PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL 

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM

EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

A Report by the

OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY

October 2019
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About the National Science and Technology Council

The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) is the principal means by which the Executive Branch 

coordinates science and technology policy across the diverse entities that make up the Federal research and 

development enterprise. A primary objective of the NSTC is to ensure science and technology policy 

decisions and programs are consistent with the President's stated goals. The NSTC prepares research and 

development strategies that are coordinated across Federal agencies aimed at accomplishing multiple 

national goals. The work of the NSTC is organized under committees that oversee subcommittees and 

working groups focused on different aspects of science and technology. More information is available at

http://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/nstc.

About the Office of Science and Technology Policy

The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) was established by the National Science and Technology 

Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 to provide the President and others within the Executive 

Office of the President with advice on the scientific, engineering, and technological aspects of the economy, 

national security, homeland security, health, foreign relations, the environment, and the technological 

recovery and use of resources, among other topics. OSTP leads interagency science and technology policy 

coordination efforts, assists the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) with an annual review and analysis 

of Federal research and development in budgets, and serves as a source of scientific and technological 

analysis and judgment for the President with respect to major policies, plans, and programs of the Federal 

Government. More information is available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp.

About the Federal Coordination in STEM Education Subcommittee

Federal Coordination in STEM Education (FC-STEM) is a subcommittee of the Committee on STEM Education 

(CoSTEM), which was established pursuant to the requirements of Section 101 of the America COMPETES 

Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. §6621). In accordance with the Act, CoSTEM reviews science, 

technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education programs, investments, and activities, and the 

respective assessments of each, in Federal agencies to ensure that they are effective; coordinates, with the 

Office of Management and Budget, STEM education programs, investments, and activities throughout the 

Federal agencies; and develops and implements through the participating agencies a STEM education 

strategic plan, to be updated every five years. FC-STEM advises and assists CoSTEM and serves as a forum to

facilitate the formulation and implementation of the strategic plan.

About this Document 

This document is an annual progress report on efforts by the Federal Government to implement the fiveyear strategic plan for STEM education released by CoSTEM in December 2018. It is responsive to the 

requirements of Section 101(c) of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. §6621). The 

intent of the progress report is to provide Congress and the wider STEM education stakeholder community

with a window into ongoing and planned Federal activities, with the goal of leading by example toward the 

North Star vision of the strategic plan. The report includes an analysis of actions developed by the agencies 

of FC-STEM in support of the strategic plan’s objectives, a discussion of major focus areas across the Federal 

STEM education community, a description of the ways Federal agencies will work together to address 

common challenges, and an inventory of Federal STEM education programs.

Copyright Information

This document is a work of the United States Government and is in the public domain (see 17 U.S.C. §105). 

Subject to the stipulations below, it may be distributed and copied with acknowledgment to OSTP. 

Copyrights to graphics included in this document are reserved by the original copyright holders or their 

assignees and are used here under the government’s license and by permission. Requests to use any images 

must be made to the provider identified in the image credits or to OSTP if no provider is identified.
Dear Reader,

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have served as the spark for 

ingenuity and innovation, driving American success since the beginning of our history.

Students well equipped with STEM knowledge and skills not only provide a workforce 

prepared for meeting tomorrow’s challenges to ensure National security and economic 

strength, but also are able to function more effectively in our increasingly technologically 

sophisticated society irrespective of their chosen career. Although awareness of and 

engagement in STEM have increased across the Federal Government, academia, the private 

sector, and community-based organizations, additional effort is needed to be more focused, 

efficient, and strategic so that workers are prepared for STEM jobs of the future. In addition to 

providing an equipped STEM workforce, this effort will enhance STEM diversity and improve 

STEM literacy in society.

The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), through the Committee on STEM 

Education (CoSTEM), engaged the broad national community in developing a five-year “North 

Star” plan, which was released in December 2018. Subsequently, CoSTEM has been 

coordinating with Federal agencies to implement this plan, ensuring that all Americans have 

access to high-quality STEM education. This progress report provides an update on those 

activities. Additionally, as originally planned, organizations across the country are aligning 

their STEM efforts with the North Star plan. 

This progress is extremely exciting and reflects the shared view of the value of STEM 

education and training to our Nation, and also demonstrates the power of coordination in 

achieving important national goals. Through the NSTC, I am committed to coordinating the 

continual implementation of this Strategy and Action Plan across executive branch 

departments and agencies to build a STEM-ready Nation.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kelvin K. Droegemeier

Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy
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PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

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Table of Contents

List of Abbreviations and Acronyms...................................................................................... vi

Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1

Five-Year Strategic Plan for STEM Education .......................................................................... 2

Update on Federal Implementation Efforts ............................................................................ 4

FY 2019 Inventory ................................................................................................................ 5

Organizational Structure for Implementation ........................................................................ 5

Federal Coordination in STEM................................................................................................................... 6

Interagency Working Groups .................................................................................................................... 6

Develop and Enrich Strategic Partnerships .............................................................................................. 7

Engage Students where Disciplines Converge.......................................................................................... 8

Build Computational Literacy................................................................................................................... 9

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in STEM.................................................................................................. 10

Operate with Transparency and Accountability ..................................................................................... 11

Measuring Progress............................................................................................................ 11

Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 12

Appendix 1. Agency STEM Program Alignment to Pathways and Objectives ............................ 13

Appendix 2. FY 2019 STEM Inventory of Programs ................................................................. 14

FY 2019 Enacted Inventory Summary...................................................................................................... 22
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

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List of Abbreviations and Acronyms

APHIS USDA Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service

BLM DOI Bureau of Land Management

CISE NSF Directorate for Computing 

and Information Science and 

Engineering

CNCS Corporation for National 

Community Service

CoSTEM Committee on STEM Education

DHS Department of Homeland Security

DNDO DHS Domestic Nuclear Detection 

Office

DOC Department of Commerce

DOD Department of Defense

DOE Department of Energy

DOI Department of the Interior

DOL Department of Labor 

DOT Department of Transportation

ED Department of Education

EE EPA Office of Environmental 

Education

EERE DOE Office of Energy Efficiency 

and Renewable Energy

EERE/AMO EERE/Advance Manufacturing 

Office

EERE/BTO EERE/Building Technologies 

Office

EERE/VTO EERE/Vehicle Technologies Office

EERE/WETO EERE/Wind Energy Technologies 

Office

EHR NSF Directorate for Education and 

Human Resources

EM DOE Office of Environmental 

Management

ENG NSF Directorate for Engineering

EPA Environmental Protection Agency

ETA DOL Employment and Training 

Administration

FAA DOT Federal Aviation 

Administration

FC-STEM Federal Coordination in STEM 

Education Subcommittee

FHWA DOT Federal Highway 

Administration

HHS Department of Health and Human 

Services

HRSA HHS Health Resources and 

Services Administration

IES ED Institute of Education Sciences

INCLUDES NSF Inclusion across the Nation of 

Communities of Learners of 

Underrepresented Discoverers in 

Engineering and Science

IT information technology

IWG interagency working group

IWGIS Interagency Working Group on 

Inclusion in STEM

MPS NSF Directorate for Mathematical 

and Physical Sciences

NASA National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration

NIFA USDA National Institute of Food 

and Agriculture

NIH HHS National Institutes of Health

NIH/NCI NIH National Cancer Institute

NIH/NHLBI NIH National Heart, Lung, and 

Blood Institute

NIH/NIGMS NIH National Institute of General 

Medical Sciences
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

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NIH/OITE NIH Office of Intramural Training 

and Education

NIST DOC National Institute of 

Standards and Technology

NNSA DOE National Nuclear Security 

Administration

NOAA DOC National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration

NRC Nuclear Regulatory Commission

NSF National Science Foundation 

NSTC National Science and Technology 

Council

NUREG NRC Office of Nuclear Regulatory 

Research

ODASA(R&T)

