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| PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 3647 | PRINTER'S NO. 3887 |
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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| HOUSE BILL |
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| INTRODUCED BY ROEBUCK, SHAPIRO, CLYMER, JOHNSON, THOMAS, CARROLL, LONGIETTI, YOUNGBLOOD, MILNE, TALLMAN, BELFANTI, BISHOP, CALTAGIRONE, COHEN, GODSHALL, GOODMAN, HALUSKA, JOSEPHS, KIRKLAND, KOTIK, KULA, MICCARELLI, PASHINSKI, READSHAW, SANTARSIERO, SIPTROTH, BRIGGS, GIBBONS, HARKINS, FRANKEL, RAPP, WHEATLEY, CREIGHTON AND HORNAMAN, APRIL 27, 2010 |
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| AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, JUNE 9, 2010 |
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| AN ACT |
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1 | Establishing the MESA Initiative; providing for duties of |
2 | Department of Education; and establishing the State MESA |
3 | Commission. |
4 | The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
5 | hereby enacts as follows: |
6 | Section 1. Short title. |
7 | This act shall be known and may be cited as the Pennsylvania |
8 | MESA Initiative Act. |
9 | Section 2. Definitions. |
10 | The following words and phrases when used in this act shall |
11 | have the meanings given to them in this section unless the |
12 | context clearly indicates otherwise: |
13 | "Commission." The State MESA Commission established under |
14 | section 4. |
15 | "Department." The Department of Education of the |
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1 | Commonwealth. |
2 | "MESA." Mathematics, engineering and science achievement. |
3 | "MESA Initiative." The program established under section 3 |
4 | to promote science, engineering and mathematics education. |
5 | "STEM." Science, technology, engineering and mathematics. |
6 | Section 3. MESA Initiative. |
7 | The MESA Initiative is hereby established as a program within |
8 | the department that shall seek to increase exposure, educational |
9 | motivation and achievement of students in science, engineering |
10 | and mathematics and build individual and regional capacity to |
11 | compete for STEM-based jobs in the global market with a |
12 | particular emphasis on students, parents, educators and |
13 | employers from urban and rural groups who have historically had |
14 | the lowest levels of high school diploma attainment and |
15 | participation in college and graduate education. |
16 | Section 4. Administration of MESA Initiative. |
17 | (a) Designation of administrative agency.--The department |
18 | shall administer the MESA Initiative, including Statewide MESA |
19 | funding, operations, regional groups, programs and evaluations, | <-- |
20 | with particular emphasis on goals related to diversity and |
21 | inclusion of underrepresented and economically disadvantaged |
22 | groups in all operational and programmatic activities. |
23 | (b) Coordination.--The department shall coordinate the |
24 | efforts of the Commonwealth agencies that relate to MESA |
25 | education from the kindergarten level through the graduate level |
26 | to avoid unnecessary duplication of initiatives and ensure |
27 | adherence to established guidelines. |
28 | (c) Structure of STEM MESA regions.--The department shall | <-- |
29 | work with the TEAM PA Foundation and the, the Pennsylvania Urban | <-- |
30 | STEM Strategy Group and no fewer than five established STEM MESA | <-- |
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1 | regions in this Commonwealth to create in each STEM region an | <-- |
2 | infrastructure for the MESA Initiative build on existing STEM- | <-- |
3 | based infrastructure to support not fewer than four professional |
4 | staff, 20 retired industry mentors mentor volunteers, 20 | <-- |
5 | certified MESA teacher-coordinators and 20 MESA-trained school | <-- |
6 | administrators in each MESA region. | <-- |
7 | (d) Duties.--The department shall have the following duties: |
8 | (1) Developing In conjunction with TEAM PA and the | <-- |
9 | Pennsylvania Urban STEM Strategy Group, developing annual |
10 | goals and objectives for improving implementing and ensuring | <-- |
11 | fidelity of MESA programs throughout this Commonwealth with |
12 | particular emphasis on regional economic and educational |
13 | needs. |
14 | (2) No later than 30 days after developing the goals and |
15 | objectives under paragraph (1): |
16 | (i) Disseminating the goals and objectives to the |
17 | State MESA Commission and the MESA regions. |
18 | (ii) Communicating the goals and objectives to all |
19 | relevant agencies of the Commonwealth and collaborative |
20 | regional entities. |
21 | (iii) Making the goals and objectives available to |
22 | the general public, particularly to stakeholders. |
23 | (3) Coordinating and facilitating communication and |
24 | cooperation among all MESA regions and assuring compliance |
25 | with established guidelines for the MESA Initiative. |
26 | (4) Conducting an ongoing inventory and assessment of |
27 | the effectiveness and coherence of efforts within the MESA |
28 | regions. |
29 | (5) Annually evaluating the progress and success of the |
30 | MESA regions at achieving the goals and objectives under |
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1 | paragraph (1). |
2 | (6) Consulting with the Commonwealth agencies when |
3 | developing policies and initiatives related to MESA. |
4 | (7) Strengthening partnerships between the national MESA |
5 | community, Federal, State and local governments and relevant |
6 | international partners. |
7 | (8) Conducting an annual meeting on the status of the |
8 | MESA Initiative, in conjunction with: |
9 | (i) Relevant State agencies. |
10 | (ii) The State MESA Commission, as hosting entity. |
11 | (iii) Other state MESA Initiatives. |
12 | (iv) Regional businesses and industries. |
13 | (v) The State System of Higher Education. |
14 | (vi) Education professionals from the kindergarten |
15 | through graduate levels. |
16 | (vii) Existing regional STEM groups. | <-- |
17 | (vii) (viii) Other relevant stakeholders. | <-- |
18 | Section 5. State MESA Commission. |
19 | (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established a State MESA |
20 | Commission to oversee the advancement of mathematics, |
21 | engineering, science and technology education. |
22 | (b) Membership.--The commission shall consist of the | <-- |
23 | following members no fewer than 20 members representing the | <-- |
24 | Commonwealth and reflecting the diversity of the target |
25 | audiences in each MESA region as follows: |
26 | (1) Not fewer than two representatives from each MESA |
27 | region appointed by the department. |
28 | (2) Elected officials, representatives of the department |
29 | and stakeholders as appointed by the department. |
30 | (3) Two members of the Pennsylvania Urban STEM Strategy | <-- |
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1 | Group. |
2 | (4) The chair of the Pennsylvania Urban STEM Strategy |
3 | Group. |
4 | (c) Study.--The commission shall evaluate and report to the |
5 | General Assembly annually on the following: |
6 | (1) Efficacy of Statewide MESA Initiatives. |
7 | (2) Effective utilization of MESA Initiative resources. |
8 | (3) Influence of the MESA Initiative on: |
9 | (i) Student STEM aptitudes, as measured by |
10 | standardized testing. |
11 | (ii) Teacher effectiveness. |
12 | (iii) STEM-based employment within MESA regions. |
13 | (d) Fiscal planning.--The commission shall propose a budget |
14 | for the MESA Initiative aligned with the goals developed under |
15 | section 4(d)(1). |
16 | (e) Meetings.--The commission shall meet no less often than |
17 | quarterly. |
18 | Section 6. Effective date. |
19 | This act shall take effect in 60 days. |
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