[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 463 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 463

 To amend part B of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
      Act of 1965 to promote effective STEM teaching and learning.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 2, 2011

Mr. Begich (for himself, Mr. Carper, and Mr. Lieberman) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend part B of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
      Act of 1965 to promote effective STEM teaching and learning.

    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 ``Effective STEM Teaching and Learning 
Act of 2011''.

SEC. 2. EFFECTIVE STEM TEACHING AND LEARNING.

    (a) In General.--Part B of title II of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6661 et seq.) is amended to read as 
follows:

             ``PART B--EFFECTIVE STEM TEACHING AND LEARNING

``SEC. 2201. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

    ``(a) Program Authorization.--The Secretary shall use funds made 
available to carry out this part for a fiscal year to award grants, on 
a competitive basis, to State educational agencies or to State 
educational agencies in partnership with appropriate outside entities 
(such as nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education) 
in States that have adopted and are implementing high-quality 
mathematics standards (and additional standards, such as science 
standards, at the discretion of the Secretary) that build toward 
college and career readiness, to carry out activities in order to 
improve the teaching and learning in--
            ``(1) mathematics or science, or both, in preschool through 
        grade 12; and
            ``(2) at the discretion of the State educational agency, 
        technology or engineering or both in preschool through grade 
        12.
    ``(b) Length of Grants.--
            ``(1) In general.--Grants awarded under subsection (a) 
        shall be for not more than 3 years.
            ``(2) Extension.--The Secretary may extend a grant awarded 
        under subsection (a) for an additional 2 years if the grantee--
                    ``(A) is achieving the intended outcomes of the 
                grant; and
                    ``(B) shows improvement against baseline measures 
                on performance indicators established by the Secretary.
    ``(c) State Capacity-Building Grants.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary may reserve not more than 
        5 percent of the amount appropriated to carry out this part for 
        any fiscal year to make capacity-building grants, on a 
        competitive basis, to State educational agencies that do not 
        otherwise receive a grant under this part.
            ``(2) Activities.--A State educational agency that receives 
        a capacity-building grant under paragraph (1) may use the grant 
        funds to carry out 1 or more of the activities described in 
        subsections (b) and (c) of section 2203, which may include 
        cooperating with industry, museums, institutions of higher 
        education, philanthropic organizations, community-based 
        organizations, or other community partners with STEM expertise, 
        to become more competitive for a grant under subsection (a) in 
        future years.
    ``(d) Definition.--In this part, the term `STEM' means the subject 
or subjects in which the grantee chooses to carry out activities 
consistent with subsection (a).

``SEC. 2202. APPLICATION.