DOD Office of the Deputy 

Assistance Secretary of the Army 

for Research and Technology

OESE ED Office of Elementary and 

Secondary Education

OIA NSF Office of Integrative Activities

OII ED Office of Innovation and 

Improvement

OISE NSF Office of International 

Science and Engineering

OMB Office of Management and Budget

ONR DOD Office of Naval Research

OPE ED Office of Postsecondary 

Education

ORD EPA Office of Research and 

Development

OS DOE Office of Science

OS/ASCR OS/Advanced Scientific 

Computing Research

OS/BES OS/Basic Energy Sciences 

OS/HEP OS/High Energy Physics

OS/NP OS/Nuclear Physics

OS/WDTS OS/Workforce Development for 

Teachers and Scientists

OSD DOD Office of the Secretary of 

Defense

OSD/P&R/M&RA

OSD/Personnel and 

Readiness/Manpower and 

Reserve Affairs

OSTP Office of Science and Technology 

Policy

OUSD(R&E) DOD Office of the Under Secretary 

of Defense for Research and 

Engineering

SBCR NRC Office of Small Business and 

Civil Rights

SBIR Small Business Innovation 

Research program

SI Smithsonian Institution

SMD NASA Science Mission Directorate

STEM science, technology, engineering, 

and mathematics

STEMIE ED STEM Inclusion for Innovation 

in Early Education Center

TA IWG Transparency and Accountability 

IWG

USDA Department of Agriculture

USGS DOI United States Geological 

Survey

VA Department of Veterans Affairs
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

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PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

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Introduction

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have been the foundation for discovery and 

technological innovation throughout American history. Having a well-prepared and diverse STEM 

workforce will assure that tomorrow’s breakthroughs happen here in America and continue to 

strengthen our national security and grow our economy. At the same time, STEM skills are increasingly 

important for all people to succeed in the workplace and in their everyday lives. A stronger STEM 

workforce will be fully realized when all members of society have equitable access to STEM education, 

especially by those who are historically underrepresented or underserved in STEM.

Only through a strong, nationwide collaboration around common educational goals will the United 

States ensure that all Americans have access to high-quality STEM education throughout their lifetimes.

In December 2018, the National Science and Technology Council’s (NSTC) Committee on STEM 

Education (CoSTEM) released Charting a Course for Success: America’s Strategy for STEM Education,

1 a 

five-year strategic plan for STEM education, hereafter referred to as the Strategic Plan.

The Federal Government plays an important role in fostering educational excellence and has an

opportunity to lead by example in the broader STEM education community by successfully 

implementing the Strategic Plan. This document describes ongoing efforts across the Federal 

Government as it works to realize the goals and objectives of the Strategic Plan. It is meant to serve as 

an update on the Federal implementation process, in accordance with the Strategic Plan’s focus on 

operating with transparency and accountability, and as a resource for the education stakeholder 

community. The Strategic Plan is being implemented by the Federal agencies engaged in STEM 

education, under the guidance of CoSTEM and its Federal Coordination in STEM Education (FC-STEM) 

Subcommittee, and pursuant to the requirements of the Strategic Plan. With this said, this Strategic 

Plan can serve as a “North Star” to the broader STEM education community to chart a course for 

collective success. Community engagement supporting this Plan amplifies its impact in building a wellprepared and diverse STEM workforce.

Additionally, this document is meant to fulfill the requirements under the America COMPETES Act 

Reauthorization of 20102 that the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) transmit a report 

annually to Congress at the time of the President’s budget request providing an update on the STEM 

Education Federal portfolio performance and an inventory of federal STEM Education investments.

This report gathered information from all Federal agencies that have investments in STEM education 

during FY19. These agencies include Corporation for the Department of Agriculture, Department of 

Commerce, Department of Defense, Department of Education, Department of Energy, Department of 

Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland Security, Department of the Interior, 

Department of Labor, Department of Transportation, Department of Veterans Affairs, Corporation for 

National Community Service, Environmental Protection Agency, National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration, National Science Foundation, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Smithsonian 

Institution.

 1 The Strategic Plan is available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/STEMEducation-Strategic-Plan-2018.pdf.

2 The America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 is available at https://www.congress.gov/bill/111thcongress/house-bill/5116.
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

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Five-Year Strategic Plan for STEM Education

The Strategic Plan presents a vision for a future where all Americans will have lifelong access to highquality STEM education and the United States will be the global leader in STEM literacy, innovation, and 

employment. It is intended to serve as a “North Star” for the broader STEM community as it collectively 

charts a course for the Nation’s success and is responsive to the requirements of Section 101 of the 

America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010.

Three goals are being actively pursued to support the Strategic Plan’s overarching vision:

 Build Strong Foundations for STEM Literacy by ensuring that every American has the 

opportunity to master basic STEM concepts and to become digitally literate.

 Increase Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in STEM and provide all Americans with lifelong access 

to high-quality STEM education, especially those historically underserved and underrepresented 

in STEM fields and employment.

 Prepare the STEM Workforce for the Future—both college-educated STEM practitioners and 

those working in skilled trades that do not require a four-year degree—by creating authentic 

learning experiences that encourage and prepare learners to pursue STEM careers.

The Strategic Plan is organized around four pathways, representing a cross-cutting set of approaches 

to improve STEM education that will help fulfill its vision and achieve its three goals:

 Develop and Enrich Strategic Partnerships – Strengthen relationships between educational 

institutions, industry, community organizations to leverage resources for the purpose of providing 

the student with meaningful learning opportunities.

 Engage Students where Disciplines Converge – Draw on knowledge and methods across 

disciplines to solve complex, real world problems in STEM using innovation, creativity, and 

initiative.

 Build Computational Literacy – Design integrated approaches to teaching and learning 

computational thinking and promote digital literacy and cyber safety.

 Operate with Transparency and Accountability – Develop and apply metrics that assess 

progress in meaningful ways and disseminate them to external stakeholders.

The first three pathways focus on education and are hereafter referred to as the ‘educational pathways,’ 

while the fourth, Transparency and Accountability, commits the Federal Government to open, 

evidence-based practices and decision-making in its STEM programs, investments, and activities. Each 

pathway is broken into objectives that detail focus areas for Federal implementation efforts and 

contain specific priority actions to guide those efforts.
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

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Figure 1. Schematic illustrating the organizational structure of the five-year strategic plan for STEM education, 

developed by the National Science and Technology Council’s Committee on STEM Education and released in 

December 2018. The plan’s vision is supported by three aspirational goals. Four pathways contain objectives to 

guide efforts by the Federal government and wider STEM education community to realize the strategic plan’s 

vision and goals.

Increase Work-Based 

Learning and 

Training through 

Educator-Employer 

Partnerships

Blend Successful 

Practices from Across 

the Learning 

Landscape

Advance Innovation 

and 

Entrepreneurship 

Education

Make Mathematics a 

Magnet

Encourage 

Transdisciplinary 

Learning

Promote Digital 

Literacy and Cyber 

Safety

Make Computational 

Thinking an Integral 

Element of All 

Education

Expand Digital 

Platforms for 

Teaching and 

Learning

Leverage and Scale 

Evidence-Based 

Practices Across 

STEM Communities

Report Participation 

Rates of 

Underrepresented 

Groups

Use Common 

Metrics to Measure 

Progress

Build Strong Foundations for STEM Literacy

All Americans 

will have lifelong access to 

high-quality STEM education and the 

United States will be the global leader in STEM 

literacy, innovation, and employment.

