PRINTER'S NO. 547
No. 472 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY ROBBINS, SCARNATI, C. WILLIAMS, ORIE, O'PAKE,
RHOADES, COSTA, CORMAN, LAVALLE, TOMLINSON, KITCHEN, PUNT,
BOSCOLA, MADIGAN, LOGAN, PICCOLA, WOZNIAK, D. WHITE,
TARTAGLIONE, ERICKSON, STOUT, M. WHITE, REGOLA, GREENLEAF,
GORDNER, RAFFERTY, BROWNE, BAKER, FERLO, BRUBAKER AND
FONTANA, MARCH 19, 2007
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, MARCH 19, 2007
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2 act relating to the public school system, including certain
3 provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4 schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5 laws relating thereto," establishing the Science Technology
6 Partnership Program; and providing for State grants.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
10 as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding an
11 article to read:
12 ARTICLE XV-F
13 SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIPS
14 Section 1501-F. Scope.
15 This article relates to science technology partnerships.
16 Section 1502-F. Definitions.
17 The following words and phrases when used in this article
18 shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
1 context clearly indicates otherwise:
2 "Department." The Department of Education of the
3 Commonwealth.
4 "Higher education institution." Any public or private two-
5 year or four-year or higher postsecondary institution in this
6 Commonwealth that has been accredited at the college level by an
7 accrediting agency recognized by the United States Secretary of
8 Education.
9 "Nonpublic school." A school, other than a public school
10 within this Commonwealth, wherein a resident of this
11 Commonwealth may legally fulfill the compulsory school
12 attendance requirements of this act and which meets the
13 requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Public
14 Law 88-352, 78 Stat. 241).
15 "Program." The Science Technology Partnership Program
16 established in section 1503-F.
17 "Public school." Any school owned or operated by a public
18 school district established under this act, including any school
19 established pursuant to Article XVII-A.
20 "School." A public or nonpublic school.
21 "Science technology partnership" or "partnership." A science
22 technology partnership established under section 1504-F.
23 "Scientific or technical equipment." Technical or electronic
24 equipment used in teaching science courses, including laboratory
25 equipment. The equipment may include equipment that is not
26 routinely used in the teaching of science but that is commonly
27 used in the workplace and the fields of health, environment,
28 scientific research, biology, chemistry, geology or other earth
29 sciences, physics or any other scientific field.
30 "Secretary." The Secretary of Education of the Commonwealth.
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1 Section 1503-F. Science Technology Partnership Program.
2 (a) Establishment.--The Science Technology Partnership
3 Program is hereby established. The purpose of the program shall
4 be to improve science education in schools and school districts
5 that are members of science technology partnerships by:
6 (1) Making scientific or technical equipment available
7 to students.
8 (2) Augmenting the science curriculum.
9 (3) Providing additional professional development
10 opportunities to educators in the sciences.
11 (b) Administration.--The department shall administer a grant
12 program that awards grants to qualified higher education
13 institutions that are members of the science technology
14 partnerships.
15 (c) Criteria for funding.--To implement the program, the
16 department shall request proposals from higher education
17 institutions that are members of science technology
18 partnerships. To receive a grant under subsection (d), an
19 institution must meet all of the following criteria:
20 (1) Have established a partnership consistent with the
21 requirements of section 1504-F and provided a copy of the
22 partnership agreement to the department.
23 (2) Demonstrate how the partnership will make science
24 technology equipment available to students enrolled in
25 schools that are partnership members.
26 (3) Demonstrate how the partnership will augment the
27 science curriculum of schools that are partnership members.
28 (4) Demonstrate how the partnership will provide
29 additional professional development opportunities to
30 educators employed by schools or school districts that are
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1 partnership members.
2 (5) Have adopted a proposed budget describing the
3 scientific and technical equipment that will be purchased or
4 leased with grant funds.
5 (d) Grant awards.--The department shall award grants to
6 higher education institutions that meet the criteria for funding
7 under subsection (c). Grants shall be used for the purchase or
8 lease of scientific or technical equipment and for the
9 development of programs of instruction for members of a
10 partnership.
11 Section 1504-F. Science technology partnerships.
12 (a) Establishment.--A higher education institution may form
13 a partnership with schools or school districts and may
14 subcontract with a nonprofit organization in order to implement
15 the partnership agreement under subsection (b). A partnership
16 must include a minimum of three public schools or school
17 districts.
18 (b) Partnership agreement.--The higher education institution
19 and the schools or school districts shall enter into a written
20 agreement defining the responsibilities of the partnership
21 members. The agreement shall include all of the following:
22 (1) The responsibilities of the higher education
23 institution in providing services to each partnership member.
24 (2) The responsibilities of the schools or school
25 districts in coordinating with the higher education
26 institution.
27 (3) A description of the scientific or technical
28 equipment that will be provided to each partnership member.
29 (4) A description of the program of instruction that
30 will be provided to each partnership member by the higher
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1 education institution.
2 (5) The courses of science instruction and grade levels
3 that will be augmented by scientific or technical equipment
4 through the partnership and how scientific or technical
5 equipment will be used to augment such courses of
6 instruction.
7 (6) The manner in which access to scientific or
8 technical equipment will be provided to students and
9 teachers.
10 (7) The professional development activities that will be
11 provided to science teachers employed by partnership members.
12 (c) Forward to department.--To be eligible to participate in
13 the program, a partnership must forward a certified copy of its
14 partnership agreement to the department.
15 Section 1505-F. Powers and duties of department.
16 The department shall promulgate rules, regulations and
17 procedures necessary to implement the program.
18 Section 1506-F. Annual report.
19 The secretary shall annually submit a report on the program
20 to the Governor, the chairman and minority chairman of the
21 Education Committee of the Senate and the chairman and minority
22 chairman of the Education Committee of the House of
23 Representatives. The report shall include all of the following
24 information:
25 (1) A description of the types of the partnerships
26 created.
27 (2) The number of higher education institutions, schools
28 and school districts participating in the program as members
29 of the partnerships.
30 (3) The number of students participating in the program.
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1 (4) The dollar amount of grants awarded to each higher
2 education institution and a summary of the institution's
3 expenditures on services related to the partnership.
4 (5) An assessment of the impact of the program on the
5 scientific knowledge of students participating in the
6 program.
7 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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