[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 455 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 455

  To provide grants to certain local educational agencies to provide 
   integrated classroom-related computer training for elementary and 
                       secondary school teachers.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 2, 1999

   Mrs. Capps (for herself, Mr. Deutsch, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Frost, Mr. 
Sanders, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Green of Texas, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Stark, Mrs. 
Clayton, Mr. Waxman, Mr. Reyes, Mrs. Maloney of New York, Mr. Brown of 
 California, Ms. Kilpatrick, Mr. Bonior, Mr. McDermott, Mr. Towns, Mr. 
McGovern, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr. Lantos, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Lucas of 
 Kentucky, Mrs. Jones of Ohio, Mr. Filner, and Ms. DeGette) introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education 
                           and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To provide grants to certain local educational agencies to provide 
   integrated classroom-related computer training for elementary and 
                       secondary school teachers.

    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 Technology Training Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Between 1994 and 2005, more than 1,000,000 new computer 
        scientists and engineers, system analysts, and computer 
        programmers will be required in the United States.
            (2) Today's elementary and secondary school students need 
        effective computer training in schools so that they can 
        effectively compete in tomorrow's job market.
            (3) More schools are using computers than ever before 
        creating a greater need for teachers to utilize computer 
        equipment effectively in a classroom setting.
            (4) In just 3 years, the percentage of public schools with 
        Internet access increased from 35 percent in the fall of 1994 
        to 78 percent in the fall of 1997, with 98 percent of all 
        schools owning computers.
            (5) The need for teachers who have knowledge and mastery of 
        computer skills in the classroom is great.
            (6) States that have the fastest population growth and lead 
        the Nation in projected student enrollment will need increased 
        funding to serve the computer and technology needs of their 
        rapidly growing student populations.

SEC. 3. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Education, through the Office of 
Educational Technology, is authorized to award grants to local 
educational agencies identified under subsection (b) to provide 
classroom-related computer training to credentialed teachers.
    (b) Grant Award Selection.--The Secretary of Education may award 
grants to local educational agencies located in the States, identified 
by the Department of Education in the Baby Boom Echo Report (current at 
the time grants are made), which are projected to have an increase in 
student enrollment of not less than 20,000 in public elementary and 
secondary schools during the next ten years.
    (c) Duration.--A grant made under this Act may be awarded for a 
period not to exceed 3 years.

SEC. 4. GRANT AWARD.

    (a) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant award under 
this Act, a local educational agency located in one of the States 
identified in section 3(b) shall submit an application to the Secretary 
of Education at such time and in such form as the Secretary may 
require. Such application shall include a certification that the agency 
has developed a progression of computer training for teachers that 
begins with basic classroom-related computer training and progresses 
through to a superior level of proficiency throughout the agency.
    (b) Priority.--The Secretary of Education shall provide not less 
than one grant in each State identified in section 3(b) to an eligible 
local educational agency in such State that meets the qualifications 
established by the Secretary of Education. The Secretary may award 
grants to additional eligible local educational agencies in such States 
based on the quality of the application submitted and the enrollment 
levels in public elementary and secondary schools located in such 
agencies.
    (c) Grant Amount.--Each grant award made under this Act shall be of 
sufficient size to carry out the goals of this Act, but shall not 
exceed $500,000.

SEC. 5. USES OF FUNDS.

    A local educational agency that receives a grant award under this 
Act may use such funds received to provide training by local 
educational agency personnel on school premises.

SEC. 6. EVALUATION.

    (a) In General.--Not later than one year after grant awards are 
made, the Secretary of Education shall evaluate computer training 
programs for teachers developed by local educational agencies in 
accordance with this Act.
    (b) Dissemination of Results.--The Secretary of Education shall 
collect such information and make available evaluation results to the 
public upon request.
    (c) Administrative Costs.--The Secretary of Education may use not 
more than 2 percent of the total amount appropriated in the first year 
to carry out this Act to conduct evaluations pursuant to subsection 
(a).

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$10,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 and such sums as may be necessary for 
each of fiscal years 2001 and 2002.
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