zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
Technology-Enabled Education Innovation Partnership Act

 Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive, renewable grants to eligible partnerships to design, implement, refine, and scale technology-enabled education innovation programs.

Defines an "eligible partnership" as a partnership composed of at least one state or local educational agency (LEA) and at least one institution of higher education or nonprofit research organization working with the state or LEA as a research and evaluation partner.

Requires at least 75% of the students participating in each technology-enabled education innovation program to be attending schools in which at least 50% of the student body is eligible for free or reduced-price lunches under the school lunch program.

Requires an independent evaluation of each innovation program by a research and evaluation collaborator.

Directs each partnership to provide a data set containing the student records of innovation program participants to a Technology-Enabled Education Innovation Partnership Coordinating Center that is created by the Secretary to: (1) conduct meta-analyses and other syntheses of such data, and (2) allow independent researchers access to the data.

Directs the Secretary to support national technology activities that provide the technology-enabled education innovation programs with information on, and technical assistance in, effectively implementing technology in schools.

Requires the Secretary to establish and oversee at least one advanced learning technology research and development center to address the priorities and grand challenges for learning technology set forth in the Department of Education's 2010 National Education Technology Plan.

Date: 2015-01-27
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
STEM Master Teacher Corps Act of 2015 

Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award competitive matching grants to consortia of local educational agencies (LEAs) or states, acting in partnership with institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations to establish a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) Master Teacher Corps program.

Requires grantees to:

 select exemplary elementary and secondary school STEM teachers for membership in the STEM Master Teacher Corps; provide those teachers with compensation that supplements their base salaries, with higher compensation going to those teaching at high-need public schools; provide, and track the effectiveness of, research-based training for Corps members; provide discretionary resources for Corps members at high-need schools to use; help coordinate instructional leadership and mentoring roles for Corps members; and facilitate efforts by Corps members to inform STEM education policy at the national, state, and local levels. Gives grant priority to applicants that intend to include: (1) large numbers of teachers in the STEM Master Teacher Corps; and (2) rural schools, particularly high-need rural schools, in the area they serve.

Requires grantees to ensure that at least 75% of their STEM Master Teacher Corps are teachers at high-need schools.

Directs the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences, to: (1) evaluate the STEM Master Teacher Corps program; (2) identify optimal strategies for designing and advancing such program; and (3) identify best practices for developing, supporting, and retaining STEM teachers based on lessons learned from the program.

Date: 2015-02-05
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Educating Tomorrow's Engineers Act of 2015

Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require states to incorporate engineering design skills and practices into their academic content standards and academic achievement standards and assessments in science.

Requires states and local educational agencies (LEAs) to use grants and subgrants under the Teacher and Principal Training and Recruiting Fund program to develop and provide professional development and instructional materials for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subject areas, including computer science and engineering.

 Changes current references to the mathematics and science partnerships program to references to the STEM partnerships program, which provides funding to states, institutions of higher education, and high-need LEAs to recruit and train STEM teachers and improve STEM curricula.

Amends the 21st century community learning centers program to include STEM activities (currently, mathematics and science activities) within the before- and after-school activities funded under that program.

Amends the rural and low-income school program to include professional development in engineering education among the uses of the funds provided to rural LEAs.

Amends the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Education to support research on engineering education and use that research to provide information to the public, and technical assistance to states, on best practices and promising innovations in kindergarten through grade 12 engineering education.

 Requires the National Center for Education Research to sponsor and conduct research geared toward improving STEM, rather than just mathematics and science, teaching and learning.

Date: 2015-02-10
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Supporting Afterschool STEM Act

Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish an afterschool STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) grant program awarding competitive grants to afterschool or STEM networks to:

 develop quality standards for STEM programming in afterschool programs and provide those programs with technical assistance in implementing such standards, work with state education stakeholders to define and promote appropriate measurable outcomes for afterschool programs that include STEM content, provide technical assistance to afterschool programs to start or grow their afterschool STEM efforts and define appropriate learning outcomes for such efforts, coordinate professional development for afterschool program educators, help afterschool program providers form strategic partnerships to advance STEM learning in afterschool programs, create and disseminate tool kits to afterschool programs wanting to form partnerships and incorporate STEM professionals as mentors and role models, and provide technical assistance to federally funded STEM researchers and professionals who wish to engage with afterschool programs. Requires the Director to reserve 20% of the funds appropriated for such grant program to develop and support new afterschool or STEM networks in states or areas where they do not exist.

