[114th Congress Public Law 59]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[[Page 539]]
STEM EDUCATION ACT OF 2015
[[Page 129 STAT. 540]]
Public Law 114-59
114th Congress
An Act
To define STEM education to include computer science, and to support
existing STEM education programs at the National Science
Foundation. <<NOTE: Oct. 7, 2015 - [H.R. 1020]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: STEM Education
Act of 2015. 42 USC 1861 note.>>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``STEM Education Act of 2015''.
SEC. 2. <<NOTE: 42 USC 6621 note.>> DEFINITION OF STEM EDUCATION.
For purposes of carrying out STEM education activities at the
National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, the National Institute of Standards and
Technology, and the Environmental Protection Agency, the term ``STEM
education'' means education in the subjects of science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics, including computer science.
SEC. 3. <<NOTE: 42 USC 1862q.>> INFORMAL STEM EDUCATION.
(a) Grants.--The Director of the National Science Foundation,
through the Directorate for Education and Human Resources, shall
continue to award competitive, merit-reviewed grants to support--
(1) research and development of innovative out-of-school
STEM learning and emerging STEM learning environments in order
to improve STEM learning outcomes and engagement in STEM; and
(2) research that advances the field of informal STEM
education.
(b) Uses of Funds.--Activities supported by grants under this
section may encompass a single STEM discipline, multiple STEM
disciplines, or integrative STEM initiatives and shall include--
(1) research and development that improves our understanding
of learning and engagement in informal environments, including
the role of informal environments in broadening participation in
STEM; and
(2) design and testing of innovative STEM learning models,
programs, and other resources for informal learning environments
to improve STEM learning outcomes and increase engagement for K-
12 students, K-12 teachers, and the general public, including
design and testing of the scalability of models, programs, and
other resources.
SEC. 4. NOYCE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AMENDMENTS.
(a) Amendments.--Section 10A of the National Science Foundation
Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n-1a) is amended--
[[Page 129 STAT. 541]]
(1) in subsection (a)(2)(B), by inserting ``or bachelor's''
after ``master's'';
(2) in subsection (c)--
(A) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph
(2)(B);
(B) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by inserting ``for teachers with master's
degrees in their field'' after ``Teaching
Fellowships''; and
(ii) by striking the period at the end of
subparagraph (B) and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
``(4) in the case of National Science Foundation Master
Teaching Fellowships for teachers with bachelor's degrees in
their field and working toward a master's degree--
``(A) offering academic courses leading to a
master's degree and leadership training to prepare
individuals to become master teachers in elementary and
secondary schools; and
``(B) offering programs both during and after
matriculation in the program for which the fellowship is
received to enable fellows to become highly effective
mathematics and science teachers, including mentoring,
training, induction, and professional development
activities, to fulfill the service requirements of this
section, including the requirements of subsection (e),
and to exchange ideas with others in their fields.'';
(3) in subsections (e) and (f), by striking ``subsection
(g)'' each place it appears, and inserting ``subsection (h)'';
(4) by redesignating subsections (g) through (i) as
subsections (h) through (j), respectively; and
(5) by inserting after subsection (f) the following new
subsection:
``(g) Support for Master Teaching Fellows While Enrolled in a
Master's Degree Program.--A National Science Foundation Master Teacher
Fellow may receive a maximum of 1 year of fellowship support while
enrolled in a master's degree program as described in subsection
(c)(4)(A), except that if such fellow is enrolled in a part-time
program, such amount shall be prorated according to the length of the
program.''.
(b) Definition.--Section 10(i)(5) of the National Science Foundation
Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n-1(i)(5))
[[Page 129 STAT. 542]]
is amended by inserting ``computer science,'' after ``means a
science,''.
Approved October 7, 2015.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 1020:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
SENATE REPORTS: No. 114-115 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 161 (2015):
Feb. 24, 25, considered and passed House.
Sept. 24, considered and passed Senate, amended.
Oct. 1, House concurred in Senate amendment.
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