[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3950 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3950

 To amend provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
         1965 relating to mathematics and science instruction.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 28, 2009

 Mr. Ehlers (for himself, Ms. Matsui, and Mr. Bartlett) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
                                 Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
         1965 relating to mathematics and science instruction.

    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 ``Improving Mathematics and Science 
Teacher Quality Act''.

SEC. 2. PARTNERSHIPS FOR MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE TEACHER QUALITY 
              IMPROVEMENT.

    (a) Subpart Heading.--The heading for part B of title II of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 is amended to read as 
follows:

  ``Part B--Partnerships for Mathematics and Science Teacher Quality 
                             Improvement''.

    (b) Purpose; Definitions.--
            (1) Purpose.--Subsection (a) of section 2201 such Act (20 
        U.S.C. 2201(a)) is amended--
                    (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
                inserting ``businesses, informal science education 
                centers,'' after ``higher education,'';
                    (B) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``and informal 
                science education centers'' after ``higher education'';
                    (C) at the end of paragraph (4), by striking 
                ``and'';
                    (D) at the end of paragraph (5), by striking the 
                period and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (E) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) replicate and apply the effectiveness of model 
        mathematics and science professional development programs on a 
        broader level.''.
            (2) Definitions.--Subsection (b) of such section is 
        amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)(A)--
                            (i) in clause (ii), by striking ``and'' at 
                        the end;
                            (ii) by striking clause (i) and 
                        redesignating clause (ii) as clause (i);
                            (iii) by inserting after clause (i) (as so 
                        redesignated) the following:
                            ``(ii) a teacher training department of an 
                        institution of higher education; and''.
                    (B) in paragraph (1)(B)(i), by striking ``science, 
                or teacher training'' and inserting ``or science'';
                    (C) in paragraph (1)(B)(iii), before the semicolon 
                insert ``or a consortium of businesses'';
                    (D) in paragraph (1)(B)(iv), after ``organization'' 
                insert ``, including an informal science education 
                center,''; and
                    (E) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) Mathematics and science teacher.--The term 
        `mathematics and science teacher' means a mathematics, science, 
        or technology teacher at the elementary school or secondary 
        school level.
            ``(4) Science.--The term `science', in the context of 
        elementary and secondary education, includes technology and 
        pre-engineering.''.

SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR PARTNERSHIPS FOR MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE TEACHER 
              QUALITY IMPROVEMENT.

    (a) Section Heading.--The section heading for section 2202 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6662) is 
amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 2202. GRANTS FOR PARTNERSHIPS FOR MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE 
              TEACHER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT.''.

    (b) Grants.--Subsection (a) of such section is amended--
            (1) by striking paragraph (1) and redesignating paragraphs 
        (2), (3), and (4) as paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), 
        respectively; and
            (2) in paragraph (1) (as so redesignated)--
                    (A) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as 
                follows:
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to 
                award grants to State educational agencies to enable 
                such agencies to award subgrants, on a competitive 
                basis, to eligible partnerships to carry out the 
                authorized activities described in subsection (d).''; 
                and
                    (B) by striking ``subparagraph (A)(i)'' in 
                subparagraph (B) and inserting ``subsection (f)(3)''.
    (c) Application Requirements.--Subsection (b) of such section is 
amended--
            (1) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
            ``(1) In general.--Each eligible partnership desiring a 
        subgrant under this part shall submit an application to the 
        State educational agency, at such time, in such manner, and 
        accompanied by such information as the State educational agency 
        may require.'';
            (2) by amending paragraph (2)(C) to read as follows:
                    ``(C) a description of how the activities to be 
                carried out by the eligible partnership will be based 
                on a review of scientifically based research or modeled 
                after programs identified by the Secretary, in 
                consultation with the Director of the National Science 
                Foundation, to be replicated on a more expansive basis, 
                and an explanation of how the activities are expected 
                to improve student academic achievement and strengthen 
                the quality of mathematics and science instruction;''; 
                and
            (3) in paragraph (2)(D)--
                    (A) by striking ``subsection (c)'' in clause (i) 
                and inserting ``subsection (d)''; and
                    (B) by striking ``subsection (e)'' in clause (ii) 
                and inserting ``subsection (f)''.
    (d) Priority.--Such section 2202 is amended by redesignating 
subsections (c), (d), (e), and (f) as subsections (d), (e), (f), and 
(g), respectively, and by inserting after subsection (b) the following 
new subsection:
    ``(c) Priority.--In awarding grants under this part, a State 
educational agency shall give priority to eligible partnerships that 
carry out activities modeled after programs identified by the 
Secretary, in consultation and coordination with the Director of the 
National Science Foundation, to be replicated on a more expansive 
basis.''.
    (e) Authorized Activities.--Subsection (d) of such section (as so 
redesignated) is amended--
            (1) by inserting before the period at the end of paragraph 
        (1) the following: ``, including activities to replicate model 
        math and science professional development programs'';
            (2) by striking paragraphs (4), (5), and (10) and 
        redesignating paragraphs (6), (7), (8), and (9) as paragraphs 
        (4), (5), (6), and (7), respectively; and
            (3) in paragraph (5) (as so redesignated), by inserting ``, 
        such as an exemplary teacher (as defined in section 9109) or a 
        building leader'' after ``teacher''.
    (f) National Science Foundation.--Subsection (e)(2) of such section 
(as so redesignated) is amended to read as follows:
            ``(2) National science foundation.--In carrying out the 
        activities authorized by this part, the Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) 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, 
                institutes, or partnerships to improve mathematics and 
                science teaching in elementary schools and secondary 
                schools;
                    ``(B) collaborate with the Director of the National 
                Science Foundation to make widely available, including 
                through dissemination on the Internet and to all State 
                educational agencies and other recipients of funds 
                under this part, information on model programs 
                identified by the Director of the National Science 
                Foundation to be replicated on a more expansive basis; 
                and
                    ``(C) in collaboration with the Director of the 
                National Science Foundation, hold an annual summit with 
                partnership grantees from this part and from the 
                National Science Foundation's Mathematics and Science 
                Partnership program to review the progress and results 
                of awarded grants.''.
    (g) Evaluation and Accountability Plan.--Subsection (f) of such 
section (as so redesignated) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``an evaluation'' and 
        inserting ``a scientifically valid and rigorous evaluation''; 
        and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) Training and technical assistance.--The Secretary 
        shall reserve one-half of one percent of the funding authorized 
        under this part to provide training and technical assistance to 
        eligible partnerships in conducting a scientifically valid and 
        rigorous evaluation to measure the impact of activities funded 
        under this part.''.
    (h) Report.--Subsection (g) of such section (as so redesignated) is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``subsection (e)'' and inserting 
        ``subsection (f)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following: ``The Secretary 
        shall place this report on the Department's Web site.''.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Grants to States, Local Educational Agencies, and Eligible 
Partnerships.--Subsection (a) of section 2103 of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6603) is amended to read as 
follows:
    ``(a) Grants to States, Local Educational Agencies, and Eligible 
Partnerships.--
            ``(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
        to carry out this part (other than subpart 5) and part B such 
        sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2010 and for each of 
        the 5 succeeding fiscal years.
            ``(2) Reservation.--From the funds appropriated under 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall reserve not less than 15 nor 
        more than 20 percent to carry out part B.''.
    (b) National Programs.--Subsection (b) of such section is amended 
by striking ``2002'' and inserting ``2010''.
    (c) Conforming Amendment.--Section 2203 of such Act is repealed.
                                 <all>