,i #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #dhbh ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,june #aj1 #bjad ,mr4 ,garcia introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,education and the ,workforce ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife to award grants to establish ,,stem ,innovation ,networks4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,innovative ,,stem ,networks ,act or the ,i-,,stem ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,according to the ,council on ,foreign ,relations1 #fj percent of ,u4,s4 employers are having difficulties finding qualified workers to fill vacancies at their companies4 7#b7 ,office of ,science and ,technology and ,policy states that ,,stem occupations will grow #a4g times faster than non-,,stem occupations over the period from #bjjh through #bjah4 7#c7 ,according to the ,national ,governors ,association ,center for ,best ,practices1 at all levels of educational attainment1 ,,stem job holders earn #aa percent higher wages compared with their same-degree counterparts in other jobs4 7#d7 ,the ,national ,governors ,association ,center for ,best ,practices also states that ,the top #aj bachelor-degree majors with the highest median earnings are all in ,,stem fields4 7#e7 ,according to the ,harris ,,stem ,survey1 although most parents of ,k-#ab students 7#ic percent7 believe that ,,stem education should be a priority in the ,u4,s41 only half 7#di percent7 agreed that it actually is a top priority for this country4 7#f7 ,the ,harris ,,stem ,survey also states that ,only one in five ,,stem college students felt that their ,k-#ab education prepared them extremely well for their college courses in ,,stem44 #c4 ,,stem ,innovation ,networks ,title ,,ii of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ffja et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following new part3 ,e ,,stem ,innovation ,networks #beja4 ,purpose ,it is the purpose of this part to authorize a program to provide competitive grants to ,state educational agencies or local educational agencies to establish ,,stem innovation networks in partnership with institutions of higher education1 nonprofit organizations1 other public agencies1 or businesses to increase the number of students who are effectively prepared for postsecondary education and careers in ,,stem fields by-- 7#a7 working with ,states and local educational agencies to develop comprehensive plans for identifying1 developing1 testing1 and implementing evidence-based practices to provide rich ,,stem learning opportunities for students2 and 7#b7 supporting the implementation of such plans by employing of wide range of strategies1 depending on local needs1 including the recruitment1 preparation1 and professional development of effective ,,stem educators1 the development and testing of teaching and learning models that enable students to successfully meet ,,stem-focused ,state academic standards developed under section #aaaa1 and student engagement in ,,stem subjects4 #bejb4 ,grant program 7a7 ,in general ,from the amounts appropriated under subsection 7i71 the ,secretary shall award grants1 on a competitive basis1 to eligible entities to establish ,,stem ,innovation networks to increase student achievement in ,,stem subjects and increase the number of students who are effectively prepared for postsecondary education and careers in ,,stem fields4 7b7 ,number of grants ,the ,secretary shall award not less than #e and not more than #aj grants under this section for each fiscal year4 7c7 ,priority ,in awarding grants under this section1 the ,secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that include a high-need local educational agency or a ,state educational agency that serves a high-need local educational agency4 7d7 ,application 7#a7 ,in general ,an eligible entity that desires to receive a grant under this section shall submit to the ,secretary an application at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require4 7#b7 ,contents ,an application submitted by an eligible entity under paragraph 7#a7 shall include a description of the activities that will be carried out with the grant received under this section1 and how such activities will address the needs identified by the eligible entity1 with respect to preparing students for postsecondary education and careers in ,,stem fields1 including-- 7,a7 a description of the data for elementary schools and secondary schools in the ,state or ,states served by the eligible entity on-- 7i7 student achievement in the ,,stem subjects2 7ii7 teacher evaluation results or ratings in ,,stem subjects2 and 7iii7 student access to ,,stem subjects1 especially for students enrolled in high-need schools or residing in high-need communities2 7,b7 a review of the workforce needs in the ,state or ,states served by the eligible entity in occupations and sectors that require knowledge or training in ,,stem subjects2 7,c7 based on a review of the data described in subparagraph 7,a7 and the workforce needs under subparagraph 7,b7-- 7i7 an identification of the ,,stem subjects that the eligible entity will address with the grant funds2 and 7ii7 a description of the activities the eligible entity will carry out to improve instruction in such ,,stem subjects using evidence-based programs of instruction that are aligned with ,state academic standards and assessments developed under section #aaaa2 7,d7 a description of how the activities carried out