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Title II — Stem Education and Diversity

H.R. 4159 · 113th Congress · Mar 6, 2014 · Lineage

II Stem Education and Diversity

A STEM Education and Workforce

Sec. 201 Sense of Congress

(a)
Fiscal year 2014 budget proposal— It is the sense of Congress that Federal agencies need to develop and implement a comprehensive Federal STEM education strategy that focuses on leveraging the limited STEM education funding and other assets we have to invest for maximum student learning benefit, and that such a strategy will involve a reorganization of the current portfolio of Federal STEM investments. However, it is the sense of Congress that the Administration’s fiscal year 2014 proposal to consolidate or eliminate 120 STEM programs across 14 Federal agencies lacked input or support from the Federal agencies and the stakeholder communities implicated in the proposal, was not based on evidence about program effectiveness, lacks clarity in how it will meet the goals of the strategic plan required in the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, and is not an adequate basis for implementing changes to existing agency and interagency STEM activities.
(b)
CoSTEM— It is the sense of Congress that the National Science and Technology Council’s Committee on STEM Education (CoSTEM), required under the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, has taken important initial steps toward developing a comprehensive and defensible strategic plan through its completion of its first “Federal STEM Education 5-Year Strategic Plan,” but that much more work must be done to develop a clear evidence base for reorganization decisions and to solicit and take into account views and experience from stakeholders who help implement or are the beneficiaries of Federal STEM programs across the Nation. It is further the sense of Congress that agencies, through CoSTEM, should play a leading role in developing the Administration’s budget proposals for STEM education just as they play a leading role in developing the budget proposals for other major interagency initiatives, such as the National Nanotechnology Initiative.
(c)
Mission agencies— It is the sense of Congress that science mission agencies such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Department of Energy are essential partners in contributing to the goals and implementation of a Federal STEM strategic plan because such agencies have unique scientific and technological facilities as well as highly trained scientists who are eager and able to contribute to improved STEM learning outcomes in their own communities. It is further the sense of Congress that the Department of Education can play an important role in implementing any Federal STEM education strategy because of its unique relationship with States, local educational agencies, schools, and institutions of higher education, as well as its capacity to scale and disseminate proven programs and models, but that the Department must take steps to build capacity in STEM education to maximize the effectiveness of any Governmentwide leadership role in K–12 STEM education.

Sec. 202 Coordination of Federal STEM education

Section 101 of America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (b)(5)—
(A)
by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (D) as subparagraphs (B) through (E), respectively; and
(B)
by inserting before subparagraph (B), as so redesigned by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, the following new subparagraph:

“(A) have as its primary goal to leverage the limited STEM education funding and other assets, including intellectual capital, invested by Federal STEM agencies for maximum benefit to student learning;”

(2)
by striking the second subsection (b);
(3)
by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (f);
(4)
by inserting after subsection (b), the following new subsections:

“(c) Coordinator for STEM education—The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall designate an associate director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy as the Coordinator for STEM Education. When an appropriate associate director is not available, the Director may designate another appropriate senior government official as the Coordinator for STEM Education. The Coordinator shall chair the committee established under subsection (a). The Coordinator shall, with the assistance of appropriate senior officials from other Committee on STEM Education agencies, ensure that the requirements of this section are satisfied.

“(d) Stakeholder input

“(1) Interagency consolidation—For all agency proposals to consolidate or transfer budgets or functions for STEM education programs or activities between agencies, at the time of submission of such proposals to Congress, the Director shall report to Congress on activities undertaken by the Office of Science and Technology Policy or by relevant agencies to take into consideration relevant input from the STEM Education Advisory Panel established under subsection (e) and other relevant education stakeholders.

“(2) Intraagency consolidation—For all agency proposals to internally consolidate or terminate STEM education programs with budgets exceeding $3,000,000, at the time of submission of such proposals to Congress, the head of the relevant agency shall report to Congress on activities to solicit and take into consideration input on such proposals from the STEM Education Advisory Panel established under subsection (e) and other relevant education stakeholders.

“(e) STEM education advisory panel

“(1) In general—The President shall establish or designate a STEM Education Advisory Panel. The cochairs of the Advisory Panel shall meet the qualifications of Panel membership required in paragraph (2) and may be members of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

“(2) Qualifications—The Advisory Panel established or designated by the President under this subsection shall consist of members from academic institutions, industry, informal education providers, nonprofit STEM education organizations, foundations, and local and State educational agencies. Members of the Advisory Panel shall be qualified to provide advice on Federal STEM education programs, best practices in STEM education, assessment of STEM education programs, STEM education standards, industry needs for STEM graduates, and public-private STEM education partnerships.

“(3) Duties—The Advisory Panel shall advise the President and the committee established under subsection (a) on implementing the Federal STEM education strategic plan required under subsection (b)(5) and coordinating Federal STEM programs with nongovernmental STEM initiatives and State and local educational agencies.

“(4) Report—The Advisory Panel shall report, not more than 1 year after enactment of the America Competes Reauthorization Act of 2014, on options for evidence-based implementation of the Federal STEM strategic plan required under subsection (b)(5), including options for designating certain agencies as coordinating leads for different priority investment areas, timelines for implementation, and specific management, budget, policy, or other steps that agencies must take to effectively implement the strategic plan.

“(5) Sunset—The authorization for the Advisory Panel established under this subsection shall expire 3 years after the date of enactment of the America Competes Reauthorization Act of 2014.”

(5)
in subsection (f), as so redesignated by paragraph (3) of this section—
(A)
by inserting “progress made in implementing” after “describing”;
(B)
by striking paragraph (3); and
(C)
by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively.

