[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 461 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 461
To support educational partnerships, focusing on mathematics, science,
and technology, between institutions of higher education and elementary
schools and secondary schools, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 6, 2001
Mr. Frist introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To support educational partnerships, focusing on mathematics, science,
and technology, between institutions of higher education and elementary
schools and secondary schools, and for other purposes.
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 ``Mathematics and Science Education
Partnership and Teacher Recruitment Act of 2001''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to encourage States, institutions of
higher education, elementary schools, and secondary schools to
participate in programs that--
(1) upgrade the status and stature of math and science
teaching as a profession by encouraging institutions of higher
education to assume greater responsibility for improving math
and science teacher education through the establishment of a
comprehensive, integrated system of recruiting and advising
such teachers;
(2) focus on education of math and science teachers as a
career-long process that should continuously stimulate
teachers' intellectual growth and upgrade teachers' knowledge
and skills;
(3) bring together elementary school and secondary school
math and science teachers with scientists, mathematicians, and
engineers to increase teacher content knowledge and improve
teaching skills through the use of more sophisticated
laboratory space and equipment, computing facilities,
libraries, and other resources that colleges and universities
are more able to provide; and
(4) develop more rigorous mathematics and science curricula
that are aligned and intended to prepare students for
postsecondary study in mathematics and science.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
(a) Incorporation of General Definitions.--The provisions of
section 14101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 8801) shall apply for purposes of this Act in the same manner as
they apply for purposes of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
of 1965.
(b) Other Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Eligible partnership.--The term ``eligible
partnership'' means a partnership that--
(A) shall include--
(i) a State educational agency;
(ii) a mathematics or science department of
an institution of higher education; and
(iii) a local educational agency; and
(B) may include--
(i) another institution of higher education
or the teacher training department of such
institution;
(ii) another local educational agency, or
an elementary school or secondary school;
(iii) a business; or
(iv) a nonprofit organization of
demonstrated effectiveness, including a museum.
(2) High need local educational agency.--The term ``high
need local educational agency'' has the meaning given the term
in section 201(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1021(b)).
(3) Summer workshop or institute.--The term ``summer
workshop or institute'' means a workshop or institute conducted
outside of the academic year that--
(A) is conducted during a period of a minimum of 2
weeks;
(B) provides for direct interaction between
students and faculty; and
(C) provides for followup training in the classroom
during the academic year for a period of a minimum of 3
days, which shall not be required to be consecutive,
except that--
(i) if the program at the summer workshop
or institute is for a period of only 2 weeks,
the followup training shall be for a period of
more than 3 days; and
(ii) for teachers in rural school
districts, followup training through the
Internet may be used.
SEC. 4. GRANTS AUTHORIZED.
(a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to award grants, on a
competitive basis, to eligible partnerships to enable the eligible
partnerships to pay the Federal share of the costs of carrying out the
authorized activities described in section 6.
(b) Duration.--The Secretary shall award grants under this section
for periods of 5 years.
(c) Federal Share.--
(1) In general.--The Federal share of the costs of the
activities assisted under this Act shall be--
(A) 75 percent of the costs for the first year an
eligible partnership receives a grant payment under
this Act;
(B) 65 percent of the costs for the second such
year; and
(C) 50 percent of the costs for each of the third,
fourth, and fifth such years.
(2) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of the costs
of activities assisted under this Act may be provided in cash
or in kind, fairly evaluated.
SEC. 5. APPLICATION.
(a) In General.--Each eligible partnership desiring a grant under
this Act shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in
such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may
require.
(b) Contents.--Each such application shall include--
(1) an assessment of the teacher quality and professional
development needs of all the entities participating in the
eligible partnership with respect to the teaching and learning
of mathematics and science, including a statement as to whether
the eligible partnership includes a high need local educational
agency;
(2) a description of how the activities to be carried out
by the eligible partnership will be aligned with State and
local standards and with other educational reform activities
that promote student achievement in mathematics and science;
(3) a description of how the activities to be carried out
by the eligible partnership will be based on a review of
relevant research, and an explanation of why the activities are
expected to improve student performance and to strengthen the
quality of mathematics and science instruction; and
(4) a description of--
(A) how the eligible partnership will carry out the
authorized activities described in section 6; and
(B) the eligible partnership's evaluation and
accountability plan described in section 7.
