1.This Act may be cited as the
Enhancing Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics Education Act of
2009
.
2.To coordinate Federal Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education efforts and foster cooperation
between the States and Federal Government by—
(1)improving
coherence of Federal STEM education programs through the President’s Office of
Science and Technology Policy;
(2)coordinating STEM
education initiatives at the Department of Education;
(3)providing an
incentive to States to align STEM education; and
(4)improving the dissemination of STEM
education research, promising practices, and exemplary programs through the
National STEM Education Resource Repository.
3.Congress finds the following:
(1)To preserve the competitiveness of the
United States in the global economy our Nation must continue to combine
innovation with technological advances and scientific discovery.
(2)In 2006, the Committee on Science,
Engineering, and Public Policy of the National Academies published
Rising Above the Gathering Storm
estimating that in the United
States innovations generated by the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math
(STEM) fields account for more than half of the growth in gross domestic
product (GDP).
(3)According to the
analysis conducted by the Association of American Universities in 2006, only 15
percent of college graduates receive a diploma in engineering or the natural
sciences in the United States as compared with 38 percent in South Korea, 47
percent in France, and 67 percent in Singapore.
(4)Every student
deserves the opportunity to contribute to the long-term prosperity of the
United States by acquiring skills that foster critical thinking, inventiveness,
and innovation.
(5)Highly qualified teachers are crucial to
instilling students with the values and skills necessary to preserve and
improve innovation in the United States and maintain our Nation’s leadership in
the global knowledge economy.
(6)Teacher preparation programs at
institutions of higher education will enhance the preparation they provide by
incorporating promising practices and exemplary programs that foster student
learning, problem solving skills, and inventiveness and by aligning STEM
education preservice and in-service training among States.
(7)Women and minorities in the United States
employed in STEM occupations are not represented in proportion to their numbers
in the population or their enrollment in higher education; efforts must be made
to increase diversity in the STEM workforce to improve the range of viewpoints
and solutions available to address today’s challenges presented by a diverse
and global marketplace.
(8)Many of the
Federal Agencies have well-established programs designed to support and improve
STEM education including the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of
Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Defense, Department of
Education, Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services,
Department of the Interior, National Aeronautics and Space Administration,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Science Foundation,
the National Institutes of Health, and the National Institute of Standards and
Technology.
(9)According to the Academic Competitiveness
Council’s (ACC) recent report, in 2006 the United States sponsored 105 STEM
education programs at a dozen different Federal Agencies. These programs
devoted approximately $3,120,000,000 to STEM education activities spanning
kindergarten through postgraduate education and outreach. It was shown that
many of these Agencies do not share information or work collaboratively on
similar programs. The ACC found that coordination among agencies could
be improved to avoid, for example, grants to numerous projects that support the
same sorts of interventions . . . there appears to be a lack of communication
among the agencies about the work they are funding and the results that are
being generated . . . agencies are often uninformed by the results of earlier
projects.
.
(10)Strengthening
partnerships between the Federal and State governments, the private sector,
nonprofit organizations, and the education community will improve STEM
education in our Nation’s schools.
4.In this Act:
(1)The term
STEM means science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics.
(2)The term
OSTP means the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the
Executive Office of the President.
(3)The term
NSERR means the National STEM Education Resource
Repository.
(4)The term Agencies or
Agency means the following Federal agencies: Environmental
Protection Agency, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce,
Department of Defense, Department of Education, Department of Energy,
Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Labor, Department of the
Interior, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, National Science Foundation, the National
Institutes of Health, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology,
and other Federal agencies with STEM education programs.
5.Establishment
within the President’s Office of Science and Technology Policy a Committee on
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education
(a)Establishment of
committeeThe President shall
establish, at the OSTP, a Committee on Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics Education within the National Science and Technology Council, which
may be referred to as the Committee on STEM Education.
(b)The function of the Committee established
under subsection (a) shall be—
(1)to coordinate the
efforts of all Federal Agencies that relate to STEM education from the
prekindergarten level through the graduate level to avoid unnecessary
duplication and ensure coherence among Federal STEM education programs;
(2)to
seek to improve the quality and quantity of the STEM workforce with
consideration of increasing participation of individuals identified in section
33 or 34 of the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C.
1885a or 1885b); and
(3)to ensure that all
efforts that relate to STEM education are coordinated through the
Committee.
(c)
(1)The membership of the Committee shall
include not less than 1 representative from each of the Federal Agencies and
may include outside experts.
(2)The
Committee shall convene at least once quarterly.
(3)The
Committee shall be served by—
(A)an Assistant
Director selected by the members of the Committee with the approval of the
Director of the OSTP; and
(B)a professional
staff of at least two.