Sec. 203 Grand challenges in education research

(a)
In general— The Director of the National Science Foundation and the Secretary of Education shall collaborate in—
(1)
identifying, prioritizing, and developing strategies to address grand challenges in research and development, including assessment, on the teaching and learning of STEM at the pre-K–12 level, in formal and informal settings, for diverse learning populations, including individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b); and
(2)
ensuring the dissemination and promoting the utilization of the results of such research and development.
(b)
Stakeholder input— In identifying the grand challenges under subsection (a), the Director and the Secretary shall—
(1)
take into consideration critical research gaps identified in existing reports, including reports by the National Academies, on the teaching and learning of STEM at the pre-K–12 level in formal and informal settings; and
(2)
solicit input from a wide range of stakeholders, including officials from State educational agencies and local educational agencies, STEM teachers, STEM education researchers, scientific and engineering societies, STEM faculty at institutions of higher education, informal STEM education providers, businesses with a large STEM workforce, and other stakeholders in the teaching and learning of STEM at the pre-K–12 level, and may enter into an arrangement with the National Research Council for these purposes.
(c)
Topics To consider— In identifying the grand challenges under subsection (a), the Director and the Secretary shall, at a minimum, consider research and development on—
(1)
scalability, sustainability, and replication of successful STEM activities, programs, and models, in formal and informal environments;
(2)
model systems that support improved teaching and learning of STEM across entire local educational agencies and States, including rural areas, and encompassing and integrating the teaching and learning of STEM in formal and informal venues;
(3)
implementation of new State mathematics and science standards;
(4)
what makes a STEM teacher effective and STEM teacher professional development effective, including development of tools and methodologies to measure STEM teacher effectiveness;
(5)
cyber-enabled and other technology tools for teaching and learning, including massive open online courses;
(6)
STEM teaching and learning in informal environments, including development of tools and methodologies for assessing STEM teaching and learning in informal environments; and
(7)
how integrating engineering with mathematics and science education may—
(A)
improve student learning of mathematics and science;
(B)
increase student interest and persistence in STEM; or
(C)
improve student understanding of engineering design principles and of the built world.
(d)
Report to congress— Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director and the Secretary shall report to Congress with a description of—
(1)
the grand challenges identified pursuant to this section;
(2)
the role of each agency in supporting research and development activities to address the grand challenges;
(3)
the common metrics that will be used to assess progress toward meeting the grand challenges;
(4)
plans for periodically updating the grand challenges;
(5)
how the agencies will disseminate and promote the utilization of the results of research and development activities carried out under this section to STEM education practitioners, to other Federal agencies that support STEM programs and activities, and to non-Federal funders of STEM education; and
(6)
how the agencies will support implementation of best practices identified by the research and development activities.

Sec. 204 Establishment of the Advanced Research Project Agency-Education

(a)
Program established— From the amounts appropriated for section 14007 of division A of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111–5), the Secretary of Education may reserve up to 30 percent to—
(1)
establish and carry out the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Education (in this section referred to as “ARPA–ED”) to—
(A)
identify and promote advances in learning, fundamental and applied sciences, and engineering that may be translated into new learning technologies;
(B)
develop, test, and evaluate new learning technologies and related processes; and
(C)
accelerate transformational technological advances in education;
(2)
convene an advisory panel under subsection (d); and
(3)
carry out the evaluation and dissemination requirements under subsection (e).
(b)
Appointments—
(1)
Director— ARPA–ED shall be under the direction of the Director of ARPA–ED, who shall be appointed by the Secretary.
(2)
Qualified individuals— The Secretary shall appoint, for a term of not more than 4 years, qualified individuals who represent scientific, engineering, professional, and other personnel with expertise in carrying out the activities described in this section to positions in ARPA–ED, at rates of compensation determined by the Secretary, without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, except that such rates of compensation shall not to exceed the rate for level I of the Executive Schedule under section 5312 of such title.
(c)
Functions of ARPA–ED— Upon consultation with the advisory panel convened under subsection (d), the Secretary shall select public and private entities to carry out the activities described in subsection (a)(1) by—
(1)
awarding such entities grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, or cash prizes; or
(2)
entering into such other transactions with such entities as the Secretary may prescribe in regulations.
(d)
Advisory panel—
(1)
In general— The Secretary shall convene an advisory panel to advise and consult with the Secretary, the Director, and the qualified individuals appointed under subsection (b)(2) on—
(A)
ensuring that the awards made and transaction entered into under subsection (c) are consistent with the purposes described in subsection (a)(1); and
(B)
ensuring the relevance, accessibility, and utility of such awards and transactions to education practitioners.
(2)
Appointment of members— The Secretary shall appoint the following qualified individuals to serve on the advisory panel:
(A)
Education practitioners.
(B)
Experts in technology.
(C)
Specialists in rapid gains in student achievement and school turnaround.
(D)
Specialists in personalized learning.
(E)
Researchers, including at least one representative from a comprehensive center established under section 203 of the Educational Technical Assistance Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 9602) or the regional laboratories system established under section 174 of the Education Sciences Reform Act (20 U.S.C. 9564).
(F)
Other individuals with expertise who will contribute to the overall rigor and quality of ARPA–ED.
(3)
Applicability of FACA— The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the panel convened under this subsection and any appointee to such panel shall not be considered an “employee” under section 2105 of title 5, United States Code.
(e)
Evaluation and dissemination—
(1)
Evaluation— The Secretary shall obtain independent, periodic, and rigorous evaluation of—
(A)
the effectiveness of the processes ARPA–Ed is using to achieve the purposes described in subsection (a)(1);
(B)
the relevance, accessibility, and utility of the awards made and transactions entered into under subsection (c) to education practitioners; and
(C)
the effectiveness of the projects carried out through such awards and transactions, using evidence standards developed in consultation with the Institute of Education Sciences, and the suitability of such projects for further investment or increased scale.
(2)
Dissemination and use— The Secretary shall disseminate information to education practitioners, including teachers, principals, and local and State superintendents, on effective practices and technologies developed under ARPA–ED, as appropriate, through—
(A)
the comprehensive centers established under 203 of the Educational Technical Assistance Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 9602);
(B)
the regional laboratories system established under section 174 of the Education Sciences Reform Act (20 U.S.C. 9564); and
(C)
such other means as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
(f)
Administrative requirements— Notwithstanding section 437(d) of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232(d)), the Secretary shall establish such processes as may be necessary for the Secretary to manage and administer ARPA–ED, which are not constrained by other Department-wide administrative requirements that may prevent ARPA–ED from carrying out the purposes described in subsection (a)(1).
(g)
Definitions— For purposes of this section:
(1)
Department— The term Department means the Department of Education.
(2)
Director— The term Director means the Director of ARPA–ED.
(3)
Secretary— The term Secretary means the Secretary of Education.