Increase Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in STEM

Prepare the STEM Workforce for the Future

Develop and 

Enrich 

Strategic 

Partnerships

Engage 

Students 

where 

Disciplines 

Converge

Build 

Computational 

Literacy

Operate with 

Transparency 

and 

Accountability

Vision

Pathways

Goals

Objectives

Foster STEM 

Ecosystems that Unite 

Communities

Make Program 

Performance and 

Outcomes Publicly 

Available

Develop a Federal 

Implementation Plan 

and Track Progress
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

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Update on Federal Implementation Efforts

Identification of Actions in Alignment with the New Strategic Plan:

As an initial step in the implementation process, FC-STEM conducted a data call through which agencies

identified actions that support the objectives under the Strategic Plan’s three educational pathways.

These actions include programs and investments, as well as activities, in order to include important and 

impactful efforts, such as mentoring and community outreach by Federal scientists and engineers that

are not captured well in budgetary data. These actions include expansions of previously initiated efforts 

that align with the objectives as well as new programs and reorientations of existing ones. All future 

actions are subject to budgetary constraints and other approvals.

Figure 2 shows how these agency actions are distributed across the Strategic Plan’s three educational 

pathways. Stronger relationships across educational institutions, industry, and community-based 

organizations support the development of the student, in addition to computational literacy and 

convergence across disciplines, through more meaningful learning experiences. It should be noted that 

actions in each pathway vary substantially across many parameters, including the number of 

participants, geographical footprint, duration, level of funding, etc. For example, some actions 

represent the convening of workshops that target small subsets of STEM education practitioners or 

outreach to specific underrepresented groups, while others represent large programs with thousands 

of student participants across the U.S. The data in Figure 2 illustrates the scope and breadth of attention 

devoted to implementing all of the objectives in the Strategic Plan. More detail about the actions 

developed in support of the Strategic Plan’s pathways can be found in the final section of this document.

Figure 2. The agencies of FC-STEM identified actions – including programs, investments, and activities – that will 

help achieve the objectives of the Strategic Plan’s three educational pathways. This chart illustrates how those 

actions are distributed across pathways.

The Strategic Plan’s three goals are inextricably woven into its three educational pathways, intersecting 

with and being supported by the pathways’ objectives in myriad ways. When developing 

implementation actions, agencies designed each action to support one of the Strategic Plan’s 

objectives, but also tied each action to the goal it most closely supported. Figure 3 illustrates how 

actions cross over to support both its pathways and goals. Actions from across the educational 

pathways will help achieve the goal of increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion during the Strategic 

Plan’s implementation.

Build

Computational

Literacy

25% Develop and 

Enrich 

Strategic 

Partnerships 

42%

Engage Students 

where Disciplines 

Converge

33%
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

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Figure 3. Correlation of agency implementation actions from the educational pathway they support to the 

primary goal they will help achieve. Actions supporting each of the Strategic Plan’s three educational pathways

(left side) are mapped to the goals (right side). The widths of the connecting bands are scaled to indicate the 

relative number of actions each band represents.

FY 2019 Inventory

Each year after the President’s Budget is released, OSTP publishes an annual progress report that 

includes a government-wide inventory of Federal STEM education investments as required by the 

America COMPETES Act. In December 2011, OSTP published the first Federal STEM Education Inventory 

developed by CoSTEM. Since FY 2013, OMB and agencies have used the OSTP Federal STEM Education 

Inventory as the standard method of reporting on Federal STEM education activities. The Inventory is 

provided in Appendix 2.

While various definitions of “STEM” exist, for the purposes of this inventory, STEM includes physical and 

natural sciences, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computer science disciplines, topics, or 

issues (including environmental science, environmental stewardship, artificial intelligence, quantum 

information sciences, and cybersecurity).

Organizational Structure for Implementation

The identification of actions aligned with the new strategic plan served as a foundation on which 

CoSTEM could build its implementation structure. In FY19, CoSTEM stood-up a new implementation 

structure to support work toward the goals and objectives of the strategic plan.

Coordination of Federal STEM education programs is overseen by CoSTEM, the highest level, 

interagency body in the Federal government devoted to STEM education. CoSTEM also convenes the 

broader STEM community through stakeholder meetings and events to gain valuable input to guide its 

work. FC-STEM is a subcommittee of CoSTEM, charged with facilitating the formulation and 

implementation of the Strategic Plan. Interagency working groups (IWGs), organized by four pathways, 

lay a foundation for interagency efforts to strategically and collectively implement action items. 

Develop and 

Enrich 

Strategic 

Partnerships

Engage 

Students where 

Disciplines 

Converge

Build

Computational

Literacy

Pathways

Build Strong 

Foundations 

for STEM 

Literacy

Prepare the 

STEM 

Workforce for 

the Future

Increase 

Diversity, Equity, 

and Inclusion in 

STEM

Goals
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

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Federal Coordination in STEM (FC-STEM)

The purpose of the FC-STEM is to advise and assist the CoSTEM and the Director of the OSTP on 

developing strategic partnerships in STEM education across Federal agencies. The FC-STEM serves as a 

forum for discussion and policy coordination to facilitate implementation of the 5-Year STEM Education

Strategic Plan. FC-STEM members are leaders in STEM education at their agencies, and the group 

convenes regularly for strategic planning in support of Federal STEM education programs.

FC-STEM agencies are committed to working together to improve STEM education by sharing best 

practices, leveraging the expertise and resources of Federal partners, and coordinating activities in 

support of common educational goals. Interagency collaboration will be a critical factor in successfully 

implementing the Strategic Plan. Of the numerous actions identified by agencies in support of the 

Strategic Plan’s implementation, 30 percent are collaborative endeavors with other Federal agencies, 

State or local governments, private sector partners, and other stakeholders in STEM education.

Agencies are also working together to maximize the impact of their efforts. For example, NSF is leading 

an interagency expansion of its Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of 

Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (INCLUDES) program, one of the NSF Big 

Ideas that facilitates partnerships, communication and cooperation, to build on and scale up what 

works in broadening participation programs to reach underserved populations nationwide. ED, NASA, 

NIH, NOAA, and USGS are exploring how they can add their external stakeholder networks to the 

INCLUDES platform and leverage opportunities to use the INCLUDES program to better communicate 

their STEM education programs and funding resources to the public. A special Federal agency-only 

session at the INCLUDES National Network Convening in May 2019 helped to kick off the interagency 

expansion.

The FC-STEM, as a body, is collectively developing action items to accomplish its goals in support of the 

5-year STEM Education Strategic Plan. The first of these actions is working with hiring authorities to 

help participants in STEM work-based learning programs transition into permanent Federal employees.

FC-STEM will host a series of interagency roundtable discussions on how to increase the use of the 

flexible hiring authorities provided by the Federal Pathways employment program to hire and retain 

STEM talent. Additionally, FC-STEM will lead the interagency effort to establish a single, searchable, 

user-friendly online resource for STEM education-related Federal activities, resources, and funding 

opportunities. Feedback will be gathered from internal and external stakeholders to determine what 

critical features are needed. 

Interagency Working Groups (IWGs)

Five IWGs are supporting FC-STEM as it implements the Strategic Plan and are bringing together 

members who are representing the Federal government’s foremost experts in STEM education. Four of 

the IWGs are concentrating their efforts on one of each of the four pathways outlined in the Strategic 

Plan. These pathways include Strategic Partnerships, Convergence, Computational Literacy, and 

Transparency & Accountability. The first three mentioned previously are distinguished as educational 

pathways as they target impacting teaching and learning. A fifth IWG, the Interagency Working Group 

on Inclusion in STEM (IWGIS), was chartered by the NSTC in response to Section 308 of the 2017 

American Innovation and Competitiveness Act,

3 and will continue to focus on broadening participation 

in STEM as described in more detail below. For the IWGs devoted to the three educational pathways, as 

 3 American Innovation and Competitiveness Act, Pub. L. No. 114-329, 130 Stat. 2969 (2017).
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

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well as IWGIS, the aggregated set of agency implementation actions provided a valuable data source.

