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U.S. Code as of:
01/19/04
Section 1862n-1. Robert Noyce Scholarship Program
(a) Scholarship program
(1) In general
The Director shall carry out a program to award grants to
institutions of higher education (or consortia of such
institutions) to provide scholarships, stipends, and programming
designed to recruit and train mathematics and science teachers.
Such program shall be known as the "Robert Noyce Scholarship
Program".
(2) Merit review
Grants shall be provided under this subsection on a
competitive, merit-reviewed basis.
(3) Use of grants
Grants provided under this section shall be used by
institutions of higher education or consortia -
(A) to develop and implement a program to encourage top
college juniors and seniors majoring in mathematics, science,
and engineering at the grantee's institution to become
mathematics and science teachers, through -
(i) administering scholarships in accordance with
subsection (c) of this section;
(ii) offering programs to help scholarship recipients to
teach in elementary schools and secondary schools, including
programs that will result in teacher certification or
licensing; and
(iii) offering programs to scholarship recipients, both
before and after they receive their baccalaureate degree, to
enable the recipients to become better mathematics and
science teachers, to fulfill the service requirements of this
section, and to exchange ideas with others in their fields;
or
(B) to develop and implement a program to encourage science,
mathematics, or engineering professionals to become mathematics
and science teachers, through -
(i) administering stipends in accordance with subsection
(d) of this section;
(ii) offering programs to help stipend recipients obtain
teacher certification or licensing; and
(iii) offering programs to stipend recipients, both during
and after matriculation in the program for which the stipend
is received, to enable recipients to become better
mathematics and science teachers, to fulfill the service
requirements of this section, and to exchange ideas with
others in their fields.
(b) Selection process
(1) Application
An institution of higher education or consortium seeking
funding 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) a description of the scholarship or stipend program that
the applicant intends to operate, including the number of
scholarships or the size and number of stipends the applicant
intends to award, and the selection process that will be used
in awarding the scholarships or stipends;
(B) evidence that the applicant has the capability to
administer the scholarship or stipend program in accordance
with the provisions of this section; and
(C) a description of the programming that will be offered to
scholarship or stipend recipients during and after their
matriculation in the program for which the scholarship or
stipend is received.
(2) Review of applications
In evaluating the applications submitted under paragraph (1),
the Director shall consider, at a minimum -
(A) the ability of the applicant to effectively carry out the
program;
(B) the extent to which the applicant is committed to making
the program a central organizational focus;
(C) the degree to which the proposed programming will enable
scholarship or stipend recipients to become successful
mathematics and science teachers;
(D) the number and quality of the students that will be
served by the program; and
(E) the ability of the applicant to recruit students who
would otherwise not pursue a career in teaching.
(c) Scholarship requirements
(1) In general
Scholarships under this section shall be available only to
students who are -
(A) majoring in science, mathematics, or engineering; and
(B) in the last 2 years of a baccalaureate degree program.
(2) Selection
Individuals shall be selected to receive scholarships primarily
on the basis of academic merit, with consideration given to
financial need and to the goal of promoting the participation of
individuals identified in section 1885a or 1885b of this title.
(3) Amount
The Director shall establish for each year the amount to be
awarded for scholarships under this section for that year, which
shall be not less than $7,500 per year, except that no individual
shall receive for any year more than the cost of attendance at
that individual's institution. Individuals may receive a maximum
of 2 years of scholarship support.
(4) Service obligation
If an individual receives a scholarship, that individual shall
be required to complete, within 6 years after graduation from the
baccalaureate degree program for which the scholarship was
awarded, 2 years of service as a mathematics or science teacher
for each year a scholarship was received. Service required under
this paragraph shall be performed in a high-need local
educational agency.
(d) Stipends
(1) In general
Stipends under this section shall be available only to
mathematics, science, and engineering professionals who, while
receiving the stipend, are enrolled in a program to receive
certification or licensing to teach.
(2) Selection
Individuals shall be selected to receive stipends under this
section primarily on the basis of academic merit, with
consideration given to financial need and to the goal of
promoting the participation of individuals identified in section
1885a or 1885b of this title.
(3) Duration
Individuals may receive a maximum of 1 year of stipend support.
