---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 7381l"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "7381l"
heading: "National Laboratories Centers of Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/7381l"
units:
  - "Chapter 84 — Department of Energy"
  - "Subchapter XIII — Department of Energy Science Education Programs"
  - "Part B — Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Education Programs"
  - "Subpart 3 — national laboratories centers of excellence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education"
---

# §7381l. National Laboratories Centers of Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education

- (a) **Definition of high-need public secondary school—** In this section, the term “high-need public secondary school” means a secondary school—
  - (1) in which 40 percent or more of the students attending the school are children from low-income families; or
  - (2) designated with a school locale code of 41, 42, or 43, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/42/7372.md?p=1) of Education.
- (b) **Establishment—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/7372.md?p=1) shall establish at each of the [National Laboratories](/usc/42/7381g.md?p=2) a program to support a Center of Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (referred to in this section as a “Center of Excellence”) in at least 1 high-need public secondary school located in the region served by the [National Laboratory](/usc/42/7381g.md?p=2) to provide assistance in accordance with [subsection (f)](#f).
- (c) **Collaboration—**
  - (1) **In general—** To comply with [subsection (g)](#g), each high-need public secondary school selected as a Center of Excellence and the [National Laboratory](/usc/42/7381g.md?p=2) shall form a partnership with a school, department, or program of education at an [institution of higher education](/usc/42/11851.md?p=7).
  - (2) **Nonprofit entities—** The partnership may include a [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) entity with demonstrated experience and effectiveness in science or mathematics, as agreed to by other members of the partnership.
- (d) **Selection—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/7372.md?p=1), acting through the [Director](/usc/42/7381g.md?p=1), shall establish criteria to guide the [National Laboratories](/usc/42/7381g.md?p=2) in selecting the sites for Centers of Excellence.
  - (2) **Process—** A [National Laboratory](/usc/42/7381g.md?p=2) shall select a site for a Center of Excellence through an open, widely-publicized, and competitive process.
- (e) **Goals—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/7372.md?p=1) shall establish goals and performance assessments for each Center of Excellence authorized under [subsection (b)](#b).
- (f) **Assistance—** Consistent with sections [7381b](/usc/42/7381b.md) and [7381c](/usc/42/7381c.md) of this title, the [Director](/usc/42/7381g.md?p=1) shall make available necessary assistance for a program established under this section through the use of scientific and engineering staff of a [National Laboratory](/usc/42/7381g.md?p=2), including the use of staff—
  - (1) to assist teachers in teaching a course at a Center of Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; and
  - (2) to use [National Laboratory](/usc/42/7381g.md?p=2) scientific equipment in the teaching of the course.
- (g) **Special rules—** A Center of Excellence in a region shall ensure—
  - (1) provision of clinical practicum, student teaching, or internship experiences for science, technology, and mathematics teacher candidates as part of the teacher preparation program of the Center of Excellence;
  - (2) provision of supervision and mentoring for teacher candidates in the teacher preparation program; and
  - (3) to the maximum extent practicable, provision of professional development for veteran teachers in the public secondary schools in the region.
- (h) **Evaluation—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/7372.md?p=1) shall consider the results of performance assessments required under [subsection (e)](#e) in determining the contract award fee of a [National Laboratory](/usc/42/7381g.md?p=2) management and operations contractor.
- (i) **Plan—** The [Director](/usc/42/7381g.md?p=1) shall—
  - (1) develop an evaluation and accountability plan for the activities funded under this section that objectively measures the impact of the activities; and
  - (2) disseminate information obtained from those measurements.
- (j) **No effect on similar programs—** Nothing in this section displaces or otherwise affects any similar program being carried out as of August 9, 2007, at any [National Laboratory](/usc/42/7381g.md?p=2) under any other provision of law.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 101–510, div. C, title XXXI, § 3181, as added Pub. L. 110–69, title V, § 5003(d)(3), Aug. 9, 2007, 121 Stat. 607; amended Pub. L. 114–95, title IX, § 9215(w), Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2171.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2015—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 114–95 substituted “in which 40 percent or more of the students attending the school are children from low-income families” for “with a high concentration of low-income individuals (as defined in section 6537 of title 20)”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2015 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 114–95 effective Dec. 10, 2015, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see section 5 of Pub. L. 114–95, set out as a note under section 6301 of Title 20, Education.