HR 1130 IH

To establish a research program at the National Science Foundation to quantify the relationship between the physical characteristics of elementary and secondary schools and student academic achievement in those schools, and for other purposes.

March 20, 2001

Mr. UDALL of Colorado (for himself, Mr. ETHERIDGE, and Mr. HONDA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science

To establish a research program at the National Science Foundation to quantify the relationship between the physical characteristics of elementary and secondary schools and student academic achievement in those schools, and for other purposes.

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 `High Performance Schools Research Act'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds that--

(1) the physical plant of the Nation's elementary and secondary schools is inadequate;

(2) in a 1995 study the General Accounting Office estimated the overall price tag to repair and upgrade school facilities to be $112,000,000,000;

(3) there is evidence that educational achievement suffers for students in shabby school buildings and that some specific environmental factors, such as noise level and type of lighting, can significantly affect student learning;

(4) the details of the linkages between the specific characteristics of the physical environment of a school and student learning in the school have not been quantified satisfactorily; and

(5) to guide future investments in new and upgraded school facilities, a focused research effort is needed to determine rigorously how specific physical characteristics of school buildings influence student learning and which physical characteristics are most important for creating a positive learning environment.

SEC. 3. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

The Director of the National Science Foundation (in this Act referred to as the `Director') shall establish a competitive, merit-based research program to investigate how the characteristics of the physical environment of elementary and secondary schools affect student educational achievement.

SEC. 4. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.

(a) RESEARCH PROJECTS- Awards made under section 3 shall be for research projects that focus on the quantification of the effects on student educational achievement of lighting, noise, temperature and ventilation, general upkeep, and other characteristics of the physical environment of school classrooms. The research projects shall be designed to separate the effects of the key variables that influence student educational achievement in order to isolate the effects of the environmental variables.

(b) ASSESSMENTS- For awards made under section 3, the Director shall ensure that each research project specifies appropriate procedures to make assessments of student educational achievement. Such assessments shall be carried out over a multiyear period.

(c) DISSEMINATION OF FINDINGS- The Director may sponsor and support workshops, conferences, and dedicated web sites to disseminate information to school administrators about the findings of research projects carried out under section 3.

SEC. 5. GUIDELINES, PROCEDURES, AND CRITERIA.

The Director shall establish and publish application and selection guidelines, procedures, and criteria for the program established under section 3.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation to carry out this Act $2,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2002, 2003, and 2004.

END