[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 210 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 210
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 19, 2021
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To coordinate Federal research and development efforts focused on STEM
education and workforce development in rural areas, including the
development and application of new technologies to support and improve
rural STEM 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 ``Rural STEM Education Research Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The supply of STEM workers is not keeping pace with the
rapidly evolving needs of the public and private sector,
resulting in a deficit often referred to as a STEM skills
shortage.
(2) According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the United
States will need one million additional STEM professionals than
it is on track to produce in the coming decade.
(3) Many STEM occupations offer higher wages, more
opportunities for advancement, and a higher degree of job
security than non-STEM jobs.
(4) The 60,000,000 individuals in the United States who
live in rural settings are significantly under-represented in
STEM.
(5) According to the National Center for Education
Statistics, nine million students in the United States--nearly
20 percent of the total K-12 population--attend rural schools,
and for reasons ranging from teacher quality to shortages of
resources, these students often have fewer opportunities for
high-quality STEM learning than their peers in the Nation's
urban and suburban schools.
(6) Rural areas represent one of the most promising, yet
underutilized, opportunities for STEM education to impact
workforce development and regional innovation, including
agriculture.
(7) The study of agriculture, food, and natural resources
involves biology, engineering, physics, chemistry, math,
geology, computer science, and other scientific fields.
(8) Employment in computer and information technology
occupations is projected to grow 11 percent from 2019 to 2029.
To help meet this demand, it is important rural students have
the opportunity to acquire computing skills through exposure to
computer science learning in grades Pre-K through 12 and in
informal learning settings.
(9) More than 293,000,000 individuals in the United States
use high-speed broadband to work, learn, access healthcare, and
operate their businesses, while 19,000,000 individuals in the
United States still lack access to high-speed broadband. Rural
areas are hardest hit, with over 26 percent of individuals in
rural areas in the United States lacking access to high-speed
broadband compared to 1.7 percent of individuals in urban areas
in the United States.
SEC. 3. NIST ENGAGEMENT WITH RURAL COMMUNITIES.
(a) MEP Outreach.--Section 25 of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k) is amended--
(1) in subsection (c)--
(A) in paragraph (6), by striking ``community
colleges and area career and technical education
schools'' and inserting the following: ``secondary
schools (as defined in section 8101 of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)),
community colleges, and area career and technical
education schools, including those in underserved and
rural communities,''; and
(B) in paragraph (7)--
(i) by striking ``and local colleges'' and
inserting the following: ``local high schools
and local colleges, including those in
underserved and rural communities,''; and
(ii) by inserting ``or other applied
learning opportunities'' after
``apprenticeships''; and
(2) in subsection (d)(3) by striking ``, community
colleges, and area career and technical education schools,''
and inserting the following: ``and local high schools,
community colleges, and area career and technical education
schools, including those in underserved and rural
communities,''.
(b) Rural Connectivity Prize Competition.--
(1) Prize competition.--Pursuant to section 24 of the
Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C.
3719), the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Under
Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology (referred to
in this subsection as the ``Secretary''), shall, subject to
appropriations, carry out a program to award prizes
competitively to stimulate research and development of creative
technologies in order to deploy affordable and reliable
broadband connectivity to underserved rural communities.
(2) Plan for deployment in rural communities.--Each
proposal submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include a
plan for deployment of the technology that is the subject of
such proposal in an underserved rural community.
(3) Prize amount.--In carrying out the program under
paragraph (1), the Secretary may award not more than a total of
$5,000,000 to one or more winners of the prize competition.
(4) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the date on which
a prize is awarded under the prize competition, the Secretary
shall submit to the relevant committees of Congress a report
that describes the winning proposal of the prize competition.
(5) Consultation.--In carrying out the program under
subsection (a), the Secretary may consult with the heads of
relevant departments and agencies of the Federal Government.
SEC. 4. NITR-D BROADBAND WORKING GROUP.
Title I of the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 (15 U.S.C.
5511 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 103. BROADBAND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT WORKING GROUP.
``(a) In General.--The Director shall establish a broadband
research and development working group to address national research
challenges and opportunities for improving broadband access and
adoption across the United States.
``(b) Activities.--The working group shall identify and coordinate
key research priorities for addressing broadband access and adoption,
including--
``(1) promising research areas;
``(2) requirements for data collection and sharing;
``(3) opportunities for better alignment and coordination
across Federal agencies and external stakeholders; and
``(4) input on the development of new Federal policies and
programs to enhance data collection and research.
