[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5502 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5502

   To improve the academic competitiveness of students in the United 
                                States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 25, 2006

Miss McMorris introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To improve the academic competitiveness of students in the United 
                                States.

    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 ``Strengthening America's Innovation 
and Competitiveness Act''.

SEC. 2. ADVANCED PLACEMENT TEACHER PREPARATION.

    (a) State Grants.--Section 202(d) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1022(d)) is amended by adding at the end of the 
subsection the following new paragraph:
            ``(8) Advanced placement.--Implementing strategies to 
        increase the number of teachers qualified to teach advanced 
        placement and pre-advanced placement courses in mathematics, 
        science, and critical foreign languages, and other strategies 
        to increase the availability of those courses, particularly for 
        low-income students.''.
    (b) Partnership Grants.--Section 203(e) of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1023(e)) is amended by adding at the end of the 
subsection the following new paragraph:
            ``(5) Advanced placement.--Implementing strategies to 
        increase the number of teachers qualified to teach advanced 
        placement and pre-advanced placement courses in mathematics, 
        science, and critical foreign languages, and other strategies 
        to increase the availability of those courses, particularly for 
        low-income students.''.
    (c) Definition.--Section 201(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1021(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph:
            ``(4) Critical foreign language.--The term `critical 
        foreign language' includes the languages of Arabic, Korean, 
        Japanese, Chinese, Pashto, Persian-Farsi, Serbian-Croatian, 
        Russian, Portuguese, and any other language identified by the 
        Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Defense 
        Language Institute, the Foreign Service Institute, and the 
        National Security Education Program, as a critical foreign 
        language need.''.

SEC. 3. ROBERT C. BYRD HONORS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

    Subpart 6 of part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1070d-31 et seq.) is amended to read as follows:

      ``Subpart 6--Robert C. Byrd American Competitiveness Program

``SEC. 419A. ROBERT C. BYRD MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE HONORS SCHOLARSHIP 
              PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to award 
scholarships to students who are enrolled in studies leading to 
baccalaureate and advanced degrees in physical, life, or computer 
sciences, mathematics, and engineering.
    ``(b) Definitions.--As used in this section--
            ``(1) the term `computer science' means the branch of 
        knowledge or study of computers, including such fields of 
        knowledge or study as computer hardware, computer software, 
        computer engineering, information systems, and robotics;
            ``(2) the term `critical foreign language' includes the 
        languages of Arabic, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Pashto, 
        Persian-Farsi, Serbian-Croatian, Russian, Portuguese, and any 
        other language identified by the Secretary of Education, in 
        consultation with the Defense Language Institute, the Foreign 
        Service Institute, and the National Security Education Program, 
        as a critical foreign language need;
            ``(3) the term `eligible student' means a student who--
                    ``(A) is a citizen of the United States;
                    ``(B) is selected by the managing agent to receive 
                a scholarship;
                    ``(C) is enrolled full-time in an institution of 
                higher education, other than a United States service 
                academy; and
                    ``(D) has shown a commitment to and is pursuing a 
                major in studies leading to a baccalaureate, masters, 
                or doctoral degree (or a combination thereof) in 
                physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, or 
                engineering;
            ``(4) the term `engineering' means the science by which the 
        properties of matter and the sources of energy in nature are 
        made useful to humanity in structures, machines, and products, 
        as in the construction of engines, bridges, buildings, mines, 
        and chemical plants, including such fields of knowledge or 
        study as aeronautical engineering, chemical engineering, civil 
        engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, 
        materials engineering, manufacturing engineering, and 
        mechanical engineering;
            ``(5) the term `life sciences' means the branch of 
        knowledge or study of living things, including such fields of 
        knowledge or study as biology, biochemistry, biophysics, 
        microbiology, genetics, physiology, botany, zoology, ecology, 
        and behavioral biology, except that the term does not encompass 
        social psychology or the health professions;
            ``(6) the term `managing agent' means an entity to which an 
        award is made under subsection (c) to manage a program of 
        Mathematics and Science Honors Scholarships;
            ``(7) the term `mathematics' means the branch of knowledge 
        or study of numbers and the systematic treatment of magnitude, 
        relationships between figures and forms, and relations between 
        quantities expressed symbolically, including such fields of 
        knowledge or study as statistics, applied mathematics, and 
        operations research; and
            ``(8) the term `physical sciences' means the branch of 
        knowledge or study of the material universe, including such 
        fields of knowledge or study as astronomy, atmospheric 
        sciences, chemistry, earth sciences, ocean sciences, physics, 
        and planetary sciences.
    ``(c) Award.--
            ``(1)(A) From funds authorized under section 419F to carry 
        out this section, the Secretary is authorized, through a grant 
        or cooperative agreement, to make an award to a private, non-
        profit organization, other than an institution of higher 
        education or system of institutions of higher education, to 
        manage, through a public and private partnership, a program of 
        Mathematics and Science Honors Scholarships under this section.
            ``(B) The award under subparagraph (A) shall be for a five-
        year period.
            ``(2)(A) One hundred percent of the funds awarded under 
        paragraph (1)(A) for any fiscal year shall be obligated and 
        expended solely on scholarships to eligible students.
            ``(B) No Federal funds shall be used to provide more than 
        50 percent of the cost of any scholarship to an eligible 
        student.
            ``(C) The maximum scholarship award shall be the difference 
        between an eligible student's cost of attendance minus any non-
        loan based aid such student receives.
            ``(3)(A) The secretary may establish--
