[115th Congress Public Law 402]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 132 STAT. 5343]]

Public Law 115-402
115th Congress

                                 An Act


 
To direct the National Science Foundation to provide grants for research 
about STEM education approaches and the STEM-related workforce, and for 
         other purposes. <<NOTE: Dec. 31, 2018 -  [H.R. 5509]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Innovations in 
Mentoring, Training, and Apprenticeships Act. 42 USC 1861 note.>> 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Innovations in Mentoring, Training, 
and Apprenticeships Act''.
SEC. 2. <<NOTE: 42 USC 1862i note.>>  FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) To remain competitive in the global economy, foster 
        greater innovation, and provide a foundation for shared 
        prosperity, the United States needs a workforce with the right 
        mix of skills to meet the diverse needs of the economy.
            (2) Evidence indicates that the returns on investments in 
        technical skills in the labor market are strong when students 
        successfully complete their education and gain credentials 
        sought by employers.
            (3) The responsibility for developing and sustaining a 
        skilled technical workforce is fragmented across many groups, 
        including educators, students, workers, employers, Federal, 
        State, and local governments, civic associations, and other 
        stakeholders. Such groups need to be able to coordinate and 
        cooperate successfully with each other.
            (4) Coordination among students, community colleges, 
        secondary and post-secondary institutions, and employers would 
        improve educational outcomes.
            (5) Promising experiments currently underway may guide 
        innovation and reform, but scalability of some of those 
        experiments has not yet been tested.
            (6) Evidence suggests that integration of academic 
        education, technical skills development, and hands-on work 
        experience improves outcomes and return on investment for 
        students in secondary and post-secondary education and for 
        skilled technical workers in different career stages.
            (7) Outcomes show that mentoring can increase STEM student 
        engagement and the rate of completion of STEM post-secondary 
        degrees.

[[Page 132 STAT. 5344]]

SEC. 3. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION STEM INNOVATION AND 
                    APPRENTICESHIP GRANTS.

    Section 3 of the Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992 (42 
U.S.C. 1862i) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsections (d) through (g) as 
        subsections (g) through (j), respectively;
            (2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:

    ``(d) Grants for Associate Degree Programs in STEM Fields.--
            ``(1) In-demand workforce grants.--The Director shall award 
        grants to junior or community colleges to develop or improve 
        associate degree or certificate programs in STEM fields, with 
        respect to the region in which the respective college is 
        located, and an in-demand industry sector or occupation.
            ``(2) Applications.--In considering applications for grants 
        under paragraph (1), the Director shall prioritize--
                    ``(A) applications that consist of a partnership 
                between the applying junior or community college and 
                individual employers or an employer consortia, or 
                industry or sector partnerships, and may include a 
                university or other organization with demonstrated 
                expertise in academic program development;
                    ``(B) applications that demonstrate current and 
                future workforce demand in occupations directly related 
                to the proposed associate degree or certificate program;
                    ``(C) applications that include commitments by the 
                partnering employers or employer consortia, or industry 
                or sector partnerships, to offer apprenticeships, 
                internships, or other applied learning opportunities to 
                students enrolled in the proposed associate degree or 
                certificate program;
                    ``(D) applications that include outreach plans and 
                goals for recruiting and enrolling women and other 
                underrepresented populations in STEM fields in the 
                proposed associate degree or certificate program; and
                    ``(E) applications that describe how the applying 
                junior or community college will support the collection 
                of information and data for purposes of evaluation of 
                the proposed associate degree or certificate program.

