zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
Knowledge and Innovation for the Next Generation of Learning Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of Education to establish the National Center for Knowledge Use (Center) within the Institute of Education Sciences to foster and support the use of scientifically valid education research to improve academic instruction and lifelong learning. Requires the Center to establish a Developing What Works Venture Fund program that awards competitive grants to entities that develop, bring to scale, and disseminate educational innovations based on scientifically valid research. Directs the Center to provide grants to states to employ corps of Chief Knowledge Officers that connect educators and administrators with research-based solutions to the most critical problems of practice in local educational agencies and chronically low-performing schools. Makes each state's share of the grant funds equivalent to its share of school improvement funds under part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Establishes the National Leadership Office for Research to Innovation in the Department of Education to: (1) ensure that educational practices, policies, and investments based on scientifically valid research are brought to scale and fully coordinated across the federal government; (2) encourage the use of new technologies in appropriate research-based educational efforts; (3) support the effective coordination of federally supported education research programs; and (4) promote the coordinated administration of research-based education programs and services by means of an interagency task force.

Date: 2010-12-21
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act of 2009 - Establishes in the executive branch the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation. Requires the Foundation to award grants, increasingly for study in nontraditional study abroad destinations, to: (1) U.S. students; (2) nongovernmental institutions that provide and promote study abroad opportunities for U.S. students, in consortium with institutions of higher education (IHEs); and (3) IHEs, individually or in consortium. Declares the sense of Congress on the distribution of such grants among individuals and institutions. Directs the the Comptroller General to review the operations of the Foundation.

Date: 2009-02-25
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: International affairs
Amends title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to rename part D (Achievement through Technology and Innovation) and reauthorize it through FY2015. Alters the current program to require states to use a portion of their allotted funds to develop challenging academic content and achievement standards to ensure that students are technologically literate before the end of grade eight. Specifies that such standards are only for tracking technological literacy and not for assessing adequate yearly progress (AYP) under title I. Permits technological literacy testing to be embedded in other state tests or performance-based assessments portfolios, or made through other valid and reliable means. Requires states to use the bulk of their part D allotment for two new subgrant programs for local educational agencies (LEAs), devoting: (1) 60% for formula subgrants to improve teaching and learning through technology; and (2) 40% for competitive subgrants for systemic school redesign through technology integration. Requires LEAs to: (1) include a new or updated local long-range strategic educational technology plan in their applications; (2) use a specified percentage of each subgrant for teacher training; and (3) use each subgrant to acquire and apply technology to identify individual student learning needs and support individualized learning. Allows LEAs that receive funds for both programs to use all the funds for systemic school redesign through technology integration program activities. Directs the Secretary of Education to: (1) conduct an annual national study and report on the extent to which student technology literacy is attained by grade eight; (2) annually publish the results of state technology literacy assessments; and (3) implement, and update every five years, a National Education Technology Plan. Requires the Secretary to award a competitive grant to an education technology research entity, or a partnership comprising such an entity and one or more educational, nonprofit, or research entities, to establish a National Center for Achievement Through Technology that will identify and disseminate promising practices and exemplary programs that effectively use educational technologies.

Date: 2009-04-02
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
National Foreign Language Coordination Act of 2009 - Establishes, in the Executive Office of the President, a National Foreign Language Coordination Council to: (1) oversee and implement continuing national security and education language initiatives; (2) develop a national foreign language strategy; (3) conduct a survey of the status of federal agency foreign language and area expertise and agency needs for such expertise; and (4) monitoring the implementation of such strategy. Establishes a National Language Advisor, to be appointed by the President, to: (1) chair the Council; (2) develop and monitor implementation of the strategy, built upon the efforts of the National Security Language Initiative; (3) establish formal relationships among major stakeholders, including federal, state, and local government agencies, academia, industry, labor, and heritage communities; and (4) coordinate and lead a public information campaign. Requires the Council to consult with states to provide for designation of state contact persons. Encourages formation of state interagency councils, or designation of state lead agencies, to coordinate with the Council and state and local agencies.

