National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2008/Title VII

TITLE VII--EDUCATION

SEC. 701. RESPONSE TO REVIEW.

(a) Plan- The Administrator shall prepare a plan identifying actions taken or planned in response to the recommendations of the National Academies report, `NASA's Elementary and Secondary Education Program: Review and Critique'. For those actions that have not been implemented, the plan shall include a schedule and budget required to support the actions.

(b) Report- The plan prepared under subsection (a) shall be transmitted to the Committee on Science and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 702. EXTERNAL REVIEW OF EXPLORER SCHOOLS PROGRAM.

(a) Review- The Administrator shall make arrangements for an independent external review of the Explorer Schools program to evaluate its goals, status, plans, and accomplishments.

(b) Report- The report of the independent external review shall be transmitted to the Committee on Science and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 703. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON EARTHKAM AND ROBOTICS COMPETITIONS.

It is the sense of Congress that NASA's educational programs are important sources of inspiration and hands-on learning for the next generation of engineers and scientists and should be supported. In that regard, programs such as EarthKAM, which brings NASA directly into American classrooms by enabling students to talk directly with astronauts aboard the International Space Station and to take photographs of Earth from space, and NASA involvement in robotics competitions for students of all levels, are particularly worthy undertakings and NASA should support them and look for additional opportunities to engage students through NASA's space and aeronautics activities.

SEC. 704. ENHANCEMENT OF EDUCATIONAL ROLE OF NASA.

(a) Sense of Congress- It is the sense of Congress that the International Space Station offers a unique opportunity for Federal agencies to engage students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. Congress encourages NASA to include other Federal agencies in its planning efforts to use the International Space Station National Laboratory for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics educational activities.

(b) Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research- In order to ensure that research expertise and talent throughout the Nation is developed and engaged in NASA research and education activities, NASA shall, as part of its annual budget submission, detail additional steps that can be taken to further integrate the participating EPSCoR States in both existing and new or emerging NASA research programs and center activities.

(c) National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program- NASA shall continue its emphasis on the importance of education to expand opportunities for Americans to understand and participate in NASA's aeronautics and space projects by supporting and enhancing science and engineering education, research, and public outreach efforts.