STEM Education in Accounting Act

To amend the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grant program to promote career awareness in accounting as part of a well-rounded STEM educational experience. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the STEM Education in Accounting Act 2. Findings The Congress finds as follows: (1) The accounting profession is working to ensure that it meets the needs of the public, businesses, governments, and not-for-profit organizations in a technology-driven marketplace. (2) Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the accounting profession fosters a field that is reflective of the local, regional, and global communities it serves, and is better positioned to innovate around the complex issues facing organizations of all kinds and the evolving public interest. (3) Early exposure to the accounting profession through family, friends, and other community interactions, or relevant elementary and secondary course offerings, increases opportunity for students to recognize the limitless possibilities of a career in accounting, and therefore inspires that professional trajectory. (4) This Act seeks to build on existing financial literacy initiatives by establishing the significance of early course offerings in accounting education as drivers for improving career opportunity and diversity within this STEM profession. (5) There is a clear and logical integration between accounting and technology: as the profession continues to advance its use of technology to serve the public interest, accounting professionals, including CPAs, are technological leaders who manage and analyze big data, ensure data security, manage cybersecurity risk, and work alongside Information Technology professionals. (6) The pipeline of accounting majors in higher education, and accounting as a profession, will be expanded through exposure to STEM-designated accounting programs particularly in middle and secondary education curricula. 3. Accounting as part of a well-rounded educational experience Subpart 1 of part A of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7111 et seq. (1) in section 4104(b)(3)(A)(i), by— (A) striking or (B) redesignating subclause (VII) as subclause (VIII); and (C) inserting after subclause (VI) the following new subclause: (VII) accounting education, including accounting career awareness; or ; and (2) in section 4107(a)(3), by— (A) striking or (B) redesignating subparagraph (J) as subparagraph (K); and (C) inserting after subparagraph (I) the following new subparagraph: (J) activities to promote the development, implementation, and strengthening of programs to teach accounting, including increasing access to high-quality accounting courses for students through grade 12 who are members of groups underrepresented in accounting careers; or .

Summary: STEM Education in Accounting Act This bill authorizes states and local educational agencies (LEAs) to use grant funds provided through the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program for accounting education. In particular, LEAs may use these grant funds to implement programs to teach accounting, including by increasing access to high-quality accounting courses through 12th grade for students who are members of underrepresented groups.