    ``(e) Grants for STEM Degree Applied Learning Opportunities.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Director shall award grants to 
        institutions of higher education partnering with private sector 
        employers or private sector employer consortia, or industry or 
        sector partnerships, that commit to offering apprenticeships, 
        internships, research opportunities, or applied learning 
        experiences to enrolled students in identified STEM 
        baccalaureate degree programs.
            ``(2) Purposes.--Awards under this subsection may be used--
                    ``(A) to develop curricula and programs for 
                apprenticeship, internships, research opportunities, or 
                applied learning experiences; or
                    ``(B) to provide matching funds to incentivize 
                partnership and participation by private sector 
                employers and industry.
            ``(3) Applications.--In considering applications for grants 
        under paragraph (1), the Director shall prioritize--

[[Page 132 STAT. 5345]]

                    ``(A) applicants that consist of a partnership 
                between--
                          ``(i) the applying institution of higher 
                      education; and
                          ``(ii) individual employers or an employer 
                      consortia, or industry or sector partnerships;
                    ``(B) applications that demonstrate current and 
                future workforce demand in occupations directly related 
                to the identified STEM fields;
                    ``(C) applications that include outreach plans and 
                goals for recruiting and enrolling women and other 
                underrepresented populations in STEM fields; and
                    ``(D) applications that describe how the institution 
                of higher education will support the collection and 
                information of data for purposes of the evaluation of 
                identified STEM degree programs.

    ``(f) Grants for Computer-based and Online STEM Education Courses.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Director of the National Science 
        Foundation shall award competitive grants to institutions of 
        higher education or nonprofit organizations to conduct research 
        on student outcomes and determine best practices for STEM 
        education and technical skills education through distance 
        learning or in a simulated work environment.
            ``(2) Research areas.--The research areas eligible for 
        funding under this subsection may include--
                    ``(A) post-secondary courses for technical skills 
                development for STEM occupations;
                    ``(B) improving high-school level career and 
                technical education in STEM subjects;
                    ``(C) encouraging and sustaining interest and 
                achievement levels in STEM subjects among women and 
                other populations historically underrepresented in STEM 
                studies and careers; and
                    ``(D) combining computer-based and online STEM 
                education and skills development with traditional 
                mentoring and other mentoring arrangements, 
                apprenticeships, internships, and other applied learning 
                opportunities.'';
            (3) in subsection (a)(3)(A), by striking the comma and 
        inserting a semicolon;
            (4) in subsection (c)(1)(B)(iv), by striking ``subsection 
        (f)(3)'' and inserting ``subsection (i)(3)'';
            (5) in subsection (h), as redesignated--
                    (A) in the heading, by striking ``Limitation on 
                Funding'' and inserting ``Funding'';
                    (B) by inserting ``(3) Limitation on funding.--'' 
                before ``To qualify'' and indenting appropriately; and
                    (C) by inserting before paragraph (3), as 
                redesignated, the following:
            ``(1) Funding.--The Director shall allocate out of amounts 
        made available for the Education and Human Resources 
        Directorate--
                    ``(A) up to $5,000,000 to carry out the activities 
                under subsection (d) for each of fiscal years 2019 
                through 2022, subject to the availability of 
                appropriations;
                    ``(B) up to $2,500,000 to carry out the activities 
                under subsection (e) for each of fiscal years 2019 
                through 2022, subject to the availability of 
                appropriations; and

[[Page 132 STAT. 5346]]

                    ``(C) up to $2,500,000 to carry out the activities 
                under subsection (f) for each of fiscal years 2019 
                through 2022, subject to the availability of 
                appropriations.
            ``(2) Limitation on funding.--Amounts made available to 
        carry out subsections (d), (e), and (f) shall be derived from 
        amounts appropriated or otherwise made available to the National 
        Science Foundation.''; and
            (6) in subsection (j), as redesignated--
                    (A) in paragraph (4), by striking ``; and'' and 
                inserting a semicolon;
                    (B) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (7); 
                and
                    (C) <<NOTE: Definitions.>>  by inserting after 
                paragraph (4) the following:
            ``(5) the term `in-demand industry sector or occupation' has 
        the meaning given the term in section 3 of the Workforce 
        Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102);
            ``(6) the term `junior or community college' has the meaning 
        given the term in section 312 of the Higher Education Act of 
        1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058);''; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(8) the term `region' means a labor market area, as that 
        term is defined in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and 
        Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102); and
            ``(9) the terms `mathematics, science, engineering, or 
        technology' or `STEM' mean science, technology, engineering, and 
        mathematics, including computer science.''.
SEC. 4. <<NOTE: 42 USC 1862p note.>>  RESEARCH ON EFFICIENCY OF 
                    SKILLED TECHNICAL LABOR MARKETS.