Date: 2009-05-07
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Amendments Act of 2009 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental and Native American Public Policy Act of 1992 to rename the Act as the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation Act. (Sec. 3) Adds to the Act's findings to salute Stewart L. Udall's leadership in environmental and Native American policy as a member of Congress, Secretary of the Interior, environmental lawyer, and author. (Sec. 5) Renames the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Foundation as the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation. Requires the Executive Director of the Foundation to be paid at a senior executive rate. (Sec. 6) Directs the Foundation to award grants to the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, at the University of Arizona, to conduct training, research, and other activities with regard to the involvement of Native American and Alaska Native professionals in health care and public policy. Refers to recipients of scholarships, fellowships, and internships under the Act as Udall Scholars, Udall Fellows, and Udall Interns, respectively. (Currently, they are known as Morris K. Udall Scholars.) (Sec. 7) Renames the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Trust Fund, the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Trust Fund. Allows the use of reasonable amounts of the Trust Fund for official reception and representation expenses, not to exceed $5,000 for a fiscal year. (Sec. 9) Declares that the use of the Foundation or the United States Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution for independent and impartial assessment, mediation, or other related services in connection with a dispute or conflict related to the environment, public lands, or natural resources shall not be considered the establishment or use of an advisory committee within the meaning of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. (Sec. 10) Sets forth administrative provisions that allow the Foundation to: (1) appoint personnel without regard to federal law provisions governing appointments in the competitive service; (2) pay up to four employees, in addition to the Executive Director, at senior executive pay rates; and (3) rent office space in the District of Columbia or its environs.

Date: 2009-10-20
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
National STEM Education Tax Incentive for Teachers Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow certain full-time elementary and secondary school teachers of math, science, engineering, or technology courses a refundable tax credit for 10% of their undergraduate tuition up to $1,000 in any taxable year. Increases such credit amount to $1,500 for teachers in schools serving disadvantaged children.

Date: 2009-11-09
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Taxation
Tax Equity for School Teachers Act of 2010 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) reinstate and revise the tax deduction for certain expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers (allowed whether or not the taxpayer itemizes other deductions); (2) make such deduction permanent; and (3) expand such deduction to include expenses for professional development and expenses related to the initial certification of qualified science, technology, engineering, or math teachers.

Date: 2010-05-27
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Taxation
Lead Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to direct the Secretary of Education to award a competitive grant to a partnership between a nonprofit organization and an institution of higher education (IHE) to establish a school leadership academy that develops and provides evidence-based leadership training to school leaders (turnaround leaders) and their supporting mentors (turnaround mentors) to transform and improve turnaround schools. Defines "turnaround schools" as schools that are subject to corrective action or restructuring under the ESEA or are secondary schools that have a graduation rate below 60%. Requires the Secretary to award competitive grants to partnerships between or among a nonprofit organization, IHE, or a nonprofit organization and an IHE, and state or local educational agencies to establish school leadership centers of excellence, after the initial cohort of turnaround leaders and mentors have been trained by the school leadership academy. Directs such centers to: (1) adopt and adapt the leadership training program developed by the school leadership academy so that such program is informed, on an ongoing basis, by evidence regarding effective school leadership and meets the needs of the local educational agencies they serve; and (2) work with the school leadership academy to best train and support program participants. Requires leadership training participants at the academy and the centers of excellence to receive a stipend for participating and agree to serve for at least four years at turnaround schools. Requires the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences to support: (1) research on identifying the skills and conditions necessary for school leaders to improve turnaround schools; and (2) evaluations of this Act's programs and activities.

