[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5976 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5976
To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a STEM grant program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 26, 2020
Mr. Foster introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a STEM grant program.
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 ``Partnerships for Progress and
Prosperity Act'' or the ``P3 Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) As part of their Blueprint for Action researchers at
Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Pathways to
Prosperity Network recommend creating programs designed to
``combine work and academic learning in post-secondary career
preparation''. In a follow-up study to the original ``Pathways
to Prosperity'' published by Harvard's Graduate School of
Education in 2011, the same researchers released ``A Blueprint
for Action'' in June 2014.
(2) The Executive Office of Science and Technology Policy
have explicitly stated a goal of strengthening America's STEM
workforce.
(3) According to a study by the Manufacturing Institute, a
national survey of United States manufacturing executives found
that 83 percent of American manufacturers reported a moderate
or severe shortage of skilled workers.
(4) The American Enterprise Institute further states that,
``According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the percentage of
manufacturing workers aged 55 to 64 and the share of workers
older than 65 have both significantly increased since 2000.
Moreover, they also report that the median age of the
manufacturing workforce increased from 40.5 in 2000 to 44.1 in
2011. The Society of Manufacturing Engineers predicts that the
shortfall of skilled factory workers could increase to 3
million jobs by 2015 due to the aging manufacturing workforce
and the resulting retirements of older workers, at the same
time that an anticipated manufacturing rebound will increase
demand for skilled workers.''.
(5) The 2012 Program for International Student Assessment
found the United States below the average score of
participating countries in mathematics and science.
Furthermore, the United States has dropped in the rankings for
mathematics achievement from 25th in 2009 to 36th in 2012.
(6) NAE, along with other peer-reviewed publications and
studies from universities around the country have examined the
benefits of partnerships between schools and outside
organizations. Partnerships for Progress and Prosperity Act
programs as well as experiential learning play an important
role in training students for the jobs of the future.
SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--From the amounts appropriated under subsection
(h), the Secretary of Education shall award grants to eligible entities
to improve the education of students in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (in this section referred to as ``STEM'')
and prepare such students to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees
and careers in such fields.
(b) Application.--To receive a grant under this section, an
eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary
may require, which shall include a description of--
(1) the local, regional, or national employer in a STEM
field with which the eligible entity will partner or
collaborate to carry out activities under subsection (c)(2);
and
(2) the activities the eligible entity will carry out under
subsection (c)(2) with the grant.
(c) Uses of Funds.--
(1) Partnership or collaboration.--An eligible entity
receiving a grant under this section shall carry out at least
one of the activities described in paragraph (2) in partnership
or collaboration with--
(A) the local, regional, or national employer
described in the agency's application under subsection
(b)(1); and
(B) an institution of higher education, in the case
of an eligible entity that is a local educational
agency, or a local educational agency, in the case of
an eligible entity that is an institution of higher
education.
(2) Activities.--The activities referred to in paragraph
(1) are as follows:
(A) Assist students in being placed in internships
or apprenticeships with the employers with whom the
eligible entity is partnering or collaborating under
paragraph (1)(A).
(B) Develop the curriculum and metrics of STEM
coursework.
(C) Carry out dual-credit courses that offer both
secondary school credit and college credit, and
incorporate STEM education and STEM workplace training.
(D) Provide tutoring in STEM coursework and
mentoring programs for academic advice and assistance
in discussing future career opportunities in STEM
fields.
(E) Enable students and their teachers to attend
STEM events outside the classroom.
(F) Provide after-school and summer STEM programs
for students.
(G) Purchase education materials or equipment to
facilitate STEM instruction.
(d) Awarding of Grants.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary shall--
(1) carry out a rigorous evaluation of each eligible
entity's application under subsection (b) being considered for
a grant under this section to determine whether the eligible
entity demonstrates a rationale based on high-quality research
findings or positive evaluation that the activity proposed to
be funded with the grant is likely to improve student outcomes
or other relevant outcomes; and
(2) give special consideration to eligible entities that--
(A) promote in-classroom engagement between STEM
professionals and students, creating co-teaching and
guest-teaching opportunities;
(B) use technology-based instructional materials
and content;
(C) pair mentors and tutors with students
struggling to meet curriculum benchmarks;
(D) in the case of eligible entities that are local
educational agencies, serve schools in which the
majority of students are eligible to receive free or
reduced price lunch under the Richard B. Russell
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.); and
(E) propose to use the grant to target
interventions for populations that are traditionally
underrepresented in STEM fields, including women,
minorities, and low-income students.
(e) Matching Requirement.--
(1) In general.--Each eligible entity that receives a grant
under this section shall provide, from non-Federal sources, an
amount equal to 50 percent of the grant. Such non-Federal
contribution may be provided in cash or in kind.
(2) Partnership authorized.--An eligible entity may partner
with a public and private entity that may assist the eligible
entity in meeting the matching requirement under paragraph (1).
(3) Waiver.--The Secretary may waive all or part of the
matching requirement under paragraph (1) for an eligible entity
if the entity demonstrates that such requirement would result
in a serious financial hardship or a financial inability to
carry out the goals of the grant.
(f) Supplement, Not Supplant.--Grant funds provided to an eligible
entity under this section shall be used to supplement, and not
supplant, funds that would otherwise be used for activities authorized
under this section.
(g) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a
local educational agency or an institution of higher education.
(2) ESEA terms.--The terms ``local educational agency'',
``poverty line'', ``secondary school'', ``Secretary'', and
``State'' have the meanings given the terms in section 8101 of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
7801).
(3) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the
term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1002).
(4) Low-income student.--The term ``low-income student''
means a student whose family's taxable income for the preceding
year did not exceed 150 percent of the poverty line.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section
for fiscal year 2020 and each succeeding fiscal year.
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