                    ``(i) eligibility criteria for applicants for 
                managing agent, including criteria regarding financial 
                and administrative capability; and
                    ``(ii) operational standards for the managing 
                agent, including management and performance 
                requirements, such as audit, recordkeeping, record 
                retention, and reporting procedures and requirements.
            ``(B) The Secretary, as necessary, may review and revise 
        any criteria, standards, and rules established under this 
        paragraph and, through the agreement with the managing agent, 
        see that any revisions are implemented.
            ``(4) If the managing agent fails to meet the requirements 
        of this section the Secretary may terminate the award to the 
        managing agent.
            ``(5) The Secretary shall conduct outreach efforts to help 
        raise awareness of the Mathematics and Science Honors 
        Scholarships.
    ``(d) Duties of the Managing Agent.--The managing agent shall--
            ``(1) develop criteria to award Mathematics and Science 
        Honors Scholarships based on established measurements available 
        to secondary students who wish to pursue degrees in physical, 
        life, or computer sciences, mathematics, and engineering;
            ``(2) establish a Mathematics and Science Honors 
        Scholarship Fund in a separate, named account that clearly 
        discloses the amount of Federal and non-Federal funds deposited 
        in the account and used for scholarships under this section;
            ``(3) solicit funds for scholarships and for the 
        administration of the program from non-Federal sources;
            ``(4) solicit applicants for scholarships;
            ``(5) from the amounts in the Fund, award scholarships to 
        eligible students and transfer such funds to the institutions 
        of higher education that they attend;
            ``(6) annually submit to the Secretary a financial audit 
        and a report on the progress of the program, and such other 
        documents as the Secretary may require to determine the 
        effective management of the program; and
            ``(7) shall not develop a criteria that discriminates 
        against a student based on the type of program in which the 
        student completed his or her secondary education.
    ``(e) Applications.--
            ``(1) Any eligible entity that desires to be the managing 
        agent under this section shall submit an application to the 
        Secretary, in such form and containing such information, as the 
        Secretary may require.
            ``(2) Each application shall include a description of--
                    ``(A) how the applicant meets or will meet 
                requirements established under subsections (c)(3)(A) 
                and (d);
                    ``(B) how the applicant will solicit funds for 
                scholarships and for the administration of the program 
                from non-Federal sources;
                    ``(C) how the applicant will provide nationwide 
                outreach to inform students about the program and to 
                encourage students to pursue degrees in physical, life, 
                or computer sciences, mathematics, and engineering;
                    ``(D) how the applicant will solicit applications 
                for scholarships, including how the applicant will 
                balance efforts in urban and rural areas;
                    ``(E) the selection criteria based on established 
                measurements available to secondary students the 
                applicant will use to award scholarships and to renew 
                those awards;
                    ``(F) how the applicant will inform the institution 
                of higher education chosen by the recipient of the name 
                and scholarship amount of the recipient;
                    ``(G) what procedures and assurances the applicant 
                and the institution of higher education that the 
                recipient attends will use to verify student 
                eligibility, attendance, degree progress, and academic 
                performance and to deliver and account for payments to 
                such institution;
                    ``(H) the management (including audit and 
                accounting) procedures the applicant will use for the 
                program;
                    ``(I) the human, financial, and other resources 
                that the applicant will need and use to manage the 
                program;
                    ``(J) how the applicant will evaluate the program 
                and report to the Secretary annually; and
                    ``(K) a description of how the entity will 
                coordinate with, complement, and build on similar 