Date: 2010-06-09
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Mentoring America's Children Act of 2009 [sic] - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to make miscellaneous changes to the Mentoring grant program under title IV that include: (1) improvement of school connectedness and character education among mentoring's purposes; (2) corporations, universities, foster care group homes, and other entities among program providers; (3) a requirement that mentors help children become responsible and successful adults; (4) foster youth, children with an incarcerated parent, suburban children in high crime areas, and children living in high gang involvement, drug use, dropout, or youth suicide areas among those most in need of mentoring; (5) children's participation in internships as a program goal; (6) mandatory assurances by grant applicants that each mentor will be assigned to no more than three children; (7) mandatory information by grant applicants about plans for monitoring mentor/mentee matches and the satisfaction of grant matching requirements that increase from 10% to 50% over the 3-year grant term; and (8) entities serving foster children or children living in high youth suicide areas as priority grant recipients. Allows grantees to be considered for new grants if: (1) their prior performance was satisfactory; (2) they propose to use the new grant exclusively for expanded service to a new area or population; and (3) they are able to provide a 50% match to the new grant funds. Directs the Secretary of Education to: (1) provide training and technical assistance to grantees, and track and evaluate their performance; and (2) arrange for research on school-based mentoring, the results of which are to be provided to the mentoring community. Includes mentoring in ESEA programs for: (1) Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaskan Native education; (2) the transitioning of youth offenders into education; and (3) school violence and drug abuse prevention.

Date: 2010-06-30
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Directs the Secretary of Education to award National Classified School Employees of the Year Awards to public school employees within certain occupational specialties who provide exemplary service to students in pre-kindergarten through higher education. Requires the Secretary to choose an awardee each year, out of nominations received from each state, from each of the following occupational specialties: (1) paraprofessionals; (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.

Date: 2010-07-26
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to partnerships to: (1) provide high quality professional development to elementary school principals in early childhood education and development; (2) gain a knowledge base and capacity to provide high quality early childhood education; and (3) collaborate with early childhood education providers, services providers, and families in creating a continuum of high quality development and learning for children in the community and school settings. Requires each partnership to consist of: (1) a public or private entity experienced in training elementary school principals; (2) at least one public agency; and (3) at least one early childhood education organization that trains early childhood education providers. Requires grantees to conduct an ongoing evaluation of the effectiveness of their grant-funded programs and activities. Directs the Secretary to establish a panel of leading experts in elementary and early childhood education to: (1) identify the best practices in professional development for elementary school principals in early childhood education; (2) review the effective coordination of such training among this Act's grantees; and (3) disseminate the latest research and findings regarding such training.

Date: 2010-07-27
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive matching grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to: (1) promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in secondary schools; (2) support the participation of secondary school students in nonprofit robotics or STEM competitions; and (3) broaden secondary school students' access to STEM careers. Allows secondary schools to apply for such grants if their LEA does not. Gives priority to grant applications that address the needs of: (1) rural or urban schools; (2) low-performing schools or school districts; or (3) LEAs or schools that serve at least 10,000 poor children or a student population at least 20% of which is poor. Authorizes the Secretary to waive all or part of the matching requirement for financially-strapped LEAs or schools. Directs the Secretary to: (1) publicize the grant program and nontraditional STEM teaching methods; and (2) evaluate the efficacy of the grant program.

Date: 2010-08-05
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
National Environmental Education Reauthorization Act of 2010 - Reauthorizes appropriations for, and revises, the National Environmental Education Act. Revises the duties of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Environmental Education, including by requiring the Office to: (1) develop and support programs to improve the understanding of the benefits of exposure to the natural environment and programs that educate the public on the benefits of reducing dependence on nonrenewable forms of energy promote efforts to prepare citizens for employment in environmentally friendly fields that contribute to healthy communities; and (2) promote research, development, and evaluation of effective approaches to achieving an environmentally literate population. Revises: (1) the Environmental Education and Training Program by expanding the program's functions and activities; (2) the Environmental Education Grants program by expanding its eligibility requirements; (3) environment internships and fellowships by limiting training opportunities to training with EPA staff (currently agency staff); (4) environmental education awards, including by removing requirements that specific awards be given; and (6) the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation, including by renaming it as the National Environmental Education Foundation. Authorizes appropriations to the EPA Administrator for FY2010-FY2021 to carry out such Act and revises how funds shall be distributed.