    ``(a) In General.--Each State educational agency that desires to 
receive a grant under section 2201(a), shall submit an application at 
such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the 
Secretary may reasonably require. At a minimum, each application shall 
include or describe--
            ``(1) for an applicant that proposes to carry out 
        mathematics activities, an assurance that the State has adopted 
        high-quality mathematics standards that build toward college 
        and career readiness, and a description of the State's plan for 
        implementing those standards;
            ``(2) for an applicant that proposes to carry out science 
        activities, an assurance that the State has adopted high-
        quality science standards that build toward college and career 
        readiness, and a description of the State's plan for 
        implementing those standards;
            ``(3) how the State's plan to implement standards in 
        mathematics or science, or both, will help ensure comparability 
        of content and access to high-quality instruction in the 
        content area of those standards among all local educational 
        agencies and public schools in the State, particularly in high-
        poverty local educational agencies and schools;
            ``(4) the State educational agency's goals for improving 
        student outcomes in STEM throughout the State for all students, 
        including students with disabilities and English language 
        learners, and including a description of a clear and credible 
        path that the State educational agency will take to achieve 
        these goals with the support of the local educational agencies 
        in the State;
            ``(5) the data that the State has considered or will 
        consider in developing or updating the comprehensive preschool 
        through grade 12 STEM plan that the State shall develop or 
        update with the State's grant under this section, which shall 
        include data from a needs assessment that the State has 
        conducted prior to applying for funds under this part and that 
        the State uses--
                    ``(A) to determine its current approach to STEM 
                instruction;
                    ``(B) to support its plan, consistent with section 
                2201(a), to carry out activities to improve teaching 
                and learning; and
                    ``(C) to support struggling schools;
            ``(6) how the State educational agency will carry out the 
        required State-level activities described in section 2203(b), 
        which may include cooperating with industry, museums, 
        institutions of higher education, philanthropic organizations, 
        community-based organizations, or other community partners with 
        STEM expertise, and how the State will align those activities 
        with the comprehensive preschool through grade 12 STEM plan 
        that the State will develop (or update) and implement with the 
        State's grant;
            ``(7) how the State educational agency will use evidence to 
        inform and continuously improve the design and implementation 
        of its activities and why the State educational agency expects 
        those activities to improve student achievement, including the 
        achievement of groups of students who are low-performing or 
        underrepresented in STEM fields;
            ``(8) how the State will run a rigorous, high-quality 
        subgrant competition, including how it will--
                    ``(A) review and judge--
                            ``(i) the evidence supporting the curricula 
                        and materials that local educational agencies 
                        propose to use;
                            ``(ii) the record of local educational 
                        agencies in implementing and improving student 
                        achievement through other STEM initiatives; and
                            ``(iii) the local educational agencies' 
                        capacity to implement successfully their 
                        proposals; and
                    ``(B) give priority to local educational agencies 
                whose applications are supported by the strongest 
                available evidence;
            ``(9) how the State educational agency will ensure that 
        subgrants that it awards under this part will adequately 
        address the needs of students with disabilities and English 
        language learners;
            ``(10) how the State educational agency will use the grant 
        to leverage other Federal and State funds in order to maximize 
        the impact of the grant, and how it will support local 
        educational agencies in integrating these funds with other 
        Federal, State, and local funds to support high-quality STEM 
        instruction, including how it will implement a coherent 
        strategy to coordinate activities with rigorous and challenging 
        instruction for STEM career and technical education through 
        funds the applicant receives under the Carl D. Perkins Career 
        and Technical Education Act of 2006;
