(‘‘STEM’’) will have a major impact on the Nation’s 
future economic competitiveness and on the pre-
eminence of the United States in scientific inquiry 
and technological innovation. 
(2) Results from the National Assessment of 
Educational Progress, the Trends in International 
Mathematics and Science Study, the Programme for 
International Science Assessment, and other sources 
show that students in the United States are not 
demonstrating sufficient achievement in the STEM 
subjects and are not keeping pace with students in 
other countries. 
(3) Research demonstrates the importance of 
afterschool programs in engaging students in STEM 
fields and building STEM-relevant skills and pro-
ficiencies, especially for girls, students from popu-
lations traditionally underrepresented in STEM 
fields, and students from low socioeconomic cir-
cumstances. 
(4) A National Research Council consensus 
study confirmed the importance of learning that oc-
curs in out-of-school-time settings such as after-
school programs and science centers, and proposed 
a set of ‘‘strands of science learning’’ framework 
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that articulated capabilities fostered by informal 
learning environments. 
(5) According to a 2013 study entitled ‘‘Defin-
ing Youth Outcomes for STEM Learning in After-
school’’, the afterschool field is confident in its abil-
ity to help young people develop interest in STEM 
and STEM learning activities, develop capacities to 
productively engage in such activities, and come to 
value them. The afterschool field is also confident 
that it can impact skills such as problem-solving 
abilities, demonstrating STEM skills, career aware-
ness, and 21st century skills, such as teamwork, 
that are important to the workforce and national 
economic goals. 
(6) The Federal Government should use its re-
sources as effectively as possible to increase opportu-
nities for students to be exposed to STEM subjects 
outside of the school day and to build a balanced 
kindergarten through grade 12 STEM education 
portfolio that fosters learning in school as well as in 
out-of-school-time programs. 
(7) Afterschool programs have long partnered 
with other youth-serving and community organiza-
tions to meet the needs of students. Cross-sector col-
laborations between afterschool programs, schools, 
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science centers, institutions of higher education, 
businesses, and other entities are yielding great ben-
efits for engaging young people in STEM fields. 
(8) As interest and momentum grows around 
STEM programming in afterschool, more and better 
partnerships across Federal agencies become in-
creasingly important to leverage resources and offer 
high-quality, hands-on STEM experiences for youth. 
SEC. 3. PURPOSES. 
The purposes of this Act are— 
(1) to enhance America’s economic competitive-
ness by strengthening STEM education through fos-
tering interest and success in STEM subjects among 
certain student populations in kindergarten through 
grade 12; 
(2) to engage Federal agencies and foster inter-
agency collaboration in STEM education afterschool 
program investments; 
(3) to recognize the important role that after-
school programs offered by nonprofit and commu-
nity-based organizations, science centers, museums, 
libraries, and other such entities, play in STEM edu-
cation and to support their efforts; 
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(4) to involve institutions of higher education as 
partners in such efforts and foster increased collabo-
ration; and 
(5) to inspire young people to study and work 
in STEM subjects. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) AFTERSCHOOL OR STEM NETWORK.—The 
term ‘‘afterschool or STEM network’’ means a coali-
tion that fosters partnerships and provides support 
to afterschool program providers and STEM edu-
cation providers to develop and sustain quality edu-
cation programming for children and youth in after-
school programs. 
(2) 
AFTERSCHOOL
PROGRAM.—The 
term 
‘‘afterschool program’’ means a structured program 
offered for elementary school, middle school, or sec-
ondary school students when school is not in session, 
such as before or after school, recess time, on the 
weekend, or during the summer. 
(3) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 
the Director of the National Science Foundation. 
(4) ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘elemen-
tary school’’ has the meaning given the term in sec-
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tion 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(5) MIDDLE
SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘middle 
school’’ means a nonprofit institutional day or resi-
dential school, including a public charter school, that 
provides middle grades education, as determined 
under State law. 
(6) SECONDARY
SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘sec-
ondary school’’ has the meaning given the term in 
section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(7) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 102 of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002). 
(8) STEM.—The term ‘‘STEM’’ means science, 
technology, engineering, or mathematics, and in-
cludes the fields of computer science and robotics. 
SEC. 5. AFTERSCHOOL STEM SUPPORT GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) GOALS OF PROGRAM.—The goals of the after-
school STEM grant program carried out under this Act 
are— 
(1) to support the development and delivery of 
high-quality STEM education to populations under-
represented in STEM fields; 
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