[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 969 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 969

To award planning grants and implementation grants to State educational 
     agencies to enable the State educational agencies to complete 
 comprehensive planning to carry out activities designed to integrate 
   engineering education into K-12 instruction and curriculum and to 
   provide evaluation grants to measure efficacy of K-12 engineering 
                               education.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 12, 2011

    Mrs. Gillibrand (for herself, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Ms. 
Stabenow, and Mr. Begich) introduced the following bill; which was read 
 twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
                                Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To award planning grants and implementation grants to State educational 
     agencies to enable the State educational agencies to complete 
 comprehensive planning to carry out activities designed to integrate 
   engineering education into K-12 instruction and curriculum and to 
   provide evaluation grants to measure efficacy of K-12 engineering 
                               education.

    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 ``Engineering Education for Innovation 
Act'' or the ``E\2 \ for Innovation Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) There is a national concern that the Nation's 
        preeminence in science and innovation is eroding. According to 
        the National Science Board's 2010 Science and Engineering 
        Indicators, only 5 percent of college graduates in the United 
        States major in engineering, compared with 12 percent of 
        European students and 20 percent of those in Asia. The report 
        also notes that the performance of elementary and secondary 
        school students in the United States lags behind many nations 
        on international assessments of mathematics and science.
            (2) While women earn 58 percent of all bachelor's degrees, 
        they constitute only 18.5 percent of bachelor's degrees awarded 
        in engineering.
            (3) African-Americans earn only 4.6 percent of bachelor's 
        degrees awarded in engineering and Hispanics earn only 7.2 
        percent.
            (4) The introduction of engineering education has the 
        potential to improve student learning and achievement in 
        science and mathematics, increase awareness about what 
        engineers do and of engineering as a potential career, and 
        boost students' technology and engineering literacy, according 
        to a new report, ``Engineering in K-12 Education'' from the 
        National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the National Research 
        Council (NRC).
            (5) The report described in paragraph (4) also identifies 
        the following 3 core principles for K-12 engineering education:
                    (A) Emphasize engineering design process.
                    (B) Incorporate important and developmentally 
                appropriate mathematics, science, and technology 
                knowledge and skills.
                    (C) Promote engineering habits of mind including 
                systems thinking, creativity, collaboration, 
                communication, and attention to ethical considerations.
            (6) While exposure to formal engineering education has 
        increased dramatically over the past 15 years, reaching several 
        million K-12 students, most students in the United States have 
        never experienced an engineering course or lesson.
            (7) There is also a lack of diversity in these existing K-
        12 engineering education opportunities. The number of girls and 
        underrepresented minorities participating in K-12 engineering 
        education does not correspond to their proportion of the 
        general population.
            (8) The President's Council of Advisors on Science and 
        Technology (PCAST) report Prepare and Inspire: K-12 Science, 
        Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Education for 
        America's Future recommends that the Nation focus on preparing 
        all students, including girls and minorities underrepresented 
        in STEM fields, in order to meet the national need for a STEM-
        capable citizenry and a STEM-proficient workforce. The report 
        also notes that achieving the Nation's goals for K-12 STEM 
        education will require partnerships with State and local 
        governments and with the private and philanthropic sectors.
            (9) Only a handful of States have integrated engineering 
        into their core academic K-12 standards.
            (10) K-12 engineering education in the United States is 
        supported by a relatively small number of curricular and 
        teacher professional development programs.
            (11) While science, technology, engineering, and 
        mathematics education is viewed as a national education policy, 
        often the implementation of policies and initiatives focuses 
        exclusively on mathematics and science and overlooks the 
        engineering and technology education components.
            (12) Schools, policy makers, and other stakeholders often 
        narrowly refer to the term ``technologically literate'' as the 
        ability to use educational technologies. Although educational 