``(c) Coordination.--The working group shall coordinate, as
appropriate, with the Rural Broadband Integration Working Group
established under section 6214 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of
2018 (Public Law 115-334) and the National Institute of Food and
Agriculture of the Department of Agriculture.
``(d) Report.--The working group shall report to Congress on their
activities as part of the annual report submitted under section
101(a)(2)(D).
``(e) Sunset.--The authority to carry out this section shall
terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date of enactment of
the Rural STEM Education Act.''.
SEC. 5. NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES EVALUATION.
(a) Study.--Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Director shall enter into an agreement with the National
Academy of Sciences under which the National Academy agrees to conduct
an evaluation and assessment that--
(1) evaluates the quality and quantity of current Federal
programming and research directed at examining STEM education
for students in grades Pre-K through 12 and workforce
development in rural areas;
(2) assesses the impact of the scarcity of broadband
connectivity in rural communities has on STEM and technical
literacy for students in grades Pre-K through 12 in rural
areas;
(3) assesses the core research and data needed to
understand the challenges rural areas are facing in providing
quality STEM education and workforce development; and
(4) makes recommendations for action at the Federal, State,
and local levels for improving STEM education for students in
grades Pre-K through 12 and workforce development in rural
areas.
(b) Report to Director.--The agreement entered into under
subsection (a) shall require the National Academy of Sciences, not
later than 24 months after the date of enactment of this Act, to submit
to the Director a report on the study conducted under such subsection,
including the National Academy's findings and recommendations.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Director to carry out this section $1,000,000 for
fiscal year 2022.
SEC. 6. GAO REVIEW.
Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study on the
engagement of rural populations in Federal STEM programs and submit to
Congress a report that includes--
(1) an assessment of how Federal STEM education programs
are serving rural populations;
(2) a description of initiatives carried out by Federal
agencies that are targeted at supporting STEM education in
rural areas;
(3) an assessment of what is known about the impact and
effectiveness of Federal investments in STEM education programs
that are targeted to rural areas; and
(4) an assessment of challenges that state and Federal STEM
education programs face in reaching rural population centers.
SEC. 7. CAPACITY BUILDING THROUGH EPSCOR.
Section 517(f)(2) of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of
2010 (42 U.S.C. 1862p-9(f)(2)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``and'' at the end;
and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(C) to increase the capacity of rural communities
to provide quality STEM education and STEM workforce
development programming to students, and teachers;
and''.
SEC. 8. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION RURAL STEM RESEARCH ACTIVITIES.
(a) Preparing Rural STEM Educators.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall provide grants on a
merit-reviewed, competitive basis to institutions of higher
education or nonprofit organizations (or a consortium thereof)
for research and development to advance innovative approaches
to support and sustain high-quality STEM teaching in rural
schools.
(2) Use of funds.--
(A) In general.--Grants awarded under this section
shall be used for the research and development
activities referred to in paragraph (1), which may
include--
(i) engaging rural educators of students in
grades Pre-K through 12 in professional
learning opportunities to enhance STEM
knowledge, including computer science, and
develop best practices;
(ii) supporting research on effective STEM
teaching practices in rural settings, including
the use of rubrics and mastery-based grading
practices to assess student performance when
employing the transdisciplinary teaching
approach for STEM disciplines;
(iii) designing and developing pre-service
and in-service training resources to assist
such rural educators in adopting
transdisciplinary teaching practices across
STEM courses;
(iv) coordinating with local partners to
adapt STEM teaching practices to leverage local
natural and community assets in order to
support in-place learning in rural areas;
(v) providing hands-on training and
research opportunities for rural educators
described in clause (i) at Federal
Laboratories, institutions of higher education,
or in industry;
(vi) developing training and best practices
for educators who teach multiple grade levels
within a STEM discipline;
(vii) designing and implementing
professional development courses and
experiences, including mentoring, for rural
educators described in clause (i) that combine
face-to-face and online experiences; and
(viii) any other activity the Director
determines will accomplish the goals of this
subsection.
(B) Rural stem collaborative.--The Director may
establish a pilot program of regional cohorts in rural
areas that will provide peer support, mentoring, and
hands-on research experiences for rural STEM educators
of students in grades Pre-K through 12, in order to
build an ecosystem of cooperation among educators,
researchers, academia, and local industry.