Date: 2010-09-23
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Environmental protection
Effective STEM Teaching and Learning Act of 2010 - Replaces the Mathematics and Science Partnership program under part B of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 with a program providing competitive grants to states to improve preschool through grade 12 education in: (1) mathematics or science, or both; and (2) at the state's discretion, technology or engineering, or both. Requires state grantees to use: (1) up to 20% their grant for certain state-level science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activities, including the development, implementation, or improvement of a comprehensive state STEM plan; and (2) the bulk of their grant for competitive subgrants to high-need local educational agencies (LEAs), partnerships between such LEAs and institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations, or educational service agencies proposing to serve such LEAs. Directs subgrantees to use the subgrants to implement high-quality, evidence-based, comprehensive, and coherent STEM programs in high-need schools that include: (1) high-quality professional development for teachers and school leaders; (2) high-quality curriculum and instructional materials that are aligned with state standards; (3) coherent, high-quality assessment systems that are aligned with state standards and assessments, and used to improve instruction and student interventions; and (4) program monitoring. Authorizes the Secretary of Education to reserve a portion of part B funds to award competitive, capacity-building grants to states that do not receive a STEM improvement grant under part B.

Date: 2010-09-29
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
United States Library Trust Fund Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) establish in the Treasury the United States Library Trust Fund (Fund), and (2) allow taxpayers to designate a portion of any tax overpayment (not less than $1) to the Fund. Authorizes public libraries or public school libraries to receive grants from the Fund.

Date: 2011-01-07
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Taxation
National STEM Education Tax Incentive for Teachers Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow certain full-time elementary and secondary school teachers of math, science, engineering, or technology courses a refundable tax credit for 10% of their undergraduate tuition up to $1,000 in any taxable year. Increases such credit amount to $1,500 for teachers in schools serving disadvantaged children.

Date: 2011-01-12
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Taxation
Young Adults Financial Literacy Act - Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to make competitive grants to, and enter contracts with, eligible institutions to establish centers of excellence to support research, development and planning, implementation, and evaluation of effective programs in financial literacy education for young adults and families ages 15-24 years old. Defines "eligible institution" as any partnership consisting of an institution of higher education and any of the following: (1) one or more local educational agencies; (2) a nonprofit agency, organization, or association; (3) a community-based organization; or (4) a financial institution.

Date: 2011-01-18
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Directs the Secretary of Education to allot funds to states for distribution to local educational agencies (LEAs) to recruit, hire, and train 100,000 new classroom paraprofessionals in order to improve educational achievement for children. Requires that 80% of a state's allotment be allocated to LEAs on the basis of relative numbers of children from families with incomes below the poverty line residing in their school districts, and that the remainder be allocated on the basis of relative enrollments.

Date: 2011-02-10
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Medication Therapy Management Benefits Act of 2011 - Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to require that the annual comprehensive medication review include creation of a personal medication record and a recommended medication action plan in consultation with the individual and the prescriber. Requires medication therapy management (MTM) services to include targeted medication reviews furnished person-to-person by a licensed pharmacist offered at least once every quarter to: (1) assess medication use since the last annual comprehensive medication review, (2) monitor unresolved issues, or (3) identify problems with new drug therapies or if the individual has experienced a transition in care. Increases the number of diseases and conditions for which beneficiaries may be targeted for medication therapy management (MTM) services. Requires a prescription drug plan (PDP) sponsor to identify a process, subject to approval by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), that allows licensed pharmacists or other qualified providers to identify potential enrollees for MTM interventions where such individuals are not targeted beneficiaries or are not otherwise offered MTM services. Requires any MTM program to offer both comprehensive and targeted medication reviews to individuals dually eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid (under SSA title XIX), regardless of whether they are MTM-targeted beneficiaries. Requires a PDP sponsor to offer any willing pharmacy in its network the ability to provide MTM services. Requires the PDP sponsor to reimburse pharmacists and other entities furnishing MTM services based on the resources used and the time required to provide such services. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish measures and standards for data collection by PDP sponsors to evaluate performance of pharmacies and other entities in furnishing MTM services; and (2) support the continued development and refinement of performance measures. Provides pharmacies and other entities that furnish MTM services with additional incentive payments based on their performance in meeting quality measures established under this Act.