Sec. 205 Community college and industry partnerships STEM pilot grant program

(a)
Establishment— The Secretary of Labor shall establish a competitive grant pilot program for the purpose of developing, offering, improving, or providing STEM education or career training programs for workers.
(b)
Eligible entity—
(1)
In general— Entities eligible for a grant under this section are any of the following (or a consortium of any of the following) in partnership with employers or an association of employers—
(A)
a junior or community college (as defined in section 312(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1085(f)));
(B)
a postsecondary vocational institution (as defined in section 102(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002(c)));
(C)
a four-year public institution of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) that offers two-year degrees, will use funds provided under this section for activities at the certificate and associate degree levels, and is not reasonably close, as determined by the Secretary of Labor, to a community college;
(D)
a tribal college or university (as defined in section 316(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b))); or
(E)
at the discretion of the Secretary of Labor, a private, not-for-profit, two-year institution of higher education in Puerto Rico, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau.
(2)
Additional partnerships— In addition to partnering with employers or an association of employers, the eligible entities described in paragraph (1) may partner with any of the following organizations:
(A)
An adult education provider or institution of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)).
(B)
A community-based organization.
(C)
A joint labor-management partnership.
(D)
Any other organization that the Secretary of Labor considers appropriate.
(3)
Workforce investment board— Any such partnership shall collaborate with, and may include, the State or local workforce investment board.
(c)
Application— An eligible entity seeking a grant under this section shall submit a grant proposal to the Secretary of Labor at such time and containing such information as the Secretary may require. The proposal shall include, at a minimum, a detailed description of—
(1)
the specific project for which the grant proposal is submitted, including the manner in which the grant will be used to develop, offer, improve, or provide a STEM education or career training program;
(2)
the extent to which the project will meet the STEM education or career training needs of workers in the area served by the eligible entity;
(3)
the extent to which the project will meet the needs of employers in the region for skilled workers in in-demand industry sectors and in-demand occupations, including high technology areas, nanotechnology, and advanced manufacturing;
(4)
the extent to which the project fits within any overall strategic plan developed by an eligible entity; and
(5)
any previous experience of the eligible entity in providing STEM education or career training programs, the absence of which shall not automatically disqualify an eligible institution from receiving a grant under this section.
(d)
Specifications of grants—
(1)
Duration— A grant shall be awarded under this section for a period of up to 36 months in duration.
(2)
Size of grant— The amount of a grant awarded under this subsection may not exceed $3,000,000 for an individual entity and $20,000,000 for a consortium.
(e)
Criteria for award—
(1)
In general— Grants under this section shall be awarded based on—
(A)
a determination of the merits of the grant proposal submitted by the eligible entity to develop, offer, improve, or provide STEM education or career training programs to be made available to workers;
(B)
an assessment of the likely employment opportunities available in the region to individuals who complete a STEM education or career training program that the eligible entity proposes to develop, offer, improve, or provide;
(C)
an assessment of prior demand for STEM training programs by individuals eligible for training served by the eligible entity as well as availability and capacity of existing STEM training programs to meet future demand for STEM training programs; and
(D)
any additional criteria established by the Secretary of Labor.
(2)
Priority— The Secretary of Labor shall give priority to eligible entities that—
(A)
include a partnership with a business or industry or sector partnership that—
(i)
pays a portion of the costs of such programs; or
(ii)
agrees to hire individuals who have completed a particular postsecondary degree, certificate, or credential resulting from the training program of the eligible entity;
(B)
enter into a partnership with a labor organization or labor-management training program that provides technical expertise for occupationally specific education necessary for a recognized postsecondary STEM credential leading to an occupation in an in-demand industry sector;
(C)
are focused on serving individuals with barriers to employment, particularly individuals who have been unemployed for 27 weeks or longer;
(D)
are community colleges serving areas with high unemployment rates, including rural areas; and
(E)
are eligible entities that include an institution of higher education eligible for assistance under title III or V of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
(f)
Use of funds— Grants awarded under this section shall be used for one or more of the following:
(1)
The development, offering, improvement, or provision of STEM academic programs or training programs that provide relevant job training for skilled occupations that will meet the needs of employers in in-demand industry sectors, which may include registered apprenticeship programs, on-the-job training programs, and programs that support employers in upgrading the skills of their workforce.
(2)
The development and implementation of policies and programs to expand opportunities for students to earn a recognized postsecondary STEM credential or degree in in-demand industry sectors and in-demand occupations, including by—
(A)
facilitating the transfer of academic credits between institutions of higher education, including the transfer of academic credits for courses in the same field of study;
(B)
expanding articulation agreements and policies that guarantee transfer between such institutions, including through common course numbering and general core curriculum; and
(C)
developing or enhancing student support services programs.
(3)
The creation of workforce programs that provide a sequence of education and occupational training that leads to a recognized postsecondary STEM credential or degree, including programs that—
(A)
blend basic skills and occupational training;
(B)
facilitate means of transitioning from noncredit occupational, basic skills, or developmental coursework to for-credit coursework within and across institutions;
(C)
build or enhance linkages including the development of dual enrollment programs and early college high schools between secondary education or adult education programs (including programs established under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006);
(D)
implement other innovative programs designed to increase the provision of training for students, including students who are veteran members of the National Guard or Reserves, to enter skilled occupations in in-demand industry sectors; and
(E)
support paid internships that will allow students to simultaneously earn credit for work-based learning and gain relevant employment experience in an in-demand industry sector or in-demand occupation, which shall include opportunities that transition individuals into employment.
(4)
The support of regional or national in-demand industry sectors to develop skills consortia that will identify pressing workforce needs and develop solutions such as—
(A)
standardizing industry certifications;
(B)
developing new training technologies; and
(C)
collaborating with industry employers to define and describe how specific skills lead to particular jobs and career opportunities.
(g)
Authorizations of appropriations— There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Labor $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2016 to carry out this section.
(h)
Definitions— For the purposes of this section—
(1)
the term “in-demand industry sector” means an industry sector that has a substantial current or potential impact (including through jobs that lead to economic self-sufficiency and opportunities for advancement) on the State, regional, or local economy, as appropriate, and that contributes to the growth or stability of other supporting businesses, or the growth of other industry sectors; and
(2)
the term “in-demand occupation” means an occupation that currently has or is projected to have a number of positions (including positions that lead to economic self-sufficiency and opportunities for advancement) in an industry sector so as to have a significant impact on the State, regional, or local economy.

