Innovative STEM Networks Act or the I-STEM Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to states or local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) innovation networks in partnership with nonprofit organizations, businesses, institutions of higher education (IHEs), educational service agencies, or other entities to prepare students for postsecondary education and careers in the STEM fields.
Directs the Secretary of Education to: (1) award no less than 5 and no more than 10 of those grants each fiscal year, and (2) give priority to grantees that include or serve a high-need LEA.
Requires the grants to be used to:
Authorizes the grants to be used to:
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4828 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4828
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to award
grants to establish STEM Innovation Networks.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 10, 2014
Mr. Garcia introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to award
grants to establish STEM Innovation Networks.
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 ``Innovative STEM Networks Act'' or
the ``I-STEM Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) According to the Council on Foreign Relations, 60
percent of U.S. employers are having difficulties finding
qualified workers to fill vacancies at their companies.
(2) Office of Science and Technology and Policy states that
``STEM occupations will grow 1.7 times faster than non-STEM
occupations over the period from 2008 through 2018''.
(3) According to the National Governors Association Center
for Best Practices, at all levels of educational attainment,
STEM job holders earn 11 percent higher wages compared with
their same-degree counterparts in other jobs.
(4) The National Governors Association Center for Best
Practices also states that ``The top 10 bachelor-degree majors
with the highest median earnings are all in STEM fields''.
(5) According to the Harris STEM Survey, although most
parents of K-12 students (93 percent) believe that STEM
education should be a priority in the U.S., only half (49
percent) agreed that it actually is a top priority for this
country.
(6) The Harris STEM Survey also states that ``Only one in
five STEM college students felt that their K-12 education
prepared them extremely well for their college courses in
STEM.''.
SEC. 3. STEM INNOVATION NETWORKS.
Title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 6601 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new
part:
``PART E--STEM INNOVATION NETWORKS
``SEC. 2501. PURPOSE.
``It is the purpose of this part to authorize a program to provide
competitive grants to State educational agencies or local educational
agencies to establish STEM innovation networks in partnership with
institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, other public
agencies, or businesses to increase the number of students who are
effectively prepared for postsecondary education and careers in STEM
fields by--
``(1) working with States and local educational agencies to
develop comprehensive plans for identifying, developing,
testing, and implementing evidence-based practices to provide
rich STEM learning opportunities for students; and
``(2) supporting the implementation of such plans by
employing of wide range of strategies, depending on local
needs, including the recruitment, preparation, and professional
development of effective STEM educators, the development and
testing of teaching and learning models that enable students to
successfully meet STEM-focused State academic standards
developed under section 1111, and student engagement in STEM
subjects.
``SEC. 2502. GRANT PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--From the amounts appropriated under subsection
(i), the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to
eligible entities to establish STEM Innovation networks to increase
student achievement in STEM subjects and increase the number of
students who are effectively prepared for postsecondary education and
careers in STEM fields.
``(b) Number of Grants.--The Secretary shall award not less than 5
and not more than 10 grants under this section for each fiscal year.
``(c) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that include a high-
need local educational agency or a State educational agency that serves
a high-need local educational agency.
``(d) Application.--
``(1) In general.--An eligible entity that desires to
receive a grant under this section shall submit to the
Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Secretary may require.
``(2) Contents.--An application submitted by an eligible
entity under paragraph (1) shall include a description of the
activities that will be carried out with the grant received
under this section, and how such activities will address the
needs identified by the eligible entity, with respect to
preparing students for postsecondary education and careers in
STEM fields, including--
``(A) a description of the data for elementary
schools and secondary schools in the State or States
served by the eligible entity on--
``(i) student achievement in the STEM
subjects;
``(ii) teacher evaluation results or
ratings in STEM subjects; and
``(iii) student access to STEM subjects,
especially for students enrolled in high-need
schools or residing in high-need communities;
``(B) a review of the workforce needs in the State
or States served by the eligible entity in occupations
and sectors that require knowledge or training in STEM
subjects;
``(C) based on a review of the data described in
subparagraph (A) and the workforce needs under
subparagraph (B)--
``(i) an identification of the STEM
subjects that the eligible entity will address
with the grant funds; and
``(ii) a description of the activities the
eligible entity will carry out to improve
instruction in such STEM subjects using
evidence-based programs of instruction that are
aligned with State academic standards and
assessments developed under section 1111;
``(D) a description of how the activities carried
out with the grant funds will integrate with informal
STEM programs;
``(E) results from an analysis carried out before
the submission of such application by the eligible
entity or a member of the eligible entity of STEM
subject education quality and outcomes in the State or
States served by the eligible entity, if available;
``(F) whether the eligible entity will provide
matching funds from private sources (which are not
Federal, State, or local sources) to carry out the
activities under subsection (e); and
``(G) a description of how the activities carried
out with the grant funds will be coordinated with other
Federal, State, and local programs and activities
relating to STEM, and how the activities carried out
with the grant funds may improve or benefit such other
programs and activities.