(b) Broadening Participation of Rural Students in STEM.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall provide grants on a
merit-reviewed, competitive basis to institutions of higher
education or nonprofit organizations (or a consortium thereof)
for--
(A) research and development of programming to
identify the barriers rural students face in accessing
high-quality STEM education; and
(B) development of innovative solutions to improve
the participation and advancement of rural students in
grades Pre-K through 12 in STEM studies.
(2) Use of funds.--
(A) In general.--Grants awarded under this section
shall be used for the research and development
activities referred to in paragraph (1), which may
include--
(i) developing partnerships with community
colleges to offer advanced STEM course work,
including computer science, to rural high
school students;
(ii) supporting research on effective STEM
practices in rural settings;
(iii) implementing a school-wide STEM
approach;
(iv) improving the National Science
Foundation's Advanced Technology Education
program's coordination and engagement with
rural communities;
(v) collaborating with existing community
partners and networks, such as the cooperative
research and extension services of the
Department of Agriculture and youth serving
organizations like 4-H, after school STEM
programs, and summer STEM programs, to leverage
community resources and develop place-based
programming;
(vi) connecting rural school districts and
institutions of higher education, to improve
precollegiate STEM education and engagement;
(vii) supporting partnerships that offer
hands-on inquiry-based science activities,
including coding, and access to lab resources
for students studying STEM in grades Pre-K
through 12 in a rural area;
(viii) evaluating the role of broadband
connectivity and its associated impact on the
STEM and technology literacy of rural students;
(ix) building capacity to support
extracurricular STEM programs in rural schools,
including mentor-led engagement programs, STEM
programs held during nonschool hours, STEM
networks, makerspaces, coding activities, and
competitions; and
(x) any other activity the Director
determines will accomplish the goals of this
subsection.
(c) Application.--An applicant seeking a grant under subsection (a)
or (b) shall submit an application at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Director may require. The
application may include the following:
(1) A description of the target population to be served by
the research activity or activities for which such grant is
sought.
(2) A description of the process for recruitment and
selection of students, educators, or schools from rural areas
to participate in such activity or activities.
(3) A description of how such activity or activities may
inform efforts to promote the engagement and achievement of
rural students in grades Pre-K through 12 in STEM studies.
(4) In the case of a proposal consisting of a partnership
or partnerships with one or more rural schools and one or more
researchers, a plan for establishing a sustained partnership
that is jointly developed and managed, draws from the
capacities of each partner, and is mutually beneficial.
(d) Partnerships.--In awarding grants under subsection (a) or (b),
the Director shall--
(1) encourage applicants which, for the purpose of the
activity or activities funded through the grant, include or
partner with a nonprofit organization or an institution of
higher education (or a consortium thereof) that has extensive
experience and expertise in increasing the participation of
rural students in grades Pre-K through 12 in STEM;
(2) encourage applicants which, for the purpose of the
activity or activities funded through the grant, include or
partner with a consortium of rural schools or rural school
districts; and
(3) encourage applications which, for the purpose of the
activity or activities funded through the grant, include
commitments from school principals and administrators to making
reforms and activities proposed by the applicant a priority.
(e) Evaluations.--All proposals for grants under subsections (a)
and (b) shall include an evaluation plan that includes the use of
outcome oriented measures to assess the impact and efficacy of the
grant. Each recipient of a grant under this section shall include
results from these evaluative activities in annual and final projects.
(f) Accountability and Dissemination.--
(1) Evaluation required.--The Director shall evaluate the
portfolio of grants awarded under subsections (a) and (b). Such
evaluation shall--
(A) use a common set of benchmarks and tools to
assess the results of research conducted under such
grants and identify best practices; and
(B) to the extent practicable, integrate the
findings of research resulting from the activity or
activities funded through such grants with the findings
of other research on rural student's pursuit of degrees
or careers in STEM.
(2) Report on evaluations.--Not later than 180 days after
the completion of the evaluation under paragraph (1), the
Director shall submit to Congress and make widely available to
the public a report that includes--
(A) the results of the evaluation; and
(B) any recommendations for administrative and
legislative action that could optimize the
effectiveness of the grants awarded under this section.