Sec. 206 National Research Council report on STEAM education

(a)
Sense of Congress— It is the sense of Congress that—
(1)
the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Talent Expansion Program set an important goal of increasing the number of students graduating with associate or baccalaureate degrees in the STEM fields, and this should continue to be a focus of that program;
(2)
to further the goal of the STEM Talent Expansion Program, as well as STEM education promotion programs across the Federal Government, innovative approaches are needed to enhance STEM education in the United States;
(3)
STEAM, which is the integration of arts and design, broadly defined, into Federal STEM programming, research, and innovation activities, is a method-validated approach to maintaining the competitiveness of the United States in both workforce and innovation and to increasing and broadening students’ engagement in the STEM fields;
(4)
STEM graduates need more than technical skills to thrive in the 21st century workforce; they also need to be creative, innovative, collaborative, and able to think critically;
(5)
STEAM should be recognized as providing value to STEM research and education programs across Federal agencies, without supplanting the focus on the traditional STEM disciplines;
(6)
Federal agencies should work cooperatively on interdisciplinary initiatives to support the integration of arts and design into STEM, and current interdisciplinary programs should be strengthened;
(7)
Federal agencies should allow for STEAM activities under current and future grant-making and other activities; and
(8)
Federal agencies should clarify that, where appropriate, data collection, surveys, and reporting on STEM activities and grant-making should examine activities that involve cross-disciplinary learning that integrates specialized skills and expertise from both art and science.
(b)
National Research Council workshop— The National Science Foundation shall enter into an arrangement with the National Research Council to conduct a workshop on the integration of arts and design with STEM education. The workshop shall include a discussion of—
(1)
how the perspectives and experience of artists and designers may contribute to the advancement of science, engineering, and innovation, for example through the development of visualization aids for large experimental and computational data sets;
(2)
how arts and design-based education experiences might support formal and informal STEM education at the pre-K–12 level, particularly in fostering creativity and risk taking, and encourage more students to pursue STEM studies, including students from groups historically underrepresented in STEM;
(3)
how the teaching of design principles can be better integrated into undergraduate engineering and other STEM curricula, including in the first two years of undergraduate studies, to enhance student capacity for creativity and innovation and improve student retention, including students from groups historically underrepresented in STEM; and
(4)
what additional steps, if any, Federal science agencies should take to promote the inclusion of arts and design principles in their respective STEM programs and activities in order to improve student STEM learning outcomes, increase the recruitment and retention of students into STEM studies and careers, and increase innovation in the United States.
(c)
Report— Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the National Research Council shall submit a report to Congress providing a summary description of the discussion and findings from the workshop required under subsection (b).

Sec. 207 Engaging Federal scientists and engineers in STEM education

The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall develop guidance for Federal agencies to increase opportunities and training, as appropriate, for Federal scientists and engineers to participate in STEM engagement activities through their respective agencies and in their communities.

B Broadening participation in STEM

Sec. 211 Short title

This subtitle may be cited as the “STEM Opportunities Act of 2014”.

