Sec. 7026. LABORATORY SCIENCE PILOT PROGRAM
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## SEC. 7026 LABORATORY SCIENCE PILOT PROGRAM ###
(a)Findings Congress finds the following: ####
(1)To remain competitive in science and technology in the global economy, the United States must increase the number of students graduating from high school prepared to pursue postsecondary education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. ####
(2)There is broad agreement in the scientific community that learning science requires direct involvement by students in scientific inquiry and that laboratory experience is so integral to the nature of science that it must be included in every science program for every science student. ####
(3)In America’s Lab Report, the National Research Council concluded that the current quality of laboratory experiences is poor for most students and that educators and researchers do not agree on how to define high school science laboratories or on their purpose, hampering the accumulation of research on how to improve laboratories. ####
(4)The National Research Council found that schools with higher concentrations of non-Asian minorities and schools with higher concentrations of poor students are less likely to have adequate laboratory facilities than other schools. ####
(5)The Government Accountability Office reported that 49.1 percent of schools where the minority student population is greater than 50.5 percent reported not meeting functional requirements for laboratory science well or at all. ####
(6)40 percent of those college students who left the science fields reported some problems related to high school science preparation, including lack of laboratory experience and no introduction to theoretical or to analytical modes of thought. ####
(7)It is in the national interest for the Federal Government to invest in research and demonstration projects to improve the teaching of laboratory science in the Nation’s high schools. ###
(b)Grant Program Section 8(8) of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 is amended— ####
(1)by redesignating subparagraphs
(A)through
(F)as clauses
(i)through (vi), respectively; ####
(2)by inserting “(A)” before “A program of competitive”; and ####
(3)by adding at the end the following: > > ##### “(B) > > In accordance with subparagraph (A)(v), the Director shall establish a research pilot program designated as ‘Partnerships for Access to Laboratory Science’ to award grants to partnerships to improve laboratories and provide instrumentation as part of a comprehensive program to enhance the quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics instruction at the secondary school level. Grants under this subparagraph may be used for— > > > ###### “(i) > > professional development and training for teachers aligned with activities supported under section 2123 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6623); > > > ###### “(ii) > > purchase, rental, or leasing of equipment, instrumentation, and other scientific educational materials; > > > ###### “(iii) > > development of instructional programs designed to integrate the laboratory experience with classroom instruction and to be consistent with State mathematics and science and, to the extent applicable, technology and engineering, academic achievement standards; > > > ###### “(iv) > > training in laboratory safety for school personnel; > > > ###### “(v) > > design and implementation of hands-on laboratory experiences to encourage the interest of individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and help prepare such individuals to pursue postsecondary studies in these fields; and > > > ###### “(vi) > > assessment of the activities funded under this subparagraph. > > > ##### “(C) > > Grants may be made under subparagraph
(B)only to a partnership— > > > ###### “(i) > > for a project that includes significant teacher preparation and professional development components; or > > > ###### “(ii) > > that establishes that appropriate teacher preparation and professional development is being addressed, or has been addressed, through other means. > > > ##### “(D) > > Grants awarded under subparagraph
(B)shall be to a partnership that— > > > ###### “(i) > > includes a 2-year or 4-year degree granting institution of higher education; > > > ###### “(ii) > > includes a high need local educational agency (as defined in section 201 of the Higher Education Act of 1965); > > > ###### “(iii) > > includes a business or eligible nonprofit organization; and > > > ###### “(iv) > > may include a State educational agency, other public agency, National Laboratory, or community-based organization. > > > ##### “(E) > > The Federal share of the cost of activities carried out using amounts from a grant under subparagraph
(B)shall not exceed 40 percent. > > > ##### “(F) > > The Director shall require grant recipients under subparagraph
(B)to submit a report to the Director on the results of the project supported by the grant.” > . ###
(c)Report The Director shall evaluate the effectiveness of activities carried out under the research pilot projects funded by the grant program established pursuant to the amendment made by subsection
(b)in improving student achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. A report documenting the results of that evaluation shall be submitted to the Committee on Science and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act. The report shall identify best practices and materials developed and demonstrated by grant awardees. ###
(d)Sunset The provisions of this section shall cease to have force or effect on the last day of fiscal year 2010. ###
(e)Authorization of Appropriations From the amounts authorized under subsections (a)(2)(B), (b)(2)(B), and (c)(2)(B) of section 7002, there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section and the amendments made by this section $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 2 succeeding fiscal years.
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- 20 USC 6623
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