(d)The
Committee shall have the following responsibilities:
(1)Conducting an
ongoing inventory and assessment of the effectiveness and coherence of efforts
within Federal agencies that relate to STEM education.
(2)Coordinating and
facilitating the communication and cooperation among all Federal Agencies
engaged in efforts that relate to STEM education.
(3)Developing annual goals and objectives for
improving STEM education throughout the Nation in collaboration with relevant
Federal Agencies and organizations.
(4)Not later than 30
days after developing the goals and objectives under paragraph (3)—
(A)disseminating the
goals and objectives to each Federal Agency engaged in efforts that relate to
STEM education;
(B)communicating the goals and objectives to
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on
Commerce, Justice, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on
Education and Labor and the Committee on Science and Technology of the House of
Representatives, and relevant STEM education organizations; and
(C)making the goals
and objectives widely available to the public, particularly to stakeholders
that represent individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of the Science and
Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b).
(5)Annually evaluating
the progress and success of each Federal Agency at achieving the goals and
objectives under paragraph (3).
(6)Consulting with
the State Consortium on STEM Education when developing Federal STEM education
policy and budgets.
(7)Proposing a coordinated interagency budget
for STEM Education to the Office of Management and Budget aligned with the
goals established in paragraph (3).
(8)Strengthening
partnerships between the STEM education community, Federal, State, and local
governments, and other countries.
(9)Implementing the program for Semiannual
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Days as set forth in section
1004 of the America COMPETES Act (Public Law 110–69).
(10)Hosting an annual meeting on the status of
STEM education, including the role of education in meeting the recommendations
of the report submitted by and as part of the National Science and Technology
Summit required by section 1101 of the America COMPETES Act (Public Law 110–69;
121 Stat. 574), in conjunction with—
(A)the State
Consortium on STEM Education;
(B)the Federal
Agencies;
(C)States, including the District of Columbia,
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and any other territory or
possession of the United States;
(D)businesses and industries;
(E)institutions of
higher education;
(F)STEM education
professions and teachers from prekindergarten through postbaccalaureate study;
and
(G)other relevant
stakeholders in STEM education including stakeholders that represent
individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of the Science and Engineering Equal
Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b).
(11)Issuing a
biennial report to the Nation on the status of STEM education that—
(A)specifies the
efforts and outcomes of each Federal Agency in improving STEM education;
and
(B)contains an analysis of the quality, scale,
and effectiveness of the efforts of the Federal Government relating to
improving STEM education and increasing participation of individuals identified
in section 33 or 34 of the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42
U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b).
(12)Developing, in consultation with the
Secretary of Labor, business and industry partners and other appropriate
entities, a 5-year projection of the STEM workforce including a demographic
breakdown of individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of the Science and
Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b).
(e)
(1)Subject to paragraph (2), but notwithstanding any other
provision of law, a person shall be not eligible to receive a grant from any
Federal Agency for a project that relates to STEM education research unless the
person demonstrates that all reports, proceedings, data sets, online modules,
and other products of the project will be submitted by their authors for
consideration to be included in the NSERR.
(2)The
Committee and the NSERR shall implement the public access policy under
paragraph (1) in a manner consistent with copyright law.
(f)Authorization of
appropriationsThere is authorized to be appropriated $650,000 to
carry out this section for fiscal year 2010 and each fiscal year
thereafter.
6.Office of
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education within the
Department of Education
(a)Section 202 of the Department of Education Organization
Act (20 U.S.C. 3412) is amended in subsection (b)(1)—
(1)in subparagraph
(E) by striking and
at the end;
(2)by
redesignating subparagraph (F) as (G); and
(3)by inserting after
subparagraph (E) the following:
(F)an Assistant Secretary for Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education (who may be referred to as
the Assistant Secretary for STEM Education);
and
.
(b)Title
II of the Department of Education Organization Act is amended by adding at the
end the following:
221.Office of
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education
(a)There shall be in the Department of Education an Office
of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education (which may be
referred to as the Office of STEM Education), to be administered by the
Assistant Secretary for STEM Education appointed under section 202(b).
(b)The Assistant Secretary of STEM Education,
acting through the Office, shall have the following responsibilities:
(1)Coordinating and
overseeing all STEM education efforts within the Department.
(2)Preparing the
annual budget for all STEM education programs within the Department.
(3)Managing the following programs: Math and
Science Partnerships, Math Now, Math Skills for Secondary Students, Minority
Science and Engineering Improvement, Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow,
Upward Bound Math-Science, and all other functions of the Department with a
focus on STEM education, including where appropriate the National Science and
Mathematics Access Retain Talent (SMART grants), the Teacher Education
Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH grants), and the Academic
Competitiveness grants.