Sec. 212 Purpose

(a)
In general— The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, acting through the Federal science agencies, shall carry out programs and activities with the purpose of ensuring that Federal science agencies and institutions of higher education receiving Federal research and development funding are fully engaging their entire talent pool.
(b)
Purposes— The purposes of this subtitle are as follows:
(1)
To promote research on and increase understanding of the participation and trajectories of women and underrepresented minorities in STEM careers at institutions of higher education and Federal science agencies, including Federal laboratories.
(2)
To raise awareness within Federal science agencies, including Federal laboratories, and institutions of higher education about cultural and institutional barriers limiting the recruitment, retention, promotion, and other indicators of participation and achievement of women and underrepresented minorities in academic and Government STEM research careers at all levels.
(3)
To identify, disseminate, and implement best practices at Federal science agencies, including Federal laboratories, and at institutions of higher education to remove or reduce cultural and institutional barriers limiting the recruitment, retention, and success of women and underrepresented minorities in academic and Government STEM research careers.
(4)
To provide grants to institutions of higher education to recruit, retain, and advance STEM faculty members from underrepresented minority groups and to implement or expand reforms in undergraduate STEM education in order to increase the number of students from underrepresented minority groups receiving degrees in these fields.

Sec. 213 Federal science agency policies for caregivers

(a)
OSTP guidance— Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall provide guidance to Federal science agencies to establish policies that—
(1)
apply to all—
(A)
intramural and extramural research awards; and
(B)
primary investigators who have caregiving responsibilities, including care for a newborn or newly adopted child and care for an immediate family member who is sick or disabled; and
(2)
provide—
(A)
flexibility in timing for the initiation of approved research awards;
(B)
no-cost extensions of research awards;
(C)
grant supplements as appropriate to research awards for research technicians or equivalent to sustain research activities; and
(D)
any other appropriate accommodations at the discretion of the head of each agency.
(b)
Uniformity of guidance— In providing such guidance, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall encourage uniformity and consistency in the policies across all agencies.
(c)
Establishment of policies— Consistent with the guidance provided under this section, Federal science agencies shall maintain or develop and implement policies for caregivers and shall broadly disseminate such policies to current and potential grantees.
(d)
Data on usage— Federal science agencies shall—
(1)
collect data on the usage of the policies under subsection (c), by gender, at both institutions of higher education and Federal laboratories; and
(2)
report such data on an annual basis to the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy in such form as required by the Director.

Sec. 214 Collection and reporting of data on Federal research grants

(a)
Collection of data—
(1)
In general— Each Federal science agency shall collect standardized record-level annual information on demographics, primary field, award type, budget request, funding outcome, and awarded budget for all applications for merit-reviewed research and development grants to institutions of higher education and Federal laboratories supported by that agency.
(2)
Uniformity and standardization— The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall establish a policy to ensure uniformity and standardization of the data collection required under paragraph (1).
(3)
Record-level data—
(A)
Requirement— On an annual basis, beginning with the deadline under subparagraph (C), each Federal science agency shall submit to the Director of the National Science Foundation record-level data collected under paragraph (1) in the form required by such Director.
(B)
Previous data— As part of the first submission under subparagraph (A), each Federal science agency, to the extent practicable, shall also submit comparable record-level data for the 5 years preceding the deadline under subparagraph (C).
(C)
Deadline— The deadline under this paragraph is 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
(b)
Reporting of data— The Director of the National Science Foundation shall publish statistical summary data collected under this section, disaggregated and cross-tabulated by race, ethnicity, gender, age, and years since completion of doctoral degree, including in conjunction with the National Science Foundation’s report required by section 37 of the Science and Technology Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885d; Public Law 96–516).

Sec. 215 Policies for review of Federal research grants

(a)
In general— The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, in collaboration with the Director of the National Science Foundation, shall identify information and best practices useful for educating program officers and members of standing peer review committees at Federal science agencies about—
(1)
research on implicit bias based on gender, race, or ethnicity; and
(2)
methods to minimize the effect of such bias in the review of extramural and intramural Federal research grants.
(b)
Guidance to all Federal science agencies— The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall disseminate the information and best practices identified in subsection (a) to all Federal science agencies and provide guidance as necessary on policies to implement such practices within each agency.
(c)
Establishment of policies— Consistent with the guidance provided in subsection (b), Federal science agencies shall maintain or develop and implement policies and practices to minimize the effects of implicit bias in the review of extramural and intramural Federal research grants.
(d)
Report to Congress— Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall report to Congress on what steps all Federal science agencies have taken to implement policies and practices to minimize the effects of bias in the review of extramural and intramural Federal research grants.

Sec. 216 Collection of data on demographics of faculty

(a)
Collection of data—
(1)
In general— Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, and at least every 5 years thereafter, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall carry out a survey to collect institution-level data on the demographics of STEM faculty, by broad fields of STEM, at different types of institutions of higher education.
(2)
Considerations— To the extent practicable, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall consider, by gender, race, ethnicity, citizenship status, age, and years since completion of doctoral degree—
(A)
the number and percentage of faculty;
(B)
the number and percentage of faculty at each rank;
(C)
the number and percentage of faculty who are in nontenure-track positions, including teaching and research;
(D)
the number and percentage of faculty who are reviewed for promotion, including tenure, and the percentage of that number who are promoted, including being awarded tenure;
(E)
faculty years in rank;
(F)
the number and percentage of faculty to leave tenure-track positions;
(G)
the number and percentage of faculty hired, by rank; and
(H)
the number and percentage of faculty in leadership positions.
(b)
Existing surveys— The Director of the National Science Foundation—
(1)
may carry out the requirements under subsection (a) by collaborating with statistical centers at other Federal agencies to modify or expand, as necessary, existing Federal surveys of higher education; or
(2)
may award a grant or contract to an institution of higher education or other nonprofit organization to design and carry out the requirements under subsection (a).
(c)
Reporting data— The Director of the National Science Foundation shall publish statistical summary data collected under this section, including as part of the National Science Foundation’s report required by section 37 of the Science and Technology Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885d; Public Law 96–516).
(d)
Authorization of appropriations— There are authorized to be appropriated to the Director of the National Science Foundation $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2016 to develop and carry out the initial survey required in subsection (a).