                public and private mathematics and science programs.
    ``(f) Scholarship Recipients.--
            ``(1) A student receiving a scholarship under this section 
        shall be known as a `Byrd Mathematics and Science Honors 
        Scholar'.
            ``(2) Any student desiring to receive a scholarship under 
        this section shall submit an application to the managing agent 
        in such form, and containing such information, as the managing 
        agent may require.
            ``(3) Any student that receives a scholarship under this 
        section shall enter into an agreement with the managing agent 
        to complete 5 consecutive years of service to begin no later 
        than 12 months following completion of the final degree in a 
        position related to the field in which the student obtained the 
        degree.
            ``(4) If any student that receives a scholarship under this 
        section fails to earn at least a baccalaureate degree in 
        physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, or 
        engineering as defined under this section, the student shall 
        repay to the managing agent the amount of any financial 
        assistance paid to such student.
            ``(5) If any student that receives a scholarship under this 
        section fails to meet the requirements of paragraph (3), the 
        student shall repay to the managing agent the amount of any 
        financial assistance paid to such student.
            ``(6)(A) Scholarships shall be awarded for only one 
        academic year of study at a time.
            ``(B)(i) A scholarship shall be renewable on an annual 
        basis for the established length of the academic program if the 
        student awarded the scholarship remains eligible.
            ``(ii) The managing agent may condition renewal of a 
        scholarship on measures of academic progress and achievement, 
        with the approval of the Secretary.
            ``(C)(i) If a student fails to either remain eligible or 
        meet established measures of academic progress and achievement, 
        the managing agent shall instruct the student's institution of 
        higher education to suspend payment of the student's 
        scholarship.
            ``(ii) A suspension of payment shall remain in effect until 
        the student is able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the 
        managing agent that he or she is again eligible and meets the 
        established measures of academic progress and achievement.
            ``(iii) A student's eligibility for a scholarship shall be 
        terminated if a suspension period exceeds 12 months.
            ``(D)(i)(I) A student awarded a scholarship may, in a 
        manner and under the terms established by, and with the 
        approval of, the managing agent, postpone or interrupt his or 
        her enrollment at an institution of higher education for up to 
        12 months.
            ``(II) Such a postponement or interruption shall not be 
        considered a suspension for purposes of subparagraph (C).
            ``(ii) Neither a student nor the student's institution of 
        higher education shall receive the student's scholarship 
        payments during the period of postponement or interruption, but 
        such payments shall resume upon enrollment or reenrollment.
            ``(iii) In exceptional circumstances, such as serious 
        injury or illness or the necessity to care for family members, 
        the student's postponement or interruption may, upon 
        notification and approval of the managing agent, be extended 
        beyond the 12 month period described in clause (i)(I).
    ``(g) Responsibilities of Institution of Higher Education.--
            ``(1) The managing agent shall require any institution of 
        higher education that enrolls a student who receives a 
        scholarship under this section to annually provide an 
        assurance, prior to making any payment, that the student--
            ``(A) is eligible in accordance with subsection (b)(2); and
            ``(B) has provided the institution with a written 
        commitment to attend, or is attending, classes and is 
        satisfactorily meeting the institution's academic criteria for 
        enrollment in its program of study.
            ``(2)(A) The managing agent shall provide the institution 
        of higher education with payments from the Fund for selected 
        recipients in at least two installments.
            ``(B) An institution of higher education shall return 
        prorated amounts of any scholarship payment to the managing 
        agent, who shall deposit it in to the Fund, if a recipient 
        declines a scholarship, does not attend courses, transfers to 
        another institution of higher education, or becomes ineligible 
        for a scholarship.

