,,ii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #digb ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,december #h1 #bjbj,mr4 ,wicker 7for himself and ,ms4 ,rosen7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation ,a ,,bill ,to direct the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation to support ,,stem education and workforce development research focused on rural areas1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,rural ,,stem ,education ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the supply of ,,stem workers is not keeping pace with the rapidly evolving needs of the public and private sector1 resulting in a deficit often referred to as a ,,stem skills shortage4 7#b7 ,according to the ,bureau of ,labor ,statistics1 the ,united ,states will need #a1jjj1jjj more ,,stem professionals than the ,united ,states is on track to produce in the coming decade4 7#c7 ,many ,,stem occupations offer higher wages1 more opportunities for advancement1 and a higher degree of job security than non-,,stem jobs4 7#d7 ,the #fj1jjj1jjj individuals in the ,united ,states who live in rural settings are significantly under-represented in ,,stem4 7#e7 ,according to the ,national ,center for ,education ,statistics1 #i1jjj1jjj students in the ,united ,states1 an amount equal to nearly #bj percent of the total population of students in kindergarten through grade #ab1 attend rural schools1 and for reasons ranging from teacher quality to shortages of resources1 these students often have fewer opportunities for high-quality ,,stem learning than their peers in the ,nation's urban and suburban schools4 7#f7 ,rural areas represent one of the most promising1 yet underutilized1 opportunities for ,,stem education to impact workforce development and regional innovation1 including agriculture4 7#g7 ,the study of agriculture1 food1 and natural resources involves biology1 engineering1 physics1 chemistry1 mathematics1 geology1 computer science1 and other scientific fields4 7#h7 ,it is estimated that by #bjbj that there will be a projected #a1jjj1jjj more computing jobs than applicants who can fill them4 ,to meet this demand1 rural students must acquire computing skills through exposure to computer science learning in prekindergarten through grade #ab and in informal learning settings4 7#i7 ,more than #bic1jjj1jjj individuals in the ,united ,states use high-speed broadband to work1 learn1 access healthcare1 and operate their businesses1 while #ai1jjj1jjj individuals in the ,united ,states still lack access to high-speed broadband4 ,rural areas are hardest hit1 with over #bf percent of individuals in rural areas in the ,united ,states lacking access to high-speed broadband compared to #a4g percent of individuals in urban areas in the ,united ,states4 #c4 ,national ,science ,foundation rural ,,stem activities 7a7 ,preparing ,rural ,,stem ,educators 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,director shall provide grants on a merit-reviewed1 competitive basis to institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations 7or a consortium thereof7 for research and development to advance innovative approaches to support and sustain high-quality ,,stem teaching in rural schools4 7#b7 ,use of funds 7,a7 ,in general ,grants awarded under this subsection shall be used for the research and development activities referred to in paragraph 7#a71 which may include-- 7i7 engaging rural educators of students in prekindergarten through grade #ab in professional learning opportunities to enhance ,,stem knowledge1 including computer science1 and develop best practices2 7ii7 supporting research on effective ,,stem teaching practices in rural settings1 including the use of rubrics and mastery-based grading practices to assess student performance when employing the transdisciplinary teaching approach for ,,stem disciplines2 7iii7 designing and developing pre-service and in-service training resources to assist such rural educators in adopting transdisciplinary teaching practices across ,,stem courses2 7iv7 coordinating with local partners to adapt ,,stem teaching practices to leverage local natural and community assets in order to support in-place learning in rural areas2 7v7 providing hands-on training and research opportunities for rural educators described in clause 7i7 at ,federal laboratories1 institutions of higher education1 or in industry2 7vi7 developing training and best practices for educators who teach multiple grade levels within a ,,stem discipline2 7vii7 designing and implementing professional development courses and experiences1 including mentoring1 for rural educators described in clause 7i7 that combine face-to-face and online experiences2 and 7viii7 any other activity the ,director determines will accomplish the goals of this subsection4 7,b7 ,rural stem collaborative ,the ,director shall establish a pilot program of regional cohorts in rural areas that will provide peer support1 mentoring1 and hands-on research experiences for rural ,,stem educators of students in prekindergarten through grade #ab1 in order to build an ecosystem of cooperation among educators1 researchers1 academia1 and local industry4 7b7 ,broadening participation of rural students in ,,stem 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,director shall provide grants on a merit-reviewed1 competitive basis to institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations 7or a consortium thereof7 for-- 7,a7 research and development of programming to identify the barriers rural students face in accessing high-quality ,,stem education2 and 7,b7 development of innovative solutions to improve the participation and advancement of rural students in prekindergarten through grade #ab in ,,stem studies4 7#b7 ,use of funds 7,a7 ,in general ,grants awarded under this subsection shall be