Sec. 217 Cultural and institutional barriers to expanding the academic and Federal STEM workforce

(a)
Best practices at institutions of higher education—
(1)
Development of guidance— Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall develop written guidance for institutions of higher education on the best practices for—
(A)
conducting periodic campus culture surveys of STEM departments, with a particular focus on identifying any cultural or institutional barriers to or successful enablers for the recruitment, retention, promotion, and other indicators of participation and achievement, of women and underrepresented minorities in STEM degree programs and academic STEM careers; and
(B)
providing educational opportunities, including workshops as described in subsection (c), for STEM faculty and administrators to learn about current research on implicit bias in recruitment, evaluation, and promotion of faculty in STEM and recruitment and evaluation of undergraduate and graduate students in STEM degree programs.
(2)
Existing guidance— In developing the guidance in paragraph (1), the Director of the National Science Foundation shall utilize guidance already developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Education.
(3)
Dissemination of guidance— The Director of the National Science Foundation shall broadly disseminate the guidance developed in paragraph (1) to institutions of higher education that receive Federal research funding.
(4)
Reports to the National Science Foundation— The Director of the National Science Foundation shall develop a policy that—
(A)
applies to, at a minimum, the institutions classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching on January 1, 2013, as a doctorate-granting university with a very high level of research activity; and
(B)
requires each institution identified in subparagraph (A), not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, to report to the Director of the National Science Foundation on activities and policies developed and implemented based on the guidance provided in paragraph (1).
(b)
Best practices at Federal laboratories—
(1)
Development of guidance— Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall develop written guidance for Federal laboratories to develop and implement practices and policies to—
(A)
conduct periodic laboratorywide culture surveys of research personnel at all levels, with a particular focus on identifying any cultural or institutional barriers to the recruitment, retention, and success of women and underrepresented minorities in STEM careers at Federal laboratories; and
(B)
provide educational opportunities, including workshops as described in subsection (c), for STEM research personnel to learn about current research in implicit bias in recruitment, evaluation, and promotion of research personnel at Federal laboratories.
(2)
Establishment of policies— Consistent with the guidance provided in paragraph (1), Federal science agencies with Federal laboratories shall maintain or develop and implement policies for their respective Federal laboratories.
(c)
Workshops To address cultural barriers To expanding the academic and Federal STEM workforce—
(1)
In general— Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall recommend a uniform policy for Federal science agencies to carry out a program of workshops that educate STEM department chairs at institutions of higher education, senior managers at Federal laboratories, and other federally funded researchers about methods that minimize the effects of implicit bias in the career advancement, including hiring, tenure, promotion, and selection for any honor based in part on the recipient’s research record, of academic and Federal STEM researchers.
(2)
Interagency coordination— The Director of the National Science Foundation shall ensure that workshops supported under this subsection are coordinated across Federal science agencies and jointly supported as appropriate.
(3)
Minimizing costs— To the extent practicable, workshops shall be held in conjunction with national or regional STEM disciplinary meetings to minimize costs associated with participant travel.
(4)
Priority fields for academic participants— In considering the participation of STEM department chairs and other academic researchers, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall prioritize workshops for the broad fields of STEM in which the national rate of representation of women among tenured or tenure-track faculty or non-faculty researchers at doctorate-granting institutions of higher education is less than 25 percent, according to the most recent data available from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics.
(5)
Organizations eligible to carry out workshops— Federal science agencies may carry out the program of workshops under this subsection by making grants to eligible organizations. In addition to any other organizations made eligible by the Federal science agencies, the following organizations are eligible for grants under this subsection:
(A)
Nonprofit scientific and professional societies and organizations that represent one or more STEM disciplines.
(B)
Nonprofit organizations that have the primary mission of advancing the participation of women or underrepresented minorities in STEM.
(6)
Characteristics of workshops— The workshops shall have the following characteristics:
(A)
Invitees to workshops shall include at least—
(i)
the chairs of departments in the relevant STEM discipline or disciplines from at least the top 50 institutions of higher education, as determined by the amount of Federal research and development funds obligated to each institution of higher education in the prior year based on data available from the National Science Foundation; and
(ii)
in the case of Federal laboratories, individuals with personnel management responsibilities comparable to those of an institution of higher education department chair.
(B)
Activities at the workshops shall include research presentations and interactive discussions or other activities that increase the awareness of the existence of implicit bias in recruitment, hiring, tenure review, promotion, and other forms of formal recognition of individual achievement for faculty and other federally funded STEM researchers and shall provide strategies to overcome such bias.
(C)
Research presentations and other workshop programs, as appropriate, shall include a discussion of the unique challenges faced by underrepresented subgroups, including minority women, minority men, and first generation minority graduates in research.
(D)
Workshop programs shall include information on best practices for mentoring undergraduate and graduate women and underrepresented minority students.
(7)
Data on workshops— Any proposal for funding by an organization seeking to carry out a workshop under this subsection shall include a description of how such organization will—
(A)
collect data on the rates of attendance by invitees in workshops, including information on the home institution and department of attendees, and the rank of faculty attendees;
(B)
conduct attitudinal surveys on workshop attendees before and after the workshops; and
(C)
collect follow-up data on any relevant institutional policy or practice changes reported by attendees not later than 1 year after attendance in such a workshop.
(8)
Report to NSF— Organizations receiving funding to carry out workshops under this subsection shall report the data required in paragraph (7) to the Director of the National Science Foundation in such form as required by such Director.
(d)
Report to Congress— Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall submit a report to Congress that includes—
(1)
a summary and analysis of the types and frequency of activities and policies developed and carried out under subsection (a) based on the reports submitted under paragraph (4) of such subsection; and
(2)
a description and evaluation of the status and effectiveness of the program of workshops required under subsection (c), including a summary of any data reported under paragraph (8) of such subsection.
(e)
Authorization of appropriations— There are authorized to be appropriated to the Director of the National Science Foundation $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018 to carry out this section.