These four IWGs surveyed the agency actions developed in support of the objectives in their pathway, 

and focused their initial work plans on areas with (1) large numbers of actions, where already strong 

engagement by agencies may provide opportunities for better coordination and collaboration and (2) 

small numbers of actions but broad agency equities, where increased Federal activity may serve unmet

needs. The IWG for the ‘Operate with Transparency and Accountability’ pathway is focused on 

evaluation and metrics in STEM education programs.

The five interagency working groups coordinate to ensure complementary efforts that further the goals 

and objectives of the strategic plan. A model of the relationships between these groups is shown in 

Figure 4. The sections that follow provide an overview of the foci for each IWG, highlight some of the 

actions agencies are taking that support the work of the IWG, and provide an overview of the work that 

the IWGs have prioritized to pursue collaboratively.

Figure 4. Organizational structure and coordination between the five IWGs of FC-STEM. IWGs devoted to the 

Strategic Plan’s three educational pathways (boxes) will work with each other and with IWGIS (center oval) in 

order to ensure implementation activities promote inclusion, diversity, and equity. The Transparency and 

Accountability IWG will work to promote best practices, dissemination of resources, and data collection efforts 

across all of the other IWG efforts.

Develop and Enrich Strategic Partnerships (Strategic Partnerships IWG)

Partnerships among Federal agencies, educational institutions, employers, libraries, museums, and 

other community organizations leverage resources and expertise across STEM ecosystems to maximize 

the impact of educational efforts. These connections broaden and enhance the education of today’s 

learners by providing authentic STEM experiences, successful career and educational transitions, and 

opportunities for diverse mentorship.

Under the Strategic Partnerships IWG, federal agencies plan to help foster local STEM ecosystems 

through a variety of mechanisms, including by opening their unique research facilities to learners and 

by harnessing the talent and mentoring abilities of their world-class scientists and engineers. For 

example, the Department of Defense builds connections with local communities by supporting more 

Strategic 

Partnerships

Computational

Literacy Convergence

Inclusion in

STEM
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

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than 1,200 FIRST Robotics teams. Each team is mentored by a DOD scientist or engineer who provides 

a valuable connection to the DOD science and technology ecosystem. In an effort to reach students who 

are traditionally underrepresented in STEM, DOD prioritizes support for teams with military dependents 

and students from Title 1 schools. At DOE, its National Laboratories and other facilities engage over 

250,000 K-12 students a year through programs that range from direct classroom instruction in STEM 

and instructional materials to STEM demonstrations and in-house tours of scientific facilities.

Federal agencies are also providing opportunities in 2019 for work-based learning by students and 

educators through internships, apprenticeships, on-the-job training, externships, and other 

cooperative employer-educator partnerships. DOE is expanding the number of work-based learning 

and training opportunities available to undergraduate students at the DOE National Laboratories. 

Through internships for students from community colleges and four-year universities working on 

projects that span the DOE mission areas, participants gain hands-on experience in research and 

technology development under the mentorship of DOE laboratory staff. Also, NOAA is offering over 200 

internships, scholarships and other experiential training for post-secondary students, while the DOD is 

supporting over 2,000 STEM internships at more than 60 Defense laboratories and facilities.

SI, through its Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform model, works with school 

districts across the country to connect K-12 educators with local community partners who collectively 

implement strategic STEM education reform that includes the following five pillars: STEM curriculum;

professional development for STEM teachers; assessment; materials support; and community 

engagement.

DOL currently funds training with a significant STEM component through its H-1B Technical Skills 

Training Grants which prepare Americans for high skill jobs, reducing the dependence on foreign labor. 

The industries and occupations that can be targeted with this funding are those for which employers 

are using H-1B visas to hire foreign workers, such as information technology (IT) and IT-related

industries, health care, and advanced manufacturing, all of which include STEM occupations.

The IWG tasked with fostering strategic partnerships is striving to establish additional connections 

between Federal STEM professionals and Federal facilities with local and regional STEM ecosystems to 

provide opportunities for mentorship, educator professional development, and community 

engagement. Additionally, it is working to expand the availability of high-quality, paid internships, 

apprenticeships, and teacher externships within Federal agencies and ensure that mentors are trained 

to provide effective educational experiences.

Engage Students where Disciplines Converge (Convergence IWG)

Federal scientists and engineers are experts at solving complex, real-world STEM problems. When 

incorporated into STEM learning, these problems engage students by drawing on knowledge and 

methods from across disciplines and promoting initiative and creativity. By contributing their realworld expertise and integrating transdisciplinary techniques into STEM learning, Federal agencies can 

help the education community create a STEM-literate population and prepare Americans for the rapidly 

evolving workplace.

Under the Convergence IWG, agencies are working to foster educational opportunities that advance 

innovation and entrepreneurship, where the convergence of ideas at the intersection of different fields 

gives rise to new technologies, including through competitions, challenges, and educator upskilling 

opportunities that engage participants in mission-focused areas. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office 

offers transdisciplinary professional development opportunities across the nation to help educators in 
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

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K-12 foster innovation and entrepreneurship through intellectual property creation and protection. 

DOE’s Collegiate Wind Competition, Solar Decathlon, and Advanced Vehicle Technology Competition 

present undergraduate learners with energy-related design challenges. DOE also runs the National 

Science Bowl, a nationwide academic competition for middle and high school students that tests 

students' knowledge in all areas of science and mathematics. At the NIH, the Design by Biomedical 

Undergraduate Teams Challenge spurs teams of undergraduate students to focus on solving real-world 

problems in healthcare. The NSF Community College Innovation Challenge is a competition for

community college teams to use STEM to innovate solutions to real-world problems. NASA’s Artemis 

Student Challenges enable students to contribute to the research and technology required to return 

humans to the surface of the Moon sustainably.

To encourage interest in and enthusiasm for mathematics among STEM learners, agencies are 

integrating mathematics and statistics into STEM training and making datasets accessible for STEM 

educators to use in applied contexts. For example, the U.S. Census Bureau's Statistics in Schools

program strives to make Federal data more accessible by providing classroom-ready math activities for 

teachers to educate students about the value and everyday use of statistics. This program is capitalizing 

on the approaching 2020 Census in order to increase awareness and recruit educational partners.

The Convergence IWG is striving to foster transdisciplinary learning through educator upskilling while 

providing educators with access to shared best practices, models, and current research on

transdisciplinary approaches in STEM teaching and learning. Additionally, STEM competitions for 

students and teachers will provide platforms for innovation and creativity through federally funded 

programs. In collaboration with the strategic partnerships IWG, students will be able to participate in 

experiential learning opportunities through internships, fellowships, scholarships, or other work-based 

training.

Build Computational Literacy (Computational Literacy IWG)

Federal agencies are well positioned to help Americans of all ages and backgrounds harness the 

benefits of digital technology and be critical and ethical participants in the digital economy. By 

developing integrated approaches to teaching and learning computational thinking and supporting 

new digital technology-based learning environments, agencies can advance mission-critical goals like 

promoting cyber safety and encouraging responsible data management.