Date: 2011-03-03
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Health
Full Implementation of the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards Act - Amends the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2007 to extend until October 4, 2018, the authority of the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to issue interim final regulations establishing risk-based performance standards for security of chemical facilities and requiring vulnerability assessments and the development and implementation of site security plans for such facilities. Exempts an individual holding a valid transportation security card from a security background check under such standards. Directs the Secretary to determine, on an ongoing basis, whether alternate security background checks conducted by the Secretary are sufficient to meet the requirements of such standards. Allows the owner or operator of a chemical facility subject to such regulations to permit an individual holding a valid transportation security card or who has passed a qualifying alternate security background check to have access to restricted areas or critical assets of such facility without the satisfaction of any other additional requirements imposed by the Secretary.

Date: 2011-03-03
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Emergency management
Global Education Nexus in U.S. Act or GENIUS Act - Amends the Department of Education Organization Act to require the Deputy Assistant Secretary for International and Foreign Language Education to: (1) assist the Secretary of Education in administering this Act's grant program, and (2) develop an international education research repository and make it available to states and local educational agencies (LEAs). Directs the Secretary, acting through the Deputy Assistant Secretary, to award competitive grants to LEAs, or partnerships between LEAs and private organizations or institutions of higher education that provide their LEA partners with funding, to promote international education in elementary and secondary schools. Requires each grantee to use: (1) one-half of its grant on enhancing international education within core curricula, such as by increasing teacher competency; and (2) the other half on providing supplemental international education services outside of normal instruction hours. Directs the Secretary to conduct a biennial independent evaluation of such international education programs.

Date: 2011-03-16
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Securing Teacher Effectiveness, Leadership, Learning, And Results Act of 2011 or STELLAR Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require each state receiving school improvement funds to: (1) define teacher and principal effectiveness and establish performance ratings; (2) demonstrate that it has developed, in collaboration with teachers and principals, a model teacher and principal evaluation program; (3) demonstrate that each of its local educational agencies (LEAs) has adopted a teacher and principal evaluation program; (4) demonstrate that each LEA is collaborating with teachers and principals in developing and making annual improvements to such program; (5) review, report on, and assist LEAs in improving such evaluation programs; and (6) establish procedures to ensure that ineffective teachers and principals facing unemployment are treated fairly. Requires teacher evaluations to: (1) emphasize student academic growth, (2) include observations of the teacher's classroom performance, (3) rate teachers using at least four performance categories, and (4) provide results that are comparable for all teachers in grade levels and subject areas across the state and within the teacher's LEA. Requires principal evaluations to: (1) emphasize student academic growth; (2) factor in their school's graduation rates; (3) assess the principal's success in recruiting, developing, evaluating, and retaining effective teachers; (4) assess the principal's leadership abilities through observations and other relevant data; (5) rate principals using at least four performance categories; and (6) provide results that are comparable across all principals within the LEA. Requires states to take steps to ensure that poor and minority children are not taught at higher rates than other children by teachers rated as less than effective. Requires states and LEAs to report the number and percentage of teachers and principals in each performance rating at: (1) the state, LEA, and school level; and (2) their LEAs and schools that have the highest and lowest poverty rates or the highest and lowest percentages of minority students. Requires states to report student attendance rates, disaggregated by each school and each teacher and principal at each school within specified jurisdictions. Directs the Secretary of Education to: (1) recognize each LEA that has innovative, high-quality, and effective teacher or principal evaluation programs that lead to professional development and improved student performance; and (2) establish a clearinghouse to share the best practices of such programs with educators.