Sec. 218 Research and dissemination at the National Science Foundation

(a)
In general— The Director of the National Science Foundation shall award research grants and carry out dissemination activities consistent with the purposes of this subtitle, including—
(1)
research grants to analyze the record-level data collected under section 214 and section 216, consistent with policies to ensure the privacy of individuals identifiable by such data;
(2)
research grants to study best practices for work-life accommodation;
(3)
research grants to study the impact of policies and practices that are implemented under this subtitle or that are otherwise consistent with the purposes of this subtitle;
(4)
collaboration with other Federal science agencies and professional associations to exchange best practices, harmonize work-life accommodation policies and practices, and overcome common barriers to work-life accommodation; and
(5)
collaboration with institutions of higher education in order to clarify and catalyze the adoption of a coherent and consistent set of work-life accommodation policies and practices.
(b)
Authorization of appropriations— There are authorized to be appropriated to the Director of the National Science Foundation $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018 to carry out this section.

Sec. 219 Report to Congress

Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall submit a report to Congress that includes—
(1)
a description and evaluation of the status and usage of caregiver policies at all Federal science agencies, including any recommendations for revising or expanding such policies;
(2)
a description of any significant updates to the policies for review of Federal research grants required under section 215, and any evidence of the impact of such policies on the review or awarding of Federal research grants; and
(3)
a description and evaluation of the status of Federal laboratory policies and practices required under section 217(b), including any recommendations for revising or expanding such policies.

Sec. 220 National Science Foundation support for increasing diversity among STEM faculty at institutions of higher education

(a)
Grants— The Director of the National Science Foundation shall award grants to institutions of higher education (or consortia thereof) for the development of innovative reform efforts designed to increase the recruitment, retention, and advancement of individuals from underrepresented minority groups in academic STEM careers.
(b)
Merit review; competition— Grants shall be awarded under this section on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis.
(c)
Use of funds— Activities supported by grants under this section may include—
(1)
institutional assessment activities, such as data analyses and policy review, in order to identify and address specific issues in the recruitment, retention, and advancement of faculty members from underrepresented minority groups;
(2)
implementation of institution-wide improvements in workload distribution, such that faculty members from underrepresented minority groups are not disadvantaged in the amount of time available to focus on research, publishing papers, and engaging in other activities required to achieve tenure status and run a productive research program;
(3)
development and implementation of training courses for administrators and search committee members to ensure that candidates from underrepresented minority groups are not subject to implicit biases in the search and hiring process;
(4)
development and hosting of intra- or inter-institutional workshops to propagate best practices in recruiting, retaining, and advancing faculty members from underrepresented minority groups;
(5)
professional development opportunities for faculty members from underrepresented minority groups;
(6)
activities aimed at making undergraduate STEM students from underrepresented minority groups aware of opportunities for academic careers in STEM fields;
(7)
activities to identify and engage exceptional graduate students from underrepresented minority groups at various stages of their studies and to encourage them to enter academic careers; and
(8)
other activities consistent with subsection (a), as determined by the Director of the National Science Foundation.
(d)
Selection process—
(1)
Application— An institution of higher education (or consortia thereof) seeking funding under this section shall submit an application to the Director of the National Science Foundation at such time, in such manner, and containing such information and assurances as such Director may require. The application shall include, at a minimum, a description of—
(A)
the reform effort that is being proposed for implementation by the institution of higher education;
(B)
any available evidence of specific difficulties in the recruitment, retention, and advancement of faculty members from underrepresented minority groups in STEM academic careers within the institution of higher education submitting an application, and how the proposed reform effort would address such issues;
(C)
how the institution of higher education submitting an application plans to sustain the proposed reform effort beyond the duration of the grant; and
(D)
how the success and effectiveness of the proposed reform effort will be evaluated and assessed in order to contribute to the national knowledge base about models for catalyzing institutional change.
(2)
Review of applications— In selecting grant recipients under this section, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall consider, at a minimum—
(A)
the likelihood of success in undertaking the proposed reform effort at the institution of higher education submitting the application, including the extent to which the administrators of the institution are committed to making the proposed reform effort a priority;
(B)
the degree to which the proposed reform effort will contribute to change in institutional culture and policy such that greater value is placed on the recruitment, retention, and advancement of faculty members from underrepresented minority groups;
(C)
the likelihood that the institution of higher education will sustain or expand the proposed reform effort beyond the period of the grant; and
(D)
the degree to which evaluation and assessment plans are included in the design of the proposed reform effort.
(3)
Grant distribution— The Director of the National Science Foundation shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that grants awarded under this section are made to a variety of types of institutions of higher education.
(e)
Authorization of appropriations— There are authorized to be appropriated to the Director of the National Science Foundation $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018 to carry out this section.