Under the Computational Literacy IWG, the Federal Government is working alongside the education 

community to promote digital literacy and cyber safety, including by training future STEM workers in 

digital ethics and privacy. NSF committed $10 million to the newly launched Data Science Corps in FY 

2019 to promote data literacy; build capacity to harness data at the local, state and national levels; and 

provide basic training in data science to the existing workforce across communities. The program will 

provide practical experiences, teach new skills, and offer teaching opportunities in a variety of settings 

to data scientists and data science students. NIH is working to ensure that the next generation of 

researchers is prepared to take advantage of the promise of data science for advancing human health, 

by making plans to routinely incorporate the teaching of computational skills and the principles of 

responsible data use into all of its programs for undergraduate and graduate students. ED included a 

computer science competitive preference priority in several fiscal year 2019 discretionary grant 

competitions. One of those was the new Perkins Innovation and Modernization Grant Program to test 

new ideas that can help better prepare students for success in the workforce.
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

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Agencies are also supporting the development of new and improved digital platforms for education, 

through R&D funding and by incorporating innovative tools into programs and activities. NOAA is using 

telepresence-enabled ocean exploration for three expeditions in the Atlantic Ocean in fiscal year 2019 

as part of its STEM outreach, including more than 80 live interactions between the NOAA Ship Okeanos 

Explorer and aquaria/science museums and other groups. Watching expeditions in real-time highlights 

the transdisciplinary teamwork between experts from multiple fields. NOAA will also use these 

expeditions to underpin professional development workshops for about 700 teachers to help them 

bring STEM-based ocean exploration lessons and activities to K-12 classrooms. At ED, the Institute of 

Education Sciences (IES) has awarded 23 organizations a total sum of $10.2 million to develop and test 

commercially viable education technology products, with funding provided by ED’s Small Business 

Innovation Research program (ED/IES SBIR). Over the past fifteen years, the SBIR program has made 

more than 200 awards for the development of education technology, including apps, games, programs, 

dashboards, assessments and more, and products developed with ED/IES SBIR funds are being used in 

thousands of schools across the nation.

The computational literacy interagency working group is striving to promote and provide best practices 

of computational literacy in STEM education through multiple mechanisms. Additionally, the support 

of fundamental research and dissemination of promising content in digital fluency, cyber safety, 

computational thinking and digital platforms will attract a more diverse and inclusive community of 

participants for the future STEM workforce.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in STEM (Inclusion in STEM IWG)

Increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM and providing all Americans with lifelong access to

high-quality STEM education is one of the Strategic Plan’s three central goals and is key for achieving 

the other two. When an organization’s workforce is diverse in terms of gender, race, socioeconomic 

status, ethnicity, ability, geography, religion, etc., and provides an inclusive environment that values 

diversity, the organization better retains talent and is more innovative and productive. Broadening 

participation is a fundamental prerequisite for making high-quality STEM education accessible to all 

Americans and will maximize the creative capacity of tomorrow’s workforce. 

An analysis of the implementation actions that support the Strategic Plan’s goal of increasing diversity, 

equity, and inclusion reveals a few common themes. Agencies are planning to build stronger 

partnerships with institutions that serve underrepresented groups. At NSF, the addition of a “New to 

NSF” track to its Hispanic-Serving Institution program will encourage those institutions without a prior 

record of NSF funding to engage in improving STEM education for their students. ED also has several 

Minority-Serving Institutions programs that support STEM as well as the recently funded Office of 

Special Education and Rehabilitative Services STEM Inclusion for Innovation in Early Education Center 

(STEMIE) to improve access and participation in STEM learning for young children with disabilities. 

STEMIE will also disseminate these practices and supports to early childhood programs, 

administrators, providers, families of children with disabilities, and institutions of higher education.

Efforts across FC-STEM agencies will be supported by IWGIS. The IWGIS has met regularly to identify 

research, best practices, and policies for increasing participation in STEM among underrepresented 

groups, and it is well positioned to contribute to the Strategic Plan’s implementation. By looking across 

activities designed to promote diversity and inclusion at individual agencies, and by working with FCSTEM and other IWGs, the IWGIS will help identify promising programs, partnerships, and strategies to 

leverage unique agency capabilities in support of diversity and inclusion.
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

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Operate with Transparency and Accountability (Transparency and Accountability IWG – TA IWG)

Measuring and reporting progress, impact, and success in the Federal implementation of the Strategic 

Plan is essential for achieving transparency and accountability. Across the Federal STEM education 

enterprise, agencies are working to: develop and apply metrics that assess progress in meaningful 

ways; identify and scale evidence-based practices; collect data on educational programs, such as 

performance evaluations, program outcomes, and participation rates for underrepresented groups;

and disseminate information to external stakeholders.

To inform this effort, the TA IWG collected information from STEM agencies to baseline current

capabilities at each agency, collect definitions of key terms, outline challenges to future efforts, and 

solicit recommendations for collective action. The TA IWG is using the aggregated results to identify 

priority focus areas and develop a work plan to address them.

The complexity of Federal investments in STEM education dictates the multiplicity of approaches that 

are being pursued to implement the Strategic Plan, and it is an essential consideration for the 

interagency development of metrics, operational definitions of terms, and best practices. This 

complexity will require creative and flexible approaches that focus on key points of intersection 

between programs to help establish and enhance returns on these investments. Metrics may also take 

available resources into consideration, to account for the fact that budgets vary widely across the 

inventory of Federal STEM education programs.

Based on agency responses, an important first step for the TA IWG will be to coordinate standard 

definitions for terms like ‘participant’ and ‘rural status’ that currently differ across agencies and 

programs. Standard definitions will lay the groundwork for common metrics, by ensuring that data can 

be meaningfully aggregated, accurately interpreted, and readily used to compare similar programs. 

Finally, the TA IWG will also develop recommendations to FC-STEM on the most effective approach for 

disseminating program data to external stakeholders. Dissemination platforms may build off existing 

resources like the searchable online portals for Federally sponsored opportunities for STEM 

undergraduates and graduate students developed by DOE,the progress reports on the Federal STEM 

education enterprise prepared by OSTP, or the online repository and dashboard display tools for 

program demographic data metrics hosted by the NIH’s annual Data Book.

Measuring Progress

Tracking progress and measuring the impact of actions undertaken to achieve the objectives of the 

Strategic Plan is an essential part of the interagency implementation effort and will also help realize the 

Strategic Plan’s goals of cross-agency coordination and accountability in STEM education. Metrics and 

criteria for success will be developed at different scales and through multiple mechanisms.

Each of the actions identified by agencies to support the implementation of the Strategic Plan is 

accompanied by criteria for monitoring its progress. These criteria are unique to each action and

frequently take into account action-specific characteristics like duration and scope. For example, for an 

action that funds research on the most effective approaches for blending successful learning practices, 

milestones may include securing funding, issuing a call for proposals, and selecting and awarding a 

grant. In contrast, for actions that seek to establish additional connections between Federal STEM 

professionals and Federal facilities and local and regional STEM ecosystems, progress may be 

measured in volunteer hours by staff, the number of tours and participants, and demonstrations at 

participating Federal facilities.
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

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The Federal investment in STEM education encompasses a complex portfolio of programs, from shortterm K-12 outreach meant to engage and inspire learners early in their educational journeys, to 

professional development that provides educators with authentic STEM experiences, to graduate 

fellowships that support trainees in higher education as they gain the technical skills needed to make 

the great discoveries and innovations of tomorrow. Given the breadth of Federal STEM investments, 

there are challenges to designing metrics that are commonly applicable across Federal STEM education 

programs and also yield data that can be aggregated and meaningfully interpreted. For example, even 

similar activities conducted by different agencies may have different rationales and goals, reach 

different audiences, and differing measures of success. As mentioned earlier, the TA IWG will support 

the development of common metrics that are appropriate and meaningful to the programs that 

leverage them.

