# § 7381l. National Laboratories Centers of Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education
**(a)** **Definition of high-need public secondary school** In this section, the term “high-need public secondary school” means a secondary school—
**(1)** in which 40 percent or more of the students attending the school are children from low-income families; or
**(2)** designated with a school locale code of 41, 42, or 43, as determined by the Secretary of Education.
**(b)** **Establishment** The Secretary shall establish at each of the National Laboratories a program to support a Center of Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (referred to in this section as a “Center of Excellence”) in at least 1 high-need public secondary school located in the region served by the National Laboratory to provide assistance in accordance with subsection (f).
**(c)** **Collaboration**
**(1)** **In general** To comply with subsection (g), each high-need public secondary school selected as a Center of Excellence and the National Laboratory shall form a partnership with a school, department, or program of education at an institution of higher education.
**(2)** **Nonprofit entities** The partnership may include a nonprofit entity with demonstrated experience and effectiveness in science or mathematics, as agreed to by other members of the partnership.
**(d)** **Selection**
**(1)** **In general** The Secretary, acting through the Director, shall establish criteria to guide the National Laboratories in selecting the sites for Centers of Excellence.
**(2)** **Process** A National Laboratory shall select a site for a Center of Excellence through an open, widely-publicized, and competitive process.
**(e)** **Goals** The Secretary shall establish goals and performance assessments for each Center of Excellence authorized under subsection (b).
**(f)** **Assistance** Consistent with sections 7381b and 7381c of this title, the Director shall make available necessary assistance for a program established under this section through the use of scientific and engineering staff of a National Laboratory, including the use of staff—
**(1)** to assist teachers in teaching a course at a Center of Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; and
**(2)** to use National Laboratory scientific equipment in the teaching of the course.
**(g)** **Special rules** A Center of Excellence in a region shall ensure—
**(1)** provision of clinical practicum, student teaching, or internship experiences for science, technology, and mathematics teacher candidates as part of the teacher preparation program of the Center of Excellence;
**(2)** provision of supervision and mentoring for teacher candidates in the teacher preparation program; and
**(3)** to the maximum extent practicable, provision of professional development for veteran teachers in the public secondary schools in the region.
**(h)** **Evaluation** The Secretary shall consider the results of performance assessments required under subsection (e) in determining the contract award fee of a National Laboratory management and operations contractor.
**(i)** **Plan** The Director shall—
**(1)** develop an evaluation and accountability plan for the activities funded under this section that objectively measures the impact of the activities; and
**(2)** disseminate information obtained from those measurements.
**(j)** **No effect on similar programs** August 9, 2007
Nothing in this section displaces or otherwise affects any similar program being carried out as of , at any National Laboratory under any other provision of law.
---
**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 101–510, div. C, title XXXI, § 3181, as added Pub. L. 110–69, title V, § 5003(d)(3), Aug. 9, 2007, 121 Stat. 607; amended Pub. L. 114–95, title IX, § 9215(w), Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2171.)
## Editorial Notes
### Amendments
2015—Subsec. (a)(1). substituted “in which 40 percent or more of the students attending the school are children from low-income families” for “with a high concentration of low-income individuals (as defined in )”.
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date of 2015 Amendment
Amendment by effective , except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see , set out as a note under , Education.