Sec. 221 National Science Foundation support for broadening participation in undergraduate STEM education

(a)
Grants— The Director of the National Science Foundation shall award grants to institutions of higher education (or consortia thereof) to implement or expand research-based reforms in undergraduate STEM education for the purpose of recruiting and retaining students from minority groups who are underrepresented in STEM fields, with a priority focus on natural science and engineering fields.
(b)
Merit review; competition— Grants shall be awarded under this section on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis.
(c)
Use of funds— Activities supported by grants under this section may include—
(1)
implementation or expansion of innovative, research-based approaches to broaden participation of underrepresented minority groups in STEM fields;
(2)
implementation or expansion of bridge, cohort, tutoring, or mentoring programs designed to enhance the recruitment and retention of students from underrepresented minority groups in STEM fields;
(3)
implementation or expansion of outreach programs linking institutions of higher education and K–12 school systems in order to heighten awareness among pre-college students from underrepresented minority groups of opportunities in college-level STEM fields and STEM careers;
(4)
implementation or expansion of faculty development programs focused on improving retention of undergraduate STEM students from underrepresented minority groups;
(5)
implementation or expansion of mechanisms designed to recognize and reward faculty members who demonstrate a commitment to increasing the participation of students from underrepresented minority groups in STEM fields;
(6)
expansion of successful reforms aimed at increasing the number of STEM students from underrepresented minority groups beyond a single course or group of courses to achieve reform within an entire academic unit, or expansion of successful reform efforts beyond a single academic unit to other STEM academic units within an institution of higher education;
(7)
expansion of opportunities for students from underrepresented minority groups to conduct STEM research in industry, at Federal laboratories, and at international research institutions or research sites;
(8)
provision of stipends for students from underrepresented minority groups participating in research;
(9)
development of research collaborations between research-intensive universities and primarily undergraduate minority-serving institutions;
(10)
support for graduate students and post­doctoral fellows from underrepresented minority groups to participate in instructional or assessment activities at primarily undergraduate institutions, including primarily undergraduate minority-serving institutions and two-year institutions of higher education; and
(11)
other activities consistent with subsection (a), as determined by the Director of the National Science Foundation.
(d)
Selection process—
(1)
Application— An institution of higher education (or consortium thereof) seeking a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Director of the National Science Foundation at such time, in such manner, and containing such information and assurances as such Director may require. The application shall include, at a minimum—
(A)
a description of the proposed reform effort;
(B)
a description of the research findings that will serve as the basis for the proposed reform effort or, in the case of applications that propose an expansion of a previously implemented reform, a description of the previously implemented reform effort, including data about the recruitment, retention, and academic achievement of students from underrepresented minority groups;
(C)
evidence of an institutional commitment to, and support for, the proposed reform effort, including a long-term commitment to implement successful strategies from the current reform beyond the academic unit or units included in the grant proposal;
(D)
a description of existing or planned institutional policies and practices regarding faculty hiring, promotion, tenure, and teaching assignment that reward faculty contributions to improving the education of students from underrepresented minority groups in STEM; and
(E)
how the success and effectiveness of the proposed reform effort will be evaluated and assessed in order to contribute to the national knowledge base about models for catalyzing institutional change.
(2)
Review of applications— In selecting grant recipients under this section, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall consider, at a minimum—
(A)
the likelihood of success of the proposed reform effort at the institution submitting the application, including the extent to which the faculty, staff, and administrators of the institution are committed to making the proposed institutional reform a priority of the participating academic unit or units;
(B)
the degree to which the proposed reform effort will contribute to change in institutional culture and policy such that greater value is placed on faculty engagement in the retention of students from underrepresented minority groups;
(C)
the likelihood that the institution will sustain or expand the proposed reform effort beyond the period of the grant; and
(D)
the degree to which evaluation and assessment plans are included in the design of the proposed reform effort.
(3)
Priority— For applications that include an expansion of existing reforms beyond a single academic unit, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall give priority to applications for which a senior institutional administrator, such as a dean or other administrator of equal or higher rank, serves as the principal investigator.
(4)
Grant distribution— The Director of the National Science Foundation shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that grants awarded under this section are made to a variety of types of institutions of higher education, including two-year and minority-serving institutions of higher education.
(e)
Education research—
(1)
In general— All grants made under this section shall include an education research component that will support the design and implementation of a system for data collection and evaluation of proposed reform efforts in order to build the knowledge base on promising models for increasing recruitment and retention of students from underrepresented minority groups in STEM education at the undergraduate level across a diverse set of institutions.
(2)
Dissemination— The Director of the National Science Foundation shall coordinate with relevant Federal agencies in disseminating the results of the research under this subsection to ensure that best practices in broadening participation in STEM education at the undergraduate level are made readily available to all institutions of higher education, other Federal agencies that support STEM programs, non-Federal funders of STEM education, and the general public.
(f)
Authorization of appropriations— There are authorized to be appropriated to the Director of the National Science Foundation $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018 to carry out this section.

Sec. 222 Definitions

(a)
This subtitle— In this subtitle:
(1)
Federal laboratory— The term Federal laboratory has the meaning given such term in section 4 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3703).
(2)
Federal science agency— The term Federal science agency means any Federal agency with at least $100,000,000 in research and development expenditures in fiscal year 2012.
(3)
Institution of higher education— The term institution of higher education has the meaning given such term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
(4)
STEM— The term STEM means science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, including computer science.
(b)
National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002— Section 4 of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n note) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating paragraph (16) as paragraph (17); and
(2)
by inserting after paragraph (15) the following new paragraph:

“(16) STEM—The term STEM means science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, including computer science.”