I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3316 
To direct the National Science Foundation to award grants to encourage 
young girls to participate in computer science and other STEM activities, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 19, 2017 
Ms. ROSEN (for herself, Ms. STEFANIK, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of 
Texas, Mr. EVANS, Mr. MEEKS, Ms. NORTON, Mr. TONKO, Mr. BEYER, 
Ms. HANABUSA, Mr. CRIST, and Mrs. MURPHY of Florida) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the 
Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the juris-
diction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To direct the National Science Foundation to award grants 
to encourage young girls to participate in computer 
science and other STEM activities, and for other pur-
poses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Code Like a Girl Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
(1) Growth in the STEM workforce is domi-
nated by new computing jobs, and the Nation needs 
to leverage all of its human capital to meet the de-
mand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that, 
of all the new STEM occupations created from 2014 
to 2024, nearly two-thirds will be computing jobs. 
(2) More work is needed to ensure women are 
equally represented in the computer science work-
force. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 
in 2016, women held more than 51 percent of all 
professional occupations in the United States, but 
only 26 percent of the computing-related occupa-
tions. This is compared with the all-time peak of 26 
percent of the computing-related occupations in 
1991. 
(3) The gender disparity in computer science 
extends down through all levels of education. In 
2016, only 23 percent of AP Computer Science 
exam takers were female. The number of computer 
science degrees awarded to women has steadily de-
clined for bachelor’s degree earners from 29 percent 
in 1995 to just 18 percent in 2014. 
(4) A 2010 study funded by the National 
Science Foundation found that a majority of both 
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women and men scientists and Ph.D. students be-
came interested in science before middle school. 
Women scientists in this study were more likely than 
men to mention teachers as the source of their ini-
tial interest in science, substantiating the need for 
teachers to engage young girls in the classroom. 
(5) Gender disparities are also observed at the 
earliest levels of education. Studies have shown that, 
at around six years old, girls develop the belief that 
brilliance is a male characteristic. This negative 
stereotype, once adopted, is shown to have an imme-
diate effect, as girls start to lose interest in activities 
they perceive as requiring brilliance. 
(6) Research into the cause of the early adop-
tion of this stereotype is limited, but implicit biases 
held by teachers have been shown to have a negative 
impact on girls’ academic achievement in math and 
science and on their future decisions to enroll in ad-
vanced courses in these subjects. 
(7) While significant work is being done to ex-
pand access to high quality computer science edu-
cation for female students at the secondary and 
postsecondary level, there are few research funding 
opportunities focused exclusively on girls in early 
childhood education. 
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(8) Despite the limited attention being paid to 
this age group, research has shown that interven-
tions with girls at an early age can reduce the nega-
tive impact of gendered stereotypes. Scientists have 
found that positive experiences with robotics and 
computing lead to greater interest and self-con-
fidence among girls, even after gender stereotypes 
about computing have been adopted. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 
the Director of the National Science Foundation. 
(2) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 101(a) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). 
(3) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.—The term 
‘‘local educational agency’’ has the meaning given 
the term in section 8101(a) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
7801(a)), except that such term also includes 
preschools, after-school programs, and summer pro-
grams. 
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(4) STEM.—The term ‘‘STEM’’ means science, 
technology, engineering, and mathematics, including 
computer science. 
(5) YOUNG
GIRLS.—The term ‘‘young girls’’ 
means female individuals who have not attained the 
age of 11. 
SEC. 4. RESEARCH GRANTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall award grants 
on a competitive basis to institutions of higher education, 
local educational agencies, or nonprofit organizations (or 
consortia of such institutions, agencies, or organizations), 
to accelerate research efforts to increase understanding of 
the factors that contribute to the willingness or unwilling-
ness of young girls to participate in STEM activities. 
(b) RESEARCH AREAS.—Research areas funded by a 
grant under this section may include— 
(1) the role of teacher training and professional 
development, including effective incentive structures 
to encourage teachers to participate in such training 
and professional development, in encouraging or dis-
couraging young girls from participating in STEM 
activities; 
(2) the role of implicit bias in the classroom in 
shaping young girls’ perceptions of STEM and dis-
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couraging such girls from participating in STEM ac-
tivities; 
(3) the role of other facets of the learning envi-
ronment on the willingness of young girls to partici-
pate in STEM activities, including learning mate-
rials and textbooks, classroom decorations, seating 
arrangements, use of media and technology, class-
room culture, and gender composition of students 
during group work; 
(4) the role of parents and other caregivers in 
encouraging or discouraging young girls from par-
ticipating in STEM activities; 
(5) the types of STEM activities that encourage 
greater participation by young girls; and 
(6) any other activity the Director determines 
will accomplish the goals of this section. 