            ``(11) how the State educational agency will leverage the 
        use of technology to engage students in STEM, strengthen 
        teaching and learning of STEM, and improve the learning 
        opportunities in underserved areas;
            ``(12) how the State educational agency will evaluate the 
        State's progress in improving achievement in the relevant STEM 
        subject or subjects, for students, schools, or local 
        educational agencies, particularly those that are 
        underperforming, such as STEM-specific strategies for turning 
        around persistently low-performing schools;
            ``(13) how the State educational agency will disseminate 
        information on project outcomes in formats that are easily 
        understood by, and accessible to, the public, and how the State 
        educational agency will make the information useful to parents, 
        educators, researchers, and other experts;
            ``(14) the role of any entities with which the State 
        educational agency proposes to partner in carrying out its 
        proposed activities;
            ``(15) if the State educational agency plans to make 
        subgrants consistent with section 2203(d), the rationale for 
        doing so, including a description of--
                    ``(A) how the State educational agency will ensure 
                the alignment of the activities undertaken by 
                subgrantees with State standards and, as appropriate, 
                with the components of high-quality STEM instruction; 
                and
                    ``(B) the State educational agency's plan for 
                conducting the subgrant competition, including a 
                description of how the State educational agency will 
                ensure either that the activities conducted by the 
                subgrantee are evidence-based, or that the subgrantee 
                has a plan to rigorously evaluate the effectiveness of 
                those activities; and
            ``(16) if the State has received a Race to the Top grant 
        (under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) and, 
        in competing for that grant, received a competitive preference 
        priority for STEM education, how the State educational agency 
        will coordinate the activities it will carry out under this 
        part with the STEM activities carried out under its Race to the 
        Top grant.
    ``(b) Priorities.--
            ``(1) Required priority.--In awarding grants under this 
        section, the Secretary shall give a competitive priority to any 
        State educational agency that demonstrates, in its application, 
        that the State has adopted and is implementing a set of high-
        quality mathematics standards (and additional standards, such 
        as science standards, at the discretion of the Secretary) for 
        kindergarten through grade 12 that build toward college and 
        career readiness, and are common to a significant number of 
        States.
            ``(2) Optional priority.--The Secretary may give a 
        competitive priority to any State educational agency that has a 
        robust, statewide partnership or network that brings together 
        industry, museums, institutions of higher education, 
        philanthropic organizations, community-based organizations, or 
        other community partners with STEM expertise, to increase 
        student learning, engagement, and achievement in STEM.
    ``(c) Selection Criteria.--In reviewing an application under this 
part, the Secretary shall take into consideration--
            ``(1) the quality of the application, including the State 
        educational agency's plan for making publicly available 
        findings, results (including interim results), and outcomes of 
        the project in a timely manner and in formats that are easily 
        understood and accessible;
            ``(2) the extent to which the State educational agency has 
        demonstrated a process for giving priority to applicants that 
        have plans that are evidence-based or that have a plan in place 
        to evaluate rigorously the effectiveness of their projects;
            ``(3) the quality of the applicant's plan to cooperate with 
        industry experts, museums, institutions of higher education, 
        research centers, or other community partners with STEM 
        expertise, in--
                    ``(A) preparing and assisting teachers in 
                effectively integrating STEM content across grades and 
                disciplines;
                    ``(B) providing effective and relevant instruction; 
                and
                    ``(C) offering applied learning opportunities for 
                all students; and
            ``(4) the quality of the applicant's plan for preparing 
        more students for advanced study and careers in STEM, including 
        by addressing the needs of, and barriers faced by, student 
        groups that are underrepresented in STEM, including women and 
        girls, underrepresented minorities, students with disabilities, 
        and English language learners.