Defines: (1) an "afterschool program" as a structured program offered for elementary, middle, or secondary school students when school is not in session, such as before or after school, during recess, on the weekend, or during the summer; and (2) an "afterschool or STEM network" as a coalition that fosters partnerships and provides support to afterschool program providers and STEM education providers.

Includes as goals of the grant program: (1) to support the development and delivery of high-quality STEM education to populations underrepresented in STEM fields, and (2) to provide hands-on learning and exposure to STEM research facilities and businesses through in-person or virtual distance-learning experiences.

Requires the Director to provide each recipient of a STEM research grant who is under the Director's authority with information on opportunities to engage with students in out-of-school-time programs, such as through mentorships.

Date: 2015-02-10
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
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.

Date: 2015-02-13
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
(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.

Date: 2015-02-20
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
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.

Date: 2015-02-24
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
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.

Date: 2015-02-25
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
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.

Date: 2015-03-19
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
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.

Date: 2015-04-23
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
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).

Date: 2015-04-28
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
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.

Date: 2015-04-29
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
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.

Date: 2015-04-30
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
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.

Date: 2015-05-21
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
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.)

Date: 2015-06-12
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Environmental protection
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.

Date: 2015-06-16
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
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.

Date: 2015-07-09
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
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.

Date: 2015-07-23
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Science, technology, communications
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.

Date: 2015-07-29
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
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.

Date: 2015-09-18
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Taxation
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.

Date: 2015-09-18
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
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.

Date: 2015-10-21
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Charter School Accountability Act of 2015

This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to replace the charter school grant program, through which states receive formula-based grants, with a competitive grant program.

The Department of Education (ED) shall award grants to: (1) support the start up of charter schools that have been thoroughly vetted for quality and local impact, and (2) replicate or expand high-quality charter schools.

To be eligible to receive grant funding, a state must:

 have legally binding rules related to fiduciary duties and conflicts of interest of charter school officers, directors, managers, and employees; require all charter schools to annually conduct and publicly disclose independent audits; provide that charter schools are covered by the state's open meetings and open records laws to the same extent as public schools are covered by those laws; have policies in effect that hold charter school authorizers accountable for monitoring a charter school's educational performance and financial operations; and require a charter school to make certain public disclosures related to its operation and funding. The bill also revises the per-pupil facilities aid program, through which ED makes competitive matching grants to states to provide per-pupil financing to charter schools for facility acquisition, construction, and renovation. Specifically, a state may: (1) partner with one or more organizations to provide up to half of the state share of program funding, and (2) receive more than one program grant under specified circumstances.

ED must conduct specified national activities, including awarding competitive grants directly to charter school developers in states that have not applied for or received charter school grants.

Date: 2015-10-21
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Next Generation High Schools Act

This bill requires the Department of Education to award competitive, five-year grants to local educational agencies or charter schools that partner with specified institutions and intermediaries to provide high school students with challenging academic and career-related learning opportunities. Applicants must assure that school improvement funds will be allocated to eligible high schools in amounts that are proportionate to those schools' share of low-income students.

"Eligible high schools" are those that: (1) serve a population of students of which at least 65% are from low-income families; (2) have a graduation rate at or below 67%, excepting new high schools; (3) do not receive school improvement funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965; and (4) are identified by their state as low-performing.

Grantees must use grant funds to:

 develop and implement partnerships to help schools prepare students to apply academic concepts to real world challenges; implement an early warning indicator system in eligible high schools and feeder middle schools to identify struggling students; offer support and credit recovery opportunities for struggling students at the grantee's secondary schools or in other appropriate settings; provide drop-out recovery or re-entry programs; offer evidence-based programs and supports related to the transition from middle school to high school; and provide high school leaders, staff, students, and families with information concerning graduation requirements, postsecondary admission requirements, the availability of financial assistance, labor markets, and other programs and services to improve the prospects of traditionally underserved students.

