Planting STEM in the Classroom Act

To provide for Federal agencies and employees to support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activities in classrooms. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Planting STEM in the Classroom Act 2. Findings The Congress finds the following: (1) The United States has traditionally produced the world’s leading innovators in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. (2) Numerous studies show that STEM-related innovations fueled more than half of the Nation’s economic growth over the past half century. (3) The number of STEM-related jobs grew 3 times as fast as non-STEM-related jobs during the past 10 years and is forecast to grow twice as fast over the next decade. (4) Recent reports on standardized testing show United States students performing below average or average in mathematics and science when compared with their international peers. (5) President Obama has established the goal for the United States to have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020, which will require the Federal Government to work with education partners to improve the quality of STEM education at all levels to help increase the number of well-prepared graduates with STEM degrees by one-third over the next 10 years, resulting in an additional 1 million graduates with STEM degrees. (6) President Obama has called for recruiting more teachers and mentors in the STEM fields to better engage students, particularly young women and minorities, and encourage them to pursue degrees and careers in the STEM fields so the United States can maintain its competitiveness in the global economy. (7) The Federal Government employs and supports through research grants many of the world’s leading scientists, mathematicians, and engineers in every State. 3. Providing volunteer opportunities for Federal employees engaged in STEM activities The Office of Personnel Management, in consultation with the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Department of Education, shall develop a policy to— (1) increase volunteerism in STEM education activities by encouraging Federal employees engaged in STEM activities, including scientists, engineers, and cybersecurity specialists engaged in nonmilitary activities, from Federal agencies and the federally funded research and development centers supported by those agencies, to volunteer in STEM education activities by providing administrative leave and support for such employees to engage in such volunteerism; and (2) support increased communication and partnerships between scientists and engineers from Federal science agencies conducting nonmilitary scientific research and development, including scientists and engineers of the federally funded research and development centers supported by those agencies, and elementary and secondary schools and teachers through volunteerism in STEM education activities. 4. Conducting outreach to underrepresented communities Each Federal science agency shall report to Congress the approaches that it will take to conduct outreach designed to promote widespread public understanding of career opportunities in the STEM fields specific to the workforce needs of that agency, including outreach to women, Latinos, African-Americans, Native Americans, and other students from groups underrepresented in STEM fields. 5. Annual report Not later than June 1, 2014, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Education shall transmit a report to Congress detailing— (1) the number of volunteers and volunteer hours resulting from this Act; (2) the number of schools, teachers, and students engaged thereby; and (3) the methods of outreach used under this Act to serve underrepresented communities.

Summary: Planting STEM in the Classroom Act - Directs the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to develop a policy to: (1) encourage federal employees engaged in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activities to volunteer in STEM education activities by providing them with the administrative leave and support they need to do so; and (2) support increased communication and partnerships between federal scientists and engineers and elementary and secondary schools and teachers through volunteerism in STEM education activities. Requires each federal science agency to report to Congress on efforts it will make to promote widespread public understanding of career opportunities in the STEM fields specific to the workforce needs of that agency.