[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 307 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 307

 To provide grants to State educational agencies and local educational 
agencies for the provision of classroom-related technology training for 
               elementary and secondary school teachers.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 13, 2001

Mrs. Feinstein introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide grants to State educational agencies and local educational 
agencies for the provision of classroom-related technology 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 makes the following findings:
            (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 school and secondary school students 
        need effective computer training in schools so that the 
        students 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) Schools need increased funding to serve the computer 
        and technology needs of their rapidly growing student 
        populations.
            (7) Only 23 percent of elementary school and secondary 
        school teachers feel qualified in using computers and related 
        technology, according to the Department of Education.

SEC. 3 DEFINITIONS.

    The terms used in this Act have the meanings given the terms in 
section 14101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 8801).

SEC. 4. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to award grants to 
State educational agencies to enable the State educational agencies to 
award grants to local educational agencies for the provision of 
classroom-related technology training for licensed or certified 
elementary school or secondary school teachers.
    (b) Need Basis.--Each State educational agency that receives a 
grant under this Act shall use the grant funds to award grants to local 
educational agencies in the State on the basis of the local educational 
agencies' demonstrated need for strengthening teacher training in the 
use of technology in instruction.
    (c) Duration.--A grant made under this Act shall be awarded for a 
period not to exceed 5 years.

SEC. 5. GRANT AWARD.

    (a) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
Act--
            (1) a State educational agency shall submit an application 
        to the Secretary at such time and in such form as the Secretary 
        may require; and
            (2) a local educational agency shall submit an application 
        to the State educational agency at such time and in such form 
        as the State educational agency may require.
    (b) Number.--The State educational agency shall award not less than 
one grant under this Act to a local educational agency in the State 
that meets criteria for the grant award that are established by the 
Secretary. If the amount appropriated under section 8 for a fiscal year 
is $50,000,000 or greater, then the Secretary shall award 1 grant to 
each State educational agency that applies for such grant serving 1 of 
the 50 States of the United States.

SEC. 6. USES OF FUNDS.

    A local educational agency that receives a grant under this Act may 
use the grant funds to strengthen instruction and learning, provide 
professional development, and pay the costs of training, related to the 
use of technologies in instruction. A local educational agency that 
receives a grant under this Act may use the grant funds to provide 
training by local educational agency personnel on school premises.

SEC. 7. EVALUATION.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the Secretary first 
awards grants under this Act, the Secretary shall evaluate the 
technology training programs for teachers developed by local 
educational agencies under this Act.
    (b) Dissemination of Results.--The Secretary shall collect 
information related to the evaluation and make available to the public 
upon request the results of the evaluation.
    (c) Administrative Costs.--The Secretary may use not more than 2 
percent of the total amount appropriated under section 8 for fiscal 
year 2002 to conduct the evaluation under subsection (a).

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$100,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 
2006.
                                 <all>