``SEC. 2203. STATE USE OF FUNDS.

    ``(a) State-Level Activities.--A State educational agency that 
receives a grant under section 2201(a) shall reserve not more than 20 
percent of the funds it receives under this part for State level 
activities as described in subsections (b) and (c).
    ``(b) Required Activities.--A State educational agency that 
receives a grant under section 2201(a) shall--
            ``(1) develop or update, implement, and continuously 
        improve a comprehensive State STEM plan (which may be a 
        component or modification of the consolidated plan submitted by 
        the State under section 9302) for preschool through grade 12 
        that--
                    ``(A) aligns policies, resources, and practices;
                    ``(B) contains clear instructional goals; and
                    ``(C) sets high expectations for all students and 
                student subgroups;
            ``(2) align the use of Federal and State funds and programs 
        within the State educational agency and in local educational 
        agencies in the State, including funds under title I, part A of 
        title II, title III, and title VII, and, as appropriate, under 
        the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Carl D. 
        Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, and the 
        McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, to support a coherent 
        approach to funding and implementing high-quality STEM 
        instruction in high-need local educational agencies and high-
        need schools;
            ``(3) develop or update a process, or use an existing 
        process, to review and judge the evidence base for the 
        curricula and materials that local educational agencies propose 
        to use in implementing their subgrants and in determining 
        whether the curricula and materials are aligned with State 
        standards, and make the process and results of any such review 
        publicly available;
            ``(4) administer a rigorous competition for subgrants that 
        is informed by the review process described in paragraph (3), 
        and using the results of that process to inform the 
        competition;
            ``(5) collect and report, in formats that are easily 
        understood and accessible to the public, data on the 
        implementation and outcomes of the program, including student 
        course enrollment and student achievement outcomes 
        disaggregated in accordance with section 1111(b)(2)(C)(v) for 
        use by parents, teachers, schools, local educational agencies, 
        researchers, and State leaders for program improvement and to 
        evaluate program effectiveness;
            ``(6) promote and support the implementation of effective 
        subgrant activities in local educational agencies and schools 
        that do not receive, or are not served by, subgrants;
            ``(7) provide technical assistance and support, such as 
        through the development or sharing of information, models, 
        technology-based tools, or training to subgrantees (and, at the 
        State educational agency's discretion, to other local 
        educational agencies) to enable the subgrantees and other 
        agencies to implement a high-quality STEM program, as described 
        in section 2204(e), and improve student achievement in core 
        academic subjects; and
            ``(8) coordinate, as needed, with other relevant State 
        agencies (including the State agency for higher education and 
        the State entity responsible for professional standards and 
        licensure of teachers and principals) to--
                    ``(A) carry out activities to improve the State's 
                teacher licensure and certification requirements and 
                preservice teacher preparation, by focusing on subject 
                matter competency and reducing unnecessary barriers to 
                entering the teaching profession while ensuring that 
                teachers have the knowledge and skills appropriate for 
                the grade levels the teachers teach; and
                    ``(B) improve the State's principal licensure and 
                certification requirements and preservice principal 
                preparation by developing principals who are prepared 
                to lead schools and ensure effective instruction across 
                subject areas for a well-rounded education, including 
                in mathematics and science.
    ``(c) Authorized Activities.--A State educational agency may, 
either on its own or in a consortium with other State educational 
agencies, use any funds reserved under subsection (a) but not used for 
activities under subsection (b), to--
            ``(1) recruit and prepare individuals with STEM expertise 
        to teach in high-need schools, including through the use of--
                    ``(A) alternative pathways to licensure or 
                certification programs;
                    ``(B) recruiting STEM majors within an institution 
                of higher education;
                    ``(C) funding undergraduate or graduate STEM 
                internships in preschool through grade 12 classrooms; 
                and
                    ``(D) funding online STEM courses and learning 
                opportunities that provide STEM expertise across 
                multiple locations, including areas of STEM teacher 
                shortages;
            ``(2) develop instructional systems that provide--
                    ``(A) a systematic and coherent combination of 
                instructional materials;
                    ``(B) embedded formative and interim assessments;
                    ``(C) professional development;
                    ``(D) information on student learning; and
                    ``(E) academic interventions that are based on 
                cognitive science and content area knowledge and that 
                are aligned with college- and career-ready standards;
            ``(3) develop and implement innovative uses of technology 
        that show promise for improving outcomes in classroom 
        instruction, teacher and leader effectiveness, and student 
        achievement; and
            ``(4) carry out activities related to any of the other 
        subjects in section 2201(a) that the State, consistent with 
        section 2202(a)(6), is not already carrying out under this 
        section.
    ``(d) Exception.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary may permit a State that 
        receives a grant under section 2201(a), at the State's request, 
        to use not more than 20 percent of the grant funds amount not 
        reserved under subsection (a) to make subgrants to eligible 
        entities (as defined under section 2204(a)(2)) under this 
        subsection.
            ``(2) Not subject to section 2204.--Subgrants awarded under 
        this subsection shall not be subject to the requirements of 
        section 2204, with the exception of the requirements of 
        paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 2204(b).
            ``(3) Application.--In order to receive a subgrant under 
        this subsection, an eligible entity shall submit an application 
        to the State educational agency at such time, in such form, and 
        including such information as the State educational agency may 
        prescribe. At a minimum, the application shall include--
                    ``(A) a description of the applicant's district-
                wide plan for developing and implementing a high-
                quality plan or strategy to improve STEM education and 
                for using subgrant funds to support the implementation 
                of that plan or strategy;
                    ``(B) a description of the activities the entity 
                proposes to carry out, including an explanation of how 
                those activities align with the State's STEM standards 
                and of how they would incorporate the components of 
                high-quality STEM instruction;
                    ``(C) the rationale underlying the proposed model 
                practice, strategy, or program in improving teaching 
                practice as well as student achievement, especially 
                with high-need student populations, which shall include 
                either--
                            ``(i) a description of how the proposed 
                        practice, strategy, or program is evidence-
                        based; or
                            ``(ii) a rationale based on research 
                        findings that the proposed practice, strategy, 
                        or program will improve student achievement; 
                        and
                    ``(D) the plan for evaluating the impact of the 
                model practice, strategy, or program and disseminating 
                information from that evaluation.
            ``(4) Activities.--Subgrants awarded under this subsection 
        may carry out activities that are not required of the State 
        under subsection (b), but that--
                    ``(A) align with the State's STEM standards;
                    ``(B) incorporate 1 or more of the components of 
                high-quality STEM instruction; and
                    ``(C) are evidence-based or for which the 
                subgrantee has a plan in place to rigorously evaluate 
                their effectiveness.