(c) Priority.--The Secretary shall give priority to any application
submitted by an eligible partnership that includes a high need local
educational agency.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.
An eligible partnership shall use the grant funds provided under
this Act for 1 or more of the following activities related to
elementary schools or secondary schools:
(1) Developing or redesigning more rigorous mathematics and
science curricula that are aligned and intended to foster
college placement and preparation for postsecondary study in
mathematics and science.
(2) Creating opportunities for enhanced and ongoing
professional development that improves the academic content
knowledge of mathematics and science teachers.
(3) Recruiting mathematics and science majors to the
teaching profession through the use of--
(A) signing bonuses and performance bonuses for
mathematics and science teachers;
(B) stipends for mathematics teachers and science
teachers for certification through alternative routes;
(C) scholarships for teachers to pursue advanced
course work in mathematics and science;
(D) scholarships for students with academic majors
in mathematics and science; and
(E) carrying out any other program that the State
believes to be effective in recruiting individuals with
strong mathematics or science backgrounds into the
teaching profession.
(4) Promoting strong teaching skills for mathematics and
science teachers and teacher educators, including integrating
reliable research-based teaching methods into the curriculum.
(5) Establishing mathematics and science summer workshops
or institutes and followup training for teachers, using
curricula that are experiment-oriented, content-based, and
grounded in current research.
(6) Establishing web-based instructional materials for
mathematics and science teachers using curricula that are,
experiment-oriented, content-based, and grounded in current
research.
(7) Designing programs to prepare a teacher to provide
professional development instruction to other teachers within
the participating teacher's school.
(8) Designing programs to bring teachers into contact with
working scientists, mathematicians, and engineers to increase
teachers' content knowledge and enhance teachers' instructional
techniques.
(9) Designing programs focusing on changing behaviors and
practices of teachers to assist novice teachers in developing
confidence in their skills to increase the likelihood that such
novice teachers will continue in the teaching profession, and
to generally improve the quality of teaching.
SEC. 7. EVALUATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY PLAN.
Each eligible partnership receiving a grant under this Act shall
develop an evaluation and accountability plan for activities assisted
under this Act that includes strong performance objectives. The plan
shall include objectives and measures for--
(1) improved student performance on State mathematics and
science assessments or on the Third International Math and
Science Study assessment;
(2) increased participation by students in advanced courses
in mathematics and science;
(3) increased percentages of secondary school classes in
mathematics and science taught by teachers with academic majors
in mathematics and science, respectively;
(4) increased numbers of mathematics and science teachers
who participate in content-based professional development
activities; and
(5) increased passing rates of students in advanced courses
in mathematics and science.
SEC. 8. REPORT; REVOCATION OF GRANT.
(a) Report.--Each eligible partnership receiving a grant under this
Act shall report annually to the Secretary regarding the eligible
partnership's progress in meeting the performance objectives described
in section 7.
(b) Revocation.--If the Secretary determines that an eligible
partnership is not making substantial progress in meeting the
performance objectives described in section 7 by the end of the third
year of a grant under this Act, then the grant payments shall not be
made for the fourth and fifth year of the grant.
SEC. 9. CONSULTATION WITH NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION.
In carrying out the activities authorized by this Act, the
Secretary shall consult and coordinate with the Director of the
National Science Foundation, particularly with respect to the
appropriate roles for the Department and the Foundation in the conduct
of summer workshops or institutes provided by the mathematics and
science partnerships to improve mathematics and science teaching in the
elementary schools and secondary schools.
SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act,
$500,000,000 for fiscal year 2002 and such sums as may be necessary for
each of the 6 succeeding fiscal years.
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