HR 885
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 885
To improve and expand geographic literacy among kindergarten through
grade 12 students in the United States by improving professional development
programs for kindergarten through grade 12 teachers offered through institutions
of higher education.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 2, 2011
Mr. VAN HOLLEN (for himself, Mr. PETRI, and Mr. WALZ of Minnesota) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the
Workforce
A BILL
To improve and expand geographic literacy among kindergarten through
grade 12 students in the United States by improving professional development
programs for kindergarten through grade 12 teachers offered through institutions
of higher education.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Teaching Geography is Fundamental Act'.
SEC. 2. GEOGRAPHY EDUCATION.
Title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021 et seq.) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
`PART D--GEOGRAPHY EDUCATION
`SEC. 271. FINDINGS.
`Congress makes the following findings:
`(1) Geographic literacy is essential to a well-prepared citizenry in the
21st century because geographic factors assume greater importance as the
world's economies, societies, and political structures grow more global
in scale.
`(2) In a recent National Geographic-Roper 9-country survey of geographic
literacy among young adults aged 18 through 24, Americans ranked second
to last. Only 13 percent of young adults ages 18 through 24 in the United
States were able to correctly identify Iraq on a map of Asia and the Middle
East.
`(3) The economic stature and competitiveness of the United States requires
increasingly sophisticated levels of geographic knowledge and mastery of
geographic tools.
`(4) The Department of Labor data identifies geotechnology as one of the
3 fastest growing employment fields serving industries such as insurance,
banking, real estate, forestry, and agriculture as well as Federal, State,
and local Governments.
`(5) The National Academy of Sciences urged creation of a national program
to improve the geographic competence of the United States general population
and the school age population.
`(6) Geography is defined as a `core academic subject' under the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
`(7) A recent National Geographic Society survey found that all 50 States
and the District of Columbia recognize geography in their curricula or content
standards, and an increasing number require geography for graduation and
include geography in mandated statewide assessments.
`(8) Seven of 10 educators responding to a National Geographic survey felt
their professional development opportunities in geography were inadequate
and half believed their schools had inadequate basic materials for teaching
geography.
`(9) The National Geographic Society has spent over 15 years pioneering
an extraordinarily effective national program for improving the teaching
of geography by engaging university faculty geographers and highly trained
teachers in State Geographic Alliances dedicated to providing high quality
professional development opportunities for kindergarten through grade 12
teachers.
`(10) More than 60 colleges and universities in all 50 States have received
grants from the National Geographic Society to support State Geographic
Alliances and their professional development programs. Alliance-trained
kindergarten through grade 12 teachers and their higher education partners
conduct workshops, develop localized teaching materials, and facilitate
communication among thousands of teachers whose responsibilities include
teaching of geography in various formats and grade levels.
`(11) A study by Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning that
assessed student academic achievement in geography on the National Assessment
of Educational Progress showed that students taught by Alliance-trained
teachers outperformed other students by almost 10 percent.
`SEC. 272. PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES.
`(a) Purpose- The purpose of this part is to promote geographic literacy and
improved understanding of global cultures among kindergarten through grade
12 students by expanding programs that employ the geographic knowledge and
expertise of faculty members in institutions of higher education for the benefit
of kindergarten through grade 12 teachers and to otherwise advance geographic
literacy.
`(b) Objectives- The objectives of this part are the following:
`(1) To increase students knowledge of, and achievement in, standards-based
geography to enable the students to become better informed and more productive
citizens.
`(2) To increase the number of highly qualified teachers of United States
and world geography and to enable the teachers to improve student mastery
of geographic principles and practical applications of those principles.
`(3) To encourage geographic education research, to develop and disseminate
effective instructional materials, and to promote replication of best practices
and exemplary programs that foster geographic literacy.
`(4) To assist States in measuring the impact of education in geography.
`(5) To leverage and expand private and public support for geography education
partnerships at national, State, and local levels.
`SEC. 273. GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
`The Secretary is authorized to award a grant to a national nonprofit educational
organization or a consortium of organizations (hereafter in this part referred
to as the `grantee') that has as its primary purpose the improvement of the
quality of student understanding of geography through effective teaching of
geography in the Nation's classrooms.
`SEC. 274. USE OF FUNDS.