``SEC. 2204. STEM EDUCATION SUBGRANTS.

    ``(a) Subgrant Authorization.--
            ``(1) In general.--A State educational agency that receives 
        a grant under section 2201(a) shall, from funds the State 
        receives under this part that are not reserved under section 
        2203(a) or used pursuant to section 2203(d), make STEM 
        education subgrants, on a competitive basis, to eligible 
        entities.
            ``(2) Eligible entities.--In this section, the term 
        `eligible entity' means--
                    ``(A) a high-need local educational agency;
                    ``(B) a consortium of high-need local educational 
                agencies;
                    ``(C) a partnership of 1 or more high-need local 
                educational agencies with 1 or more institutions of 
                higher education or 1 or more nonprofit organizations, 
                or both; or
                    ``(D) an educational service agency proposing to 
                serve high-need local educational agencies.
    ``(b) Criteria.--Subgrants under this section shall be--
            ``(1) used to carry out projects in high-need schools;
            ``(2) of sufficient size to support projects that can 
        influence classroom instruction in a significant number or 
        percentage of classrooms in the high-need schools that the 
        subgrantee would serve; and
            ``(3) used to carry out the activities listed under 
        subsection (e), unless the Secretary has permitted the State to 
        do otherwise.
    ``(c) Application Requirements.--In order to receive a subgrant 
under this section, an eligible entity shall submit an application to 
the State educational agency at such time, in such form, and including 
such information as the State educational agency may prescribe. At a 
minimum, the application shall include--
            ``(1) a description of the applicant's district-wide plan 
        for developing and implementing a comprehensive high-quality 
        STEM program for all schools and students in the participating 
        local educational agencies and for using subgrant funds to 
        support the implementation of that plan;
            ``(2) a description of how the applicant's district-wide 
        plan aligns with the State's STEM plan for preschool through 
        grade 12 and the State's goals for improving student outcomes;
            ``(3) a description of the applicant's record in 
        implementing and improving student achievement for all 
        subgroups of students served through other STEM initiatives;
            ``(4) a description of how the proposed activities are 
        informed by a needs assessment described in the application and 
        designed to support effective teaching and to improve student 
        achievement for the lowest-performing subgroups;
            ``(5) a description of the evidence base for the proposed 
        activities;
            ``(6) a description of how the activities will include and 
        be accessible to all students, including students with 
        disabilities and English language learners; and
            ``(7) a description of how the applicant's selection of 
        schools and the grade spans it plans to serve with funds under 
        this part would support successful achievement of the 
        objectives described in the application and the STEM plan 
        required under paragraph (1).
    ``(d) Priorities.--In awarding subgrants under this section, a 
State educational agency shall give priority to--
            ``(1) entities that propose a coherent strategy to improve 
        STEM instruction that aligns activities under the subgrant with 
        literacy instruction supported with other Federal funds under 
        title I, part A of title II, title III, and title VII, and, as 
        appropriate, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
        and the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 
        2006 and State and local funds;
            ``(2) entities that propose to develop 1 or more robust 
        partnerships with at least 1 entity, such as a locally situated 
        business, college or university, or nonprofit organization, 
        that has expertise, or a workforce with knowledge, in STEM 
        fields or in education in STEM subjects;
            ``(3) entities that propose to implement activities in 
        schools with the highest levels of need and capacity for 
        improvement;
            ``(4) entities that have a plan for sustaining the strategy 
        described in paragraph (1) after the end of the subgrant; and
            ``(5) entities whose proposals are supported by the 
        strongest available evidence.
    ``(e) Local Activities.--
            ``(1) Required activities.--Each recipient of a subgrant 
        under this section shall implement a high-quality, evidence-