Date: 2015-11-16
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Enhancing Education Through Technology Act of 2015

This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to modify grant funding related to education technology and innovation.

The Department of Education shall award matching grants to states to strengthen state and local technological infrastructure and professional learning that supports digital learning.

Grant funds are allocated among states in proportion to each state's share of school improvement funds under the ESEA.

States must use at least 90% of their grant funds to award subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs), which shall use: (1) at least 40% of those funds to support the acquisition of technology that addresses their technology infrastructure and access needs; and (2) at least 40% of those funds to provide digital age professional learning opportunities for teachers, principals, school leaders, paraprofessionals, library and media personnel, specialized instructional support personnel, technology coordinators, and administrators.

To carry out grant and subgrant activities, including the purchase of technology, states may form purchasing consortia with other states, and LEAs may form purchasing consortia with other LEAs.

Date: 2015-11-16
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
416d65726963612043616e20436f6465 Act of 2015 or the America Can Code Act of 2015

This bill amends the America COMPETES Act to include computer programming language that is critical to the national security and economic competitiveness of the United States as a "critical foreign language," the study of which is included in the teacher education programs and Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate programs funded under that Act.

The bill also amends the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 to provide for: (1) state plans to include coding and computer programming instruction within the career and technical programs of study for which states receive assistance under that Act, and (2) the inclusion of coding and computer programming instruction within the federally-assisted tech prep programs that prepare participants in a career field by providing them with at least two years of secondary education followed by at least two years of postsecondary education or participation in an apprenticeship program.

The Department of Education shall convene a task force to explore: (1) mechanisms for the development of draft curricula for elementary and secondary computer programming and coding education; (2) a mechanism to collect and share best elementary and secondary school computer programming and coding practices among educators; and (3) a national strategy to ensure competitiveness in emerging science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, such as computer programming and coding. The task force must establish an information portal that directs users to coordinated and systematic information on promoting coding and computer programming in elementary and secondary schools.

Date: 2015-11-17
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
This bill authorizes the Department of Education to provide grants for public awareness education programs on the history of the treatment of Italian Americans during World War II.

In awarding such grants, priority shall be given to Italian American historical and cultural organizations.

Date: 2015-12-01
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Civil rights and liberties, minority issues
Educator Preparation Reform Act

This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to add as purposes of teacher quality partnership grants: (1) recruiting profession ready individuals, including minorities and individuals from other occupations, as teachers, principals, and other educators; and (2) meeting the staffing needs of high-need local education agencies and high-need schools through close partnerships with educator preparation programs within institutions of higher education.

An eligible partnership that receives a partnership grant shall use grant funds to carry out a program for the pre-baccalaureate or post-baccalaureate preparation of teachers, a teaching residency program (as in current law) or a principal residency program, or a combination of such programs.

An eligible partnership carrying out a principal residency program must perform specified activities for high-need schools.

The bill revises requirements for teacher residency programs and prescribes requirements for the establishment of principal residency programs.

An eligible partnership that receives a partnership grant may carry out, instead of a leadership development program, effective educator development programs for other educators besides teachers and principals.

The bill revises requirements for state reporting on the quality of teacher preparation.

As a condition for receiving funds under this Act or under title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, a state must conduct an assessment to identify at-risk (as well as low-performing) teacher preparation programs.

Date: 2016-02-04
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Interstate Teaching Mobility Act

This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to establish a voluntary interstate teaching application program for participating states. To participate in the program, a state must require sufficiently rigorous assessments in awarding a teaching license or certification.

In carrying out the program, the Department of Education shall:

 create an electronic application process for eligible teachers who are licensed or certified in a participating state to apply for teaching positions in another participating state; require a participating state to recognize the teaching licensure or certification of each such teacher without the teacher having to complete additional licensure or certification requirements; ensure that a participating state maintains specified eligibility requirements; and provide technical assistance. A teacher seeking to participate in the program must submit an application containing: (1) proof of active licensure or certification in a participating state, and (2) the teacher's results on specified assessments.

Date: 2016-05-26
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Pre-College Engineering Education Act

This bill establishes a grant program to encourage, through public-private partnerships, the development and implementation by states and local educational agencies of sustainable engineering education programs in elementary and secondary schools. The National Science Foundation (NSF) shall administer the program.