(4) Service obligation
If an individual receives a stipend under this section, that
individual shall be required to complete, within 6 years after
graduation from the program for which the stipend was awarded, 2
years of service as a mathematics or science teacher for each
year a stipend was received. Service required under this
paragraph shall be performed in a high-need local educational
agency.
(e) Conditions of support
As a condition of acceptance of a scholarship or stipend under
this section, a recipient shall enter into an agreement with the
institution of higher education -
(1) accepting the terms of the scholarship or stipend pursuant
to subsections (c) and (g) of this section, or subsection (d) of
this section;
(2) agreeing to provide the awarding institution of higher
education with annual certification of employment and up-to-date
contact information and to participate in surveys provided by the
institution of higher education as part of an ongoing assessment
program; and
(3) establishing that any scholarship recipient shall be liable
to the United States for any amount that is required to be repaid
in accordance with the provisions of subsection (g) of this
section.
(f) Collection for noncompliance
(1) Monitoring compliance
An institution of higher education (or consortium thereof)
receiving a grant under this section shall, as a condition of
participating in the program, enter into an agreement with the
Director to monitor the compliance of scholarship and stipend
recipients with their respective service requirements.
(2) Collection of repayment
(A) In the event that a scholarship recipient is required to
repay the scholarship under subsection (g) of this section, the
institution shall be responsible for collecting the repayment
amounts.
(B) Except as provided in subparagraph (C), any such repayment
shall be returned to the Treasury of the United States.
(C) A grantee may retain a percentage of any repayment it
collects to defray administrative costs associated with the
collection. The Director shall establish a single, fixed
percentage that will apply to all grantees.
(g) Failure to complete service obligation
(1) General rule
If an individual who has received a scholarship under this
section -
(A) fails to maintain an acceptable level of academic
standing in the educational institution in which the individual
is enrolled, as determined by the Director;
(B) is dismissed from such educational institution for
disciplinary reasons;
(C) withdraws from the baccalaureate degree program for which
the award was made before the completion of such program;
(D) declares that the individual does not intend to fulfill
the service obligation under this section; or
(E) fails to fulfill the service obligation of the individual
under this section,
such individual shall be liable to the United States as provided
in paragraph (2).
(2) Amount of repayment
(A) If a circumstance described in paragraph (1) occurs before
the completion of one year of a service obligation under this
section, the United States shall be entitled to recover from the
individual, within one year after the date of the occurrence of
such circumstance, an amount equal to -
(i) the total amount of awards received by such individual
under this section; plus
(ii) the interest on the amounts of such awards which would
be payable if at the time the awards were received they were
loans bearing interest at the maximum legal prevailing rate, as
determined by the Treasurer of the United States,
multiplied by 2.
(B) If a circumstance described in paragraph (1)(D) or (E)
occurs after the completion of one year of a service obligation
under this section, the United States shall be entitled to
recover from the individual, within one year after the date of
the occurrence of such circumstance, an amount equal to the total
amount of awards received by such individual under this section
minus 1/2 of the amount of the award received per year for each
full year of service completed, plus the interest on such amounts
which would be payable if at the time the amounts were received
they were loans bearing interest at the maximum legal prevailing
rate, as determined by the Treasurer of the United States.
(3) Exceptions
The Director may provide for the partial or total waiver or
suspension of any service or payment obligation by an individual
under this section whenever compliance by the individual with the
obligation is impossible or would involve extreme hardship to the
individual, or if enforcement of such obligation with respect to
the individual would be unconscionable.
(h) Data collection
Institutions or consortia receiving grants under this section
shall supply to the Director any relevant statistical and
demographic data on scholarship recipients and stipend recipients
the Director may request, including information on employment
required by subsection (e) of this section.
(i) Definitions
In this section -
(1) the term "cost of attendance" has the meaning given such
term in section 1087ll of title 20;
(2) the term "mathematics and science teacher" means a
mathematics, science, or technology teacher at the elementary
school or secondary school level;
(3) the term "mathematics, science, or engineering
professional" means a person who holds a baccalaureate, masters,
or doctoral degree in science, mathematics, or engineering and is
working in that field or a related area;
(4) the term "scholarship" means an award under subsection (c)
of this section; and
(5) the term "stipend" means an award under subsection (d) of
this section.
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