(c) GRANT RECIPIENT REPORT.—An entity awarded 
a grant under this section shall report to the Director, 
at such time and in such manner as the Director may re-
quire, on the activities carried out and materials developed 
using such grant funds. 
SEC. 5. DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF SCALABLE MOD-
ELS FOR INCREASED ENGAGEMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall award grants 
on a competitive basis, to institutions of higher education 
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or nonprofit organizations (or consortia of such institu-
tions or organizations), to develop and evaluate interven-
tions in pre-K and elementary school classrooms that seek 
to increase participation of young girls in computer 
science activities. 
(b) PARTNERSHIPS.—In order to be eligible to receive 
a grant under this section, an institute of higher edu-
cation, nonprofit organization, or consortium, shall enter 
into a partnership with one or more local educational 
agency in carrying out the activities funded by such grant. 
(c) USES OF FUNDS.—Grants awarded under this 
section shall be used for activities that draw upon the ex-
pertise of the partner entities described in subsection (b) 
to increase participation of young girls in computer 
science activities, including— 
(1) offering training and professional develop-
ment programs, including summer or academic year 
institutes or workshops, designed to strengthen the 
capabilities of pre-K and elementary school teachers 
and to familiarize such teachers with the role of gen-
der bias in the classroom; 
(2) offering innovative preservice and in-service 
programs that instruct teachers on gender-inclusive 
practices for teaching computing concepts; 
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(3) developing distance learning programs for 
teachers or students, including developing curricular 
materials, play-based computing activities, and other 
resources for the in-service professional development 
of teachers that are made available to teachers 
through the Internet; 
(4) developing a cadre of master teachers who 
will promote reform and the adoption of gender-in-
clusive practices in teaching computer science con-
cepts in early childhood education; 
(5) developing tools to evaluate activities con-
ducted under this section; 
(6) developing or adapting pre-K and elemen-
tary school computer science curricular materials 
that incorporate contemporary research on the 
science of learning, particularly with respect to gen-
der inclusion; 
(7) developing and offering gender-inclusive 
computer science enrichment programs for students, 
including after-school and summer programs; 
(8) providing mentors for girls in person and 
through the Internet to support such girls in partici-
pating in computer science activities; 
(9) educating the parents of girls about the dif-
ficulties faced by girls to maintain an interest and 
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desire to participate in computer science activities, 
and enlisting the help of parents in overcoming these 
difficulties; 
(10) acquainting girls with careers in computer 
science and encouraging girls to consider careers in 
such field; and 
(11) any other activities the Director deter-
mines will accomplish the goals of this section. 
(d) GRANT RECIPIENT REPORT.—An entity awarded 
a grant under this section shall report to the Director, 
at such time and in such manner as the Director may re-
quire, on the activities carried out and materials developed 
using such grant funds. 
(e) EVALUATION REQUIRED.—Not later than 4 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act, and every 3 years 
thereafter, the Director shall evaluate the grant program 
under this section. At a minimum, such evaluation shall— 
(1) use a common set of benchmarks and as-
sessment tools to identify best practices and mate-
rials developed and demonstrated by the partner-
ships described in subsection (b); and 
(2) to the extent practicable, compare the effec-
tiveness of practices and materials developed and 
demonstrated by such partnerships with those of 
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partnerships funded by other local or State govern-
ment or Federal Government programs. 
(f) DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS.— 
(1) EVALUATION RESULTS.—The Director shall 
make publicly available free of charge on an Internet 
website and shall submit to Congress the results of 
the evaluation required under subsection (e). 
(2) MATERIALS.—The Director shall ensure 
that materials developed under a program funded by 
a grant under this section, that are demonstrated to 
be effective in achieving the goals of this section (as 
determined by the Director), are made publicly avail-
able free of charge on an Internet website, including 
through an arrangement with an outside entity. 
(g) ANNUAL MEETING.—The Director shall convene 
an annual meeting of the partnerships participating in a 
program funded by a grant under this section, for the pur-
pose of fostering greater national collaboration. 
(h) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—At the request of a 
partnership seeking a grant under this section, the Direc-
tor shall provide the partnership with technical assistance 
in meeting any requirement of this section, including pro-
viding advice from experts on how to develop a quality ap-
plication for such a grant. 
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