[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1185 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1185

   To better integrate STEM education into elementary and secondary 
instruction and curricula, to encourage high-quality STEM professional 
 development, and to expand current mathematics and science education 
               research to include engineering education.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 4, 2015

Mrs. Gillibrand (for herself and Mr. Heinrich) introduced the following 
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To better integrate STEM education into elementary and secondary 
instruction and curricula, to encourage high-quality STEM professional 
 development, and to expand current mathematics and science education 
               research to include 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 ``Educating Tomorrow's Engineers Act 
of 2015''.

 TITLE I--AMENDMENTS TO THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT OF 
                                  1965

             PART A--ENGINEERING STANDARDS AND ASSESSMENTS

SEC. 111. ACADEMIC STANDARDS.

    Section 1111(b)(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
                    ``(G) Integration of engineering skills and 
                practices into science standards.--Each State plan may 
                incorporate engineering design skills and practices 
                into the science standards required under subparagraph 
                (C).''.

      PART B--PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

SEC. 121. TEACHER AND PRINCIPAL TRAINING AND RECRUITING FUND.

    (a) State Use of Funds.--Section 2113(c) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6613(c)) is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
            ``(19) Developing and providing professional development 
        and instructional materials for STEM subject areas, including 
        computer science and engineering.''.
    (b) Local Use of Funds.--Section 2123(a) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6623(a)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraph (10) as paragraph (9); and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(10) Developing and providing professional development 
        and instructional materials for STEM subject areas, including 
        computer science and engineering.''.

SEC. 122. STEM PARTNERSHIPS.

    Part B of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6661 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) in the part heading, by striking ``mathematics and 
        science partnerships'' and inserting ``stem partnerships'';
            (2) in section 2201--
                    (A) by striking ``mathematics and science'' each 
                place the term appears and inserting ``STEM''; and
                    (B) in subsection (a)(4), by striking 
                ``engineering, mathematics, and science'' and inserting 
                ``STEM''; and
            (3) in section 2202--
                    (A) in the section heading, by striking 
                ``mathematics and science'' and inserting ``stem'';
                    (B) in subsection (b)(2)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
                        ``mathematics and science'' and inserting 
                        ``STEM'';
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
                        ``student academic achievement in mathematics 
                        and science'' and inserting ``student academic 
                        achievement in STEM''; and
                            (iii) in subparagraph (C), by striking 
                        ``mathematics and science'' and inserting 
                        ``STEM'';
                    (C) in subsection (c)--
                            (i) in each of paragraphs (1) and (2), by 
                        striking ``mathematics and science'' and 
                        inserting ``STEM'';
                            (ii) in paragraph (3), in the matter 
                        preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
                        ``mathematics and science'' each place the term 
                        appears and inserting ``STEM'';
                            (iii) in paragraph (4)--
                                    (I) in the matter preceding 
                                subparagraph (A), by striking 
                                ``mathematics, engineering, and science 
                                majors'' and inserting ``individuals 
                                with a baccalaureate degree in a STEM 
                                field'';
                                    (II) in each of subparagraphs (A) 
                                and (C), by striking ``mathematics, 
                                engineering, or science'' each place 
                                the term appears and inserting ``a STEM 
                                field'';
                                    (III) in subparagraph (B), by 
                                striking ``mathematics and science'' 
                                and inserting ``STEM''; and
                                    (IV) in subparagraph (D), by 
                                striking ``mathematics, engineering, or 
                                science backgrounds'' and inserting 
                                ``backgrounds in STEM fields'';
                            (iv) in paragraph (5), by striking 
                        ``mathematics and science'' each place the term 
                        appears and inserting ``STEM'';
                            (v) in paragraph (6), by striking 
                        ``mathematics and science'' and inserting 
                        ``STEM'';
                            (vi) in paragraph (7), by striking 
                        ``mathematics or science'' each place the term 
                        appears and inserting ``STEM'';
                            (vii) in paragraph (8)--
                                    (I) by striking ``mathematics and 
                                science'' and inserting ``STEM'';
                                    (II) by striking ``and engineers'' 
                                and inserting ``engineers, and other 
                                professionals in STEM fields''; and
                                    (III) by striking ``science and 
                                mathematics'' and inserting ``STEM'';
                            (viii) in paragraph (9), by striking 
                        ``mathematics and science'' and inserting 
                        ``STEM''; and
                            (ix) in paragraph (10)--
                                    (I) by striking ``mathematics and 
                                science teachers'' and inserting ``STEM 
                                teachers''; and
                                    (II) by striking ``mathematics and 
                                science careers (including engineering 
                                and technology)'' and inserting 
                                ``careers in STEM fields'';
                    (D) in subsection (d)(2), by striking ``mathematics 
                and science teaching'' and inserting ``STEM teaching''; 
                and
                    (E) in subsection (e)(2)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
                        ``mathematics and science'' and inserting 
                        ``STEM'';
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 
                        ``and a strategy for integrating engineering 
                        into the science assessments in accordance with 
                        section 1111(b)(3)'' before the semicolon at 
                        the end; and
                            (iii) in subparagraph (C)--
                                    (I) in clause (i), by striking 
                                ``mathematics and science'' and 
                                inserting ``STEM'';
                                    (II) in clause (ii), by striking 
                                ``in mathematics, engineering, or the 
                                sciences'' and inserting ``in a STEM 
                                field''; and
                                    (III) in clause (iii)--
                                            (aa) by striking 
                                        ``mathematics and science'' and 
                                        inserting ``STEM subjects''; 
                                        and
                                            (bb) by striking 
                                        ``mathematics, engineering, and 
                                        science'' and inserting ``a 
                                        STEM field''.

