The U.S. House of Representatives approved two bills on Tuesday aimed at strengthening research, and improving and supporting the national corps of math and science teachers.
Specifically, H.R. 362, the Science and Math Scholarship Act, and H.R. 363, the Sowing the Seeds through Science and Engineering Research Act, are designed to help eliminate the shortage of skilled workers in the U.S.
Authored by Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN), Chairman of the House Science & Technology Committee, both bills are based on the recommendations of the National Academy of Science's "Rising Above the Gathering Storm" report, which found that the U.S. stands to lose its competitive edge in the international economy unless immediate action is taken.
"That report told us that now is the time to take bold steps to ensure that our children are prepared for the jobs of the future and that our nation can continue to compete in the global economy," Gordon said in a statement.
The '10,000 Teachers' Bill
H.R. 362, also known as the "10,000 Teachers" bill, would establish programs at universities to recruit strong students majoring in science, math, and engineering into careers in teaching, and provide those students with specialized education courses. Students would receive scholarships amounting to $10,000 per year.
The bill also would provide in-service training to math and science teachers to improve content knowledge and teaching skills through specially tailored master's degree programs and summer institutes. Finally, the bill would strengthen existing programs at universities designed to expand the pool of undergraduate students who will become the next generation of scientists, technologists, engineers, and mathematicians.
Gordon offered an amendment to the bill that would establish public-private partnerships to entice professionals in science or engineering to enter teaching as a second career through stipends to obtain teaching certification and salary supplements provided by the private sector partners for their first four years in teaching. The amendment was accepted.
The 'Sowing the Seeds' Bill
The second bill, H.R. 363, would provide grant awards through the National Science Foundation and Department of Energy to support  early-career researchers in academia and in nonprofit research organizations. It would provide graduate research assistantships in multidisciplinary fields of national need, establish a presidential innovation award to stimulate scientific and engineering advances, and establish a national coordination office to prioritize university and national research infrastructure needs. (continued...)
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