        technology is important, it is far from the only type of 
        technology we depend on in a modern society. In 2006, the 
        National Academy of Engineering and the National Research 
        Council's report, ``Technically Speaking'', outlined a broader 
        view of ``technological literacy'', one more consistent with 
        how scientists, engineers, and technologists see the world. In 
        this view, technology and engineering literacy includes--
                    (A) knowledge of technology, the engineering design 
                process, and impacts on society;
                    (B) critical thinking and decisionmaking weighing 
                benefits, risks, costs, and tradeoffs; and
                    (C) capability to use a variety of technologies, 
                apply the design process, fix simple technological 
                problems, and obtain and understand information about 
                technological issues.
            (13) The Standards for Technological Literacy, developed by 
        the International Technology and Engineering Education 
        Association and passed by a formal review by the National 
        Academy of Engineering and the National Research Council, 
        closely align with the Academies' concept of technology and 
        engineering literacy in paragraph (11).
            (14) To support an innovation economy and maintain our 
        country's vitality and security, we must expand students' 
        understanding of technology and engineering and widen the 
        pipeline to careers in these fields so that a diverse array of 
        talented students can pursue them.
            (15) The Federal Government has an interest in expanding K-
        12 engineering and technology education. The National 
        Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Science 2009 
        assessment included items testing student's technological 
        design skills. The National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) 
        will administer a NAEP Technology and Engineering Literacy 
        probe assessment in 2014 that will assess student knowledge in 
        engineering design and systems, information and communication 
        technology, and technology and society.
            (16) To further expand K-12 engineering education, this Act 
        seeks to support planning and implementing grants for 
        educational agencies to invest in programs and activities to 
        integrate engineering education into K-12 instruction and 
        curriculum and to fund research on, and evaluation of, such 
        efforts.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Engineering.--The term ``engineering'' means a 
        systematic and often iterative approach to designing objects, 
        processes, and systems to meet human needs and wants.
            (2) ESEA terms.--Except as otherwise provided in this Act, 
        any term used in this Act that is defined in section 9101 of 
        the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        7801) shall have the meaning given the term in such section.
            (3) High-need local educational agency.--The term ``high-
        need local educational agency'' means a local educational 
        agency--
                    (A)(i) that serves not fewer than 10,000 children 
                from families with incomes below the poverty line; or
                    (ii) for which not less than 20 percent of the 
                children served by the agency are from families with 
                incomes below the poverty line; and
                    (B)(i) for which there is a high percentage of 
                teachers not teaching in the academic subjects or grade 
                levels that the teachers were trained to teach; or
                    (ii) for which there is a high percentage of 
                teachers with emergency, provisional, or temporary 
                certification or licensing.
            (4) High-need school.--The term ``high-need school'' means 
        a public K-12 school--
                    (A) for which not less than 20 percent of the 
                children served by the school are from families with 
                incomes below the poverty line; and
                    (B)(i) for which there is a high percentage of 
                teachers not teaching in the academic subjects or grade 
                levels that the teachers were trained to teach; or
                    (ii) for which there is a high percentage of 
                teachers with emergency, provisional, or temporary 
                certification or licensing.
            (5) 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).
            (6) K-12.--The term ``K-12'' means kindergarten through 
        grade 12.
            (7) State educational agency.--The term ``State educational 
        agency'' includes the State educational agency in a State in 
        which the State educational agency is the sole educational 
        agency for all public schools.
            (8) Technology.--The term ``technology'' means any 
        modification of the natural world done to fulfill human needs 
        or desires.
            (9) Technology and engineering literacy.--The term 
        ``technology and engineering literacy'' means the capacity to 
        use, understand, and evaluate technology and engineering as 
        well as to understand technological principles and strategies 
        needed to develop solutions and achieve goals.

