§ 7381a. Science education programs
(a)
Programs
The Secretary is authorized to establish programs to enhance the quality of mathematics, science, and engineering education. Any such programs shall be operated at or through the support of Department research and development facilities, shall use the scientific resources of the Department, and shall be consistent with the overall Federal plan for education and human resources in science and technology developed by the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology.
(b)
Organization of science, engineering, and mathematics education programs
(1)
Director of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Education
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science (referred to in this subsection as the “Under Secretary”), shall appoint a Director of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Education (referred to in this subsection as the “Director”) with the principal responsibility for administering science, engineering, and mathematics education programs across all functions of the Department.
(2)
Qualifications
The Director shall be an individual, who by reason of professional background and experience, is specially qualified to advise the Under Secretary on all matters pertaining to science, engineering, and mathematics education at the Department.
(3)
Duties
The Director shall—
(B)
represent the Department as the principal interagency liaison for all science, engineering, and mathematics education programs, unless otherwise represented by the Secretary or the Under Secretary;
(C)
prepare the annual budget and advise the Under Secretary on all budgetary issues for science, engineering, and mathematics education programs of the Department;
(4)
Staff and other resources
The Secretary shall assign to the Director such personnel and other resources as the Secretary considers necessary to permit the Director to carry out the duties of the Director.
(5)
Assessment
(A)
In general
The Secretary shall offer to enter into a contract with the National Academy of Sciences under which the National Academy, not later than 5 years after, and not later than 10 years after, August 9, 2007, shall assess the performance of the science, engineering, and mathematics education programs of the Department.
(c)
Relationship to other Department activities
The programs described in subsection (a) of this section shall supplement and be coordinated with current activities of the Department, but shall not supplant them.
(d)
Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Education Fund
The Secretary shall establish a Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Education Fund, using not less than 0.3 percent of the amount made available to the Department for research, development, demonstration, and commercial application for each fiscal year, to carry out sections
7381b,
7381c, and
7381c–1 of this title.
(e)
Annual plan for allocation of education funding
The Secretary shall submit to Congress as part of the annual budget submission for a fiscal year a report describing the manner in which the Department has complied with subsection (d) for the prior fiscal year and the manner in which the Department proposes to comply with subsection (d) during the following fiscal year, including—
(1)
the total amount of funding for research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities for the corresponding fiscal year;
(f)
Programs for students from under-represented groups
In carrying out a program under subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary shall give priority to activities that are designed to encourage students from under-represented groups to pursue scientific and technical careers.