HR 4150 — Innovate America Act

(a) Scholarship program (1) In general The Director shall carry out a program to award grants to eligible entities to recruit and train mathematics and science teachers and to provide scholarships and stipends to individuals participating in the program. Such program shall be known as the “Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program”. (2) Merit review Grants shall be provided under this section on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis. (3) Use of grants A grant provided under this section shall be used by the eligible entity— (A) to develop and implement a program to recruit and prepare undergraduate students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics at the eligible entity (and participating institutions of higher education of the consortium, if applicable) to become qualified as mathematics and science teachers, through— (i) administering scholarships in accordance with subsection (c); (ii) offering academic courses and early clinical teaching experiences designed to prepare students participating in the program to teach in elementary schools and secondary schools, including such preparation as is necessary to meet requirements for teacher certification or licensing; (iii) offering programs to students participating in the program, both before and after the students receive their baccalaureate degree, to enable the students to become better mathematics and science teachers, to fulfill the service requirements of this section, and to exchange ideas with others in the students’ fields; and (iv) providing summer internships for freshman and sophomore students participating in the program, including research experiences at national laboratories and NASA centers; or (B) to develop and implement a program to recruit and prepare science, technology, engineering, or mathematics professionals to become qualified as mathematics and science teachers, through— (i) administering stipends in accordance with subsection (d); (ii) offering academic courses and clinical teaching experiences designed to prepare stipend recipients to teach in elementary schools and secondary schools served by a high need local educational agency, including such preparation as is necessary to meet requirements for teacher certification or licensing; and (iii) offering programs to stipend recipients, both during and after matriculation in the program for which the stipend is received, to enable recipients to become better mathematics and science teachers, to fulfill the service requirements of this section, and to exchange ideas with others in the students’ fields. (4) Eligibility requirement (A) In general To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall ensure that specific faculty members and staff from the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics departments and specific education faculty of the eligible entity (and participating institutions of higher education of the consortium, if applicable) are designated to carry out the development and implementation of the program. (B) Inclusion of master teachers An eligible entity (and participating institutions of higher education of the consortium, if applicable) receiving a grant under this section may also include master teachers in the development of the pedagogical content of the program and in the supervision of students participating in the program in their clinical teaching experiences. (C) Active participants No eligible entity (or participating institution of higher education of the consortium, if applicable) shall be eligible for a grant under this section unless faculty from the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics departments of the eligible entity (and participating institutions of higher education of the consortium, if applicable) are active participants in the program. (5) Awards In awarding grants under this section, the Director shall ensure that the eligible entities (and participating institutions of higher education of the con...