[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3921 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3921

     To recognize businesses which show an exemplary commitment to 
      participating with schools to enhance educators' technology 
    capabilities and to make every student technologically literate.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 30, 1996

 Ms. Woolsey introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
          Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To recognize businesses which show an exemplary commitment to 
      participating with schools to enhance educators' technology 
    capabilities and to make every student technologically literate.

    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 ``Business and Education Sharing 
Technology Act (BEST)''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) America's most important investment is in our 
        children's education.
            (2) Educational technologies help children learn and 
        teachers teach.
            (3) Students who learn to use educational technologies are 
        prepared for both high wage, high skilled jobs, and higher 
        education.
            (4) Local businesses can play a key role in moving 
        technology into schools, enhancing educators' technology 
        capabilities and making every student technologically literate.
    (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act--
            (1) to establish a program to give local and national 
        recognition to businesses which show an exemplary commitment to 
        participating with schools to make every student 
        technologically literate; and
            (2) to make information about these exemplary partnerships 
        available to other businesses and schools.

SEC. 3. LOCAL RECOGNITION.

    (a) House of Representatives.--Members of the House of 
Representative who choose to participate in this program shall notify 
local educational agencies and individual schools in the congressional 
district which such Member represents of the recognition program and 
request nominations of local businesses for recognition.
    (b) Senate.--Members of the United States Senate, who choose to 
participate in this program, shall notify the State educational agency 
to request nominations of businesses engaged in statewide or regional 
technology partnerships with schools.
    (c) Nominations.--Such nominations shall, if available, include--
            (1) name of business;
            (2) address of business;
            (3) Internet address of business;
            (4) a description of the partnership between school or 
        school district and the business, including the specific 
        services provided by the business to the school;
            (5) a description of how the partnership is helping to 
        enhance the technological capabilities of educators or to make 
        every student technologically literate; and
            (6) a description of why the partnership is exemplary.
    (d) Selection.--Members shall appoint a board of qualified 
individuals to select, through a competitive process, the businesses 
engaged in regional or statewide technology partnerships with schools 
to receive a BEST award.

SEC. 4. CRITERIA.

    To be eligible to receive a BEST recognition award--
            (1) a business must be in an active partnership with a 
        school, consortium of schools, or local educational agency;
            (2) the purpose of the partnership must be to enhance 
        educators' technology capabilities and contribute to making 
        every student technologically literate;
            (3) the partnership must have a plan to enhance educators' 
        technology capabilities or contribute to making every student 
        technologically literate which can be shared with other 
        schools; and
            (4) the partnership activities must be of a high level of 
        quality.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL RECOGNITION.

    (a) Nomination Information.--Not later than April 1st of each year 
beginning in 1997, the board appointed under section 3(d) will forward 
the information regarding the business selected for recognition to the 
White House and to the Department of Education.
    (b) Ceremony.--Not later than June 15th of each year beginning in 
1997, the White House shall convene a ceremony to honor the businesses 
whose names have been received from such board.

SEC. 6. DISSEMINATION.

    Using online dissemination capabilities and the information 
gathered pursuant to section 3(c), the Department of Education will 
make information and descriptions regarding the programs and 
partnerships that are chosen for a BEST recognition award available to 
schools nationwide.

SEC. 7. PRIVATE DONATIONS.

    No funds are authorized to carry out this Act. The White House 
ceremony and the dissemination by the Department of Education shall not 
occur unless all costs associated with such activities are donated by 
private donations.
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