Date: 2011-04-05
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Lead Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to direct the Secretary of Education to award a competitive grant to a partnership between a nonprofit organization and an institution of higher education (IHE) to establish a school leadership academy that develops and provides evidence-based leadership training to school leaders (turnaround leaders) and their supporting mentors (turnaround mentors) to transform and improve turnaround schools. Defines "turnaround schools" as schools that are subject to corrective action or restructuring under the ESEA or are secondary schools that have a graduation rate below 60%. Requires the Secretary to award competitive grants to partnerships between or among a nonprofit organization, IHE, or a nonprofit organization and an IHE, and state or local educational agencies to establish school leadership centers of excellence, after the initial cohort of turnaround leaders and mentors have been trained by the school leadership academy. Directs such centers to: (1) adopt and adapt the leadership training program developed by the school leadership academy so that such program is informed, on an ongoing basis, by evidence regarding effective school leadership and meets the needs of the local educational agencies they serve; and (2) work with the school leadership academy to best train and support program participants. Requires leadership training participants at the academy and the centers of excellence to receive a stipend for participating and agree to serve for at least four years at turnaround schools. Requires the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences to support: (1) research on identifying the skills and conditions necessary for school leaders to improve turnaround schools, and (2) evaluations of this Act's programs and activities.

Date: 2011-04-13
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Success in the Middle Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Education to make grants to states, based on their proportion of poor children aged 5 to 17, to: (1) implement state middle grades needs analyses and, on the basis of such analyses, improvement plans that describe what students must master to complete successfully the middle grades and succeed in academically rigorous secondary school coursework; and (2) award competitive subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or partnerships of LEAs and institutions of higher education, educational service agencies, or educational nonprofit organizations to implement a comprehensive middle school improvement plan for each eligible school. Favors LEAs, or partnerships that include LEAs, that serve high proportions of poor children and children attending eligible schools. Defines "eligible schools" as those where: (1) a high proportion of middle grade students matriculate to secondary schools with graduation rates below 65%; (2) more than 25% of the students who finish grade six, or the school's earliest middle grade level, exhibit key risk factors for failure; and (3) a majority of middle grade students are not rated proficient on required state assessments in mathematics, reading, or language arts. Permits states to make subgrants to LEAs and partnerships that did not receive a competitive subgrant to assist them in applying for competitive subgrants and developing comprehensive middle school improvement plans. Provides the Secretary with funding to: (1) contract for studies that identify promising practices for, and review existing research to identify factors that might lead to, the improvement of middle grades education; (2) create a national clearinghouse in best middle grade educational practices and a national database identifying factors that facilitate or impede middle grade student achievement; (3) require certain educational field research designed to enhance the performance of middle grade schools and students; (4) create a research and development center that addresses topics pertinent to the middle grades; and (5) provide grants to entities that partner with states and LEAs to develop, adapt, or replicate effective models for turning around low-performing middle grades.

Date: 2011-04-14
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Time for Innovation Matters in Education Act of 2011 - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive matching grants to states to enable them to award competitive subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or partnerships between LEAs and other public or nonprofit entities to plan and implement expanded learning time initiatives at high-need schools that they serve. Requires such initiatives to: (1) increase the total number of school hours each year at participant schools by at least 300 hours, compared to the school hours per year that are standard for comparable schools served by their LEAs; and (2) expand learning time for all students in all grade levels in such schools, though on-site prekindergarten programs may be excepted. Directs states to give subgrant priority to entities that: (1) serve a high percentage of students from low-income families; (2) include a nonprofit community-based organization experienced in expanding learning opportunities or helping schools redesign their educational programs; (3) take certain steps to facilitate collaboration between high-need schools and community partners; and (4) will coordinate this Act's funding with other federal, state, local, and private funding to implement high-quality expanded learning time initiatives in high-need schools. Permits the Secretary to: (1) award planning and implementation grants directly to a partnership that serves more that one area in more than one state, and (2) provide technical assistance to grantees and subgrantees in developing and implementing expanded learning time initiatives. Requires the Secretary to contract with an independent organization with expertise in school improvement, program evaluation, and measurement to evaluate this Act's program and provide technical assistance to grantees and subgrantees in collecting data and evaluating their programs pursuant to specified performance measures.