Conclusion

Since the release of Charting a Course for Success: America’s Strategy for STEM Education in December 

2018, significant steps have been taken towards implementation of the plan. Agencies are striving to 

align their programs to the goals and/or pathways identified in the plan and described earlier in this 

report. 

Interagency working groups have been meeting frequently. These groups are comprised of participants 

from FC-STEM agencies and provide opportunities for improved collaboration, coordination, and 

dissemination of Federal STEM education efforts. Development of work plans is currently underway in 

each IWG to achieve objectives towards actions of implementation. In many cases, input will be 

gathered from internal and external stakeholders regarding evidence-based practices in order to 

integrate these practices and disseminate them for broader reach.

While duplication and fragmentation of STEM programs have been diminished over time, a conscious 

effort toward open communication across Federal agencies seeks to reduce the risk of this occurring in 

the future. FC-STEM understands the importance of stewardship of Federal STEM education funding to

maximize efficiency while ensuring programs meet the needs of diverse populations.

The goals and pathways outlined in the 5-year STEM Education Strategic Plan have provided a course 

toward a future in which all Americans will have lifelong access to high-quality STEM education, and the 

United States will be the global leader in STEM literacy, innovation, and employment. CoSTEM, FCSTEM, and OSTP have demonstrated solid commitment to implementing the Strategic Plan. The vision 

and support of the United States Congress in committing resources to Federal STEM education 

programs multiplies the reach of this plan.
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

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Appendix 1. Agency STEM Program Alignment to Pathways and Objectives

GOALS FOR AMERICAN STEM EDUCATION

* Build Strong Foundations for STEM Literacy *

* Increase Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in STEM *

* Prepare the STEM Workforce for the Future *

Pathways Objectives

DOC

DOD

DOE

DOI

DOL

DOSDOT

ED

EPA

HHS

NASA

NSF

SI

USDA

Develop and 

Enrich 

Strategic 

Partnerships

Foster STEM Ecosystems that 

Unite Communities

            

Increase Work-Based 

Learning and Training 

through Educator-Employer 

Partnerships

            

Blend Successful Practices 

from Across the Learning 

Landscape

        

Engage 

Students 

where 

Disciplines 

Converge

Advance Innovation and 

Entrepreneurship Education          

Make Mathematics a Magnet      

Encourage Transdisciplinary 

Learning            

Build 

Computational 

Literacy

Promote Digital Literacy and 

Cyber Safety       

Make Computational 

Thinking An Integral Element 

of All Education

        

Expand Digital Platforms for 

Teaching and Learning      

Operate with 

Transparency 

and 

Accountability

Leverage and Scale EvidenceBased Practices Across STEM 

Communities

Report Participation Rates of 

Underrepresented Groups

Use Common Metrics to 

Measure Progress

Make Program Performance 

and Outcomes Publicly 

Available

Develop a Federal 

Implementation Plan and

Track Progress
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

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The table above is an updated version of the original included in the Strategic Plan. The dots indicate 

the objectives for which each agency has developed mission-specific implementation actions. All 

actions are subject to budgetary constraints and other approvals. Agencies will collectively address the 

five objectives of the Strategic Plan’s Transparency and Accountability pathway, as indicated by the 

shaded rows.

Appendix 2. FY 2019 STEM Inventory of Programs

Below is a list of STEM investments and funding levels provided by OMB’s 2019 data call on Federal 

STEM education programs. Programs were included if they had any funding in FY 2018 or FY 2019. An 

“X” indicates a program fully aligns with the goal; a “/” indicates partial alignment. The information on 

how each program aligns with the goals was collected by FC-STEM. Note that zero funding for a fiscal 

year is not an indicator of either zero or non-zero funding in prior years. Two new agencies were 

included in this year’s inventory: DOL and VA. Two agencies, CNCS and VA, and one sub-agency, HHS 

HRSA, are not currently represented on FC-STEM and were not asked for information on goal alignment.

STEM Education Program Data

Agency

Sub-Agency/

Office Program Name

FY 2018 

Actual 

($, millions)

FY 2019 

Estimated

($, millions)

FY 2020 

President’s 

Budget 

($, millions)

Goal:

Build Strong 

Foundations 

for STEM 

Literacy

Goal: 

Prepare 

the STEM 

Workforce 

for the 

Future

Goal: 

Increase 

Diversity, 

Equity, 

and 

Inclusion 

in STEM

CNCS CNCS STEM Programs 41.0 70.5 0.0

USDA APHIS AgDiscovery 1.1 1.0 1.0 X /

USDA NIFA 1890 Facilities Grant Program 19.7 19.7 0.0 / X X

USDA NIFA 1890 Institutions Capacity 

Building Grants Program: 

Extension

6.4 6.4 6.2 / / X

USDA NIFA 1890 Institutions Capacity 

Building Grants Program: 

Teaching

6.4 6.4 6.2 X X X

USDA NIFA 4-H Science, 4-H Youth 

Development Program

25.3 26.6 25.3 X X /

USDA NIFA Agriculture in the Classroom 0.6 0.6 0.0 X / /

USDA NIFA Alaska Native-Serving and 

Native Hawaiian-Serving 

Institutions Education 

Competitive Grants Program

3.2 3.2 0.0 X X X

USDA NIFA Hispanic serving Institutions 

Education Grants Program

9.2 9.2 9.2 X X X

USDA NIFA Insular Programs 3.0 2.0 0.0

USDA NIFA Multicultural Scholars, 

Graduate Fellowship and 

Institution Challenge Grants

9.0 9.0 0.0

USDA NIFA NIFA Fellowship Grants 

Program

24.1 32.1 49.0 X
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

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Agency

Sub-Agency/

Office Program Name

FY 2018 

Actual 

($, millions)

FY 2019 

Estimated

($, millions)

FY 2020 

President’s 

Budget 

($, millions)

Goal:

Build Strong 

Foundations 

for STEM 

Literacy

Goal: 

Prepare 

the STEM 

Workforce 

for the 

Future

Goal: 

Increase 

Diversity, 

Equity, 

and 

Inclusion 

in STEM

USDA NIFA Secondary Postsecondary 

Agriculture Education 

Challenge Grants (SPECA)

0.9 0.9 0.0 X X /

USDA NIFA Women and Minorities in 

Science, Technology, 

Engineering and Mathematics 

Fields Program (WAMS)

0.4 0.4 0.0 X X X

DOC NIST NIST Summer Institute for 

Middle School Teachers

0.3 0.3 0.3 X X /

DOC NIST STEM Pipeline for the Next 

Generation Scientists and 

Engineers.

0.8 1.0 1.0 X X

DOC NIST Summer Undergraduate 

Research Fellowship (SURF)

0.7 0.8 0.8 X X /

DOC NOAA Competitive Education Grants 

(including Environmental 

Literacy Grants)

3.0 3.0 0.0 X

DOC NOAA Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship 

Program

0.5 0.6 0.5 X

DOC NOAA Educational Partnership 

Program with Minority Serving 

Institutions

15.5 16.0 0.0 X /

DOC NOAA Ernest F. Hollings 

Undergraduate Scholarship 

Program

6.3 5.7 4.5 X

DOC NOAA National Sea Grant College 

Program

1.3 1.7 0.0 / X

DOC NOAA NOAA Bay Watershed 

Education and Training (BWET)

7.5 7.5 0.0 X /

DOC NOAA NOAA Teacher at Sea Program 0.6 0.6 0.6 X

DOD National Defense Education 

Program (NDEP) Military Child 

STEM Educational Programs

8.9 0.0 0.0 X X X

DOD Army

ODASA(R&T)

Army Educational Outreach 

Program (AEOP)

9.4 10.0 10.2 X X X

DOD ONR Navy - Science and 

Engineering Apprenticeship 

Program (SEAP)