SEC. 4. PLANNING GRANTS.

    (a) Program Authorized.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Education, in 
        consultation with the Director of the National Science 
        Foundation and other relevant heads of Federal agencies, is 
        authorized to award planning grants to State educational 
        agencies to enable such agencies to complete comprehensive 
        planning to carry out activities designed to integrate 
        engineering education into K-12 instruction and curriculum.
            (2) Grant period.--A planning grant awarded under this 
        section shall be for a period of not more than 2 years.
            (3) Nonrenewability.--The Secretary of Education shall not 
        award a State educational agency more than 1 planning grant 
        under this section.
            (4) Reservation for small states.--
                    (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
                (B), the Secretary of Education shall reserve not less 
                than 15 percent of the funds appropriated to carry out 
                this section for each fiscal year to award grants under 
                this section to States with populations of less than 
                2,600,000 on the date of enactment of this Act.
                    (B) Waiver.--The Secretary of Education may waive 
                the 15 percent requirement under subparagraph (A) after 
                notifying Congress of such intention.
    (b) Application.--
            (1) In general.--Each State educational agency desiring a 
        planning grant under this section shall submit an application 
        to the Secretary of Education at such time, in such manner, and 
        accompanied by such information as the Secretary of Education 
        may require.
            (2) Application contents.--Each application described in 
        paragraph (1), at a minimum, shall--
                    (A) include a description of how the State 
                educational agency proposes to use the planning grant 
                funds to develop a plan designed to integrate 
                engineering education into K-12 instruction and 
                curriculum;
                    (B) describe the roles and responsibilities of the 
                partners, described in subsection (c), participating in 
                the planning under this section;
                    (C) provide a budget for the use of the planning 
                grant funds; and
                    (D) provide such additional assurances and 
                information as the Secretary of Education determines to 
                be necessary.
    (c) Partnership.--A State educational agency receiving a planning 
grant under this section shall complete comprehensive planning to carry 
out activities designed to integrate engineering education into K-12 
instruction and curriculum in coordination with partners, including the 
following:
            (1) The Governor of the State or the designee of the 
        Governor.
            (2) Not less than 1 faculty member from a school of 
        engineering at an institution of higher education located in 
        the State.
            (3) Not less than 1 faculty member from a school of 
        education at an institution of higher education located in the 
        State.
            (4) Not less than 1 public elementary school administrator 
        employed in the State.
            (5) Not less than 1 public elementary school teacher 
        employed in the State.
            (6) Not less than 1 public secondary school administrator 
        employed in the State.
            (7) Not less than 1 public secondary school engineering or 
        technology teacher employed in the State.
            (8) Not less than 1 representative of the science, 
        technology, engineering, and mathematics business community in 
        the State.
            (9) Not less than 1 representative from an informal science 
        education center, if available, a nonprofit organization with a 
        demonstrated history of developing innovative and effective 
        engineering curriculum, or an afterschool program provider.
            (10) Not less than 1 representative from a professional 
        engineering society or an academy of science with a chapter or 
        other presence in the State.
            (11) Any additional representatives identified by the State 
        educational agency who possess an expertise in developing high-
        quality K-12 engineering education materials and resources.
    (d) Required Activities.--A State educational agency receiving a 
planning grant under this section shall use the planning grant funds to 
carry out each of the following activities:
            (1) Review.--The State educational agency shall review 
        resources and programs across the State educational agency and 
        its partners that are relevant to the objectives of the grant, 
        and coordinate any new plans and resources under this section 
        with such existing resources and programs.
            (2) Plan.--The State educational agency shall develop an 
        implementation plan to achieve the objective of integrating 
        engineering education into K-12 instruction and curriculum. The 
        plan shall include a description of how the State educational 
        agency will carry out the following:
                    (A) Set intermediate and long-term measurable 
                goals.
                    (B) Develop and implement a coherent plan for 
                achieving the goals, including the following core set 
                of activities:
                            (i) An analysis of the State's existing K-
                        12 content standards and assessments to 
                        determine--
                                    (I) the extent to which they 
                                address the integration of engineering 
                                education into K-12 instruction and 
                                curriculum; and
                                    (II) the extent to which they align 
                                with workforce and postsecondary 
                                expectations.
                            (ii) An analysis of the State's existing K-
                        12 engineering education curricula, which shall 
                        include the development of a baseline analysis 
                        of key indicators that measure--
                                    (I) the number and diversity of 
                                students who are exposed to this 
                                curricula, including populations 
                                underrepresented in engineering fields, 
                                for example, girls and underrepresented 
                                minorities; and
                                    (II) the effectiveness of the 
                                curricula at improving student 
                                learning, including--
                                            (aa) increasing 
                                        understanding of engineering;
                                            (bb) increasing science, 
                                        technology, engineering, and 
                                        mathematics career aspirations;
                                            (cc) increasing technology 
                                        and engineering literacy 
                                        skills; and
                                            (dd) increasing student 
                                        achievement in science, 
                                        technology, engineering, and 
                                        mathematics subjects for all 
                                        students.
                            (iii) An analysis of the State's K-12 
                        engineering and technology education teaching 
                        workforce, which shall include the development 
                        of a baseline analysis of key indicators that 
                        measure--
                                    (I) the number of K-12 teachers who 
                                received any certificates or 
                                credentials in engineering or 
                                technology education, including the 
                                number who received professional 
                                development in engineering education;
                                    (II) the number and types of pre-
                                service, induction, and professional 
                                development engineering and technology 
                                education programs; and
                                    (III) the effectiveness of the 
                                identified preservice, induction, and 
                                professional development engineering 
                                and technology education programs as 
                                they relate to--
                                            (aa) increasing 
                                        understanding of engineering;
                                            (bb) increasing science, 
                                        technology, engineering, and 
                                        mathematics career aspirations;
                                            (cc) increasing technology 
                                        and engineering literacy 
                                        skills; and
                                            (dd) increasing student 
                                        achievement in science, 
                                        technology, engineering, and 
                                        mathematics subjects.
                    (C) Create a plan for ongoing collection and 
                analysis of data on outcomes, including progress toward 
                outcomes.
    (e) Special Rule.--In the event a State educational agency declines 
or does not submit an application under this section, the Secretary of 
Education shall provide for another entity or consortium, with the 
capacity to carry out the activities under this section, in partnership 
with the partners listed in subsection (c), in such State, to submit an 
application.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary 
for each of fiscal years 2013 and 2014.

