[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 34 (Tuesday, March 24, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H1414-H1415]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I think my colleague 
has pointed out a problem, and I think there is at least one other.
  There are 346,000 unfilled information technology jobs nationwide. 
And one of the problems is that the results of the Third International 
Mathematics and Science Study, called the TIMSS, shows that American 
high school seniors rank near the bottom in math and science education 
when compared to their international counterparts.
  I am attempting to find a solution, so I have introduced House 
Resolution 3496 that was heard in committee today, the Information 
Technology Partnership Act, which creates an additional grant program 
through the National Science Foundation and the Urban Systemic 
Initiative Program. The Urban Systemic Initiative Program focuses 
primarily on math and science by using mentor teachers to help 
educators introduce an innovative and engaging math and science 
curriculum to K through 12 students in the inner city.
  The IT Partnership, that is, the information technology partnership 
grant is aimed at improving scientific and mathematical literacy of all 
students in urban communities while fostering a student's career in the 
information technology field. This partnership consists of local 
education agencies and local businesses investing in the educational 
development of the youth in their districts. Specialized curricula and 
scholarships would assist students in filling future information 
technology jobs.
  My district is driven by technology; and so we see firsthand not 
having enough people trained in this country. And, yes, people are 
being brought in and information is being developed outside this 
country, but not because of trade and not because of avoiding any other 
type of barrier. It is simply because we do not have them available 
right now.
  So specifically, the IT Partnership Grant focuses on math and science 
curricula for students in grades 10 through 12 and offers internships 
and scholarship opportunity for students majoring in fields relating to 
information technology. Under this program, eligibility for the IT 
Partnership Grant is limited to the cities with the largest number of 
school age children, ages 5 to 17, living in economic poverty as 
determined by the 1990 census.
  The following cities are eligible for this grant: Atlanta; Baltimore; 
Bayamo; Boston; Chicago; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Columbus, Ohio; Dallas, 
Texas; Detroit; El Paso; Fresno; Houston; Indianapolis; Jacksonville; 
Los Angeles; Memphis; Miami; Milwaukee; New Orleans; New York City; 
Phoenix; Philadelphia; Ponce; San Antonio; San Diego; San Juan; and St. 
Louis.
  The grant awards five local education agencies $300,000 to develop 
math, science, and technology curricula for grades 10 through 12 and to 
train teachers in technology. That is a problem we have throughout this 
Nation.
  In order for the local education agencies to win this grant, they 
must enter into a partnership with businesses in their community. These 
businesses would commit to provide to the local education agencies a 
minimum of at least internships, scholarships, and mentoring programs 
and computer products. Local businesses would promise the local 
education agencies scholarship money, which would be awarded to high 
school seniors. You see, because these businesses have a stake, their 
future depends on having qualified people to do the job, and seniors 
who would be majoring in these fields associated with information 
technology, that is, math, computer science, and engineering at 2- and 
4-year colleges. The partnership between the local education agencies 
and local business sponsors would determine the amount and the number 
of scholarships given.
  It is important to note that the local education agencies will have 
direct responsibility for overseeing the program, and the National 
Science Foundation's role is limited to determining which 5 cities meet 
the criteria for eligibility. We would like to award them all, but are 
trying to think about staying in the budget even though we are not 
doing what we should for education if we are going to have a cutting-
edge Nation in the future.

[[Page H1415]]

  The National Science Foundation director will award the IT 
Partnership Grants to 5 cities with the best package of business 
sponsorship and curricular development. In addition, priority will be 
given to those local education agencies that grant scholarships to 
students who are first generation college students.
  I hope, Mr. Speaker, that we can get up support for this legislation. 
Because there are companies, and I have many in my district, that are 
screaming out for these people to be qualified so they can give them 
jobs.

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