0.8 0.9 0.9 X X

DOD ONR Navy Historically Black 

Colleges and 

Universities/Minority 

Institutions Research and 

Education Partnership

4.4 0.0 0.0 X X X
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

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Agency

Sub-Agency/

Office Program Name

FY 2018 

Actual 

($, millions)

FY 2019 

Estimated

($, millions)

FY 2020 

President’s 

Budget 

($, millions)

Goal:

Build Strong 

Foundations 

for STEM 

Literacy

Goal: 

Prepare 

the STEM 

Workforce 

for the 

Future

Goal: 

Increase 

Diversity, 

Equity, 

and 

Inclusion 

in STEM

DOD ONR The Naval Research Enterprise 

Intern Program (NREIP)

4.2 5.2 5.2 X

DOD OSD/

P&R/M&RA

DOD STARBASE Program 30.0 30.0 0.0 X X /

DOD OUSD(R&E) National Defense Education 

Program (NDEP) K-12 

component

5.1 41.5 9.6 X X X

DOD OUSD(R&E) National Defense Education 

Program (NDEP) Science, 

Mathematics and Research for 

Transformation (SMART)

58.7 67.9 71.0 / X X

DOD OUSD(R&E) National Defense Science and 

Engineering Graduate 

(NDSEG) Fellowship Program

43.1 45.0 45.0 X X X

ED IES Research in Special Education 8.5 8.3 8.1 / /

ED IES Research, Development, and 

Dissemination

42.4 32.6 30.1 /

ED OESE 21st Century Community 

Learning Centers

4.7 3.6 0.0 / /

ED OII Investing in Innovation 60.0 60.0 100.0 X X

ED OPE Developing Hispanic Serving 

Institutions STEM and 

articulation programs

93.4 93.8 0.0 X X

ED OPE Graduate Assistance in Areas 

of National Need (GAANN)

23.0 23.0 23.0 X X

ED OPE Minority Science and 

Engineering Improvement 

Program

11.0 11.1 9.6 X X

ED OPE Strengthening Predominantly 

Black Institutions

7.0 7.0 0.0 X X

ED OPE Teacher Loan Forgiveness 99.1 98.7 100.2 / /

ED OPE Upward Bound Math and 

Science Program

67.7 64.0 64.0 X X X

DOE EERE/AMO Industrial Assessment Centers 10.0 10.0 0.0 X

DOE EERE/AMO Wide Bandgap Power 

Electronics Traineeship

2.5 3.5 2.6 X

DOE EERE/BTO Solar Decathlon 2.0 2.5 0.0 X

DOE EERE/VTO Advanced Vehicle 

Competitions

2.5 2.5 2.5 X

DOE EERE/WETO Wind for Schools 0.8 1.1 0.2 / X
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

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Agency

Sub-Agency/

Office Program Name

FY 2018 

Actual 

($, millions)

FY 2019 

Estimated

($, millions)

FY 2020 

President’s 

Budget 

($, millions)

Goal:

Build Strong 

Foundations 

for STEM 

Literacy

Goal: 

Prepare 

the STEM 

Workforce 

for the 

Future

Goal: 

Increase 

Diversity, 

Equity, 

and 

Inclusion 

in STEM

DOE EM HBCU Mathematics, Science & 

Technology, Engineering and 

Research Workforce 

Development Program

5.0 6.0 6.0 X X

DOE NNSA Stewardship Science 

Academic Alliances (SSAA) 

Grants and Cooperative 

Agreements

34.0 33.4 24.6 X

DOE NNSA and 

EM

Minority Serving Institution 

Partnership Program (MSIPP)

19.8 20.0 20.0 X X

DOE NNSA and 

OS

Computational Sciences 

Graduate Fellowship (CSGF)

1.5 2.0 2.0 X

DOE Office of 

Economic 

Impact and 

Diversity

Minority Educational 

Institution Student 

Partnership Program

1.2 1.0 1.6 X X

DOE Office of 

Fossil 

Energy

Special Recruitment 

Programs/Mickey Leland 

Fellowship

0.7 0.7 0.7 X X

DOE Office of 

Nuclear 

Energy

Integrated University Program 5.0 5.0 0.0 X

DOE OS/ASCR Computational Sciences 

Graduate Fellowship

10.0 10.0 10.0 X

DOE OS/HEP U.S. Particle Accelerator 

Training

1.0 1.0 1.0 X

DOE OS/NP and 

OS/BES

American Chemical Society 

Summer School in Nuclear

and Radiochemistry

0.6 0.6 0.6 X

DOE OS/WDTS Community College Internship 

(formerly Community College 

Institute of Science and 

Technology)

1.0 1.0 1.1 X

DOE OS/WDTS Graduate Student Research 

Program

2.5 3.5 2.6 X

DOE OS/WDTS National Science Bowl 2.9 2.9 2.9 X

DOE OS/WDTS Science Undergraduate 

Laboratory Internships

8.3 10.3 9.1 X

DOE OS/WDTS Visiting Faculty Program 

(formerly Faculty and Student 

Teams)

1.7 1.7 1.7 X X

HHS HRSA Health Careers Opportunity 

Program

14.2 14.2 0.0
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

– 18 –

Agency

Sub-Agency/

Office Program Name

FY 2018 

Actual 

($, millions)

FY 2019 

Estimated

($, millions)

FY 2020 

President’s 

Budget 

($, millions)

Goal:

Build Strong 

Foundations 

for STEM 

Literacy

Goal: 

Prepare 

the STEM 

Workforce 

for the 

Future

Goal: 

Increase 

Diversity, 

Equity, 

and 

Inclusion 

in STEM

HHS NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National 

Research Service Award 

Institutional Research 

Training Grants (T32, T35)

288.8 297.9 268.0 X /

HHS NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA for 

Individual Predoctoral 

Fellows, including 

Underrepresented 

Racial/Ethnic Groups, 

Students from Disadvantaged 

Backgrounds, and Predoctoral 

Students with Disabilities

91.7 98.1 89.4 X X

HHS NIH/NCI Cancer Education Grants 

Program

21.4 24.9 24.9 X /

HHS NIH/NHLBI Short-Term Research 

Education Program to 

Increase Diversity in HealthRelated Research

5.1 5.2 5.2 X X

HHS NIH/NHLBI Summer Institute for Training 

in Biostatistics

1.5 1.6 1.6 X

HHS NIH/NIGMS Bridges to the Baccalaureate 

Program

8.6 8.9 7.6 X X

HHS NIH/NIGMS Bridges to the Doctorate 2.2 2.3 2.0 X X

HHS NIH/NIGMS Initiative for Maximizing 

Student Development

23.9 24.7 21.3 X X

HHS NIH/NIGMS MARC U-STAR NRSA Program 19.3 20.5 17.6 X X

HHS NIH/NIGMS PREP (Postbaccalaureate 

Research Education Program)

10.36 11.40 9.8 X X

HHS NIH/NIGMS RISE (Research Initiative for 

Scientific Enhancement)

18.0 18.6 16.0 X X

HHS NIH/NIGMS Science Education Partnership 

Award

20.4 21.0 18.1 X /

HHS NIH/NIGMS Short Courses on 

Mathematical, Statistical, and 

Computational Tools for 

Studying Biological Systems

1.1 0.6 0.0 X /

HHS NIH/OITE Graduate Program 

Partnerships

12.7 13.1 13.4 X

HHS NIH/OITE Post-baccalaureate 

Intramural Research Training 

Award Program

41.6 46.7 47.4 X

HHS NIH/OITE Student Intramural Research 

Training Award Program

8.8 8.9 9.1 X
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

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Agency

Sub-Agency/

Office Program Name

FY 2018 

Actual 

($, millions)

