Sec. 3. Amendment to ESEA for STEM grants
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Part B of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1964 ( 20 U.S.C. 6661 et seq. ) is amended— in the part heading, by inserting after and Stem Grants ; Partnerships by inserting after the part heading the following: ; and by inserting after section 2203 the following: The Secretary is authorized to award grants, to be known as informal STEM learning program grants, to national and regional intermediaries to establish informal STEM learning in-school, after school, summer, and weekend programs that focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (referred to in this section as STEM ) education.
A national or regional intermediary seeking a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such form, and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require, including the following: The amount requested and the proposed use of the funds. A description of how the national or regional intermediary will require a community-based affiliate operating an informal STEM learning program to provide the following: A program description, including a description of— the project-based learning that the program will use and the applicability of such projects to students’ lives after graduation from secondary school; the academic instruction, research model, or curriculum that the program will use; and any service-learning opportunities that will be available to students.
Evidence that the informal STEM learning program will primarily serve students who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM field careers. A description of the student recruitment plan, student retention plan, and parental engagement plan. A description of the professional development and training that the community-based affiliate will provide to its informal STEM learning program staff. A description of the community-based affiliate’s collaboration with an institution of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 10001 )).
A description of how the community-based affiliate will enable students who participate in the program to achieve the goals in subsection (c). The goals of the Informal STEM learning program grants are the following: To increase awareness of and exposure to current science content, scientific processes, and tools for students who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM field careers. To provide STEM learning that is connected to workforce skills that are essential in the 21st century.
To increase on time grade promotion, the number of students who graduate high school, and the number of students who pursue opportunities in STEM fields. To increase enrollment in and completion of more STEM related coursework in school for students who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM field careers. To increase awareness of students who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM field careers of the opportunities after graduation from secondary school in STEM fields, including college majors in STEM and careers in STEM.
For students to have the experience of interacting with staff who demonstrate a positive attitude toward STEM fields. To facilitate project-based learning and service-learning. A national or regional intermediary that receives a grant under this section shall reserve— not more than 25 percent to provide technical and administrative assistance to and collect data from its community-based affiliates to which it makes subgrants; not less than 50 percent for subgrants to community-based affiliates that have demonstrated effectiveness in operating STEM programs in order for such affiliates to expand such STEM programs to reach more students who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM field careers; and not less than 25 percent for subgrants to community-based affiliates that do not operate STEM programs in order for such affiliates that seek to develop new STEM programs that are consistent with the goals of this section to develop and establish such new STEM programs.
A community-based affiliate seeking a subgrant shall submit an application to its national or regional intermediary at such time, in such form, and containing such information as the national or regional intermediary may reasonably require. A community-based affiliate that receives a subgrant under this section to operate an informal STEM learning program shall operate an in-school, after school, summer, or weekend program that focuses on STEM education and primarily serves students who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM field careers.
Such program shall include the following: Educational services that include— an initial assessment of students’ progress in math, science, and reading; remediation and educational enrichment services; and helping students to improve their study skills. Project-based learning opportunities. Individualized instruction and tracking of student progress that is aligned with in-school performance. A community-based affiliate that receives a subgrant under this section shall collaborate with an institution of higher education to provide the services described in paragraph (2).
The Secretary shall submit a report annually to the Committee on Education and the Workforce in the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in the Senate on the progress that national and regional intermediaries and their community-based affiliates operating informal STEM learning programs have made toward achieving the goals in subsection (c). A national or regional intermediary receiving a grant under this section shall submit a report annually to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including the progress that its community-based affiliates operating informal STEM learning programs have made toward achieving the goals in subsection (c).
A community-based affiliate that receives a subgrant under this section shall submit a report annually to the national or regional intermediary that awarded such subgrant at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the intermediary may require, including the progress its informal STEM learning program has made toward achieving the goals in subsection (c). In this section: The term community-based affiliate means a community-based organization (as defined in section 9101) that is an affiliate of a national or regional intermediary.
The term informal STEM learning education is education related to science that occurs in informal, out-of-school contexts, such as participating in structured afterschool programs and visiting science centers and engaging with the exhibits and programs offered at such centers. The term national intermediary means a national private nonprofit organization that— has a network comprised of community-based affiliates in not less than 50 regional communities; has demonstrated expertise and effectiveness in overseeing programs to help middle school and secondary school students succeed, including programs to help such students become college-ready and career-ready; and has operated in not less than 25 States continuously for not less than 20 years.
The term project-based learning means learning through a broad project that includes instruction, substantive content, and reflection, with the goal that students who participate in the project will achieve a concrete goal or complete a project. The term regional intermediary means a private nonprofit community-based organization that— has a network comprised of community-based affiliates in a prescribed region; and has demonstrated expertise and effectiveness in conducting outreach and providing education activities to middle school and secondary school students.
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section— $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2016; $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2017; $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2018; and $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2019. .
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