[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3597 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3597

     To authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants to 10 
 institutions of higher education for the expansion of master's degree 
in physical education programs that emphasize technology and innovative 
                          teaching practices.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 7, 2011

    Mr. Braley of Iowa (for himself and Mr. Boswell) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
                             the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants to 10 
 institutions of higher education for the expansion of master's degree 
in physical education programs that emphasize technology and innovative 
                          teaching practices.

    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 ``Shawn Johnson Fitness for Life 
Act''.

SEC. 2. TECHNOLOGY IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Grant Program Established.--
            (1) Establishment.--The Secretary of Education is 
        authorized to make grants on a competitive basis to 10 
        institutions of higher education for the expansion of master's 
        degree in physical education programs that emphasize the 
        incorporation of technology and innovative teaching practices 
        into the teaching of physical education.
            (2) Implementation.--Subject to the availability of 
        appropriations to carry out this section, the Secretary shall 
        implement the grant program authorized in this section not 
        later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
    (b) Eligibility.--The Secretary may only award a grant under this 
section to an institution of higher education that--
            (1) prior to applying for such grant, has established a 
        master's degree in physical education program; and
            (2) submits an application at such time, in such form, and 
        accompanied by such information and assurances as the Secretary 
        may require, including--
                    (A) a detailed description of the institution of 
                higher education's master's degree in physical 
                education program;
                    (B) a detailed description of at least 1 local 
                educational agency with which the institution of higher 
                education will partner as required by subsection 
                (c)(1)(D) and why the institution of higher education 
                chose such local educational agency as a partner; and
                    (C) a plan for using grant funds in accordance with 
                subsection (c).
    (c) Use of Funds.--
            (1) Required activities.--An institution of higher 
        education that receives a grant under this section shall use 
        the grant funds to carry out the following activities:
                    (A) Instructing its master's degree candidates on 
                incorporation of technology and innovative teaching 
                practices into the teaching of physical education and 
                on ways of encouraging children to be more physically 
                active outside the classroom.
                    (B) Developing a curriculum for its master's degree 
                in physical education program that links practice and 
                theory.
                    (C) Offering programs that extend the master's 
                degree in physical education program into the community 
                of the local educational agency with which the 
                institution of higher education is partnering, as 
                required by subparagraph (D), such as programs that 
                make available facilities for use by both master's 
                degree candidates and community members and physical 
                education classes in which both master's degree 
                candidates and community members may participate.
                    (D) Partnering with a local educational agency to 
                increase the availability and quality of physical 
                education instruction in schools served by the local 
                educational agency and to provide master's degree 
                candidates with opportunities for obtaining student-
                teaching experience.
                    (E) Providing a majority of the instruction 
                required for graduation from the master's degree in 
                physical education program at schools served by the 
                local educational agency with which the institution of 
                higher education is partnering, as required by 
                subparagraph (D).
                    (F) Requiring each master's degree candidate to 
                serve as a full-time student teacher in schools served 
                by the local educational agency with which the 
                institution of higher education is partnering, as 
                required by subparagraph (D).
                    (G) Actively promoting the master's degree in 
                physical education program to prospective students, 
                including by creating additional incentives to recruit 
                prospective students into the program, if the 
                institution of higher education considers such 
                incentives necessary.
                    (H) Such additional activities as the Secretary may 
                require.
            (2) Permitted activities.--An institution of higher 
        education that receives a grant under this section may use any 
        grant funds remaining after carrying out the activities 
        required by paragraph (1) for any purpose related to the 
        incorporation of technology and innovative teaching practices 
        into its master's degree in physical education program, 
        including--
                    (A) purchasing equipment and technology designed to 
                increase or enhance physical activity participation or 
                fitness levels, including heart rate monitors, pocket 
                PCs, and fitness assessment systems;
                    (B) providing stipends for master's degree 
                candidates; and
                    (C) covering the administrative costs incurred by 
                the institution of higher education in connection with 