``SEC. 419B. MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE INCENTIVE PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to carry out 
        a program of assuming the obligation to pay, pursuant to the 
        provisions of this section, the interest on a loan made, 
        insured, or guaranteed under part B or D of this title.
            ``(2) Eligibility.--The Secretary may assume interest 
        payments under paragraph (1) only for a borrower who--
                    ``(A) has submitted an application in compliance 
                with subsection (d);
                    ``(B) obtained one or more loans described in 
                paragraph (1) as an undergraduate student;
                    ``(C) is a new borrower (within the meaning of 
                section 103(7) of this Act) on or after the date of 
                enactment of the College Access and Opportunity Act of 
                2006;
                    ``(D) is a highly qualified teacher (as defined in 
                section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
                Act of 1965) of science, technology, engineering or 
                mathematics at an elementary or secondary school in a 
                high need local educational agency, or is a 
                mathematics, science, or engineering professional; and
                    ``(E) enters into an agreement with the Secretary 
                to complete 5 consecutive years of service in a 
                position described in subparagraph (D), starting on the 
                date of the agreement.
            ``(3) Prior interest limitations.--The Secretary shall not 
        make any payments for interest that--
                    ``(A) accrues prior to the beginning of the 
                repayment period on a loan in the case of a loan made 
                under section 428H or a Federal Direct Unsubsidized 
                Stafford Loan; or
                    ``(B) has accrued prior to the signing of an 
                agreement under paragraph (2)(E).
            ``(4) Initial selection.--In selecting participants for the 
        program under this section, the Secretary--
                    ``(A) shall choose among eligible applicants on the 
                basis of--
                            ``(i) the national security, homeland 
                        security, and economic security needs of the 
                        United States, as determined by the Secretary, 
                        in consultation with other Federal agencies, 
                        including the Departments of Labor, Defense, 
                        Homeland Security, Commerce, and Energy, the 
                        Central Intelligence Agency, and the National 
                        Science Foundation; and
                            ``(ii) the academic record or job 
                        performance of the applicant; and
                    ``(B) may choose among eligible applicants on the 
                basis of--
                            ``(i) the likelihood of the applicant to 
                        complete the 5-year service obligation;
                            ``(ii) the likelihood of the applicant to 
                        remain in science, mathematics, or engineering 
                        after the completion of the service 
                        requirement; or
                            ``(iii) other relevant criteria determined 
                        by the Secretary.
            ``(5) Availability subject to appropriations.--Loan 
        interest payments under this section shall be subject to the 
        availability of appropriations. If the amount appropriated for 
        any fiscal year is not sufficient to provide interest payments 
        on behalf of all qualified applicants, the Secretary shall give 
        priority to those individuals on whose behalf interest payments 
        were made during the preceding fiscal year.
            ``(6) Regulations.--The Secretary is authorized to 
        prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the 
        provisions of this section.
    ``(b) Duration and Amount of Interest Payments.--The period during 
which the Secretary shall pay interest on behalf of a student borrower 
who is selected under subsection (a) is the period that begins on the 
effective date of the agreement under subsection (a)(2)(E), continues 
after successful completion of the service obligation, and ends on the 
earlier of--
            ``(1) the completion of the repayment period of the loan;
            ``(2) payment by the Secretary of a total of $5,000 on 
        behalf of the borrower;
            ``(3) if the borrower ceases to fulfill the service 
        obligation under such agreement prior to the end of the 5-year 
        period, as soon as the borrower is determined to have ceased to 
        fulfill such obligation in accordance with regulations of the 
        Secretary; or
            ``(4) 6 months after the end of any calendar year in which 
        the borrower's gross income equals or exceeds 4 times the 
        national per capita disposable personal income (current 
        dollars) for such calendar year, as determined on the basis of 
        the National Income and Product Accounts Tables of the Bureau 
        of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce, as 
        determined in accordance with regulations prescribed by the 
        Secretary.
    ``(c) Repayment to Eligible Lenders.--Subject to the regulations 
prescribed by the Secretary by regulation under subsection (a)(6), the 
Secretary shall pay to each eligible lender or holder for each payment 
period the amount of the interest that accrues on a loan of a student 
borrower who is selected under subsection (a).
    ``(d) Application for Repayment.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each eligible individual desiring loan 
        interest payment under this section shall submit a complete and 
        accurate application to the Secretary at such time, in such 
        manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
        require.
            ``(2) Failure to complete service agreement.--Such 
        application shall contain an agreement by the individual that, 
        if the individual fails to complete the 5 consecutive years of 
        service required by subsection (a)(2)(E), the individual agrees 
        to repay the Secretary the amount of any interest paid by the 
        Secretary on behalf of the individual.
    ``(e) Treatment of Consolidation Loans.--A consolidation loan made 
under section 428C of this Act, or a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan 
made under part D of title IV of this Act, may be a qualified loan for 
the purpose of this section only to the extent that such loan amount 
was used by a borrower who otherwise meets the requirements of this 
section to repay--
            ``(1) a loan made under section 428 or 428H of this Act; or
            ``(2) a Federal Direct Stafford Loan, or a Federal Direct 
        Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, made under part D of title IV of 
        this Act.
    ``(f) Prevention of Double Benefits.--No borrower may, for the same 
service, receive a benefit under both this section and--
            ``(1) any loan forgiveness program under title IV of this 
        Act; or
            ``(2) subtitle D of title I of the National and Community 
        Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12601 et seq.).
    ``(g) Definitions.--As used in this section--
            ``(1) the term `high need local educational agency' has the 
        same meaning given such term in section 201(b)(4); and
            ``(2) the term `mathematics, science, or engineering 
        professional' means a person who--
                    ``(A) holds a baccalaureate, masters, or doctoral 
                degree (or a combination thereof) in science, 
                mathematics, or engineering; and
                    ``(B) works in a field the Secretary determines is 
                closely related to that degree, which shall include 
                working as a professor at a two- or four-year 
                institution of higher education.

