring conditions related to physical fitness, physical education, student health, and nutrition.

A state applying for a competitive grant must submit: (1) an analysis of needs in the areas of physical activity, physical education, fitness, and nutrition; (2) a plan for improvement; and (3) a description of how the state will implement a measurement system, coordinate with other state and federal programs, assist local educational agencies, and award subgrants.

States receiving competitive grants must: (1) reserve no more than 5% of the funds for administration, technical assistance, professional development for teachers, and a measurement system; and (2) use the remaining funds for competitive subgrants.

States receiving grants must also: establish a statewide physical education requirement, implement a measurement system, provide a public report including data from the measurement system, award subgrants using specified criteria, use the measurement system to assist subgrantees in addressing needs, provide professional development for teachers, and monitor subgrants.
Topic: Education — Excellence
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-04-28 00:00:00

Computer Science in STEM Act of 2015

This bill amends the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 to include computer science in that Act's definition of "STEM" as the academic and professional disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The Department of Education (ED) must award states: (1) two-year formula grants to develop comprehensive plans to strengthen elementary and secondary computer science education, and (2) competitive five-year matching grants to implement the improvements proposed in their comprehensive plans.

Proposed improvements must include: (1) challenging and grade-appropriate academic content standards for computer science, (2) grade-appropriate assessments of computer science learning, (3) programs to increase disadvantaged students' access to computer science courses, (4) computer science teacher training programs, (5) improved teacher certification or licensure requirements and processes, (6) programs to ensure that computer science courses are considered an integral part of the secondary school curriculum, (7) effective computer science curricula, and (8) computer science distance learning programs.

States must partner with institutions of higher education (IHEs) and local educational agencies in implementing such measures.

Favors implementation grant applicants that emphasize serving low-performing schools and increasing the participation in computer science by students underrepresented in computing.

The bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize ED to award five-year grants to IHEs to: (1) develop courses that prepare undergraduate students to teach elementary and secondary school computer science, and (2) develop and fund teacher mentoring programs to support new computer science teachers.

The bill amends the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 to include informatics and computer science majors and professionals in the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (the Program recruits and prepares science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors and professionals to become mathematics and science teachers).
Topic: Education — Excellence
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-04-29 00:00:00

STEM K to Career Act

This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to require the Department of Education to forgive student loan obligations of borrowers employed as full-time teachers of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) in elementary or secondary schools in which the number of low-income children exceeds a certain percentage.

Portions of the student loan debt, including interest, will be forgiven on the basis of years of service, with 100% forgiven for five years of teacher service.

 The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) an increased tax deduction for expenses by elementary and secondary school teachers for STEM education supplies; (2) a tax credit for the employment of STEM interns; and (3) a tax credit for employment of individuals who participated in an apprenticeship program in a STEM field, with the amount determined according to the degree of completion of a program.

 Beginning with FY2016, an institution of higher education must use at least 7% of federal work-study funds granted under HEA to compensate students employed in STEM fields.
Topic: Education — Excellence
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-04-30 00:00:00

Building Understanding, Investment, Learning, and Direction Career and Technical Education Act of 2015 or the BUILD Career and Technical Education Act of 2015

This bill directs the Department of Education to award competitive two-year grants to local educational agencies to support career and technical education exploration programs that provide middle and high school students with experiential learning opportunities that are connected to their education and career pathways.

Grant funds must be used for: (1) leasing, purchasing, upgrading, or adapting equipment related to program activities; (2) staff expenses in coordinating or implementing program activities; (3) consultation services that are directly aligned to program goals; (4) professional development programs that are aligned to program goals; (5) minor remodeling to accommodate program equipment; and/or (6) program evaluation.

The bill requires each grantee to develop a plan to evaluate specified outcomes.
Topic: Education — Excellence
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-05-21 00:00:00

Simon Wiesenthal Holocaust Education Assistance Act

This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Department of Education to award competitive grants to educational organizations to carry out proposed or existing Holocaust education programs.

Grants may not be used to supplant nonfederal funds the grantees would otherwise have used for Holocaust education programs.
Topic: Education — Excellence
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-06-12 00:00:00

This bill prohibits the National Science Foundation from obligating any amounts for the Polar Learning and Responding Climate Change Educational Partnership. (The Partnership uses novel educational approaches to engage adult learners and inform public understanding and response to climate change.)
Topic: Education — Excellence
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-06-16 00:00:00

Strengthen and Unite Communities with Civics Education and English Development Act of 2015

This bill amends the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act to: (1) award grants to states for integrated English literacy, U.S. history, and civics education programs; and (2) expand certain federally funded adult education and literacy activities to include such programs.

