Supporting STEM Learning Opportunities Act

II 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 1565 To provide for hands-on learning opportunities in STEM education. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MAY 11, 2021 Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself and Mrs. CAPITO) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Edu- cation, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To provide for hands-on learning opportunities in STEM education. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Supporting STEM 4 Learning Opportunities Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 6 Congress finds the following: 7 (1) Developing a robust, talented, and home- 8 grown workforce, particularly in the fields of STEM, 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:19 May 26, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1565.IS S1565 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •S 1565 IS is critical to the success of the United States innova- 1 tion economy. 2 (2) The United States educational system is not 3 producing a sufficient number of workers with the 4 necessary STEM expertise to meet the needs of the 5 United States industry in STEM fields. 6 (3) Hands-on and experiential learning opportu- 7 nities outside of the classroom are critical for stu- 8 dent success in STEM subjects and careers, stimu- 9 lating students’ interest, increasing confidence, and 10 creating motivation to pursue a related career. 11 (4) Hands-on and experiential learning opportu- 12 nities can be particularly successful in inspiring in- 13 terest in students who traditionally have been under- 14 represented in STEM fields, including girls, students 15 of color, and students from disadvantaged back- 16 grounds. 17 (5) An expansion of hands-on and experiential 18 learning programs across the United States would 19 expand the STEM workforce pipeline, developing 20 and training students for careers in STEM fields. 21 SEC. 3. HANDS-ON LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN STEM 22 EDUCATION. 23 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:19 May 26, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1565.IS S1565 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •S 1565 IS (1) ESEA TERMS.—The terms ‘‘elementary 1 school’’, ‘‘high school’’, ‘‘secondary school’’, and 2 ‘‘State’’ have the meanings given the terms in sec- 3 tion 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu- 4 cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 5 (2) ELIGIBLE NONPROFIT PROGRAM.—The 6 term ‘‘eligible nonprofit program’’— 7 (A) means a nonprofit program serving 8 prekindergarten, elementary school, or sec- 9 ondary school students; and 10 (B) includes a program described in sub- 11 paragraph (A) that covers the continuum of 12 education from prekindergarten through high 13 school and is available in every State. 14 (3) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 15 the Director of the National Science Foundation. 16 (4) STEM.—The term ‘‘STEM’’ means science, 17 technology, engineering, and mathematics. 18 (b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this section are 19 to— 20 (1) provide effective, compelling, and engaging 21 means for teaching and reinforcing fundamental 22 STEM concepts and inspiring the youth of the 23 United States to pursue careers in STEM-related 24 fields; 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:19 May 26, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1565.IS S1565 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •S 1565 IS (2) expand the STEM workforce pipeline by de- 1 veloping and training students for careers in United 2 States STEM fields; and 3 (3) broaden participation in the STEM work- 4 force by underrepresented population groups. 5 (c) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.— 6 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall, subject 7 to the availability of appropriations for such pur- 8 poses, provide grants to eligible nonprofit programs 9 for supporting hands-on learning opportunities in 10 STEM education, including via after-school activities 11 and innovative learning opportunities such as robot- 12 ics competitions and for the purposes of evaluating 13 the impact of such programs on STEM learning and 14 disseminating the results of such evaluations. 15 (2) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under the 16 program, the Director shall give priority to eligible 17 nonprofit programs serving students that attend ele- 18 mentary schools or secondary schools (including high 19 schools) that— 20 (A) are implementing comprehensive sup- 21 port and improvement activities or targeted 22 support and improvement activities under para- 23 graph (1) or (2) of section 1111(d) of the Ele- 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:19 May 26, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1565.IS S1565 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 5 •S 1565 IS mentary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 1 (20 U.S.C. 6311(d)); or 2 (B) serve high percentages of students who 3 are eligible for a free or reduced price lunch 4 under the Richard B. Russell National School 5 Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) (which, in 6 the case of a high school, may be calculated 7 using comparable data from the schools that 8 feed into the high school). 9 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 10 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 11 $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026. 12 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:19 May 26, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S1565.IS S1565 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS