[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3496 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3496

    To develop a demonstration project through the National Science 
Foundation to encourage interest in the fields of mathematics, science, 
                      and information technology.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 18, 1998

Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas introduced the following bill; which 
   was referred to the Committee on Science, and in addition to the 
     Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To develop a demonstration project through the National Science 
Foundation to encourage interest in the fields of mathematics, science, 
                      and information technology.

    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 ``Information Technology Partnership 
Act''.

SEC. 2. DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

    (a) General Authority.--
            (1) In general.--
                    (A) Grant program.--The Director of the National 
                Science Foundation shall, subject to appropriations, 
                carry out a demonstration project under which the 
                Director awards grants in accordance with this Act to 5 
                eligible local educational agencies.
                    (B) Uses of funds.--A local educational agency that 
                receives a grant under this Act may use such grant 
                funds to develop an information technology program that 
                builds or expands mathematics, science, and information 
                technology curricula, to purchase equipment necessary 
                to establish such program, and to provide teacher 
                training in such fields.
            (2) Program requirements.--The program described in 
        paragraph (1) shall--
                    (A) train teachers specifically in information 
                technology, mathematics, and science; and
                    (B) provide students with specialized training in 
                mathematics, science, and information technology.
    (b) Eligible Local Educational Agency.--For purposes of this Act, a 
local educational agency is eligible to receive a grant under this Act 
if the agency--
            (1) is located in one of the cities which has received an 
        award from the National Science Foundation under the Urban 
        Systemic Initiative program;
            (2) provides assurances that it has executed conditional 
        agreements with representatives of the private sector to 
        provide services and funds described in subsection (c); and
            (3) agrees to enter into an agreement with the Director to 
        comply with the requirements of this Act.
    (c) Private Sector Participation.--The conditional agreement 
referred to in subsection (b)(2) shall describe participation by the 
private sector, including--
            (1) the donation of computer hardware and software;
            (2) the establishment of internship and mentoring 
        opportunities for students who participate in the information 
        technology program; and
            (3) the donation of scholarship funds for eligible students 
        who have participated in the information technology program.
    (d) Application.--
            (1) In general.--Each eligible local educational agency 
        desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application 
        to the Director in accordance with guidelines established by 
        the Director pursuant to paragraph (2).
            (2) Guidelines.--
                    (A) Requirements.--The guidelines referred to in 
                paragraph (1) shall require, at a minimum, that the 
                application include--
                            (i) a description of proposed activities 
                        consistent with the uses of funds and program 
                        requirements under subsection (a)(1)(B) and 
                        (a)(2);
                            (ii) a description of the scholarship 
                        program, including criteria for selection, 
                        duration of scholarship, number of scholarships 
                        to be awarded each year, and funding levels for 
                        scholarships; and
                            (iii) evidence of private sector 
                        participation and financial support to 
                        establish an internship, mentoring, and 
                        scholarship program.
                    (B) Guideline publication.--The Director shall 
                issue and publish such guidelines not later than 6 
                months after the date of the enactment of this Act.
            (3) Selection.--The Director shall select a local 
        educational agency to receive an award under this Act in 
accordance with subsection (e) and on the basis of merit to be 
determined after conducting a comprehensive review.
    (e) Priority.--The Director shall give special priority in awarding 
grants under this Act to eligible local educational agencies that 
demonstrate the greatest ability to obtain commitments from 
representatives of the private sector to provide services and funds 
described under subsection (c).

SEC. 3. ASSESSMENT AND REPORTING.

    (a) Assessment.--The Director shall assess the effectiveness of 
activities carried out under this Act. Such assessment shall be 
included as part of the assessment and reporting process used for the 
Urban Systemic Initiatives program.
    (b) Study.--The Director shall initiate a longitudinal study of 
eligible students selected for scholarships pursuant to this Act and 
shall report such findings to Congress not later than 4 years after the 
award of the first scholarship. Such report shall include the number of 
students graduating from an institution of higher education with a 
major in mathematics, science, or information technology and the number 
of students who find employment in such fields.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    Except as otherwise provided, for purposes of this Act--
            (1) the term ``Director'' means the Director of the 
        National Science Foundation;
            (2) the term ``eligible student'' means a student enrolled 
        in the 12th grade who--
                    (A) would be a first-generation college student;
                    (B) has participated in an information technology 
                program established pursuant to this Act;
                    (C) has demonstrated a commitment to pursue a 
                career in information technology, mathematics, science, 
                or engineering; and
                    (D) has attained high academic standing and 
                maintains a grade point average of not less than 3.0 on 
                a 4.0 scale for the last 2 years of secondary school 
                (11th and 12th grades); and
            (3) the term ``local educational agency'' has the same 
        meaning given such term in section 14101 of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8801);

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
National Science Foundation to carry out this Act, $1,500,000.
    (b) Maximum Grant Award.--An award made to an eligible local 
educational agency under this Act may not exceed $300,000.
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