used for the research and development activities referred to in paragraph 7#a71 which may include-- 7i7 developing partnerships with community colleges to offer advanced ,,stem course work1 including computer science1 to rural high school students2 7ii7 supporting research on effective ,,stem practices in rural settings2 7iii7 implementing a school-wide ,,stem approach2 7iv7 improving the ,national ,science ,foundation's ,advanced ,technology ,education program's coordination and engagement with rural communities2 7v7 collaborating with existing community partners and networks1 such as the ,cooperative ,extension ,system services and extramural research programs of the ,department of ,agriculture and youth serving organizations like #d-;,h1 after school ,,stem programs1 and summer ,,stem programs1 to leverage community resources and develop place-based programming2 7vi7 connecting rural school districts and institutions of higher education1 to improve precollegiate ,,stem education and engagement2 7vii7 supporting partnerships that offer hands-on inquiry-based science activities1 including coding1 and access to lab resources for students studying ,,stem in prekindergarten through grade #ab in a rural area2 7viii7 evaluating the role of broadband connectivity and its associated impact on the ,,stem and technology literacy of rural students2 7ix7 building capacity to support extracurricular ,,stem programs in rural schools1 including mentor-led engagement programs1 ,,stem programs held during nonschool hours1 ,,stem networks1 makerspaces1 coding activities1 and competitions2 and 7x7 any other activity the ,director determines will accomplish the goals of this subsection4 7c7 ,application ,an applicant seeking a grant under subsection 7a7 or 7b7 shall submit an application at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,director may require4 ,the application may include the following3 7#a7 ,a description of the target population to be served by the research activity or activities for which such grant is sought4 7#b7 ,a description of the process for recruitment and selection of students1 educators1 or schools from rural areas to participate in such activity or activities4 7#c7 ,a description of how such activity or activities may inform efforts to promote the engagement and achievement of rural students in prekindergarten through grade #ab in ,,stem studies4 7#d7 ,in the case of a proposal consisting of a partnership or partnerships with one or more rural schools and one or more researchers1 a plan for establishing a sustained partnership that is jointly developed and managed1 draws from the capacities of each partner1 and is mutually beneficial4 7d7 ,partnerships ,in awarding grants under subsection 7a7 or 7b71 the ,director shall-- 7#a7 encourage applicants which1 for the purpose of the activity or activities funded through the grant1 include or partner with a nonprofit organization or an institution of higher education 7or a consortium thereof7 that has extensive experience and expertise in increasing the participation of rural students in prekindergarten through grade #ab in ,,stem2 7#b7 encourage applicants which1 for the purpose of the activity or activities funded through the grant1 include or partner with a consortium of rural schools or rural school districts2 and 7#c7 encourage applications which1 for the purpose of the activity or activities funded through the grant1 include commitments from school principals and administrators to making reforms and activities proposed by the applicant a priority4 7e7 ,evaluations ,all proposals for grants under subsections 7a7 and 7b7 shall include an evaluation plan that includes the use of outcome-oriented measures to assess the impact and efficacy of the grant4 ,each recipient of a grant under this section shall include results from these evaluative activities in annual and final projects4 7f7 ,accountability and dissemination 7#a7 ,evaluation required ,the ,director shall evaluate the portfolio of grants awarded under subsections 7a7 and 7b74 ,such evaluation shall-- 7,a7 use a common set of benchmarks and tools to assess the results of research conducted under such grants and identify best practices2 and 7,b7 to the extent practicable1 integrate the findings of research resulting from the activity or activities funded through such grants with the findings of other research on rural student's pursuit of degrees or careers in ,,stem4 7#b7 ,report on evaluations ,not later than #ahj days after the completion of the evaluation under paragraph 7#a71 the ,director shall submit to ,congress and make widely available to the public a report that includes-- 7,a7 the results of the evaluation2 and 7,b7 any recommendations for administrative and legislative action that could optimize the effectiveness of the grants awarded under this section4 7g7 ,report by ,committee on ,equal ,opportunities in ,science and ,engineering 7#a7 ,in general ,as part of the first report required by section #cf7;e7 of the ,science and ,engineering ,equal ,opportunities ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahhe;c7e77 transmitted to ,congress after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,committee on ,equal ,opportunities in ,science and ,engineering shall include-- 7,a7 a description of past and present policies and activities of the ,foundation to encourage full participation of students in rural communities in science1 mathematics1 engineering1 and computer science fields2 and 7,b7 an assessment of trends in participation of rural students in prekindergarten through grade #ab in ,foundation activities1 and an assessment of the policies and activities of the ,foundation1 along with proposals for new strategies or the broadening of existing successful strategies towards facilitating the goals of this ,act4 7#b7 ,technical