(g) Report by Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and
Engineering.--
(1) In general.--As part of the first report required by
section 36(e) of the Science and Engineering Equal
Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885c(e)) transmitted to Congress
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Committee on Equal
Opportunities in Science and Engineering shall include--
(A) a description of past and present policies and
activities of the Foundation to encourage full
participation of students in rural communities in
science, mathematics, engineering, and computer science
fields; and
(B) an assessment of trends in participation of
rural students in grades Pre-K through 12 in Foundation
activities, and an assessment of the policies and
activities of the Foundation, along with proposals for
new strategies or the broadening of existing successful
strategies towards facilitating the goals of this Act.
(2) Technical correction.--
(A) In general.--Section 313 of the American
Innovation and Competitiveness Act (Public Law 114-329)
is amended by striking ``Section 204(e) of the National
Science Foundation Authorization Act of 1988'' and
inserting ``Section 36(e) of the Science and
Engineering Equal Opportunities Act''.
(B) Applicability.--The amendment made by paragraph
(1) shall take effect as if included in the enactment
of section 313 of the American Innovation and
Competitiveness Act (Public Law 114-329).
(h) Coordination.--In carrying out this section, the Director
shall, for purposes of enhancing program effectiveness and avoiding
duplication of activities, consult, cooperate, and coordinate with the
programs and policies of other relevant Federal agencies.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Director--
(1) $8,000,000 to carry out the activities under subsection
(a) for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026; and
(2) $12,000,000 to carry out the activities under
subsection (b) for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.
SEC. 9. RESEARCHING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ONLINE EDUCATION.
(a) In General.--The Director shall, subject to appropriations,
award competitive grants to institutions of higher education or
nonprofit organizations (or a consortium thereof, which may include a
private sector partner) to conduct research on online STEM education
courses for rural communities.
(b) Research Areas.--The research areas eligible for funding under
this subsection shall include--
(1) evaluating the learning and achievement of rural
students in grades Pre-K through 12 in STEM subjects;
(2) understanding how computer-based and online
professional development courses and mentor experiences can be
integrated to meet the needs of educators of rural students in
grades Pre-K through 12;
(3) combining computer-based and online STEM education and
training with apprenticeships, mentoring, or other applied
learning arrangements;
(4) leveraging online programs to supplement STEM studies
for rural students that need physical and academic
accommodation; and
(5) any other activity the Director determines will
accomplish the goals of this subsection.
(c) Evaluations.--All proposals for grants under this section shall
include an evaluation plan that includes the use of outcome oriented
measures to assess the impact and efficacy of the grant. Each recipient
of a grant under this section shall include results from these
evaluative activities in annual and final projects.
(d) Accountability and Dissemination.--
(1) Evaluation required.--The Director shall evaluate the
portfolio of grants awarded under this section. Such evaluation
shall--
(A) use a common set of benchmarks and tools to
assess the results of research conducted under such
grants and identify best practices; and
(B) to the extent practicable, integrate findings
from activities carried out pursuant to research
conducted under this section, with respect to the
pursuit of careers and degrees in STEM, with those
activities carried our pursuant to other research on
serving rural students and communities.
(2) Report on evaluations.--Not later than 180 days after
the completion of the evaluation under paragraph (1), the
Director shall submit to Congress and make widely available to
the public a report that includes--
(A) the results of the evaluation; and
(B) any recommendations for administrative and
legislative action that could optimize the
effectiveness of the grants awarded under this section.
(e) Coordination.--In carrying out this section, the Director
shall, for purposes of enhancing program effectiveness and avoiding
duplication of activities, consult, cooperate, and coordinate with the
programs and policies of other relevant Federal agencies.
SEC. 10. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the National Science Foundation established under section 2 of
the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861).
(2) Federal laboratory.--The term ``Federal laboratory''
has the meaning given such term in section 4 of the Stevenson-
Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3703).
(3) Foundation.--The term ``Foundation'' means the National
Science Foundation established under section 2 of the National
Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861).
(4) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such
term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001(a)).
(5) STEM.--The term ``STEM'' has the meaning given the term
in section 2 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of
2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621 note).
(6) STEM education.--The term ``STEM education'' has the
meaning given the term in section 2 of the STEM Education Act
of 2015 (42 U.S.C. 6621 note).
Passed the House of Representatives May 18, 2021.
Attest:
CHERYL L. JOHNSON,
Clerk.