Date: 2011-04-15
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
To Aid Gifted and High-Ability Learners by Empowering the Nation's Teachers Act or TALENT Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require state assessments of student proficiency to be vertically scaled and capable of measuring student proficiency above the grade level in which the student is enrolled. Requires states to: (1) recognize local educational agencies (LEAs) that significantly increase the proportion of their students, overall and in specified student subgroups, that score at or above the advanced level of achievement on such assessments; (2) assist their LEAs and schools in providing additional educational assistance to advanced, gifted, and talented students; and (3) report annually the most recent two-year trend in student achievement for students scoring in the highest 10% on the state assessments in each subject area and grade level. Requires LEAs receiving school improvement funds to identify gifted and talented students and support their learning needs. Authorizes LEAs to use funding under: (1) the small rural school achievement program to support gifted and talented students, and (2) the rural and low-income school program to train teachers to meet the unique learning needs of gifted and talented students. Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to states or institutions of higher education (IHEs) that partner with other public or private educational entities to: (1) ensure that school personnel receive the training required to ensure that gifted and talented students' achievements are commensurate with their abilities; or (2) conduct field-based research to develop innovative practices, assessment tools, and materials that address the needs of such students. Authorizes the Secretary to award a competitive grant to a partnership between at least one IHE and one nonprofit organization to establish a National Research and Dissemination Center for the Education of the Gifted and Talented that researches, develops, and disseminates best practices for meeting the needs of such students. Repeals the Jacob K. Javits gifted and talented students education program.

Date: 2011-05-02
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Annual National Classified School Employee of the Year Award 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 pre-kindergarten 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.

Date: 2011-05-03
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Tax Relief Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income for income tax purposes AmeriCorps educational awards awarded under the National and Community Service Act of 1990.

Date: 2011-05-10
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Taxation
Statistics Teaching, Aptitude, and Training Act of 2011 or STAT Act of 2011 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to award formula grants to states and, through them, competitive subgrants to eligible partnerships to: (1) establish or enhance teacher training in statistics education; and (2) develop more rigorous statistics education curricula that are aligned with challenging state academic content and achievement standards in statistics, and integrate statistics in the teaching of other courses. Defines an "eligible partnership" as a partnership between a local educational agency (LEA) and one or more of the following: (1) an institution of higher education (IHE), (2) another LEA, (3) a public elementary or secondary school or schools, or (4) a government statistical agency experienced in improving the quality of statistics teachers. Requires partnership activities to be consistent with a statistical literacy plan that each state is required to develop and have approved by the Secretary of Education before receiving its formula grant. Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive grants to states that lack the resources to develop an adequate plan so that they can do so. Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive grants to IHEs, governmental statistical agencies, or nonprofit organizations to: (1) develop model state standards and curriculum frameworks for statistics education, (2) disseminate information about proven and tested model statistics education programs that integrate statistics in other studies, (3) develop and implement new policy approaches to advancing statistics education, (4) conduct national statistics education studies, and (5) advance the widespread adoption by states and LEAs of statistics education content standards.

Date: 2011-05-10
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
21st Century STEM for Girls and Underrepresented Minorities Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to provide grants to, and enter into agreements with, local educational agencies (LEAs) to improve the education of girls and underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and prepare them to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees and careers in such fields. Gives priority to LEAs that partner or coordinate with local, regional, or national entities experienced in increasing the participation of girls or underrepresented minorities in STEM. Requires the use of grant funds to: (1) involve the parents of girls and underrepresented minorities in stoking their children's interest in STEM, (2) provide tutoring and mentoring programs in such fields, (3) expose girls and underrepresented minorities to STEM role models, (4) enable such students and their teachers to attend STEM events outside the classroom, (5) provide after-school and summer programs for students in such fields, (6) purchase education materials or equipment to facilitate STEM instruction, (7) provide such students with academic advice and assistance in selecting high school courses, (8) pay up to 50% of the cost of a STEM internship for such students, and (9) train school personnel to facilitate students' progress in such fields.

