Teacher Education for Computer Science Act or the Teach CS Act
This bill authorizes the Department of Education to award grants to institutions of higher education for establishing and maintaining teacher education programs for computer science.
It also includes computer science as an eligible education category with respect to receiving various teacher preparation grants and graduate fellowships.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3870 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3870
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to include teacher
preparation for computer science in elementary and secondary education.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 14, 2021
Mr. Kilmer (for himself, Mr. Reed, Mr. Cardenas, Mr. Casten, Mr.
Swalwell, Mr. Fitzpatrick, and Mr. Gonzalez of Ohio) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and
Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to include teacher
preparation for computer science in elementary and secondary 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 ``Teacher Education for Computer
Science Act'' or the ``Teach CS Act''.
SEC. 2. TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT.
(a) Partnership Grants.--Section 202(d)(5) of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1022a) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``computer science,''
after ``science,''; and
(2) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``(including computer
science, computer engineering, data science, information
technology, and cybersecurity professionals)'' after
``occupations''.
(b) Accountability and Evaluation.--Section 204(a)(4) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1022c(a)(4)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``computer science,''
after ``science,''; and
(2) in subparagraph (G)--
(A) in clause (i), by inserting ``(including
computational thinking)'' after ``technology''; and
(B) in clause (ii), by inserting ``(including
computational thinking)'' after ``technology''.
(c) Teacher Development.--Section 206(a) of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1022e(a)) is amended by inserting ``computer
science,'' after ``science,''.
SEC. 3. ENHANCING TEACHER EDUCATION.
Section 232(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1032a(c)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``(including computer
science)'' after ``technology''; and
(2) in paragraph (3)(B), by inserting ``(including computer
science)'' after ``technology''.
SEC. 4. TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION.
Part B of title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965 is amended
(20 U.S.C. 1021 et seq.) by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 259. TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION.
``(a) Program Authorized.--From the amounts appropriated to carry
out this section, the Secretary may award competitive grants to
eligible institutions to establish centers of excellence in teacher
education programs for computer science, that may include computational
thinking, computing, and computer engineering.
``(b) Use of Funds.--A grant awarded to an eligible institution
under this section--
``(1) shall be used by such institution to ensure that
current and future teachers meet the applicable State
certification and licensure requirements in a field that will
enable them to teach computer science in their State at the
elementary and secondary school levels, by--
``(A) creating teacher education programs that meet
the requirements of section 200(6)(A)(iv) and offer,
through hands-on and classroom teaching activities with
in-service teachers--
``(i) doctoral, master's, or bachelor's
degrees in teaching computer science at the
elementary school and secondary school levels;
or
``(ii) teaching endorsements in computer
science, in the case of a teacher with related
State certification and licensure requirements
or a student who is pursuing certification and
licensure requirements in related fields, such
as mathematics and science;
``(B) ensuring that current and future teachers who
graduate from such programs meet the applicable State
certification and licensure requirements, including any
requirements for certification obtained through
alternative routes to certification, or, with regard to
special education teachers, the qualifications
described in section 612(a)(14)(C) of the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act;
``(C) recruiting individuals to enroll in such
programs, including subject matter experts and
professionals in fields related to computer science;
and
``(D) awarding scholarships and fellowships based
on financial need and to recruit traditionally
underrepresented groups in computer science to help
such students pay the cost of attendance (as defined in
section 472); and
``(2) may be used by such institution to--
``(A) hire and pay faculty salaries for the teacher
education programs described in paragraph (1)(A);
``(B) conduct research in computer science
education; and
``(C) carry out activities to encourage the
Secretary to partner with other agencies, and
prioritize funding for computer science education
research to support teacher preparation.
``(c) Duration.--
``(1) In general.--A grant under this section shall be
awarded for 5 years, conditional upon a satisfactory report to
the Secretary of progress with respect to the program carried
out with the grant after the first 3-years of the grant period.