(4)Consulting with other offices within the
Department that have a STEM education focus, including those managing the Carl
D. Perkins Career and Technical Education grant programs.
(5)Representing the Department as a member of
the STEM Education Committee, established under section 5 of the
Enhancing Science, Technology, Engineering,
and Mathematics Education Act of 2009, and serving as the
principal interagency liaison for STEM education programs at the Department
unless otherwise designated by the Assistant Secretary.
(6)Ensuring access to equal educational
opportunity for every individual so as to increase, to the maximum extent
possible, the participation and advancement of individuals identified in
section 33 or 34 of the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42
U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b) in the STEM disciplines.
(7)Promoting the development and
implementation of quality, scientifically valid STEM teacher preparation and to
provide technical assistance to support STEM learning.
(8)Providing support to institutions of higher
education and other institutions and organizations with effective informal STEM
education programs to improve teacher preparation and teacher professional
development by ensuring emphasis on promising practices and exemplary programs
in STEM education.
(9)Providing support to local education
agencies or to mathematics and science partnerships involving local education
agencies, to implement effective STEM education instruction and exemplary
programs that employ promising practices.
(10)Consulting
regularly with the State Consortium on STEM Education with regard to developing
STEM education policy and providing technical support.
(11)Conducting a biennial symposium emphasizing
engaging students in STEM disciplines that are identified in section 33 or 34
of the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or
1885b) inviting stakeholders that include, but are not limited to—
(A)expert STEM
teachers;
(B)State Consortium
on STEM Education and additional States;
(C)business and
industry partners;
(D)institutions of
higher education;
(E)institutions and organizations with an
informal STEM education focus; and
(F)Federal Agencies with STEM education
programs.
(12)Providing
periodic public statements on the status of STEM education in the
Nation.
(13)Informing the Secretary, policymakers, the
professional societies of STEM teaching professionals and STEM practitioners
about the effectiveness of STEM-related education research and programs
operated within the Department.
(14)Sharing scientifically valid education
research and promising practices and exemplary programs with the National STEM
Education Resource
Repository.
.
(c)The Assistant Secretary for STEM Education shall conduct
an independent evaluation, through grant or by contract, of the STEM education
programs administered by the Department, at least every 5 years, which shall
include—
(1)conducting an
assessment of STEM education activities within the Department by using the
evaluations and reports of these programs to determine these programs’ impact
on—
(A)the quantity of
students seeking STEM degrees disaggregated by subject area and according to
section 33 or 34 of the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42
U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b);
(B)student academic achievement with
consideration of problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, and other
higher order thinking skills;
(C)improving STEM
teacher quality, quantity, and retention; and
(D)improving promising
teaching practices that show evidence of fostering student innovation;
and
(2)the preparation and submission of a report
on the results of the evaluation described in paragraph (1) to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on Science of the
Senate, the Committee on Education and Labor and the Committee on Science and
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committees on Appropriations
of the Senate and House of Representatives.
(d)Authorization of
appropriationsThere are
authorized to be appropriated $1,500,000 to carry out this section for fiscal
year 2010 and such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal year
thereafter.
7.State Consortium
on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education
(a)From amounts made available to carry out this section,
the Secretary of Education, acting through the Office of STEM Education, shall
award a grant to establish one voluntary State Consortium on Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education (which may be referred to as
the State Consortium on STEM Education).
(b)Peer review and
selectionThe Secretary
shall—
(1)establish a
peer-review process to assist in the review and approval of the grant proposal
under this section;
(2)appoint
individuals to participate in the peer-review process who are educators and
experts in identifying, evaluating, and implementing effective STEM education
programs and practices, including areas of teaching and learning, educational
standards and assessments, professional development, curriculum, increasing the
participation of individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of the Science and
Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 10 1885a or 1885b), English
language learners, and special education including recognized exemplary
teachers and school administrators who have been recognized at the state or
national level for exemplary work and/or contributions to the STEM education
field;
(3)approve one grant
from those submitted under this section not later than 120 days after the date
of the submission unless the Secretary determines that the grant proposals
submitted do not meet the requirements of this section;
(4)if only one grant
proposal is submitted, not decline to approve the grant proposal before—
(A)offering the
Consortium an opportunity to revise the Consortium proposal; and
(B)providing the
Consortium with technical assistance in order to submit a successful
application; and
(5)direct the
Inspector General of the Department to review the process used for screening
the individuals appointed to the peer-review process so as to avoid both
financial conflicts of interest and non-financial interests that would impair
objectivity in peer review, as well as the objectivity of process used in
reviewing and awarding the grant under this section, and report the findings to
Congress.
