21st Century Entrepreneurship Act

(1) entrepreneurship creates new jobs, grows the economy, increases productivity, and significantly improves the quality of life of the people of the United States;

(2) entrepreneurship rates in the United States have been unstable over the last several decades;

(3) children from disadvantaged communities are less likely to become entrepreneurs and inventors, hampering economic growth and harming communities most in need;

(4) studies show that children with mentors in entrepreneurship and inventorship are more likely to pursue these fields in adulthood; and

(5) in order to promote growth in disadvantaged communities, increase entrepreneurship rates, and improve the economy, volunteer mentors with the SCORE program should be encouraged to engage with children in community learning centers.

The term community learning center has the meaning given the term in section 4201(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7171(b)).

The term SCORE program means the Service Corps of Retired Executives described in section 8(b)(1)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(b)(1)(B)).

The Administrator of the Small Business Administration shall, in consultation with the SCORE Program—

(1) develop a curriculum for volunteers with the SCORE program to teach entrepreneurship to students served by community learning centers; and

(2) in developing the curriculum required under paragraph (1), collaborate with education specialists, entrepreneurship groups, business groups, and groups with experience serving underrepresented children.

The Administrator of the Small Business Administration, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall develop and implement a strategy to teach the curriculum developed under subsection (a)(1) to the students described in that paragraph through community learning centers.

In teaching the curriculum developed under subsection (a), volunteers with the SCORE program are encouraged to collaborate with other entrepreneurial development programs of the Small Business Administration and other agencies, including—

(1) small business development centers described in section 21 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648);

(2) women’s business centers operating under section 29 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 656); and

(3) centers overseen by the Minority Business Development Agency (established under section 100002 of the Minority Business Development Act of 2021 (15 U.S.C. 9501)).

Section 8(b)(1)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(b)(1)(B)) is amended, in the first sentence, by inserting and to teach students entrepreneurship through community learning centers (as defined in section 4201(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7171(b))) before the period at the end.

Part B of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7171 et seq.) is amended—

(1) in section 4201(a)(2) (20 U.S.C. 7171(a)(2)), by inserting entrepreneurship education taught through volunteers with the SCORE program (as defined in section 8(b)(1)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(b)(1)(B))), after apprenticeship programs,; and

(2) in section 4205(a) (20 U.S.C. 7175(a))—

(A) in paragraph (13), by striking and at the end;

(B) in paragraph (14), by striking the period at the end and inserting; and; and

(C) by adding at the end the following:

(15) entrepreneurship education described in section 4201(a)(2).

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration shall submit to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives a report that—

(1) identifies instances of the use of the curriculum described in subsection (a) by the SCORE program and a community learning center during the preceding 2-year period;

(2) documents the use of funds by the SCORE program, and adherence by the SCORE program to contract award and procurement procedures, relating to the implementation of this Act;

(3) documents any training or guidance provided to SCORE program chapter leadership on properly using funds provided to carry out this Act;

(4) estimates the number of students who were reached through the entrepreneurship curriculum developed under subsection (a);

(5) identifies any barriers to reaching additional students; and

(6) identifies any plans for improving the curriculum or implementing the strategy developed under subsection (a).