SEC. 5. IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS.

    (a) Program Authorized.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Education, in 
        consultation with the Director of the National Science 
        Foundation and other relevant heads of Federal agencies, is 
        authorized to award grants to State educational agencies to pay 
        the Federal share of the cost of implementing innovative, 
        integrative engineering education initiatives into K-12 
        instruction and curriculum.
            (2) Partnership.--A State educational agency receiving an 
        implementation grant under this section may partner with such 
        entities (including the entities listed in section 4(c)) that 
        the State chooses in order to carry out the activities 
        described in this section.
    (b) Minimum Amount.--The Secretary of Education shall award a grant 
under this section in an amount that is a comparably sufficient amount 
relative to the amounts appropriated to carry out this section.
    (c) Duration and Renewal.--
            (1) Duration.--The Secretary of Education shall award 
        grants under this section for not more than 2 years.
            (2) Renewal.--The Secretary of Education may renew a grant 
        awarded under this section subject to the progress of the State 
        educational agency in meeting the benchmarks described in 
        subsection (i).
    (d) Priority.--
            (1) In general.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
        Secretary of Education shall give priority to State educational 
        agencies that submit an application under subsection (e) that 
        demonstrates--
                    (A) satisfaction of the required activities or 
                comparable activities under section 4(d), as determined 
                by the Secretary;
                    (B) that a significant percentage of persons served 
                by the grant will be students from population 
                underrepresented in engineering fields; and
                    (C) that the State's partners under subsection 
                (a)(2) agree to pay a portion of the non-Federal share 
                costs, provided in cash or in-kind, of the programs and 
                activities carried out under the grant.
            (2) Small state guarantee.--
                    (A) In general.--In each fiscal year in which a 
                grant is awarded under this section, the Secretary of 
                Education shall ensure that not less than 1 grant be 
                awarded to a State with a population of less than 
                2,600,000 on the date of enactment of this Act.
                    (B) Waiver.--The Secretary of Education may waive 
                the requirement under subparagraph (A) after notifying 
                Congress of such intention.
    (e) Applications.--A State educational agency that desires to 
receive a grant under this section shall submit an application to the 
Secretary of Education at such time, in such manner, and containing 
such information as the Secretary of Education may require. Each such 
application shall include a description of--
            (1) how the State educational agency will integrate 
        engineering education into K-12 instruction and curriculum 
        through programs and activities described in subsections (f) 
        and (g); and
            (2) the benchmarks developed under subsection (i).
    (f) Uses of Funds.--A State educational agency that receives a 
grant under this section shall use the grant funds to pay the Federal 
share of carrying out the following programs and activities in 
collaboration with the State's partners under subsection (a)(2):
            (1) Implementing challenging academic content standards, 
        achievement standards, and curricula frameworks that include 
        engineering.
            (2) Developing new or obtaining effective curricula in 
        engineering education.
            (3) Designing and implementing engineering education 
        assessment items and tools.
            (4) Developing or improving elementary and secondary 
        teacher preservice, induction, and professional development 
        engineering and technology education programs, including those 
        that lead to a certificate or other credential in engineering 
        or technology education.
            (5) Recruiting qualified teachers to provide engineering 
        education for high-need local educational agencies and high-
        need schools.
    (g) Other Allowable Uses of Funds.--In addition to carrying out the 
programs and activities described in subsection (f), a State 
educational agency that receives a grant under this section may use the 
grant funds for the following:
            (1) Establishing distance learning modules for teachers or 
        students in engineering education.
            (2) Creating online engineering education tools that are 
        widely accessible.
            (3) Investing in after-school engineering education 
        programs.
    (h) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary of Education is authorized 
to reserve not more than 1 percent of the amounts available to carry 
out this section to provide technical assistance, directly or by grant 
or contract with nonprofit organizations with demonstrated expertise in 
designing, implementing, or evaluating relevant programs, in order to 
help State educational agencies prepare for, qualify for, apply for, 
and maintain a grant under this section.
    (i) Benchmarks.--
            (1) Benchmarks.--Each State educational agency desiring a 
        grant under this section shall--
                    (A) develop quantifiable benchmarks for the 
                activities supported under the grant, which shall 
                include increasing student achievement in science, 
                technology, engineering, and mathematics subjects, and 
                may include--
                            (i) increasing student knowledge and 
                        competency of grade-appropriate engineering 
                        design skills;
                            (ii) increasing the number of students who 
                        are taught engineering education;
                            (iii) increasing the number of educators 
                        who are prepared to teach engineering 
                        education; and
                            (iv) increasing the number and diversity of 
                        students who plan to enroll in postsecondary 
                        engineering courses and pursue an engineering 
                        degree; and
                    (B) submit, as part of the application under 
                subsection (e), the benchmarks for approval to the 
                Secretary of Education in order to receive grant funds 
                under this section.
            (2) Reports.--Each State educational agency receiving a 
        grant under this section shall--
                    (A) annually measure and report to the Secretary of 
                Education the progress of the State educational agency 
                in achieving the benchmarks developed under paragraph 
                (1); and
                    (B) collect and report data of those served by the 
                grant relating to the student benchmarks, disaggregated 
                by race, ethnicity, gender, disability status, migrant 
                status, English proficiency, and status as economically 
                disadvantaged, except that such disaggregation shall 
                not be required in a case in which the number of 
                students in a category is insufficient to yield 
                statistically reliable information or the results would 
                reveal personally identifiable information about an 
                individual student.
            (3) Guidance.--The Secretary of Education shall provide 
        guidance regarding acceptable data sources and methodologies 
        for--
                    (A) establishing baselines and performance 
                benchmarks; and
                    (B) measuring progress by State educational 
                agencies receiving such grants.
    (j) Non-Federal Share; Supplement, Not Supplant.--
            (1) Non-federal share.--
                    (A) In general.--A State educational agency that 
                receives a grant under this section shall provide the 
                non-Federal share of the costs of the programs and 
                activities described in subsections (f) and (g) that 
                are carried out under the grant. The amount of the non-
                Federal share under this section for a fiscal year 
                shall be not less than 50 percent. The non-Federal 
                share may be in cash or in-kind, and may be provided 
                from local resources, contributions from private 
                organizations, contributions from the State's partners 
                under subsection (a)(2), or a combination of such 
                sources.
                    (B) Financial hardship waiver.--The Secretary of 
                Education may waive or reduce the non-Federal share of 
                a State educational agency that has submitted an 
                application for a grant under this section if the State 
                educational agency demonstrates a need for such waiver 
                or reduction due to extreme financial hardship.
            (2) Supplement, not supplant.--Grant funds provided under 
        this section shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, any 
        other Federal or State funds otherwise available to carry out 
        the activities described in this section.
    (k) Special Rule.--In the event a State educational agency declines 
or does not submit an application under this section, the Secretary of 
Education shall provide for another entity or a consortium, with the 
capacity to carry out the activities under this section in such State, 
to submit an application.
    (l) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary 
for each of fiscal years 2014 and 2015.