(c)
(1)Except as provided
under paragraph (2), the grant awarded to the consortium under this section
shall be not more than $20,000,000.
(2)For each fiscal year of
the grant period, the Secretary of Education shall award to the consortium
awarded a grant under this section $1,750,000 for each additional State that is
a member of the consortium beyond the minimum 5 States required under
subsection (d).
(d)To be eligible to
receive a grant under this section, the consortium shall include at least 5
States considering the need to provide an equitable geographic representation
of the United States, according to the regional divisions used by the Bureau of
the Census.
(e)The consortium shall use the grant funds awarded under this
section for the following purposes:
(1)To establish the State Consortium on STEM
Education.
(2)To convene an
Interstate Council on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Education (which may be referred to as the Interstate Council on STEM
Education) that includes a diverse group of individuals representing a variety
of perspectives on STEM education, the STEM disciplines, business, curriculum,
assessments, English language learners, and special education,
including—
(A)representatives from States that shall
include not less one State Governor, one Chief State School Officer, and one
representative of a State educational agency or their designee;
(B)representatives
from local educational agencies (LEAs) that shall include not less than one
current school administrator, and three expert STEM educators that represent
early childhood, elementary, middle, and secondary school perspectives;
(C)not less than 4 representatives from STEM
education and the STEM fields at institutions of higher education that include
community colleges, and public and private four-year institutions of higher
education;
(D)not less than one representative from a
STEM education professional organization, such as but not limited to the
National Science Teachers Association, the National Council for Teachers of
Mathematics, those representing engineering educators, career and technical
education, and organizations that represent underrepresented communities in
STEM; and
(E)not less than one
representative from each of the following categories of relevant STEM related
organizations: informal STEM education, business and industry, a STEM
disciplinary or professional society, private or corporate foundations,
youth-serving organizations, and other relevant organizations.
(3)To support at
least one full-time staff member for each State.
(4)To share STEM education research, promising
practices and exemplary programs, and programs through the NSERR.
(f)The
State Consortium on STEM Education—
(1)shall establish small working groups
comprised of members of the State Council on STEM Education and outside experts
in appropriate fields consulting widely to address the functions outlined in
this subsection;
(2)shall identify
points of weakness and strength among State STEM education efforts, prioritize
strategies for addressing problem areas, and communicate State needs to the
STEM Education Committee within the OSTP and the Assistant Secretary for STEM
Education;
(3)if the Secretary determines that
significant work in the areas described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) is not
already underway—
(A)shall develop
rigorous common content standards in STEM education for grades prekindergarten
through grade 12 reflecting common elements between disciplines with
consideration of—
(i)established international standards and
21st Century Skills; and
(ii)the needs of
English language learners and special education students;
(B)shall develop
innovative STEM assessment practices that include a substantial proportion of
extended constructed response items, such as performance-based measures, that
measure higher order thinking skills and understanding, application and
transferability knowledge, problem solving, analysis, and synthesis, and
include administration through a variety of modalities, such as audio-visual
and interactive technology;
(C)may establish and
strengthen partnerships between two-year colleges and minority serving
institutions and research institutions to provide STEM students at two-year
colleges and minority serving institutions (MSIs) expanded degree possibilities
and opportunities to access research facilities and mentors including but not
limited to—
(i)conducting a needs
assessment of how to enhance the flow of STEM students from two-year colleges
and MSIs to research institutions; and
(ii)establishing
articulation agreements that shall address pathways and credit transfers
between the institutions; and
(D)may improve and
align STEM preservice teacher training among the member States, including but
not limited to developing common—
(i)STEM preservice
teacher training degree programs;
(ii)STEM teacher
credentials; and
(iii)alternative
pathways to STEM teacher certification;
(4)if the Secretary determines that
significant work in the areas described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of
paragraph (3) is already underway, shall carry out the activities described in
subparagraphs (D) and (E) of such paragraph;
(5)shall develop and implement strategies to
integrate STEM education into other subject areas, such as language arts,
social studies, physical and health education, music and other performing arts,
and environmental education;
(6)shall identify and utilize, to the maximum
extent possible, the expertise and resources of educators, institutions of
higher education, business and industry, and Federal agencies in the
development and implementation of functions outlined in this subsection;
(7)shall develop strategies to increase the
participation and success of individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of the
Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b) in
STEM fields with consideration of first generation students;
(8)shall issue
periodic reports on the status of STEM education in the States;
(9)shall make STEM education research,
promising practices and exemplary programs, and effective STEM programs widely
available through the NSERR;
(10)may promote and
develop curriculum tools and professional development for in-service teachers
that foster innovation and inventiveness;
(11)may evaluate the
impact that STEM education professional development organizations have on
classroom instruction and student learning in member States;
(12)may provide technical support to States who
are members of the Consortium to establish or strengthen existing P–16 and/or
P–20 Councils and to align secondary school graduation requirements with the
demands of 21st century postsecondary education endeavors and support P–16
education data systems established by States and in section 6401 of the America
COMPETES Act (Public Law 110–69; 121 Stat. 668; 20 U.S.C. 9871), and serve as a
resource center for the STEM Education efforts of P–16 and/or P–20
Councils;
(13)may develop STEM
Career Awareness Programs in collaboration with school guidance counselors that
reflect the projected STEM workforce needs of the 21st century that may include
mentoring programs and STEM professional outreach; and
(14)may develop
STEM-related workforce education and training programs to enhance the skills of
workers to meet the needs of business and industry.