`(a) Direct Activities- The grantee shall use not more than 25 percent of
the funds made available through the grant for a fiscal year--
`(1) to strengthen and expand the grantee's relationships with institutions
of higher education and with State educational agencies and local educational
agencies and other public and private organizations with a commitment to
geography education and the benefits of geography education;
`(2) to support and promote research-based training of teachers of geography
and related disciplines in kindergarten through grade 12 as a means of broadening
student knowledge of the world, including the dissemination of information
on effective practices and research findings concerning the teaching of
geography;
`(3) to support research on effective geography teaching practices and the
development of assessment instruments and strategies to document student
understanding of geography;
`(4) to convene national conferences on geography education to assess the
current state of geographic literacy and to identify strategies for improvement;
and
`(5) to develop and disseminate appropriate research-based materials to
foster geographic literacy.
`(1) IN GENERAL- The grantee shall use not more than 75 percent of the funds
made available through the grant for a fiscal year to award subgrants to
eligible recipients.
`(2) ELIGIBLE RECIPIENT DEFINED- In this part the term `eligible recipient'
means an institution of higher education associated with--
`(A) a State geographic alliance;
`(B) a nonprofit educational organization;
`(C) a State educational agency or local educational agency; or
`(D) a partnership between or among an alliance, organization, or agency
described in subparagraph (A), (B) or (C).
`(3) SUBGRANT USES OF FUNDS- Eligible recipients shall use the subgrant
funds for 1 or more of the following purposes:
`(A) Conducting teacher training programs that use effective and research-based
approaches to the teaching of geography at the kindergarten through grade
12 level.
`(B) Applying Geographic Information System (GIS) or other geographic
technological tools to the teaching of geography.
`(C) Applying Internet and other distance learning technology to the teaching
of geography or to the continuing education of teachers.
`(D) Promoting rigorous academic standards and assessment techniques to
guide and measure student performance in geography.
`(E) Promoting research in geography education, emphasizing research that
leads to improving student achievement.
`(F) Carrying out local, field-based activities for teachers and students
to improve their knowledge of the concepts and tools of geography while
enhancing understanding of their home region.
`(G) Promoting comparative studies of world cultures, economies, and environments.
`(H) Encouraging replication of best practices and model programs to promote
geographic literacy.
`(I) Developing and disseminating effective, research-based geography
learning materials.
`(J) Convening State-based conferences to assess the state of geographic
literacy and to identify strategies for improvement.
`SEC. 275. APPLICATIONS.
`(a) Grantee Applications- To be eligible to receive a grant under this part,
a grantee shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such
manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require.
`(b) Eligible Recipient Applications-
`(1) SUBMISSION- To be eligible to receive a subgrant under this part, an
eligible recipient shall submit an application to a grantee at such time,
in such manner and accompanied by such information as the grantee may require.
`(A) IN GENERAL- A grantee shall invite individuals described in subparagraph
(B) to review all applications from eligible recipients for a subgrant
under this section and to make recommendations to the grantee regarding
the approval of the applications.
`(B) REVIEWERS- The individuals referred to in subparagraph (A) are the
following:
`(i) Leaders in the field of geography education.
`(ii) Such other individuals as the grantee may determine are necessary
or desirable.
`SEC. 276. REQUIREMENTS.
`(a) Administrative Costs- A grantee receiving a grant under this part for
a fiscal year, and each eligible recipient receiving a subgrant under this
part for a fiscal year, may use not more than 15 percent of the funds made
available through the grant or subgrant, respectively, for administrative
costs.
`(b) Matching Requirements-
`(1) IN GENERAL- In order to be eligible to receive a subgrant under this
part an eligible recipient shall agree in the application submitted under
section 275(b) to provide matching funds towards the costs of the activities
assisted under the subgrant.
`(2) AMOUNT- An eligible recipient shall provide matching funds in an amount
equal to 20 percent of the subgrant funds received under this part for the
second and each succeeding fiscal year for which subgrant payments are made.
`(3) SOURCE OF MATCHING FUNDS- Matching funds may be provided in cash or
in kind, fairly evaluated, including facilities, staffing salaries, and
educational materials.
`SEC. 277. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
`There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part $15,000,000
for fiscal year 2012 and each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.'.
END
