(a) In general

Taking into consideration the recommendations under section 18991(a)(4) of this title, the Director shall make awards, on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis, to establish multidisciplinary Centers for Transformative Education Research and Translation (in this section referred to as “Centers”) to support research and development on widespread and sustained implementation of STEM education innovations.

(b) Eligibility

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The entity seeking an award for a Center under this section must be an institution of higher education, a nonprofit organization, or a consortium of such institutions or organizations, which may include a STEM ecosystem.

(c) Application

An eligible entity under subsection (b) seeking an award under this section shall submit an application to the Director at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Director may require. The application shall include, at a minimum, a description of how the proposed Center will be used to—

(1) establish partnerships among academic institutions, local or State educational agencies, and other relevant stakeholders in supporting programs and activities to facilitate the widespread and sustained implementation of promising, evidence-based STEM education practices, models, programs, curriculum, and technologies;

(2) support enhanced STEM education infrastructure, including cyberlearning technologies, to facilitate the widespread adoption of promising, evidence-based practices;

(3) support research and development on scaling practices, partnerships, and alternative models to current approaches, including approaches sensitive to the unique combinations of capabilities, resources, and needs of varying localities, educators, and learners;

(4) include a focus on the learning needs of under-resourced schools and learners in low-resource or underachieving local educational agencies in urban and rural communities and the development of high-quality curriculum that engages these learners in the knowledge and practices of STEM fields;

(5) include a focus on the learning needs and unique challenges facing students with disabilities;

(6) support research, development, or education on one or more of the key technology focus areas;

(7) support research and development on scaling practices and models to support and sustain highly-qualified STEM educators in urban and rural communities; and

(8) at the discretion of the Director, any other requirements recommended in the study commissioned under section 18991(a) of this title.

(d) Additional considerations

In making an award under this section, the Director may also consider the extent to which the proposed Center will—

(1) leverage existing collaborations, tools, and strategies supported by the Foundation, including NSF INCLUDES and the Convergence Accelerators;

(2) support research on and the development and scaling of innovative approaches to distance learning and education for various student populations;

(3) support education innovations that leverage new technologies or deepen understanding of the impact of technology on educational systems; and

(4) include a commitment from local or State education administrators to making the proposed reforms and activities a priority.

(e) Partnership

In carrying out the program under this section, the Director shall explore opportunities to partner with the Department of Education, including through jointly funding activities under this section.

(f) Duration

Each award made under this section shall be for a duration of no more than 5 years.

(g) Annual meeting

The Director shall encourage and facilitate an annual meeting of the Centers, as appropriate, to foster collaboration among the Centers and to further disseminate the results of the Centers’ supported activities.

(h) Existing programs

The Director may use existing NSF programs to establish and execute this section.

(i) Report

Not later than 5 years after August 9, 2022, the Director shall submit to Congress and make widely available to the public a report that includes—

(1) a description of the focus and proposed goals of each Center;

(2) an assessment, based on a common set of benchmarks and tools, of the Centers’ success in helping to promote scalable solutions in PreK-12 STEM education; and

(3) any recommendations for administrative and legislative action that could optimize the effectiveness of the Centers established under this section.