HR 210 RFS
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall provide 
grants on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis to in-
stitutions of higher education or nonprofit organiza-
tions (or a consortium thereof) for— 
(A) research and development of program-
ming to identify the barriers rural students face 
in accessing high-quality STEM education; and 
(B) development of innovative solutions to 
improve the participation and advancement of 
rural students in grades Pre-K through 12 in 
STEM studies. 
(2) USE OF FUNDS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Grants awarded under 
this section shall be used for the research and 
development activities referred to in paragraph 
(1), which may include— 
(i) developing partnerships with com-
munity colleges to offer advanced STEM 
course work, including computer science, to 
rural high school students; 
(ii) supporting research on effective 
STEM practices in rural settings; 
(iii) 
implementing 
a 
school-wide 
STEM approach; 
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(iv) improving the National Science 
Foundation’s Advanced Technology Edu-
cation program’s coordination and engage-
ment with rural communities; 
(v) collaborating with existing commu-
nity partners and networks, such as the co-
operative research and extension services 
of the Department of Agriculture and 
youth serving organizations like 4–H, after 
school STEM programs, and summer 
STEM programs, to leverage community 
resources and develop place-based pro-
gramming; 
(vi) connecting rural school districts 
and institutions of higher education, to im-
prove precollegiate STEM education and 
engagement; 
(vii) supporting partnerships that 
offer hands-on inquiry-based science activi-
ties, including coding, and access to lab re-
sources for students studying STEM in 
grades Pre-K through 12 in a rural area; 
(viii) evaluating the role of broadband 
connectivity and its associated impact on 
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the STEM and technology literacy of rural 
students; 
(ix) building capacity to support ex-
tracurricular STEM programs in rural 
schools, including mentor-led engagement 
programs, STEM programs held during 
nonschool hours, STEM networks, maker-
spaces, coding activities, and competitions; 
and 
(x) any other activity the Director de-
termines will accomplish the goals of this 
subsection. 
(c) APPLICATION.—An applicant seeking a grant 
under subsection (a) or (b) shall submit an application at 
such time, in such manner, and containing such informa-
tion as the Director may require. The application may in-
clude the following: 
(1) A description of the target population to be 
served by the research activity or activities for which 
such grant is sought. 
(2) A description of the process for recruitment 
and selection of students, educators, or schools from 
rural areas to participate in such activity or activi-
ties. 
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(3) A description of how such activity or activi-
ties may inform efforts to promote the engagement 
and achievement of rural students in grades Pre-K 
through 12 in STEM studies. 
(4) In the case of a proposal consisting of a 
partnership or partnerships with one or more rural 
schools and one or more researchers, a plan for es-
tablishing a sustained partnership that is jointly de-
veloped and managed, draws from the capacities of 
each partner, and is mutually beneficial. 
(d) PARTNERSHIPS.—In awarding grants under sub-
section (a) or (b), the Director shall— 
(1) encourage applicants which, for the purpose 
of the activity or activities funded through the grant, 
include or partner with a nonprofit organization or 
an institution of higher education (or a consortium 
thereof) that has extensive experience and expertise 
in increasing the participation of rural students in 
grades Pre-K through 12 in STEM; 
(2) encourage applicants which, for the purpose 
of the activity or activities funded through the grant, 
include or partner with a consortium of rural schools 
or rural school districts; and 
(3) encourage applications which, for the pur-
pose of the activity or activities funded through the 
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grant, include commitments from school principals 
and administrators to making reforms and activities 
proposed by the applicant a priority. 
(e) EVALUATIONS.—All proposals for grants under 
subsections (a) and (b) shall include an evaluation plan 
that includes the use of outcome oriented measures to as-
sess the impact and efficacy of the grant. Each recipient 
of a grant under this section shall include results from 
these evaluative activities in annual and final projects. 
(f) ACCOUNTABILITY AND DISSEMINATION.— 
(1) EVALUATION
REQUIRED.—The Director 
shall evaluate the portfolio of grants awarded under 
subsections (a) and (b). Such evaluation shall— 
(A) use a common set of benchmarks and 
tools to assess the results of research conducted 
under such grants and identify best practices; 
and 
(B) to the extent practicable, integrate the 
findings of research resulting from the activity 
or activities funded through such grants with 
the findings of other research on rural student’s 
pursuit of degrees or careers in STEM. 