``(2) Report of progress.--Such report of progress on the
program shall include data on the number of students and
instructors enrolled, information on former graduates
(including on how many earn teaching certification or licensure
in a field that will enable them to teach computer science in
their State at the secondary level, or be prepared to teach
computer science at the elementary level), and data on any
additional funding (other than Federal funds) received to carry
out the program.
``(d) Application.--An eligible institution desiring a grant under
this section shall submit an application to the Secretary, at such time
in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require, which shall include--
``(1) a demonstration of the need for teachers with the
certification or licensure requirements that enable them to
teach computer science at the elementary and secondary level in
the geographic area or State in which the institution is
located;
``(2) the plan to ensure the longevity of the program after
the end of the grant; and
``(3) the plan to scale up the program (including the plan
for the number of personnel to be hired, a description of their
expected qualifications and titles, the number of fellowships
and scholarships to be awarded, the estimated administrative
expenses, proposed academic advising strategy, and organizing
and outreach to maintain virtual community of computer science
educators).
``(e) Matching Requirement.--
``(1) In general.--To receive a grant under this section,
an eligible entity shall provide, from non-Federal sources, an
amount that is not less than 33 percent of the amount of the
grant, which may be provided in cash or in-kind, to carry out
the activities supported by the grant.
``(2) Waiver.--The Secretary may waive all or part of the
matching requirement described in paragraph (1) for any fiscal
year the Secretary determines that applying such requirement to
the eligible institution would result in serious hardship or an
inability to carry out the authorized activities described in
this section.
``(f) Report to Congress.--Not later than 2 years after the first
grant is awarded under his section and each year thereafter, the
Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the success of the
program based on metrics determined by the Secretary, including the
number of centers established, the number of enrolled students, and the
number of qualified teachers.
``(g) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall use up to 5
percent of the amount appropriated for each fiscal year to provide
technical assistance to eligible institutions.
``(h) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Eligible institution.--The term `eligible
institution' means an institution of higher education, as
defined in section 101, which may be in a partnership with a
nonprofit organization.
``(2) Computer science.--The term `computer science' means
the study of computers including algorithmic processes and
engineering principles for hardware and software design,
development, and systems integration, and their impact on
society.
``(3) Computing.--The term `computing' means any goal-
oriented activity requiring, benefitting from, or creating
algorithmic processes.
``(4) Computational thinking.--The term `computational
thinking' means the human ability to formulate problems so that
their solutions can be represented as computational steps or
algorithms to be executed by a computer and integrated into
broader networks of systems.''.
SEC. 5. ADJUNCT TEACHER CORPS.
Section 255 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1035) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by inserting ``computer science,''
after ``science,'';
(2) in subsection (b), by inserting ``computer science,''
after ``science,'';
(3) in subsection (e)(1), by inserting ``computer
science,'' after ``science,'';
(4) in subsection (f)(2)(A)(i), by inserting ``computer
science,'' after ``science,'';
(5) in subsection (g)(1), by inserting ``computer
science,'' after ``science,'';
(6) in subsection (g)(3), by inserting ``computer
science,'' after ``science,''; and
(7) in subsection (k)(2), by inserting ``computer
science,'' after ``science,''.
SEC. 6. GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS TO PREPARE FACULTY IN HIGH-NEED AREAS AT
COLLEGES OF EDUCATION.
Section 258(d)(2)(A) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1036(d)(2)(A)) is amended by inserting ``(including computer science)''
after ``technology''.
SEC. 7. TEACH GRANT.
Section 420N of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070g-
2) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(2)(B), by inserting ``computer
science,'' after ``science,''; and
(2) in subsection (b)(1)(C)--
(A) by redesignating clauses (iii) through (vii) as
clauses (iv) through (viii), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after clause (ii), the following:
``(iii) computer science;''.
SEC. 8. GRADUATE AND POSTSECONDARY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS.
(a) Purpose.--Section 700(1)(B)(i) of the Higher Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1133(1)(B)(i)) is amended by inserting ``computer
science,'' after ``science,''.
(b) Designation of Areas of National Need.--Section 712(b)(4) of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1135a(b)(4)) is amended by
inserting before the period at the end the following: ``, including the
need for computer science''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
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