§7381a Science education programs

Summary

The Secretary may set up programs to improve math, science, and engineering education. Those programs must run at or use the Department’s research and development facilities, use the Department’s scientific resources, and follow the federal plan for science and technology education. The Under Secretary must pick a Director of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Education to run these programs across the Department. The Director must be professionally qualified, oversee the programs, act as the main contact with other agencies unless the Secretary or Under Secretary speaks instead, prepare and advise on the annual budget, work to increase participation and advancement of women and underrepresented minorities in STEM, and do other tasks the Secretary or Under Secretary requires. The Secretary must give the Director the staff and resources needed. The Secretary must offer a contract to the National Academy of Sciences for assessments of the Department’s STEM education programs no later than 5 years after August 9, 2007, and no later than 10 years after August 9, 2007. The assessments must consider effects on student achievement in science and math. Money is authorized as needed to run these duties. Programs must add to and coordinate with current Department activities and not replace them. The Secretary must set up a Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Education Fund using at least 0.3 percent of the Department’s yearly research, development, demonstration, and commercial application funding to carry out sections 7381b, 7381c, and 7381c–1. Each year’s budget submission to Congress must report how the 0.3 percent was handled the prior year and how it will be handled the next year, including total R&D funding, amounts set aside from research/development/demonstration/commercial application funds, and how those funds were or will be allocated. The Secretary must give priority to activities that encourage students from underrepresented groups to pursue scientific and technical careers.