``(e) Uses of Funds.--
``(1) Required activities.--An eligible entity shall use a
grant received under this section to establish and maintain
STEM innovation networks to effectively prepare students for
postsecondary education and careers in STEM fields by carrying
out the following:
``(A) Increasing student awareness about STEM
career pathways that reflect the STEM workforce needs
identified under subsection (d)(2)(B).
``(B) Developing statewide plans that integrate and
align workforce needs with education and training
programs that prepare students for college degree
pathways and careers in STEM fields, which result in 2-
year degrees, trade certifications, or other measures
of STEM-specific workforce skills.
``(C) Identifying points of weakness and strength
of State STEM education efforts, prioritizing
strategies for addressing problem areas with respect to
such efforts, and communicating the needs of the State
or States served by the eligible entity.
``(2) Authorized activities.--An eligible entity may use a
grant received under this section to carry out the following:
``(A) Promoting and developing in school and out-
of-school curricular tools and professional development
for STEM educators at the elementary school and
secondary school levels.
``(B) Providing induction and mentoring services to
new teachers in STEM subjects that the eligible entity
identifies under subsection (d)(2)(C).
``(C) Promoting and developing rigorous
undergraduate preservice teacher programs at
institutions of higher education that emphasize STEM
content.
``(D) Supporting the participation of elementary
school and secondary school students (especially
students enrolled in high-need schools or residing in
high-need communities) in competitions, out-of-school
activities, and field experiences related to STEM
subjects.
``(E) Assisting in the implementation and
assessment of rigorous career and college ready
standards in STEM education for students in
prekindergarten through grade 12.
``(F) Developing STEM-related education and
workforce training programs in secondary schools and
community colleges to reflect the needs of the local
community.
``(f) Supplement, Not Supplant.--Funds received under this part
shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, funds that would
otherwise be used for activities authorized under this part.
``(g) Maintenance of Effort.--A State that receives funds under
this part for a fiscal year shall maintain the fiscal effort provided
by the State for the STEM subjects supported by the funds under this
part at a level equal to or greater than the level of such fiscal
effort for the preceding fiscal year.
``(h) Definitions.--
``(1) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means 1
or more State educational agencies or local educational
agencies in partnership with 1 or more of the following
entities that have a demonstrated record of success in
improving student achievement in STEM subjects:
``(A) A nonprofit organization.
``(B) A business.
``(C) A STEM faculty or teacher training department
of an institution of higher education.
``(D) An educational service agency.
``(E) Another entity.
``(2) Community college.--The term `community college' has
the meaning given the term in section 3301.
``(3) High-need community.--The term `high-need community'
has the meaning given the term in section 2151(e)(9).
``(4) High-need local educational agency.--The term `high-
need local educational agency' has the meaning given the term
in section 2102.
``(5) High-need school.--The term `high-need school' has
the meaning given the term in section 2312.
``(6) Informal stem program.--The term `informal STEM
program' means a STEM program that takes place outside of a
standard school setting, and may include an afterschool, out-
of-school, summer, or other STEM education program that takes
place outside of the regular school day in a school setting or
other learning environment.
``(7) STEM.--The term `STEM' means science, technology,
engineering, or mathematics, including other academic subjects
or fields--
``(A) that build on those disciplines, such as
computer science; or
``(B) that a State identifies as important to the
workforce of the State.
``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2015 and each succeeding
fiscal year.''.
SEC. 4. CONFORMING AMENDMENT.
The table of contents in section 2 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) is amended by inserting
after the item relating to part D of title II the following:
``Part E--STEM Innovation Networks
``Sec. 2501. Purpose.
``Sec. 2502. Grant program.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H6634-6635)
Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
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