``SEC. 419C. MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE EDUCATION COORDINATING COUNCIL 
              GRANTS.

    ``(a) Purposes.--The purposes of this section include--
            ``(1) supporting programs that encourage students to enroll 
        in and successfully complete baccalaureate and advanced degrees 
        in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics;
            ``(2) achieving the common objective of organizing, 
        leading, and implementing State-based reform agendas that 
        support the continuing improvement of mathematics and science 
        education;
            ``(3) improving collaboration in a State among the State 
        educational agency, 2-year and 4-year institutions of higher 
        education, and the business community through the development 
        or improvement of a coordinating council; and
            ``(4) supporting regional workshops designed to permit the 
        sharing of successful research-based strategies to improve the 
        achievement of students in mathematics and science.
    ``(b) Definitions.--For the purposes of this section:
            ``(1) the term `eligible State' means--
                    ``(A) the Governor of a State; or
                    ``(B) in the case of a State for which the 
                constitution or laws of the State designate an 
                individual, entity, or agency in the State, other than 
                the Governor, to be responsible for coordination among 
                segments of the State's educational systems, such 
                individual, entity, or agency.
            ``(2) the term `mathematics and science education 
        coordinating council' means an organization that is charged by 
        a State with coordinating mathematics and science education in 
        the State. Such a council shall be composed of education, 
        business, and community leaders working together to increase 
        student participation and academic achievement in mathematics 
        and science.
    ``(c) State Grants.--From amounts authorized under section 419D for 
this section, the Secretary is authorized to use not more than 
$5,000,000 to award grants on a competitive basis to eligible States 
for the purpose of carrying out activities described in subsection (d).
    ``(d) Uses of Funds.--An eligible State that receives a grant under 
this section is authorized to use grant funds to carry out one or more 
of the following activities:
            ``(1) In a State in which a mathematics and science 
        education coordinating council does not exist, planning and 
        establishing such a council.
            ``(2) In a State in which such a council exists, reforming 
        or expanding the activities of the council, including 
        implementing State-based reform agendas that support the 
        continuing improvement of mathematics and science education, 
        and support services that lead to better teacher recruitment 
        and training, increased student academic achievement, and 
        increased student enrollment and degree attainment in science, 
        technology, engineering, and mathematics.
            ``(3) Coordinating with activities under part B of title II 
        of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and with 
        title II of this Act, especially pertaining to the recruitment 
        and preparation of highly qualified mathematics and science 
        teachers.
            ``(4) Supporting regional workshops designed to permit 
        educators, administrators responsible for professional 
        development and curriculum development, and faculty of teacher 
        preparation programs to share successful research based 
        strategies for--
                    ``(A) carrying out the activities described in 
                section 2202(c) of the Elementary and Secondary 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6662(c)) (as amended 
                by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001); and
                    ``(B) otherwise improving student achievement in 
                mathematics and science instruction in elementary and 
                secondary schools.
    ``(e) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
section, an eligible State shall submit an application to the Secretary 
that--
            ``(1) describes the activities the State will carry out 
        with the funds, which may include a plan for establishing a 
        regional working group to conduct regional workshops to share 
        research-based information and approaches to improving the 
        achievements of students in mathematics and science;
            ``(2) contains a plan for continuing such activities once 
        Federal funding ceases; and
            ``(3) contains such other information and assurances as the 
        Secretary may require.
    ``(f) Consultation.--The Governor of a State, or the individual, 
entity, or agency in the State described in subsection (b)(1)(B), shall 
consult with the State board of education, State educational agency, 
and the State agency for higher education, as appropriate, with respect 
to the activities assisted under this section. In the case of an 
individual, entity, or agency described in subsection (b)(1)(B), such 
consultation shall also include the Governor.
    ``(g) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
negate or supersede the legal authority under State law of any State 
agency, State entity, or State public official over programs that are 
under the jurisdiction of the agency, entity, or official.
    ``(h) Administrative Provisions.--
            ``(1) In general.--
                    ``(A) Grants awarded under this section shall be 
                awarded for a period not to exceed 5 years.
                    ``(B) A grantee may receive a grant under this part 
                only once.
                    ``(C) Payments of grant funds under this section 
                shall be annual.
            ``(2) Secretarial selections.--The Secretary shall 
        determine which applications receive funds under this section, 
        and the amount of the grant. In determining grant amounts, the 
        Secretary shall take into account the total amount of funds 
        available for all grants under this section and the nature of 
        each grant proposal, including whether funds are being sought 
        to assist in the creation of a new State mathematics and 
        science education coordinating council or to extend the work of 
        an existing council. The Secretary shall also take into account 
        the equitable geographic distribution of grants throughout the 
        United States.
            ``(3) Matching requirement.--Each eligible State receiving 
        a grant under this section shall provide, from non-Federal 
        sources, an amount equal to 50 percent of the amount of the 
        grant (in cash or in kind) to carry out the activities 
        supported by the grant.
    ``(i) Accountability and Evaluation.--
            ``(1) State grant accountability report.--An eligible State 
        that receives a grant under this section shall submit an annual 
        accountability report to the Secretary. Such report shall 
        include a description of the degree to which the eligible 
        State, in using grant funds, has made substantial progress in 
        meeting its objectives.
            ``(2) Evaluation and dissemination.--The Secretary shall 
        evaluate the activities funded under this section and report 
        the Secretary's findings regarding such activities to the 
        authorizing committees. The Secretary shall broadly disseminate 
        successful practices developed by eligible States under this 
        section, and shall broadly disseminate information regarding 
        such practices that were found to be ineffective.
            ``(3) Revocation.--If the Secretary determines that an 
        eligible State is not making substantial progress in meeting 
        the purposes, objectives, and measures, as appropriate, 
        required under this section by the end of the second year of a 
        grant, then the grant payment shall not be made for the third 
        year and subsequent years of the grant.

