[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2648 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2648

   To ensure excellent recruitment and training of math and science 
             teachers at institutions of higher education.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 26, 2001

   Mr. Allen (for himself, Mr. Baldacci, Ms. Carson of Indiana, Mr. 
 Conyers, Mr. Crowley, Ms. DeGette, Mr. Frost, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Holt, 
  Mr. Israel, Mr. Lantos, Mr. McGovern, Ms. McKinney, Mr. Meehan, Mr. 
Moran of Virginia, Ms. Norton, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Payne, Mr. Reyes, and 
 Mr. Waxman) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To ensure excellent recruitment and training of math and science 
             teachers at institutions of higher education.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. TEACHER RECRUITMENT.

    Subpart 1 of part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
is amended--
            (1) in chapter 3, by redesignating section 407E (20 U.S.C. 
        1070a-35) as section 406E; and
            (2) by inserting after such chapter 3 the following new 
        chapter:

        ``CHAPTER 4--FUTURE MATH AND SCIENCE TEACHER RECRUITMENT

``SEC. 407A. SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS.

    ``(a) Short Title.--This chapter may be cited as the `Recruit and 
Reward Future Math and Science Teachers of America Act of 2001'.
    ``(b) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            ``(1) United States high school students rate 16th and 
        19th, respectively, in science and math out of 21 countries.
            ``(2) Of United States high school students who take math 
        courses, 22 percent are taught by teachers who did not prepare 
        in that field.
            ``(3) Of United States high school students who take 
        biology courses, 24 percent are taught by teachers who did not 
        prepare in that field.
            ``(4) Of United States high school students who take 
        chemistry courses, 30 percent are taught by teachers who did 
        not prepare in that field.
            ``(5) Of United States high school students who take 
        physics courses, 56 percent are taught by teachers who did not 
        prepare in that field.
            ``(6) Teachers' knowledge and skills powerfully influence 
        student learning.
            ``(7) More than 2,000,000 teachers will need to be hired 
        over the next decade.
            ``(8) The ability of the United States to place highly 
        qualified math and science teachers specializing in their field 
        of instruction will depend on proactive policies that increase 
        funding for teacher training, recruitment, and induction.

``SEC. 407B. PURPOSE; APPROPRIATIONS AUTHORIZED.

    ``(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this chapter to make grants 
available, through a pilot program, to eligible institutions described 
in section 407C, to enable such institutions to provide 500 scholarship 
awards to outstanding students enrolled in an accredited teacher 
training graduate program who are committed to pursuing careers 
teaching math and science at an urban or rural secondary level 
classroom.
    ``(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this chapter $5,000,000 in each of the fiscal 
years 2002, 2003, and 2004.

``SEC. 407C. SCHOLARSHIP DESIGNATION AND SELECTION CRITERIA.

    ``(a) Scholarship Designation.--Funds made available under this 
chapter shall be designated as the `National Math and Science Teacher 
Scholarships'.
    ``(b) Selection Criteria.--The Secretary of Education may award 
funds for National Math and Science Teacher Scholarships on a 
competitive basis to qualifying institutions of higher education that 
have graduate programs in teacher training. The Secretary may not 
provide any individual institution of higher education with more than 
$100,000 per academic year for the purpose of the National Math and 
Science Teacher Scholarships. An institution applying for such 
scholarships may only be eligible to receive funds if such institution 
is ranked by the Secretary in the top 25 percent of schools in the 
State in which the institution is located with the highest percentage 
of graduates passing the State teacher qualification assessment for new 
teachers. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if there are fewer 
than 4 such institutions in a State, only the institution with the 
highest percentage of such graduates shall be eligible to receive 
funding.
    ``(c) Priorities.--The Secretary shall give priority to eligible 
institutions that meet 1 or more of the following criteria:
            ``(1) Provide a year long internship program in a 
        professional development school.
            ``(2) Provide mentoring programs for novice teachers in 
        their first 3 years.
            ``(3) Demonstrate a history of placing graduates in rural 
        and urban schools.
            ``(4) Demonstrate that there is a high retention rate of 
        teachers that the institution places in teaching positions.

