,,ii #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #ajfg ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #bc1 #bjac ,mrs4 ,shaheen 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,reid1 ,mrs4 ,gillibrand1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,mr4 ,begich1 ,mr4 ,coons1 and ,mr4 ,franken7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to establish within the ,department of ,education the ,innovation ,inspiration school grant program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,innovation ,inspiration ,school ,grant ,program ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,according to the ,national ,science ,board's #bjaj ,science and ,engineering ,indicators1 only #e percent of college graduates in the ,united ,states major in engineering4 ,in ,asia1 about #bj percent of all baccalaureate degrees are in engineering and in ,china about #cc percent of baccalaureate degrees are in engineering4 7#b7 ,although #dth graders in the ,united ,states score well against international competition1 students in the ,united ,states fall near the bottom or dead last by #abth grade in mathematics and science1 respectively4 7#c7 ,admissions requirements for undergraduate engineering schools include a solid background in mathematics 7algebra1 geometry1 trigonometry1 and calculus7 and science 7biology1 chemistry1 and physics71 in addition to courses in ,english1 social studies1 and humanities4 7#d7 ,according to the ,bureau of ,labor ,statistics1 overall engineering employment is expected to grow by #aa percent from #bjjh through #bjah1 and1 as a group1 engineers earn some of the highest average starting salaries among individuals holding baccalaureate degrees4 7#e7 ,according to the ,department of ,labor1 engineers should be creative1 inquisitive1 analytical1 and detail-oriented4 ,engineers should be able to work as part of a team and to communicate well1 both orally and in writing4 ,communication abilities are becoming increasingly important as engineers interact more frequently with specialists in a wide range of fields outside engineering4 7#f7 ,exposure to project- and problem-based learning1 in a competitive team environment1 gives #ith through #abth graders the skills that they need to be successful in engineering programs of study and engineering careers4 7#g7 ,according to ,brandeis ,university's ,center for ,youth and ,communities1 participants in ,,first ,robotics 7a nonprofit organization that inspires young people to be science and technology leaders by engaging the young people in mentor-based programs7-- 7,a7 are more likely than nonparticipants to attend an institution of higher education on a full-time basis 7#hh percent versus #ec percent72 7,b7 are nearly #b times as likely to major in a science or engineering field2 and 7,c7 are more than #c times as likely to have majored specifically in engineering4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,local educational agency ,the term local educational agency has the meaning given the term in section #iaja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja74 7#b7 ,low-income student ,the term low-income student means a student who is eligible for free or reduced price lunch under the ,richard ,b4 ,russell ,national ,school ,lunch ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #agea et seq474 7#c7 ,secondary school ,the term secondary school has the meaning given the term in section #iaja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja74 7#d7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,education4 7#e7 ,,stem ,the term ,,stem means science1 technology1 engineering 7including robotics71 or mathematics4 7#f7 ,non-,traditional ,,stem ,teaching ,method ,the term non-traditional ,,stem teaching method means a ,,stem education method or strategy such as incorporating self-directed student learning1 inquiry-based learning1 cooperative learning in small groups1 collaboration with mentors in the field of study1 and participation in ,,stem-related competitions4 #d4 ,innovative inspiration school grant program 7a7 ,goals of program ,the goals of the ,innovation ,inspiration grant program are-- 7#a7 to provide opportunities for local educational agencies to support non-traditional ,,stem education teaching methods2 7#b7 to support the participation of students in nonprofit ,,stem competitions2 7#c7 to foster innovation and broaden interest in1 and access to1 careers in the ,,stem fields by investing in programs supported by educators and professional mentors who receive hands-on training and ongoing communications that strengthen the interactions of the educators and mentors with-- 7,a7 students who are involved in ,,stem activities2 and 7,b7 other students in the ,,stem classrooms and communities of such educators and mentors2 and 7#d7 to encourage collaboration among students1 engineers1 and professional mentors4 7b7 ,program authorized 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary is authorized to award grants1 on a competitive basis1 to local educational agencies to enable the local educational agencies-- 7,a7 to promote ,,stem in secondary schools and after school programs2 7,b7 to support the participation of secondary school students in non-traditional ,,stem teaching methods2 and 7,c7 to broaden secondary school students' access to careers in ,,stem4 7#b7 ,duration ,the ,secretary shall award each