``SEC. 419D. ADJUNCT TEACHER CORPS.

    ``(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to create 
opportunities for professionals and other individuals with subject-
matter expertise to teach secondary school courses in mathematics, 
science, and critical foreign languages, on an adjunct basis.
    ``(b) Program Authorized.--The Secretary is authorized to award 
grants to eligible entities to recruit and place well-qualified 
individuals to serve as adjunct teachers in secondary school 
mathematics, science, and critical foreign language courses.
    ``(c) Eligible Entity.--For the purpose of this section, an 
eligible entity is--
            ``(1) a local educational agency;
            ``(2) a public or private educational organization (which 
        may be a State educational agency); or
            ``(3) a partnership consisting of a local educational 
        agency and a public or private educational organization.
    ``(d) Duration of Grants.--The Secretary may award grants under 
this section for a period of not more than five years.
    ``(e) Priorities.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that propose to--
            ``(1) serve local educational agencies that have a large 
        number or percentage of students performing below grade level 
        in mathematics, science, and critical foreign language courses;
            ``(2) serve local educational agencies that have a large 
        number or percentage of students from families with incomes 
        below the poverty line; and
            ``(3) recruit adjunct faculty to serve in schools that have 
        an insufficient number of teachers in mathematics, science, and 
        critical foreign languages.
    ``(f) Applications.--
            ``(1) Application required.--To be considered for a grant 
        under this section, an eligible entity shall submit an 
        application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
        containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably 
        require.
            ``(2) Contents.--The Application shall, at a minimum, 
        include a description of--
                    ``(A) the need for, and expected benefits of using, 
                adjunct teachers in the participating schools, which 
                may include information on the difficulty participating 
                schools face in recruiting qualified faculty in 
                mathematics, science, and critical foreign language 
                courses;
                    ``(B) measurable objectives for the project, 
                including the number of adjunct teachers the eligible 
                entity intends to place in classrooms and gains in 
                academic achievement intended to be achieved;
                    ``(C) how the eligible entity will recruit 
                qualified individuals and public or private educational 
                organizations to participate in the program;
                    ``(D) how the eligible entity will use funds 
                received under this section, including how the eligible 
                entity will evaluate the success of its program;
                    ``(E) how the eligible entity will support and 
                continue the program after the grant has expired, 
                including how it will seek support from other sources, 
                such as State and local government, foundations, and 
                the private sector;
                    ``(F) how the eligible entity will address legal, 
                contractual, or administrative barriers to employment 
                of adjunct faculty in the participating State or local 
                educational agency or agencies; and
                    ``(G) how the eligible entity will provide pre-
                service training to selected adjunct teachers, 
                including the on-going mentoring of such teachers by 
                highly qualified teachers.
    ``(g) Uses of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives a grant 
under this section is authorized to use grant funds to carry out one or 
more of the following activities:
            ``(1) To develop the capacity of the local educational 
        agency or the State educational agency, or both, to identify, 
        recruit, and train qualified individuals outside of the 
        elementary and secondary education system (including 
        individuals in business and government, and individuals who 
        would participate through distance-learning arrangements) to 
        become adjunct teachers in mathematics, science, and critical 
        foreign language courses.
            ``(2) To provide signing bonuses and other financial 
        incentives to encourage individuals to become adjunct teachers 
        in mathematics, science, and critical foreign language courses.
            ``(3) To provide pre-service training to adjunct teachers, 
        including the on-going mentoring of such teachers by highly 
        qualified teachers.
            ``(4) To reimburse outside entities for the costs 
        associated with allowing an employee to serve as an adjunct 
        teacher, except that these costs shall not exceed the total 
        cost of salary and benefits for teachers with comparable 
        experience or expertise in the local educational agency.
    ``(h) Matching Requirement.--Each eligible entity that receives a 
grant under this section shall provide, from non-Federal sources, an 
amount equal to 100 percent of the amount of the grant (in cash or in 
kind) to carry out the activities supported by the grant.
    ``(i) Program Performance.--Each eligible entity receiving a grant 
under this section shall prepare and submit to the Secretary a final 
report on the results of the project that contains such information as 
the Secretary may require including improvements in academic 
achievement as a result of instruction from adjunct teachers.
    ``(j) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall evaluate the activities 
funded under this section including the impact of the program on 
student academic achievement and shall report the results of the 
evaluation to the appropriate Committees of Congress.
    ``(k) Definitions.--As used in this section:
            ``(1) Adjunct teacher.--The term `adjunct teacher' means a 
        teacher who--
                    ``(A) possesses, at a minimum, a bachelor's degree;
                    ``(B) has demonstrated expertise in mathematics, 
                science, or a critical foreign language by having met 
                the requirements of section 9101(23)(B)(ii) of the 
                Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965; and
                    ``(C) is not required to meet the other 
                requirements of section 9101(23) of the Elementary and 
                Secondary Education Act of 1965.
            ``(2) Critical foreign language.--The term `critical 
        foreign language' has the same meaning given such term under 
        section 428K(h).