(g)The State Consortium on STEM Education shall be permitted
to accept and solicit outside funds.
(h)The State Consortium on STEM Education shall conduct
periodic independent evaluations, by grant or by contract, of the State
Consortium on STEM Education’s effectiveness at accomplishing the functions
outlined in subsection (f), which shall include—
(1)an
assessment of the impact of such activities on STEM teaching and learning;
and
(2)the preparation and
submission of a report on the results of the evaluation described in paragraph
(1) to the Assistant Secretary of STEM Education.
(i)
(1)In implementing this section, the Secretary may
not—
(A)endorse, approve,
or sanction any STEM curriculum designed for use in any school; or
(B)engage in
oversight, technical assistance, or activities that will require the adoption
of a specific STEM program or instructional materials by a State, local
educational agency, or school.
8.STEM Education
Resource Alliance
(a)From amounts made
available to carry out this section, the Secretary of Education, acting through
the Office of STEM Education, shall make a grant to the National Science
Digital Library to establish the STEM Education Resource Alliance. The STEM
Education Resource Alliance shall be composed of representatives from each
Agency and industry stakeholders. The STEM Education Resource Alliance shall
have 2 co-chairs selected by the members of the Alliance. The co-chairs shall
serve for a 3-year term. No individual may serve as a co-chair for more than 1
consecutive term.
(b)The National Science
Digital Library shall use the grant funds to provide basic operational support
to the STEM Education Resource Alliance, including maintenance, office space,
equipment, personnel, and other operational costs.
(c)The STEM Education Resource Alliance shall
have the following responsibilities:
(1)Coordinating and organizing—
(A)scientifically
valid STEM education research;
(B)STEM education
programs—
(i)that
demonstrate promising practices; or
(ii)are
exemplary, in terms of content or resources; and
(C)STEM education
resources.
(2)Integrating existing STEM education
collections, teacher professional development opportunities, and student
programs available through the Federal Government, State initiatives, or
national experts, including the Science Education Resource Center, Research
from Institutions of Higher Education, Regional Education Centers (labs,
comprehensive centers, and technical assistance centers), Applied Math and
Science Repository, and Education Resources Information Center (ERIC).
(3)Working with
industry to develop a uniform format for submissions to the NSERR, such as
summaries, metadata, contact information for questions, examples of successful
implementation, and other information necessary to develop applications that
enhance learning and teaching.
(4)In collaboration with relevant STEM
education experts, developing criteria for inclusion in the NSERR of resources,
research, promising practices, and exemplary programs, including requirements
relating to evaluation by experts at the principal originating agency.
(5)Publishing, not
later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the criteria
developed under paragraph (4).
(6)Ensuring that STEM education resources,
research, promising practices, and exemplary programs meeting the criteria
developed under paragraph (4) are included in the NSERR (to be digitally housed
at a location determined by the Chief Information Officer of the United States)
and made widely available at no cost in a useful format.
(7)Working with the Office of Science and
Technology Information at the Department of Energy to ensure
“www.scienceeduction.gov” serves as the central portal to STEM education
resources and promising practices across the Federal Government.
(8)Providing to the
National Science Digital Library, not less than annually, updates of policies
and procedures to accommodate the requirements of new and emerging
technologies.
(d)The STEM Education Resource Alliance shall be permitted to
accept and solicit outside funds.
(e)Federal Advisory
Committee Act not To applyThe Federal Advisory Committee Act (5
U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the STEM Education Resource Alliance.
(f)Authorization of
appropriationsThere are authorized to be appropriated $1,500,000
to carry out this section for fiscal year 2010 and such sums as may be
necessary for each fiscal year thereafter.