grant under this ,act for a period of not more than #e years4 7#c7 ,amounts ,the ,secretary shall award a grant under this ,act in an amount that is sufficient to carry out the goals of this ,act4 7c7 ,application 7#a7 ,in general ,each local educational agency desiring a grant under this ,act shall submit an application to the ,secretary at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may reasonably require4 7#b7 ,contents ,the application shall1 at a minimum1 include a description of how the local educational agency will-- 7,a7 carry out ,,stem teaching programs that will use a non-traditional ,,stem teaching method2 7,b7 identify and recruit partners and mentors-- 7i7 to help carry out the programs described in subparagraph 7,a72 and 7ii7 to assist students who participate in such programs1 including through technology-supported means2 7,c7 support educators who lead such programs1 and participants in such programs1 through stipends or other incentives2 7,d7 recruit young women and individuals from populations historically underrepresented in the ,,stem fields to participate in such programs2 7,e7 identify public and private partners that can support such programs with cash or in-kind contributions2 7,f7 plan for sustaining such programs financially beyond the grant period2 and 7,g7 evaluate the grant project and the results of the grant project among participating students1 including-- 7i7 comparing students who participate in the grant project to similar students who do not participate2 and 7ii7 evaluating-- 7,i7 secondary school graduation rates2 7,,ii7 rates of attendance at institutions of higher education2 7,,iii7 the number of students taking advanced ,,stem related secondary school classes2 and 7,,iv7 the ability of students participating in the grant project to partner with professional mentors4 7#c7 ,priority ,in awarding grants under this section1 the ,secretary shall give priority to applications from local educational agencies that propose to carry out activities that target-- 7,a7 a rural or urban school2 7,b7 a low-performing school or local educational agency2 or 7,c7 a local educational agency or school that serves low-income students4 7d7 ,uses of funds 7#a7 ,in general ,each local educational agency that receives a grant under this ,act shall use the grant funds for any of the following3 7,a7 ,,stem education and career activities ,promotion of ,,stem education and career activities4 7,b7 ,purchase of parts ,the purchase of parts and supplies needed to support participation in non-traditional ,,stem teaching methods4 7,c7 ,teacher incentives and stipends ,incentives and stipends for teachers involved in non-traditional ,,stem teaching methods outside of their regular teaching duties4 7,d7 ,support and expenses ,support and expenses for student participation in regional and national nonprofit ,,stem competitions4 7,e7 ,additional materials and support ,additional materials and support1 such as equipment1 facility use1 technology1 broadband access1 and other expenses1 directly associated with non-traditional ,,stem teaching and mentoring4 7,f7 ,evaluation ,carrying out the evaluation described in subsection 7c77#b77;,g74 7,g7 ,other ,activities ,carrying out other activities that are related to the goals of the grant program1 as described in subsection 7a74 7#b7 ,prohibition ,a local educational agency shall not use grant funds awarded under this ,act to participate in any ,,stem competition that is not a nonprofit competition4 7#c7 ,administrative costs ,each local educational agency that receives a grant under this ,act may use not more than #b percent of the grant funds for costs related to the administration of the grant project4 7e7 ,matching requirement 7#a7 ,in general ,subject to paragraph 7#b71 each local educational agency that receives a grant under this ,act shall secure1 toward the cost of the activities assisted under the grant1 from non-,federal sources1 an amount equal to #ej percent of the grant4 ,the non-,federal contribution may be provided in cash or in kind4 7#b7 ,waiver ,the ,secretary may waive all or part of the matching requirement described in paragraph 7#a7 for a local educational agency if the ,secretary determines that applying the matching requirement would result in a serious financial hardship or a financial inability to carry out the goals of the grant project4 7f7 ,supplement1 not supplant ,grant funds provided to a local educational agency under this ,act shall be used to supplement1 and not supplant1 funds that would otherwise be used for activities authorized under this ,act4 7g7 ,evaluation ,the ,secretary shall establish an evaluation program to determine the efficacy of the grant program established by this ,act1 which shall include comparing students participating in a grant project funded under this ,act to similar students who do not so participate1 in order to assess the impact of student participation on-- 7#a7 what courses a student takes in the future2 and 7#b7 a student's postsecondary study4 7h7 ,authorization of appropriations 7#a7 ,in general ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this ,act such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years #bjad through #bjah4 7#b7 ,limitations ,of the amounts appropriated under paragraph 7#a7 for a fiscal year1 not more than #b percent shall be used for the evaluation described under subsection 7g74