Funding for activities related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics education and to career and technical education; report

(1) Activities related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics education and activities related to career and technical education that can lead to high wage and high demand jobs shall be funded as provided by this section.

(2) The Department of Education shall distribute moneys in the Connecting Education to Careers Account established by ORS 327.376 as follows:

(a) Forty percent for activities related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics education that are described in subsection (3) of this section. Moneys shall be distributed by the department under this paragraph based on recommendations of the STEM Investment Council.

(b) Sixty percent for activities related to career and technical education that can lead to high wage and high demand jobs and that are described in subsection (4) of this section. Moneys shall be distributed by the department under this paragraph based on recommendations of the committee established under ORS 344.075.

(3) Moneys distributed as provided by subsection (2)(a) of this section to fund activities related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics education shall be used to:

(a) Expand and sustain regional networks that support science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

(b) Award grants that expand the implementation of effective programs related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics, that propose innovative approaches or programs related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics or that provide professional development related to teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

(c) Provide funding to recruit, retain and support underserved students, as defined by the State Board of Education by rule, for programs that are offered at community colleges and public universities and that can lead to high wage and high demand jobs related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

(d) Develop a systematic survey of facility use to determine how savings for science, technology, engineering and mathematics education can be achieved.

(e) Fund any other activities related to science, engineering and mathematics education that are identified by the STEM Investment Council.

(4) Moneys distributed as provided by subsection (2)(b) of this section to fund activities related to career and technical education that can lead to high wage and high demand jobs shall be used for:

(a) Programs that expose students to career and technical education programs that can lead to high wage and high demand jobs.