                activities required or permitted by this subsection and 
                the reporting requirement of subsection (f)(1).
    (d) Consultant Institution of Higher Education.--
            (1) In general.--Before making grants under this section, 
        the Secretary shall choose 1 institution of higher education to 
        serve as a consultant to the Secretary in developing the grant 
        program, including establishing additional eligibility and 
        application criteria under subsection (b)(2) and additional 
        required activities under subsection (c)(1)(H).
            (2) Eligibility.--The Secretary may only choose as a 
        consultant under paragraph (1) an institution of higher 
        education that, not later than 5 years prior to the beginning 
        of such relationship and throughout such relationship--
                    (A) offers a master's degree in physical education 
                program that emphasizes the incorporation of technology 
                into the teaching of physical education; and
                    (B) partners with a local educational agency that 
                serves schools in which the institution of higher 
                education's master's degree candidates serve as student 
                teachers.
            (3) Reimbursement of costs.--The Secretary shall reimburse 
        the institution of higher education the Secretary chooses under 
        paragraph (1) for the costs it incurs in serving as a 
        consultant to the Secretary.
    (e) Duration and Renewal of Grant.--
            (1) Duration.--A grant under this section shall be awarded 
        over 4 fiscal years.
            (2) Renewal.--An institution of higher education is 
        eligible to apply for renewal of a grant under this section if 
        it continues to meet the eligibility requirements of subsection 
        (b).
    (f) Reporting Requirements.--
            (1) Report from institution of higher education to 
        secretary.--Not later than 60 days after the conclusion of each 
        fiscal year in which it receives grant funds under this 
        section, an institution of higher education shall submit to the 
        Secretary a report that includes a detailed explanation and 
        analysis of--
                    (A) how the institution of higher education has 
                used grant funds;
                    (B) the impact of the grant on the ability of the 
                institution of higher education to train master's 
                degree candidates to incorporate technology and 
                innovative teaching practices into the teaching of 
                physical education; and
                    (C) the impact that the institution of higher 
                education's partnership has had on the local 
                educational agency with which it is partnering, as 
                required by subsection (c)(1)(D).
            (2) Report from secretary to congress.--Not later than 120 
        days after the conclusion of each fiscal year in which the 
        Secretary awards grant funds under this section, the Secretary 
        shall submit to the Committee on Education and the Workforce of 
        the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, 
        Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a report that 
        includes a summary of--
                    (A) how institutions of higher education receiving 
                grants under this section have used grant funds in such 
                fiscal year;
                    (B) the impact of the grant program on the ability 
                of institutions of higher education to train master's 
                degree candidates to incorporate technology and 
                innovative teaching practices into the teaching of 
                physical education; and
                    (C) the impact of the grant program on the local 
                educational agencies with which institutions of higher 
                education are partnering, as required by subsection 
                (c)(1)(D).
    (g) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions apply:
            (1) Fitness assessment system.--The term ``fitness 
        assessment system'' means a method or device that enables a 
        physical education teacher to monitor a student's fitness 
        progress, including a pocket PC and a heart rate monitor.
            (2) Innovative teaching practice.--The term ``innovative 
        teaching practice'' means a teaching practice that gives 
        teachers an opportunity to explore new ideas and methods for 
        teaching physical education to students. Such a practice--
                    (A) shall include the use of technology in the 
                physical education curriculum; and
                    (B) may include any other practice that has been 
                proven to increase students' interest in physical 
                education or to make students healthier and more 
                physically fit.
            (3) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1002), except that such term does not include an 
        institution described in subsection (a)(1)(C) of such section.
            (4) Local educational agency.--The term ``local educational 
        agency'' has the meaning given such term in section 9101(26) of 
        the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        7801(26)).
            (5) Master's degree candidate.--The term ``master's degree 
        candidate'' means a student in a master's degree in physical 
        education program.
            (6) Master's degree in physical education program.--The 
        term ``master's degree in physical education program'' means a 
        graduate program of study leading to the award of the degree of 
        master of arts in physical education or master of science in 
        physical education.
            (7) Pocket pc.--The term ``pocket PC'' means a fitness 
        assessment system, including software and handheld computers, 
        that enables a physical education teacher to remotely collect 
        data about each student's fitness as students participate in 
        class activities and to generate individual fitness report 
        cards for each student based on such data.
            (8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
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