SEC. 6. RESEARCH AND EVALUATIONS.

    (a) In General.--The Institute of Education Sciences shall support, 
directly or through grants or contracts, research on engineering 
education and evaluation of the grants awarded under this Act, 
including studies and evaluations that--
            (1) assess the effectiveness of the programs and activities 
        carried out by each State educational agency receiving a grant 
        under section 5 in--
                    (A) improving student achievement in science, 
                technology, engineering, and mathematics subjects;
                    (B) improving student understanding of engineering;
                    (C) enhancing technology and engineering literacy 
                of students;
                    (D) increasing numbers and diversity of students 
                with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 
                career aspirations; and
                    (E) increasing the supply of engineering and 
                technology education teachers;
            (2) assess how the programs and activities carried out by 
        each State educational agency receiving a grant under section 5 
        can be replicated by a variety of State educational agencies 
        and local educational agencies;
            (3) assess how the programs and activities carried out by 
        each State educational agency receiving a grant under section 5 
        lead to students developing engineering design ideas, practices 
        and habits of mind over time, and the types of conditions 
        necessary to support these developments;
            (4) identify and assess how science inquiry and 
        mathematical reasoning can be connected to engineering design 
        in K-12 curricula and teacher professional development; and
            (5) include any other information or assessments the 
        Secretary of Education may require.
    (b) Dissemination.--The Secretary of Education shall, based on the 
results of each evaluation completed under subsection (a), disseminate 
information and analysis to the public, and provide technical 
assistance to State educational agencies, on best practices and 
promising innovations in the field of K-12 engineering education.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary 
for fiscal year 2015.
                                 <all>