                     PART C--AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS

SEC. 131. 21ST CENTURY LEARNING CENTERS.

    Section 4205(a)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7175(a)(2)) is amended by striking ``mathematics and 
science'' and inserting ``STEM''.

                        PART D--RURAL EDUCATION

SEC. 141. RURAL AND LOW-INCOME SCHOOL PROGRAM.

    Section 6222(a)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7351a(a)(2)) is amended by inserting ``and professional 
development in the area of engineering education'' before the period at 
the end.

                       PART E--GENERAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 151. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 7801) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (42) and (43) as paragraphs 
        (43) and (44), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (41) the following:
            ``(42) STEM.--The term `STEM' means--
                    ``(A) science, technology, engineering, and 
                mathematics; and
                    ``(B) other academic subjects that build on the 
                subjects described in subparagraph (A), such as 
                computer science.''.

   TITLE II--AMENDMENTS TO THE EDUCATION SCIENCES REFORM ACT OF 2002

SEC. 201. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 102 of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 
9501) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraph (23) as paragraph (24); and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (22) the following:
            ``(23) STEM.--The term `STEM' means--
                    ``(A) science, technology, engineering, and 
                mathematics; and
                    ``(B) other academic subjects that build on the 
                subjects described in subparagraph (A), such as 
                computer science.''.

SEC. 202. RESEARCH ON ENGINEERING EDUCATION.

    Part A of title I of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 
U.S.C. 9511 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 121. RESEARCH ON ENGINEERING EDUCATION.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director, 
shall support, directly or through grants or contracts, research on 
engineering education, including studies and evaluations that--
            ``(1) identify and assess how science inquiry and 
        mathematical reasoning can be connected to engineering design 
        in kindergarten through grade 12 curricula and teacher 
        professional development;
            ``(2) identify best practices and promising innovations in 
        the field of kindergarten through grade 12 engineering 
        education; and
            ``(3) include any other information or assessments the 
        Secretary may require.
    ``(b) Dissemination.--The Secretary shall, based on the results of 
the research described in 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 kindergarten through grade 12 engineering education.''.

SEC. 203. NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION RESEARCH.

    Part B of title I of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 
U.S.C. 9531 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) in section 131(b)(1)(C), by striking ``mathematics, 
        science'' and inserting ``STEM''; and
            (2) in section 133(a)(11), by striking ``mathematics and 
        science'' and inserting ``STEM''.
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