 This bill establishes the Office of Citizenship and Immigrant Integration to form national goals, assess and coordinate policies, and assist with other efforts related to new Americans. The office may award grants to states to form and operate State New American Councils to, among other activities: (1) develop, implement, or enhance plans to introduce new immigrants to a state; and (2) disseminate best practices pertaining to English acquisition and civics education.

The bill also establishes, as part of the general business credit, a tax credit for employer-provided adult English literacy and basic education programs. For the taxable year, the employer's credit is an amount equal to 20% of qualified education program expenses, or no more than $1,000 per full-time employee participating in the program.

In addition, the bill establishes the Presidential Award for Business Leadership in Promoting United States Citizenship to recognize businesses and other organizations, and a citizen award program to recognize naturalized citizens who have made an outstanding contribution to the United States.
Topic: Education — Excellence
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-07-09 00:00:00

Sandra Day O'Connor Civic Learning Act of 2015

This bill amends part C (Innovation for Teacher Quality) of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to repeal the We the People civic education program and replace it with a competitive grant program to promote civic learning and engagement, American history, geography, and economics.

The bill authorizes the Department of Education to award grants to nonprofit educational organizations to develop and implement such programs through instruction, professional development, and evaluation activities that promote equity, innovation, scalability, and accountability.
Topic: Education — Excellence
Subject: Science, technology, communications
Date: 2015-07-23 00:00:00

Planetary Leadership Utilizing Teaching and Observations Act or the PLUTO Act

This bill directs the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to use observations, measurements, data, and discoveries derived from the New Horizons mission to:

 enhance public awareness and appreciation for space exploration and engage the public in the process of scientific discovery; communicate the importance of planetary science to students and teachers; advance domestic science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education; promote mutually beneficial international scientific partnerships; and facilitate future progress in planetary science.
Topic: Education — Excellence
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-07-29 00:00:00

Middle School Technical Education Program Act or the Middle School STEP Act 

 Directs the Department of Education to:

 create a pilot program for career and technical education exploration programs, and award grants to eligible partnerships (local educational agencies, area career and technical education schools, educational service agencies, and other organizations) to develop a middle school career and technical education exploration program that transition to career and technical education programs of study.
Topic: Education — Excellence
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2015-09-18 00:00:00

STEM Education Opportunity Act

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) individual taxpayers a deduction from gross income for STEM (i.e., science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) higher education expenses; and (2) a business-related tax credit for contributions of STEM property (e.g., computer equipment and software, microscopes, and lab equipment), services, and training made to an elementary or secondary school to promote education in the biological sciences, mathematics, earth and physical sciences, computer and information science, engineering, geosciences, and social and behavioral sciences. The bill defines "STEM higher education expenses" to include any expenses incurred by an individual attending an institution of higher education who is majoring in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.

The Government Accountability Office must submit to Congress a report detailing: (1) the efficacy of this Act in increasing higher education enrollment in the fields of mathematics, science, engineering, and technology; and (2) any effect this Act has had on the price of higher education tuition in such fields.
Topic: Education — Excellence
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-09-18 00:00:00

Digital Learning Act of 2015

This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to establish a digital learning equity demonstration program that awards grants for developing, implementing, and evaluating strategies and methods to increase students' home access to the Internet and digital learning resources. This may include such practices as: (1) providing a targeted distribution of technology, such as a modem, that provides out-of-school Internet access to eligible students; (2) educating and training students, parents, and educators regarding the appropriate use of that technology outside of the classroom; and (3) evaluating the effectiveness of relevant strategies and methods.

The Federal Communications Commission must complete and publicly disseminate the finding of a national study on the educational trends and behaviors associated with access to digital learning resources outside of the classroom.
Topic: Education — Excellence
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-10-21 00:00:00

Diversity in Science Technology and Nurturing Capable Educators Act or the DISTANCE Act

This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Department of Education (ED) to award competitive merit-based scholarships to students who are pursuing bachelor's degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) with concurrent certification as kindergarten, elementary, and secondary school teachers.

It requires scholarship recipients to work for at least five academic years as a full-time STEM teacher at a public or private kindergarten or elementary or secondary school during the seven-year period beginning within one year after they complete their studies.

It awards scholarships for one academic year of study at a time, but makes them renewable on an annual basis if their recipients meet certain measures of academic progress.

Scholarship recipients may enter into agreements with ED that provide them with a bonus in exchange for performing their service in a high-need local educational agency for a period equivalent to the period for which they receive the bonus.

This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize ED to award competitive matching grants to up to 50 institutions of higher education to establish, strengthen, and operate four-year undergraduate degree programs that enable students to concurrently: (1) earn a STEM bachelor's degree; and (2) be certified to teach kindergarten, elementary, or secondary school.

It awards those grants one fiscal year at a time, but makes them renewable on an annual basis for up to five years.