FY 2019 

Estimated

($, millions)

FY 2020 

President’s 

Budget 

($, millions)

Goal:

Build Strong 

Foundations 

for STEM 

Literacy

Goal: 

Prepare 

the STEM 

Workforce 

for the 

Future

Goal: 

Increase 

Diversity, 

Equity, 

and 

Inclusion 

in STEM

HHS NIH/OITE Undergraduate Scholarship 

Program for Individuals from 

Disadvantaged Backgrounds

3.8 4.0 3.4 X X

DHS DNDO National Nuclear Forensics 

Expertise Development 

Program

5.2 7.1 7.1 X

DOI BLM Conservation and Land 

Management Internship 

Program

1.2 0.5 0.0 X /

DOI USGS EDMAP 0.5 0.5 0.5 X

DOL ETA H-1B Training Activities 0.0 73.6 40.0 / / /

DOT FAA Air Transportation Centers of 

Excellence

33.2 24.4 44.7 X X X

DOT FHWA Dwight David Eisenhower 

Transportation Fellowship 

Program

1.9 2.0 2.0 X X

DOT FHWA Garrett A. Morgan Technology 

and Transportation Education 

Program

0.4 0.4 0.4 X X X

DOT FHWA National Summer 

Transportation Institute 

Program (NSTI)

2.7 2.4 2.7 X X X

DOT FHWA Summer Transportation 

Institute Program for Diverse 

Groups (STIPDG)

1.3 1.3 1.5 X X

DOT FHWA University Transportation 

Centers Program

68.8 69.8 77.5 X X X

VA Edith Nourse Rogers STEM 

Scholarship

0.0 25.0 75.0

VA Veteran Employment Through 

Technology Education 

Courses (VET TEC)

0.0 15.0 15.0

EPA EE Environmental Education 

Grants

3.3 3.3 0.0 / /

EPA EE National Environmental 

Education and Training 

Partnership

2.2 2.2 0.0 /

EPA ORD Cooperative Training 

Partnership in Environmental 

Sciences Research

0.4 0.0 0.0 X
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

– 20 –

Agency

Sub-Agency/

Office Program Name

FY 2018 

Actual 

($, millions)

FY 2019 

Estimated

($, millions)

FY 2020 

President’s 

Budget 

($, millions)

Goal:

Build Strong 

Foundations 

for STEM 

Literacy

Goal: 

Prepare 

the STEM 

Workforce 

for the 

Future

Goal: 

Increase 

Diversity, 

Equity, 

and 

Inclusion 

in STEM

EPA ORD People, Prosperity & the 

Planet (P#) Award: A National 

Student Design Competition 

for Sustainability

1.0 1.2 0.0 / /

NASA Office of 

STEM 

Engagement

Minority University Research 

and Education Project

(MUREP)

32.0 33.0 0.0 X X

NASA Office of 

STEM 

Engagement 

NextGen STEM Project (NGS) 10.0 12.0 0.0 / X /

NASA Office of 

STEM 

Engagement 

Space Grant - National Space 

Grant College and Fellowship 

Program

40.0 44.0 0.0 X X /

NASA SMD Global Learning and 

Observations to Benefit the 

Environment (GLOBE) 

Program

6.0 6.0 6.0 X /

NASA SMD SMD Science Activation 

Program

44.0 45.0 45.6 X /

NSF CISE CyberTraining 6.3 6.0 5.0 / X /

NSF CISE, EHR 

and MPS

Harnessing the Data 

Revolution (HDR): Data 

Science Corps (DSC)

0.0 7.0 3.0 / X /

NSF EHR Advanced Technological 

Education (ATE)

66.1 66.0 75.0 X

NSF EHR Advancing Informal STEM 

Learning (AISL), formerly 

Informal Science Education 

(ISE)

62.1 62.5 58.9 X X

NSF EHR Alliances for Graduate 

Education and the 

Professoriate (AGEP)

8.0 8.0 7.5 X X

NSF EHR Cybercorps: Scholarship for 

Service (SFS)

55.1 55.0 55.1 / X X

NSF EHR Discovery Research K-12 (DRK12)88.6 88.2 95.0 X X

NSF EHR Excellence Awards in Science 

and Engineering (EASE)

5.7 4.3 4.0 X X

NSF EHR Hispanic-Serving Institutions 44.9 40.0 15.0 X X

NSF EHR Historically Black Colleges and 

Universities Undergraduate 

Program (HBCU-UP)

34.9 35.0 33.0 X X
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

– 21 –

Agency

Sub-Agency/

Office Program Name

FY 2018 

Actual 

($, millions)

FY 2019 

Estimated

($, millions)

FY 2020 

President’s 

Budget 

($, millions)

Goal:

Build Strong 

Foundations 

for STEM 

Literacy

Goal: 

Prepare 

the STEM 

Workforce 

for the 

Future

Goal: 

Increase 

Diversity, 

Equity, 

and 

Inclusion 

in STEM

NSF EHR Improving Undergraduate 

STEM Education

99.1 107.0 93.1 X

NSF EHR Innovative Technology 

Experiences for Students and 

Teachers (ITEST)

35.9 30.0 30.0 X X X

NSF EHR Louis Stokes Alliances for 

Minority Participation (LSAMP)

46.0 46.0 46.0 X X

NSF EHR NSF Scholarships in Science, 

Technology, Engineering, and 

Mathematics (S-STEM)

156.4 90.0 90.0 X X

NSF EHR Research Experiences for 

Undergraduates (REU)

87.5 81.8 76.4 X X

NSF EHR Robert Noyce Scholarship 

(Noyce) Program

64.5 64.5 47.0 X

NSF EHR Tribal Colleges and 

Universities Program (TCUP)

14.0 15.0 13.2 X X

NSF EHR and 

CISE

Computer Science for All 

(CSforAll)

0.0 0.0 20.0 X X X

NSF EHR and 

CISE

STEM+C Partnerships 64.4 61.9 0.0 X X X

NSF EHR and OIA Graduate Research Fellowship 

Program (GRFP)

284.9 284.5 256.9 X X

NSF ENG Emerging Frontiers in 

Research and Innovation 

(EFRI) Research Experience 

and Mentoring (REM)

1.1 1.1 0.8 X X X

NSF ENG and 

CISE

Research Experiences for 

Teachers (RET) in Engineering 

and Computer Science

7.7 6.2 5.8 X X X

NSF NSF NSF INCLUDES 18.0 20.0 20.0 / X X

NSF NSF NSF Research Traineeships 

(NRT)

53.9 53.5 49.5 X X

NSF OISE International Research 

Experiences for Students 

(IRES)

11.5 12.0 13.0 X /

NRC NUREG Integrated University Program 15.0 15.0 0.0

NRC SBRC Minority Serving Institutions 

Program (MSIP)

1.0 0.0 0.0

SI STEM Informal Education and 

Instruction

5.1 5.1 5.1 X / X
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN

– 22 –

FY 2019 Enacted Inventory Summary (includes investments with >$0 FY 2019 enacted)

Agency Number of Programs FY 2019 Estimated Budget 

($, millions)

Corporation for National Community Service 1 70

Department of Agriculture 13 118

Department of Commerce 10 37

Department of Defense 7 200

Department of Education 10 402

Department of Energy 20 119

Department of Health and Human Services 18 623

Department of Homeland Security 1 7

Department of the Interior 2 1

Department of Labor 1 74

Department of Transportation 6 100

Department of Veterans Affairs 2 40

Environmental Protection Agency 3 7

National Aeronautics and Space Administration 5 140

National Science Foundation 24 1,245

Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1 15

Smithsonian Institution 1 5

Grand Total 125 3,203