with the grant funds will integrate with informal ,,stem programs2 7,e7 results from an analysis carried out before the submission of such application by the eligible entity or a member of the eligible entity of ,,stem subject education quality and outcomes in the ,state or ,states served by the eligible entity1 if available2 7,f7 whether the eligible entity will provide matching funds from private sources 7which are not ,federal1 ,state1 or local sources7 to carry out the activities under subsection 7e72 and 7,g7 a description of how the activities carried out with the grant funds will be coordinated with other ,federal1 ,state1 and local programs and activities relating to ,,stem1 and how the activities carried out with the grant funds may improve or benefit such other programs and activities4 7e7 ,uses of funds 7#a7 ,required activities ,an eligible entity shall use a grant received under this section to establish and maintain ,,stem innovation networks to effectively prepare students for postsecondary education and careers in ,,stem fields by carrying out the following3 7,a7 ,increasing student awareness about ,,stem career pathways that reflect the ,,stem workforce needs identified under subsection 7d77#b77;,b74 7,b7 ,developing statewide plans that integrate and align workforce needs with education and training programs that prepare students for college degree pathways and careers in ,,stem fields1 which result in #b-year degrees1 trade certifications1 or other measures of ,,stem-specific workforce skills4 7,c7 ,identifying points of weakness and strength of ,state ,,stem education efforts1 prioritizing strategies for addressing problem areas with respect to such efforts1 and communicating the needs of the ,state or ,states served by the eligible entity4 7#b7 ,authorized activities ,an eligible entity may use a grant received under this section to carry out the following3 7,a7 ,promoting and developing in school and out-of-school curricular tools and professional development for ,,stem educators at the elementary school and secondary school levels4 7,b7 ,providing induction and mentoring services to new teachers in ,,stem subjects that the eligible entity identifies under subsection 7d77#b77;,c74 7,c7 ,promoting and developing rigorous undergraduate preservice teacher programs at institutions of higher education that emphasize ,,stem content4 7,d7 ,supporting the participation of elementary school and secondary school students 7especially students enrolled in high-need schools or residing in high-need communities7 in competitions1 out-of-school activities1 and field experiences related to ,,stem subjects4 7,e7 ,assisting in the implementation and assessment of rigorous career and college ready standards in ,,stem education for students in prekindergarten through grade #ab4 7,f7 ,developing ,,stem-related education and workforce training programs in secondary schools and community colleges to reflect the needs of the local community4 7f7 ,supplement1 not supplant ,funds received under this part shall be used to supplement1 and not supplant1 funds that would otherwise be used for activities authorized under this part4 7g7 ,maintenance of ,effort ,a ,state that receives funds under this part for a fiscal year shall maintain the fiscal effort provided by the ,state for the ,,stem subjects supported by the funds under this part at a level equal to or greater than the level of such fiscal effort for the preceding fiscal year4 7h7 ,definitions 7#a7 ,eligible entity ,the term eligible entity means #a or more ,state educational agencies or local educational agencies in partnership with #a or more of the following entities that have a demonstrated record of success in improving student achievement in ,,stem subjects3 7,a7 ,a nonprofit organization4 7,b7 ,a business4 7,c7 ,a ,,stem faculty or teacher training department of an institution of higher education4 7,d7 ,an educational service agency4 7,e7 ,another entity4 7#b7 ,community college ,the term community college has the meaning given the term in section #ccja4 7#c7 ,high-need community ,the term high-need community has the meaning given the term in section #baea7;e77#i74 7#d7 ,high-need local educational agency ,the term high-need local educational agency has the meaning given the term in section #bajb4 7#e7 ,high-need school ,the term high-need school has the meaning given the term in section #bcab4 7#f7 ,informal ,,stem program ,the term informal ,,stem program means a ,,stem program that takes place outside of a standard school setting1 and may include an afterschool1 out-of-school1 summer1 or other ,,stem education program that takes place outside of the regular school day in a school setting or other learning environment4 7#g7 ,,stem ,the term ,,stem means science1 technology1 engineering1 or mathematics1 including other academic subjects or fields-- 7,a7 that build on those disciplines1 such as computer science2 or 7,b7 that a ,state identifies as important to the workforce of the ,state4 7i7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated #aej1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjae and each succeeding fiscal year4 4 #d4 ,conforming amendment ,the table of contents in section #b of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #fcja et seq47 is amended by inserting after the item relating to part ,d of title ,,ii the following3 ,part ,e--,,stem ,innovation ,networks ,sec4 #beja4 ,purpose4 ,sec4 #bejb4 ,grant program4 4