``SEC. 419E. FOREIGN LANGUAGE PARTNERSHIPS.

    ``(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to increase the 
number of highly qualified teachers in, and the number of United 
States' students who achieve the highest level of proficiency in, 
foreign languages critical to the security and competitiveness of the 
Nation.
    ``(b) Program Authorized.--The Secretary is authorized to award 
grants to institutions of higher education, in partnership with one or 
more local educational agencies, to establish teacher preparation 
programs in critical foreign languages, and activities that will enable 
successful students to advance from elementary school through college 
to achieve proficiency in those languages.
    ``(c) Applications.--
            ``(1) Application required.--Any institution of higher 
        education that desires to receive a grant under this section 
        shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in 
        such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
        may require.
            ``(2) Contents.--Each Application shall--
                    ``(A) identify each local educational agency 
                partner and describe each such partner's 
                responsibilities (including how they will be involved 
                in planning and implementing the program, what 
                resources they will provide, and how they will ensure 
                continuity of student progress from elementary school 
                to the postsecondary level); and
                    ``(B) describe how the applicant will support and 
                continue the program after the grant has expired, 
                including how it will seek support from other sources, 
                such as State and local government, foundations, and 
                the private sector.
    ``(d) Uses of Funds.--Funds awarded under this section shall be 
used to develop and implement programs consistent with the purpose of 
this section by carrying out one or more of the following activities:
            ``(1) To recruit highly qualified teachers in critical 
        foreign languages and professional development activities for 
        such teachers at the elementary through high school level.
            ``(2) To provide innovative opportunities for students that 
        will allow for critical language learning, such as immersion 
        environments, intensive study opportunities, internships, and 
        distance learning.
    ``(e) Matching Requirement.--Each grantee under this section shall 
provide, from non-Federal sources, an amount equal to 100 percent of 
the amount of the grant (in cash or in kind) to carry out the 
activities supported by the grant.
    ``(f) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall evaluate the activities 
funded under this section and report the results of the evaluation to 
the appropriate Committees of Congress.
    ``(g) Definition.--As used in this section the term `critical 
foreign language' has the same meaning given such term under section 
428K(h)(2).

``SEC. 419F. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated $41,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2007 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 5 
succeeding fiscal years to carry out this subpart.''.
                                 <all>