correction 7,a7 ,in general ,section #cac of the ,american ,innovation and ,competitiveness ,act 7,public ,law #aad-cbi7 is amended by striking ,section #bjd7;e7 of the ,national ,science ,foundation ,authorization ,act of #aihh and inserting ,section #cf7;e7 of the ,science and ,engineering ,equal ,opportunities ,act4 7,b7 ,applicability ,the amendment made by paragraph 7#a7 shall take effect as if included in the enactment of section #cac of the ,american ,innovation and ,competitiveness ,act 7,public ,law #aad-cbi74 7h7 ,coordination ,in carrying out this section1 the ,director shall1 for purposes of enhancing program effectiveness and avoiding duplication of activities1 consult1 cooperate1 and coordinate with the programs and policies of other relevant ,federal agencies4 #d4 ,opportunities for online education 7a7 ,in general ,the ,director shall award competitive grants to institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations 7or a consortium thereof1 which may include a private sector partner7 to conduct research on online ,,stem education courses for rural communities4 7b7 ,research areas ,the research areas eligible for funding under this section shall include-- 7#a7 evaluating the learning and achievement of rural students in prekindergarten through grade #ab in ,,stem subjects2 7#b7 understanding how computer-based and online professional development courses and mentor experiences can be integrated to meet the needs of educators of rural students in prekindergarten through grade #ab2 7#c7 combining computer-based and online ,,stem education and training with apprenticeships1 mentoring1 or other applied learning arrangements2 7#d7 leveraging online programs to supplement ,,stem studies for rural students that need physical and academic accommodation2 and 7#e7 any other activity the ,director determines will accomplish the goals of this section4 7c7 ,evaluations ,all proposals for grants under this section shall include an evaluation plan that includes the use of outcome-oriented measures to assess the impact and efficacy of the grant4 ,each recipient of a grant under this section shall include results from these evaluative activities in annual and final projects4 7d7 ,accountability and dissemination 7#a7 ,evaluation required ,the ,director shall evaluate the portfolio of grants awarded under this section4 ,such evaluation shall-- 7,a7 use a common set of benchmarks and tools to assess the results of research conducted under such grants and identify best practices2 and 7,b7 to the extent practicable1 integrate findings from activities carried out pursuant to research conducted under this section1 with respect to the pursuit of careers and degrees in ,,stem1 with those activities carried out pursuant to other research on serving rural students and communities4 7#b7 ,report on evaluations ,not later than #ahj days after the completion of the evaluation under paragraph 7#a71 the ,director shall submit to ,congress and make widely available to the public a report that includes-- 7,a7 the results of the evaluation2 and 7,b7 any recommendations for administrative and legislative action that could optimize the effectiveness of the grants awarded under this section4 7e7 ,coordination ,in carrying out this section1 the ,director shall1 for purposes of enhancing program effectiveness and avoiding duplication of activities1 consult1 cooperate1 and coordinate with the programs and policies of other relevant ,federal agencies4 #e4 ,national ,academy of ,sciences evaluation 7a7 ,study ,not later than #ab months after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,director shall enter into an agreement with the ,national ,academy of ,sciences under which the ,national ,academy agrees to conduct an evaluation and assessment that-- 7#a7 evaluates the quality and quantity of current ,federal programming and research directed at examining ,,stem education for students in prekindergarten through grade #ab and workforce development in rural areas2 7#b7 in coordination with the ,federal ,communications ,commission1 assesses the impact the scarcity of broadband connectivity in rural communities has on ,,stem and technical literacy for students in prekindergarten through grade #ab in rural areas2 7#c7 assesses the core research and data needed to understand the challenges rural areas are facing in providing quality ,,stem education and workforce development2 and 7#d7 makes recommendations for action at the ,federal1 ,state1 and local levels for improving ,,stem education1 including online ,,stem education1 for students in prekindergarten through grade #ab and workforce development in rural areas4 7b7 ,report to ,director ,the agreement entered into under subsection 7a7 shall require the ,national ,academy of ,sciences1 not later than #bd months after the date of enactment of this ,act1 to submit to the ,director a report on the study conducted under such subsection1 including the ,national ,academy's findings and recommendations4 #f4 ,,gao ,review ,not later than #c years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall conduct a study on the engagement of rural populations in ,federal ,,stem programs and submit to ,congress a report that includes-- 7#a7 an assessment of how ,federal ,,stem education programs are serving rural populations2 7#b7 a description of initiatives carried out by ,federal agencies that are targeted at supporting ,,stem education in rural areas2 7#c7 an assessment of what is known about the impact and effectiveness of ,federal investments in ,,stem education programs that are targeted to rural areas2 and 7#d7 an assessment of challenges that ,state and ,federal ,,stem education programs face in reaching rural population centers4 #g4 ,capacity building through ,,epscor ,section #eag7;f77#b7 of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfbp-#i7;f77#b77 