    (a) Efficiency of Skilled Technical Labor 
Markets <<NOTE: Coordination.>> .--The Director of the National Science 
Foundation, working through the Directorate of Social, Behavioral & 
Economic Sciences, in coordination with the Secretary of Labor, shall 
support research on labor market analysis innovations, data and 
information sciences, electronic information tools and methodologies, 
and metrics.

    (b) Skilled Technical Workforce.--
            (1) Review <<NOTE: Consultation. Coordination.>> .--The 
        National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics of the 
        National Science Foundation shall consult and coordinate with 
        other relevant Federal statistical agencies, including the 
        Institute of Education Sciences of the Department of Education, 
        and the Committee on Science, Technology, Engineering, and 
        Mathematics Education of the National Science and Technology 
        Council established under section 101 of the America COMPETES 
        Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-358), to explore the feasibility of 
        expanding its surveys to include the collection of objective 
        data on the skilled technical workforce.
            (2) Report <<NOTE: Plan.>> .--Not later than 1 year after 
        the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the National 
        Science Foundation shall submit to Congress a report on the 
        progress made in expanding the National Center for Science and 
        Engineering Statistics surveys to include the skilled technical 
        workforce, including a plan for multi-agency collaboration to 
        improve data collection and reporting of data on the skilled 
        technical workforce.
            (3) Definition of skilled technical workforce.--The term `` 
        `skilled technical workforce' '' means workers with high

[[Page 132 STAT. 5347]]

        school diplomas and two-year technical training or 
        certifications who employ significant levels of STEM knowledge 
        in their jobs.
SEC. 5. EVALUATION AND REPORT.

    (a) Evaluation.--
            (1) In general <<NOTE: Deadline.>> .--Not later than 2 years 
        after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the 
        National Science Foundation shall evaluate the grant programs 
        established under subsections (d), (e), and (f) of section 3 of 
        the Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 
        1862i), as amended by this Act.
            (2) Requirements <<NOTE: Assessments.>> .--In conducting the 
        evaluation under paragraph (1), the Director shall--
                    (A) use a common set of benchmarks and assessment 
                tools to identify best practices and materials developed 
                or demonstrated by the research conducted pursuant to 
                such grants and programs under subsection (f) of that 
                section;
                    (B) include an assessment of the effectiveness of 
                the grant programs in expanding apprenticeships, 
                internships, and other applied learning opportunities 
                offered by employers in conjunction with junior or 
                community colleges, or institutions of higher education, 
                as applicable;
                    (C) assess the number of students who participated 
                in the grant programs; and
                    (D) assess the percentage of students participating 
                in the grant programs who successfully complete their 
                education programs.

    (b) Report on Evaluations <<NOTE: Public information. Recommenda- 
tions.>> .--Not later than 180 days after the date the evaluation under 
subsection (a) is complete, the Director of the National Science 
Foundation shall submit to Congress and the Secretary of Education, and 
make widely available to the public, a report on the results of the 
evaluation, including any recommendations for legislative action that 
could optimize the effectiveness of the grant programs.

    Approved December 31, 2018.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 5509:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 115-975 (Comm. on Science, Space, and Technology).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018):
            Sept. 25, considered and passed House.
            Dec. 19, considered and passed Senate, amended.
            Dec. 20, House concurred in Senate amendment.
DAILY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS (2018):
            Dec. 31, Presidential statement.

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