,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #aeia ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,march #g1 #bjai ,mrs4 ,beatty introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,education and ,labor ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife to provide grants to local educational agencies to encourage girls and underrepresented minorities to pursue studies and careers in ,,stem fields4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the #bast ,century ,,stem for ,girls and ,underrepresented ,minorities ,act4 #b4 ,grants to prepare girls and underrepresented minorities ,title ,,iv of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #gaja et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 ,g ,preparing girls and underrepresented minorities for the #bast century #dgja4 ,program authority 7a7 ,in ,general ,beginning not later than #ij days after the date of the enactment of this part1 the ,secretary shall carry out a program under which the ,secretary makes grants to qualified local educational agencies1 on a competitive basis1 to pay the costs of carrying out ,,stem education activities for girls and underrepresented minorities as described in subsection 7c74 7b7 ,application 7#a7 ,in general ,to be eligible to receive a grant under this part1 a qualified local educational agency shall submit to the ,secretary an application at such time1 in such form1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may reasonably require4 ,at minimum1 the application shall include a description of the following3 7,a7 ,the educational program that will be carried out by the local educational agency using the grant1 including the content of the program and the research and models used to design the program4 7,b7 ,how elementary and secondary schools served by the agency will collaborate to fulfill goals of the program4 7,c7 ,how the agency will ensure that there is a comprehensive plan to improve ,,stem education for girls and underrepresented minorities in grades kindergarten through grade #ab4 7,d7 ,the process that will be used for the recruitment and selection of students for participation in the program4 7,e7 ,the instructional and motivational activities that will be included as part of the program4 7,f7 ,any expected collaboration among local1 regional1 or national institutions and organizations for the purpose of fulfilling the goals of the program4 7#b7 ,priority ,in selecting among applications1 the ,secretary shall give priority to qualified local educational agencies that partner or coordinate1 to the extent practicable1 with local1 regional1 or national institutions and organizations that have extensive experience and expertise in-- 7,a7 increasing the participation of girls or underrepresented minorities in ,,stem fields2 or 7,b7 conducting research on methods to increase such participation4 7c7 ,use of funds ,a qualified local educational agency that receives a grant under this part shall use the grant to carry out a ,,stem education program for girls and underrepresented minorities from elementary and secondary schools served by the agency4 ,the program may include the following activities3 7#a7 ,preparing girls and underrepresented minorities for careers in ,,stem fields and the advantages of pursuing careers in such fields4 7#b7 ,educating the parents of girls and underrepresented minorities about the opportunities and advantages of ,,stem careers4 7#c7 ,enlisting the help of the parents of girls and underrepresented minorities-- 7,a7 to overcome the obstacles faced by such groups2 and 7,b7 to encourage their child's continued interest and involvement in ,,stem subjects4 7#d7 ,providing tutoring and mentoring programs in ,,stem subjects4 7#e7 ,establishing partnerships and other opportunities that expose girls and underrepresented minorities to role models in the ,,stem fields4 7#f7 ,enabling female and underrepresented minority students and their teachers to attend events and academic programs in ,,stem subjects4 7#g7 ,providing after school activities designed to encourage interest and develop the skills of girls and underrepresented minorities in ,,stem subjects4 7#h7 ,summer programs designed to help girls and underrepresented minorities-- 7,a7 develop an interest in ,,stem subjects2 7,b7 develop skills in such subjects2 and 7,c7 understand the relevance and significance of such subjects4 7#i7 ,purchasing-- 7,a7 educational instructional materials or software designed to help girls and underrepresented minorities develop an interest in ,,stem subjects2 or 7,b7 equipment1 instrumentation1 or hardware for teaching ,,stem subjects to girls and underrepresented minorities and encouraging their interest in such subjects4 7#aj7 ,field trips to locations1 including institutions of higher education1 to expose girls and underrepresented minorities to ,,stem activities1 encourage their interest in such activities1 and acquaint them with careers in ,,stem fields4 7#aa7 ,providing academic advice and assistance in high school course selection to encourage girls and underrepresented minorities to take advanced courses in ,,stem subjects4 7#ab7 ,paying up to #ej percent of the cost of an internship in a ,,stem discipline for female and underrepresented minority students4 7#ac7 ,providing professional development for teachers and other school personnel1 including with respect to-- 7,a7 eliminating gender and racial bias in the classroom2 7,b7 sensitivity to gender and racial differences2 7,c7 engaging students in the face of gender-based and racial peer pressure and parental expectations2 7,d7 creating and maintaining a positive environment2 and 7,e7 encouraging girls and underrepresented minorities through academic advice and assistance to pursue advanced classes and careers in ,,stem fields4 7#ad7 ,such other ,,stem-related activities as the local educational agency determines to be appropriate4 7d7 ,grant duration and amount 7#a7 ,duration ,each grant under this section shall be made for a period of #d years4 7#b7 ,amount ,the amount of each grant under this section shall be #bej1jjj for each year of the grant period4 7e7 ,supplement1 not supplant ,a qualified local educational agency that receives a grant under this section shall use the grant only to supplement1 and not to supplant1 other assistance and funds made available from non-,federal sources for the activities supported by the grant4 7f7 ,annual evaluations 7#a7 ,evaluation required ,not later than #cj days after last day of each school year for which a qualified local educational agency receives a grant under this section1 the agency shall submit to the ,secretary a written evaluation of the program carried out using the grant4 7#b7 ,elements ,the evaluation required under subsection 7a7 shall include-- 7,a7 a description of the program and activities carried out using the grant2 7,b7 a description of the curriculum and any partnerships developed using the grant2 7,c7 the percentage of time that students who participated in the program spent directly engaged in ,,stem activities2 7,d7 an assessment of the academic progress made by such students during the program1 which shall be based on an evaluation of each student at the beginning of the program and after the student completes the program2 and 7,e7 such other information as the ,secretary may require4 7g7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,the term ,,stem means science1 technology1 engineering1 and mathematics4 7#b7 ,the term qualified local educational agency means a local agency that-- 7,a7 receives funds under part ,a of title ,i of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #fcaa et seq472 and 7,b7 serves a total student population of which not less than #dj percent are children who are eligible for a free or reduced price lunch under the ,richard ,b4 ,russell ,national ,school ,lunch ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #agea et seq474 #dgjb4 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part #aj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbj through #bjbc4 4