        based, comprehensive, and coherent STEM program that includes 
        each of the following aligned components:
                    ``(A) Effective professional development (as 
                defined in section 9101) in STEM for teachers and 
                school leaders, which may include professional 
                development focused on subject matter competency and on 
                ensuring that teachers have the knowledge and skills 
                appropriate for the grade levels that they teach.
                    ``(B) High-quality curriculum and instructional 
                materials that are aligned with State standards and 
                that incorporate the components of high-quality STEM 
                instruction, and incorporate technology, as 
                appropriate, and principles of universal design for 
                learning to support students with diverse learning 
                needs, including students with disabilities and English 
                language learners.
                    ``(C) Coherent, high-quality assessment systems 
                that are aligned with State standards and assessments 
                and that include--
                            ``(i) valid and reliable diagnostic and 
                        progress-monitoring measures, to the extent 
                        available;
                            ``(ii) the systematic use of the assessment 
                        data to inform and modify instruction, 
                        interventions, and continuous program 
                        improvement;
                            ``(iii) appropriate accommodations 
                        necessary to ensure that all students, 
                        including students with disabilities and 
                        English language learners, are reliably and 
                        accurately assessed; and
                            ``(iv) interventions to ensure that all 
                        students, including both struggling students 
                        and students who master the material ahead of 
                        their peers, are served appropriately.
                    ``(D) Monitoring of program implementation and 
                outcomes, including the effectiveness of professional 
                development, and activities that track implementation 
                and outcomes at the local educational agency, school, 
                classroom, and student levels, so as to inform 
                continuous improvement.
            ``(2) Additional authorized activities.--A recipient of a 
        subgrant under this section may carry out additional 
        activities, consistent with its plan under subsection (c)(1), 
        including--
                    ``(A) providing technical assistance and support to 
                high-need schools to enable the schools to implement a 
                high-quality, comprehensive STEM program;
                    ``(B) developing partnerships with organizations 
                with STEM expertise to assist the local educational 
                agency in increasing student learning, engagement, and 
                achievement in STEM;
                    ``(C) creating mechanisms to promote the adoption 
                of effective practices and ensure that those practices 
                are sustained;
                    ``(D) integrating evidence-based, effective STEM 
                programs and comprehensive STEM initiatives into the 
                teaching of other core academic subjects;
                    ``(E) activities to support family engagement in 
                STEM education; and
                    ``(F) developing and implementing innovative uses 
                of technology that show promise for improving outcomes 
                in classroom instruction, teacher and leader 
                effectiveness, and student achievement.
    ``(f) Length of Grants.--
            ``(1) In general.--Subgrants awarded under this section 
        shall be for not more than 3 years.
            ``(2) Extension.--The State educational agency may extend a 
        subgrant under this section for an additional 2 years if the 
        subgrantee--
                    ``(A) is achieving the intended outcomes of the 
                subgrant; and
                    ``(B) shows improvement against baseline measures 
                on performance indicators established by the 
                Secretary.''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents in section 2 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 is amended by striking 
the items relating to part B of title II and inserting the following:

             ``PART B--Effective STEM Teaching and Learning

``Sec. 2201. Program authorized.
``Sec. 2202. Application.
``Sec. 2203. State use of funds.
``Sec. 2204. STEM education subgrants.''.
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