Date: 2011-05-13
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Foreign Language Education Partnership Program Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to replace the program providing incentive payments to public elementary schools for foreign language instruction with a partnership program in foreign languages that provides matching grants to partnerships composed of state or local educational agencies and institutions of higher education. Requires such partnerships to establish, improve, or expand model programs of foreign language learning from kindergarten through grade 12 that increase the number of high school graduates who attain advanced proficiency in at least one foreign language. Requires each model program to have a dimension allowing the student to gain an understanding of the historic, geographic, cultural, economic, and other contextual factors of countries whose people speak the language studied. Conditions a partnership's continued funding for two additional five-year periods, after an initial four-year funding period, on its demonstrating its program's effectiveness based on nationally recognized standardized foreign language assessments. Directs the Secretary of Education to collect and analyze data on such programs annually and disseminate aggregated program data nationally, as well as information on successful programs and practices.

Date: 2011-05-24
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
STEM Support for Teachers in Education and Mentoring (STEM) Act or 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 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, institutions of higher education, or nonprofit organizations to develop, implement, and evaluate STEM education training programs for teachers and administrators in elementary, middle, and secondary schools. Requires the Secretary to establish a national panel to identify and recommend the most effective STEM curricula models for kindergarten through grade 12.

Date: 2011-06-16
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive matching grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to: (1) promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in secondary schools; (2) support the participation of secondary school students in nonprofit robotics or STEM competitions; and (3) broaden secondary school students' access to STEM careers. Allows secondary schools to apply for such grants if their LEA does not. Gives priority to grant applications that address the needs of: (1) rural or urban schools, (2) low-performing schools or school districts, or (3) LEAs or schools that serve at least 10,000 poor children or a student population at least 20% of which is poor. Authorizes the Secretary to waive all or part of the matching requirement for financially-strapped LEAs or schools. Directs the Secretary to: (1) publicize the grant program and nontraditional STEM teaching methods, (2) evaluate the efficacy of the grant program, and (3) evaluate existing federal STEM education programs to determine whether there are duplicative programs.

Date: 2011-06-21
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to: (1) award grants to encourage the establishment and operation of Teachers Institutes; and (2) provide technical assistance, all or some of which may be provided through the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute, to assist local educational agencies (LEAs) and institutions of higher education (IHEs) in establishing and operating Teachers Institutes. Sets forth selection criteria, including consideration of the extent to which the proposed Institute will serve schools that have a significant low-income population. Defines a Teachers Institute as a partnership or joint venture between one or more IHEs and one or more LEAs serving one or more schools with significant low-income populations that is established to improve the quality of teaching and learning through collaborative seminars.

Date: 2011-06-21
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Innovation in Education Act of 2011 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to require the Secretary of Education to establish and maintain a National Education Innovation Network of searchable databases or Internet websites that: (1) provide educators and administrators with information regarding the most promising practices and strategies for improving student achievement and turning around low-performing schools; and (2) allow educators and administrators to nominate new practices and strategies for inclusion in such databases or websites, recommend improvements to those already there, and exchange ideas with their peers. Directs the Secretary to provide grants and technical assistance to states to establish a National Education Innovation Corps that connects educators and administrators with evidence-based solutions to the most critical problems of practice in local educational agencies and chronically low-performing schools. Requires the Corps to be composed of: (1) knowledge brokers, who have expertise in education, research, and the implementation of innovations; and (2) practice experts, who have successful teaching experience. Allocates Corps grants among states in proportion to each state's share of school improvement funds under part A of title I of the ESEA.

Date: 2011-06-23
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education