``SEC. 407D. INDIVIDUAL SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY.

    ``An individual may be eligible for a National Math and Science 
Teacher Scholarship only if such individual--
            ``(1) is a citizen or national of the United States or an 
        alien lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent 
        residence;
            ``(2) is majoring in a physical or life science or 
        mathematics graduate teacher training program;
            ``(3) is enrolled in a higher education institution that--
                    ``(A) is ranked by the Secretary in the top 25 
                percent of schools in the State in which the 
                institution is located with the highest percentage of 
                graduates passing the State teacher qualification 
                assessment for new teachers; or
                    ``(B) if there are fewer than 4 such institutions 
                in a State, is the institution with the highest 
                percentage of such graduates; and
            ``(4) is willing to teach math or science in a rural or 
        urban public secondary school for no less than 3 full academic 
        years.

``SEC. 407E. SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNT.

    ``(a) Amount of Award.--
            ``(1) In general.--The amount of a scholarship awarded by 
        participating teacher training graduate programs under this 
        chapter for any academic year shall be $10,000 per student, 
        except that in no case shall the total amount of the 
        scholarship exceed the total cost of attendance.
            ``(2) Insufficient funds.--In any fiscal year in which the 
        amount appropriated to carry out this chapter is insufficient 
        to award 500 scholarships, the Secretary shall reduce the 
        number of awards to eligible institutions.
    ``(b) Assistance Not To Exceed Cost of Attendance.--No individual 
shall receive an award under this chapter in any academic year which 
exceeds the cost of attendance. A scholarship awarded under this 
chapter shall not be reduced on the basis of the student's receipt of 
other forms of Federal student financial assistance.

``SEC. 407F. AGREEMENT; SCHOLARSHIP REPAYMENT PROVISIONS.

    ``(a) Agreement.--Recipients of the National Math and Science 
Teachers Scholarships shall agree to teach in an urban or rural public 
secondary school for no less than 3 full academic years.
    ``(b) Repayment for Failure To Fulfill Agreement.--Any recipients 
of a Scholarship found by the Secretary to be in noncompliance with the 
agreement entered into under subsection (a) of this section shall be 
required to repay a pro rata amount of the scholarship awards received, 
plus interest and, where applicable, reasonable collection fees, on a 
schedule and at a rate of interest prescribed by the Secretary by 
regulations.

``SEC. 407G. EXCEPTIONS TO REPAYMENT PROVISIONS.

    ``An individual recipient of a Scholarship under this chapter shall 
not be considered in violation of the agreement entered into pursuant 
to section 407F during any period in which the recipient--
            ``(1) is pursuing a full-time course of study in math and 
        science at an accredited institution;
            ``(2) is serving, not in excess of 3 years, as a member of 
        the armed services of the United States;
            ``(3) is temporarily disabled for a period of time not to 
        exceed 3 years as established by sworn affidavit of a qualified 
        physician;
            ``(4) is seeking and unable to find full-time employment 
        for a single period not to exceed 12 months;
            ``(5) is seeking and unable to find full-time employment as 
        a math and science teacher in a public or private nonprofit 
        elementary or secondary school or education program for a 
        single period not to exceed 27 months;
            ``(6) satisfies the provision of additional repayment 
        exceptions that may be prescribed by the Secretary in 
        regulations issued pursuant to this section; or
            ``(7) is permanently totally disabled, as established by 
        sworn affidavit of a qualified physician.

``SEC. 407H. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    ``Three years after the date on which funds are first made 
available to carry out this chapter, the Secretary of Education shall 
submit a report to Congress evaluating the success of the National Math 
and Science Teacher Scholarships pilot program in recruiting math and 
science teachers to teach in America's public secondary schools.''.
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