is amended-- 7#a7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by striking and at the end2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7,c7 to increase the capacity of rural communities to provide quality ,,stem education and ,,stem workforce development programming to students and teachers2 and 4 #h4 ,,nist engagement with rural communities 7a7 ,,mep ,outreach ,section #be of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bghk7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7c7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#f71 by striking community colleges and area career and technical education schools and inserting the following3 secondary schools 7as defined in section #haja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja771 community colleges1 and area career and technical education schools1 including those in underserved and rural communities12 and 7,b7 in paragraph 7#g7-- 7i7 by striking and local colleges and inserting the following3 local high schools and local colleges1 including those in underserved and rural communities12 and 7ii7 by inserting or other applied learning opportunities after apprenticeships2 and 7#b7 in subsection 7d77#c7 by striking 1 community colleges1 and area career and technical education schools1 and inserting the following3 and local high schools1 community colleges1 and area career and technical education schools1 including those in underserved and rural communities14 7b7 ,rural ,connectivity ,prize ,competition 7#a7 ,prize competition ,pursuant to section #bd of the ,stevenson-,wydler ,technology ,innovation ,act of #aihj 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #cgai71 the ,secretary of ,commerce1 acting through the ,under ,secretary of ,commerce for ,standards and ,technology 7referred to in this subsection as the ,secretary71 shall carry out a program to award prizes competitively to stimulate research and development of creative technologies in order to deploy affordable and reliable broadband connectivity to unserved rural communities4 7#b7 ,plan for deployment in rural communities ,each proposal submitted pursuant to paragraph 7#a7 shall include a plan for deployment of the technology that is the subject of such proposal in an unserved rural community4 7#c7 ,prize amount ,in carrying out the program under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary may award not more than a total of #e1jjj1jjj to one or more winners of the prize competition4 7#d7 ,report ,not later than #fj days after the date on which a prize is awarded under the prize competition1 the ,secretary shall submit to the relevant committees of ,congress a report that describes the winning proposal of the prize competition4 7#e7 ,consultation ,in carrying out the program under this subsection1 the ,secretary shall consult with the ,federal ,communications ,commission and the heads of relevant departments and agencies of the ,federal ,government4 #i4 ,,nitr-,d broadband working group ,title ,i of the ,high-,performance ,computing ,act of #aiia 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #eeaa et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #ajc4 ,broadband research and development working group 7a7 ,in ,general ,the ,director shall establish a broadband research and development working group to address national research challenges and opportunities for improving broadband access and adoption across the ,united ,states4 7b7 ,activities ,the working group shall identify and coordinate key research priorities for addressing broadband access and adoption1 including-- 7#a7 promising research areas2 7#b7 requirements for data collection and sharing2 7#c7 opportunities for better alignment and coordination across ,federal agencies and external stakeholders2 and 7#d7 input on the development of new ,federal policies and programs to enhance data collection and research4 7c7 ,coordination ,the working group shall coordinate1 as appropriate1 with the ,rural ,broadband ,integration ,working ,group established under section #fbad of the ,agriculture ,improvement ,act of #bjah 7,public ,law #aae-ccd71 the ,national ,institute of ,food and ,agriculture of the ,department of ,agriculture1 and the ,federal ,communications ,commission4 7d7 ,report ,the working group shall report to ,congress on their activities as part of the annual report submitted under section #aja7;a77#b77;,d74 7e7 ,sunset ,the authority to carry out this section shall terminate on the date that is #e years after the date of enactment of the ,rural ,,stem ,education ,act4 4 #aj4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,director ,the term ,director means the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation established under section #b of the ,national ,science ,foundation ,act of #aiej 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfa74 7#b7 ,federal laboratory ,the term ,federal laboratory has the meaning given such term in section #d of the ,stevenson-,wydler ,technology ,innovation ,act of #aihj 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #cgjc74 7#c7 ,foundation ,the term ,foundation means the ,national ,science ,foundation established under section #b of the ,national ,science ,foundation ,act of #aiej 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfa74 7#d7 ,institution of higher education ,the term institution of higher education has the meaning given such term in section #aja7;a7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja7;a774 7#e7 ,,stem ,the term ,,stem has the meaning given the term in section #b of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ffba note74 7#f7 ,,stem education ,the term ,,stem education has the meaning given the term in section #b of the ,,stem ,education ,act of #bjae 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ffba note74