Grantees may use funds to:

 research, review, and analyze the effectiveness of existing research-based instructional materials; select or develop new research-based instructional materials; teach students the overall analytical approached used in engineering; prepare students who may pursue engineering studies in college or enter careers related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; increase participation of underrepresented student groups in the engineering pipeline; and provide professional development for teachers to teach pre-college engineering. The NSF shall study and report on program activities and results.

Date: 2016-07-07
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Stronger Together School Diversity Act of 2016

This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to establish the Stronger Together Program, through which the Department of Education (ED) shall award competitive grants for the development or implementation of plans to improve diversity or eliminate socioeconomic or racial isolation in public schools and publicly funded early education programs. The grants are available to local educational agencies, a consortium of such agencies, educational service agencies, or other regional educational authorities that have significant achievement gaps and socioeconomic or racial segregation within or across the school districts served by the entity.

ED may give priority to an eligible entity that proposes to use funds to support a program that extends beyond one local educational agency.

Each recipient of an implementation grant shall implement a high-quality plan that includes:

 a comprehensive set of strategies designed to improve academic outcomes by increasing diversity, evidence of strong family and community support for these strategies, ambitious but achievable goals to increase diversity over the grant period, collection and analysis of data to provide transparency and support continuous improvement throughout the grant period, and a rigorous evaluation of the proposed project's effectiveness. ED shall establish performance measures to track the progress of each grant recipient.

Date: 2016-07-12
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Partnerships for the Future Act of 2016

This bill directs the Department of Labor to establish a competitive grant pilot program to award grants to eligible entities for developing, offering, improving, or providing science, technology, education, and mathematics (STEM) education or career training programs for workers.

"Eligible entity" means one of the following in partnership with employers or an association of employers:

 a junior or community college; a postsecondary vocational institution; a four-year public institution of higher education that offers two-year degrees, will use provided funds for activities at the certificate and associate degree levels, and is not reasonably close to a community college; a tribal college or university; at Labor's discretion, a private, not-for-profit, two-year institution of higher education in a specified U.S. territory or possession; or a consortium of any such entities. An eligible entity may partner with an adult education provider or institution of higher education, an entity with a demonstrated record of successfully meeting student and family needs, or a joint labor-management partnership.

The bill sets forth criteria and priorities for awarding grants.

Grants shall be used for:

 the development, offering, improvement, or provision of STEM academic programs or training programs that provide relevant job training for skilled occupations that will meet the needs of employers in in-demand industry sectors; the development and implementation of policies and programs to expand opportunities for students to earn a recognized postsecondary STEM credential or degree in such sectors and in-demand occupations; the creation of workforce programs that provide a sequence of education and occupational training that leads to a recognized postsecondary STEM credential or degree; and/or the support of regional or national in-demand industry sectors to develop skills consortia that will identify pressing workforce needs and develop solutions.

Date: 2016-09-15
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Labor and employment
Computer Science for All Act of 2016

This bill establishes a program through which the Department of Education (ED) shall award grants to states, local educational agencies, and eligible tribal schools to serve as models for national replication of computer education expansion efforts. A grant application shall include specified plans that demonstrate the applicant's ability to carry out an ambitious expansion effort for all students, including traditionally underrepresented students.

A grant recipient shall use the grant funds to:

 train teachers to teach computer science; expand access to high-quality learning materials and online learning options; create plans for expanding overall access to science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) classes; utilize computer science as a catalyst for increased interest in STEAM more broadly; reduce course equity gaps for all students; and ensure additional support and resources. A grantee may also use grant funds to:

 build effective regional collaborations, recruit and hire instructional personnel, prepare for effectively sustaining project activities after the grant period ends, and disseminate information about effective practices. At least semi-annually, a grantee must report to ED on specified data related to the number of students served through program activities.

Date: 2016-09-21
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education
Early STEM Achievement Act

This bill requires the Department of Education to award competitive grants to eligible entities for the purpose of assisting early childhood education programs in carrying out science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs and activities.

A grant recipient must use the grant for necessary materials and equipment or for specified activities related to professional development in early childhood STEM activities.

Date: 2016-09-27
Topic: Education (Excellence)
Subject: Education