Education Competitiveness Act of 2006 - Directs the Secretary of Education to establish scholarship programs for students pursuing degrees in: (1) early childhood education; (2) science, technology, engineering, or mathematics; or (3) critical foreign languages. Requires scholarship recipients, for four years, to teach in their field of study or or work in employment that improves education.
Directs the Secretary to award competitive grants to nonprofit educational agencies to work with local educational agencies (LEAs) to expand or develop Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) programs in their schools.
Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to states for: (1) programs encouraging elementary and secondary school teachers to serve in rural or underserved areas; (2) voluntary universal prekindergarten programs focusing on child development; (3) coordination of prekindergarten through grade 16 (PK-16) programs and establishment of integrated data systems tracking student progress; (4) internships and summer programs for middle and secondary school students; (5) student mentoring, afterschool , and enrichment programs; and (6) summer science and engineering institutes for secondary school students. Requires states to take specified actions to raise early childhood education teachers' qualifications.
Authorizes the Secretary to award: (1) matching grants to LEAs to establish and operate specialty science and mathematics secondary schools; (2) scholarships to students pursuing a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics degree who agree to work in their field of study for four years; and (3) research grants to scientists who are under age 40. Increases the Pell grant.
Increases and extends funding for Indian education programs, including Native American language immersion programs.
Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary to award grants to partnerships between: (1) institutions of higher education and local workforce investment boards for job training in high-growth industries or occupations; and (2) such institutions and facilitators of small business development for small business training. Authorizes grants to states and LEAs for distance learning.
Amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish education tax incentives which include: (1) a refundable higher education tax credit; (2) the application of retirement plan distributions to longer student loan repayment periods; (3) larger deductions for teachers' classroom expenses, student loan interest, and charitable contributions to schools; (4) a larger employee exclusion for employer provided educational assistance; (5) Young Savers Accounts; (6) the extension of the Qualified Academy Zone Bond program and participation by tribally controlled colleges and universities; and (7) an additional standard deduction for real property taxes.