[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3790 Introduced in House (IH)]
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114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3790
To improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 21, 2015
Ms. Kelly of Illinois introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education,
and for other purposes.
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 ``Diversity in Science Technology and
Nurturing Capable Educators Act'' or the ``DISTANCE Act''.
SEC. 2. TEACHER RECRUITING.
(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to encourage
individuals educated in science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics to enter and continue in the teaching profession, with the
goal of attracting 10,000 of America's brightest students to the
teaching profession over the next 5 years.
(b) Scholarships.--Title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1021 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating part C as part E;
(2) by redesignating section 261 as section 281; and
(3) by inserting after part B the following new part:
``PART C--STEM TEACHER SCHOLARSHIPS
``SEC. 261. PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.
``The Secretary shall award scholarships, on a competitive basis
and in accordance with this part, to students who are enrolled in
studies leading to bachelor's degrees, with concurrent certification as
kindergarten, elementary, and secondary school teachers, in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics, and who have agreed to
perform qualified service.
``SEC. 262. SELECTION OF RECIPIENTS.
``(a) Selection Criteria.--The Secretary shall develop selection
criteria that the Secretary will use to award scholarships, and to
renew those awards, based on established measurements of merit
available to secondary students who wish to pursue degrees in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics.
``(b) Applications.--Any student desiring to receive a scholarship
under this part shall submit an application to the Secretary at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary
may require.
``(c) Duration of Scholarships; Renewal.--Scholarships shall be
awarded for only one academic year of study at a time, and shall be
renewable on an annual basis for the established length of the
recipient's academic program, not to exceed 6 academic years. The
Secretary shall condition the renewal of scholarships on measures of
academic progress and achievement.
``SEC. 263. QUALIFIED SERVICE REQUIREMENT.
``(a) Qualified Service Agreement.--Any student who receives a
scholarship under this part shall enter into an agreement with the
Secretary to complete no less than 5 academic years of qualified
service during a 7-year period, to begin no later than 12 months
following the completion of a bachelor's degree in science, technology,
engineering, or mathematics.
``(b) Requirement Enforced.--The Secretary shall establish such
requirements as the Secretary finds necessary to ensure that recipients
of scholarships under this subsection who complete bachelor's degrees
in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, with teacher
certification, subsequently perform 5 academic years of qualified
service during a 7-year period, or repay the portion of the scholarship
received for which the recipient did not perform the required qualified
service, as determined by the Secretary. The Secretary shall use any
such repayments to carry out additional activities under this part.
``(c) Definition.--For the purpose of this section, the term
`qualified service' means full-time employment at a public or private
kindergarten, elementary school, or secondary school as a teacher of a
course in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics field.
``SEC. 264. AWARDS.
``(a) Scholarship Award.--The Secretary shall provide each
recipient with a scholarship in the amount of up to $20,000 to pay for
the cost of attendance of the student for each academic year the
student is eligible to receive the scholarship. The Secretary shall
transfer such funds to the institution of higher education at which the
recipient is enrolled.
``(b) Bonus Award.--
``(1) Option for bonus award.--Any student who receives a
scholarship under this part may elect to enter into a bonus
agreement with the Secretary, in accordance with this
subsection, for any academic year during which the student
receives a scholarship under this part.
``(2) Bonus agreement.--A bonus agreement under paragraph
(1) shall provide that--
``(A) the student shall perform one academic year
of the qualified service agreed to under section 263(a)
in a high-need local educational agency, as defined in
section 200; and
``(B) the Secretary shall provide $10,000, in
addition to the amount the student receives under
subsection (a), for each academic year in which the
student enters into such bonus agreement.
``(3) Service requirement enforced.--The Secretary shall
establish such requirements as the Secretary finds necessary to
ensure that recipients of bonuses under this subsection fulfill
the qualified service requirement in a high-need local
educational agency, as defined in section 200, for a period of
time equivalent to the period for which the recipient receives
the bonus, or repays the portion of the bonus received for
which the recipient did not perform the required qualified
service in a high-need local educational agency, as determined
by the Secretary. The Secretary shall use any such repayments
to carry out additional activities under this subsection.
``(c) Maximum Award.--The maximum award any student may receive
under this section for an academic year shall be the student's cost of
attendance minus any grant aid such student receives from sources other
than this section.
``SEC. 265. REGULATIONS.
``The Secretary is authorized to issue such regulations as may be
necessary to carry out the provisions of this part.''.
(c) Institutional Grants for Integrated Degree Programs.--Title II
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021 et seq.) is further
amended by inserting after part C, as added by subsection (b) of this
section, the following new part:
``PART D--INTEGRATED DEGREE PROGRAMS
``SEC. 271. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to award grants to
institutions of higher education, on a competitive basis, in order to
pay for the Federal share of the cost of projects to establish,
strengthen, and operate 4-year undergraduate degree programs through
which students may concurrently--
``(1) earn a bachelor's degree in science, technology,
engineering, or mathematics; and
``(2) be certified to teach kindergarten, elementary, or
secondary school.
``(b) Grant Amount; Award Period.--The Secretary may award grants
to no more than 50 institutions of higher education each fiscal year,
and a grant to an institution for a fiscal year shall not exceed
$1,000,000. Grants shall be awarded for only one fiscal year at a time,
and shall be renewable on an annual basis for up to 5 years.
``SEC. 272. SELECTION OF GRANT RECIPIENTS.
``(a) Criteria.--The Secretary shall set criteria to evaluate the
applications for grants under this part and the projects proposed to
establish, strengthen, and operate 4-year integrated undergraduate
degree programs.
``(b) Equitable Distribution of Grants.--To the extent practicable
and consistent with the criteria under subsection (a), the Secretary
shall make grants under this part in such manner as to achieve an
equitable distribution of the grant funds throughout the United States,
considering geographic distribution, rural and urban areas, and range
and type of institutions.
``SEC. 273. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.
``In order to receive a grant under this part, an institution of
higher education shall submit an application to the Secretary at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary
may require. Such application shall include the following:
``(1) A description of the proposed project.
``(2) A demonstration of--
``(A) the commitment, including the financial
commitment, of the institution for the proposed
project; and
``(B) the active support of the leadership of the
institution for the proposed project.
``(3) A description of how the proposed project will be
continued after Federal funds are no longer awarded under this
part for the project.
``(4) A plan for the evaluation of the project, which shall
include benchmarks to monitor progress toward specific project
objectives.
``SEC. 274. MATCHING REQUIREMENT.
``Each institution of higher education receiving a grant under this
part shall provide, from non-Federal sources, an amount equal to the
amount of the grant (in cash or in-kind) to carry out the project
supported by the grant.
``SEC. 275. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part
$50,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2016 through 2021.''.
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