STEM Network Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to award matching grants to state-based STEM networks or similar organizations to increase elementary and secondary school students' achievement in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) disciplines, particularly in rural and low-income schools.
Includes among grant uses:
Requires grantees to conduct periodic independent evaluations of their effectiveness in accomplishing those activities.
Prohibits the Secretary from: (1) endorsing or approving any STEM curriculum designed for use in an elementary school, secondary school, or institution of higher education; or (2) requiring a state, local educational agency, or school to adopt a specific STEM program or instructional materials.
[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6517 Introduced in House (IH)]
112th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6517
To direct the Secretary of Education to make grants to State-based STEM
networks to expand STEM education.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 21, 2012
Mr. Honda (for himself, Mr. McDermott, Mr. Sires, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms.
Lee of California, Mr. Polis, and Ms. Matsui) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the
Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Education to make grants to State-based STEM
networks to expand STEM education.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``STEM Network Act''.
SEC. 2. GRANTS AUTHORIZED.
(a) In General.--From amounts made available to carry out this Act,
the Secretary of Education shall make grants to eligible networks to
expand STEM education.
(b) Eligible Network Defined.--In this Act, the term ``eligible
network'' means a State-based STEM network or similar organization,
which--
(1) may include the participation of State officials,
educators, administrators, parents, industry leaders,
philanthropists, and representatives from the STEM communities;
and
(2) aims to increase student achievement in the STEM
disciplines at the elementary schools and secondary schools in
its State, particularly at schools with a high concentration of
low-income students and at rural schools (within the meaning of
part B of title VI of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6201 et seq.)).
SEC. 3. ELIGIBLE NETWORK APPLICATION.
(a) In General.--An eligible network seeking a grant under section
2 shall submit an application at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.
(b) Matching Requirement.--In order to receive a grant under
section 2, an eligible network shall agree to provide, either directly
or through private contributions, non-Federal matching funds equal to
not less than 30 percent of the amount of the grant.
SEC. 4. USES OF FUNDS.
Each eligible network receiving a grant under section 2 shall use
the funds to carry out one or more of the following:
(1) Testing, validating, sharing, and scaling up STEM
education research, promising practices, and exemplary programs
among members of the network and with other eligible networks
receiving grants under section 3.
(2) Identifying points of weakness and strength among State
STEM education efforts, prioritizing strategies for addressing
problem areas, and communicating State needs to the Secretary.
(3) Assisting in the implementation of rigorous common
content standards in STEM education for grades prekindergarten
through grade 12 that reflect common elements between such
disciplines and take into consideration--
(A) the Next Generation Science Standards and the
Common Core State Standards Initiative;
(B) established international standards and 21st
century skills;
(C) the needs of English language learners and
special education students; and
(D) the need to increase scientific literacy of
prekindergarten through grade 12 students.
(4) Assisting and supporting the development and
implementation of innovative STEM assessments based on common
content standards in mathematics and science.
(5) Promoting and developing rigorous undergraduate pre-
service teacher programs in institutions of higher education
that emphasize STEM content in the part of the program that
focuses on elementary school education.
(6) Promoting and developing curriculum tools and
professional development for in-service STEM teachers that
foster innovation and inventiveness.
(7) Developing STEM career pathways that reflect the
projected STEM workforce needs of the 21st century that may
include mentoring programs and STEM professional outreach.
(8) Developing STEM-related workforce education and
training programs in secondary schools and institutions of
higher education to enhance the skills of workers to meet the
needs of business and industry.
(9) Developing systems for the implementation of extended
learning times on school sites to enhance STEM education inside
and outside of the classroom.
SEC. 5. EVALUATION AND REPORT.
Not later than 2 years after receiving a grant under section 2,
each eligible network receiving such a grant shall--
(1) conduct periodic independent evaluations, by grant or
by contract, of the eligible network's effectiveness at
accomplishing the activities described in section 4, which
shall include an assessment of the impact of such activities on
STEM teaching and learning; and
(2) prepare and submit a report on the results of each
evaluation described in paragraph (1) to the Secretary.
SEC. 6. PROHIBITIONS.
In implementing this Act, the Secretary may not--
(1) endorse, approve, or sanction any STEM curriculum
designed for use in any elementary school, secondary school, or
institution of higher education; or
(2) engage in oversight, technical assistance, or
activities that will require the adoption of a specific STEM
program or instructional materials by a State, local
educational agency, or school.
SEC. 7. TOTAL AMOUNT OF GRANTS.
The total amount of grants made under this Act in any fiscal year
may not exceed $20,000,000.
SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) The terms ``elementary school'', ``local educational
agency'', and ``secondary school'' have the meanings given such
terms in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(2) The term ``high concentration of low-income students''
has the meaning given such term in section 1707 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
6537).
(3) The term ``institution of higher education'' has the
meaning given such term in section 101 of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).
(4) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of
Education.
(5) The term ``State'' means each of the several States of
the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth
of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana
Islands, American Samoa, and the United States Virgin Islands.
(6) The term ``STEM'' means science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics.
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Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
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