(2) REPORT ON EVALUATIONS.—Not later than 
180 days after the completion of the evaluation 
under paragraph (1), the Director shall submit to 
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Congress and make widely available to the public a 
report that includes— 
(A) the results of the evaluation; and 
(B) any recommendations for administra-
tive and legislative action that could optimize 
the effectiveness of the grants awarded under 
this section. 
(g) REPORT BY COMMITTEE ON EQUAL OPPORTUNI-
TIES IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—As part of the first report 
required by section 36(e) of the Science and Engi-
neering 
Equal 
Opportunities 
Act 
(42 
U.S.C. 
1885c(e)) transmitted to Congress after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Committee on Equal Op-
portunities in Science and Engineering shall in-
clude— 
(A) a description of past and present poli-
cies and activities of the Foundation to encour-
age full participation of students in rural com-
munities in science, mathematics, engineering, 
and computer science fields; and 
(B) an assessment of trends in participa-
tion of rural students in grades Pre-K through 
12 in Foundation activities, and an assessment 
of the policies and activities of the Foundation, 
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along with proposals for new strategies or the 
broadening of existing successful strategies to-
wards facilitating the goals of this Act. 
(2) TECHNICAL CORRECTION.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Section 313 of the 
American Innovation and Competitiveness Act 
(Public Law 114–329) is amended by striking 
‘‘Section 204(e) of the National Science Foun-
dation Authorization Act of 1988’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘Section 36(e) of the Science and Engineer-
ing Equal Opportunities Act’’. 
(B) 
APPLICABILITY.—The 
amendment 
made by paragraph (1) shall take effect as if 
included in the enactment of section 313 of the 
American Innovation and Competitiveness Act 
(Public Law 114–329). 
(h) COORDINATION.—In carrying out this section, the 
Director shall, for purposes of enhancing program effec-
tiveness and avoiding duplication of activities, consult, co-
operate, and coordinate with the programs and policies of 
other relevant Federal agencies. 
(i) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Director— 
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(1) $8,000,000 to carry out the activities under 
subsection (a) for each of fiscal years 2022 through 
2026; and 
(2) $12,000,000 to carry out the activities 
under subsection (b) for each of fiscal years 2022 
through 2026. 
SEC. 9. RESEARCHING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ONLINE EDU-
CATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall, subject to ap-
propriations, award competitive grants to institutions of 
higher education or nonprofit organizations (or a consor-
tium thereof, which may include a private sector partner) 
to conduct research on online STEM education courses for 
rural communities. 
(b) RESEARCH AREAS.—The research areas eligible 
for funding under this subsection shall include— 
(1) evaluating the learning and achievement of 
rural students in grades Pre-K through 12 in STEM 
subjects; 
(2) understanding how computer-based and on-
line professional development courses and mentor ex-
periences can be integrated to meet the needs of 
educators of rural students in grades Pre-K through 
12; 
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(3) combining computer-based and online 
STEM education and training with apprenticeships, 
mentoring, or other applied learning arrangements; 
(4) leveraging online programs to supplement 
STEM studies for rural students that need physical 
and academic accommodation; and 
(5) any other activity the Director determines 
will accomplish the goals of this subsection. 
(c) EVALUATIONS.—All proposals for grants under 
this section shall include an evaluation plan that includes 
the use of outcome oriented measures to assess the impact 
and efficacy of the grant. Each recipient of a grant under 
this section shall include results from these evaluative ac-
tivities in annual and final projects. 
(d) ACCOUNTABILITY AND DISSEMINATION.— 
(1) EVALUATION
REQUIRED.—The Director 
shall evaluate the portfolio of grants awarded under 
this section. Such evaluation shall— 
(A) use a common set of benchmarks and 
tools to assess the results of research conducted 
under such grants and identify best practices; 
and 
(B) to the extent practicable, integrate 
findings from activities carried out pursuant to 
research conducted under this section, with re-
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spect to the pursuit of careers and degrees in 
STEM, with those activities carried our pursu-
ant to other research on serving rural students 
and communities. 
(2) REPORT ON EVALUATIONS.—Not later than 
180 days after the completion of the evaluation 
under paragraph (1), the Director shall submit to 
Congress and make widely available to the public a 
report that includes— 
(A) the results of the evaluation; and 
(B) any recommendations for administra-
tive and legislative action that could optimize 
the effectiveness of the grants awarded under 
this section. 
(e) COORDINATION.—In carrying out this section, the 
Director shall, for purposes of enhancing program effec-
tiveness and avoiding duplication of activities, consult, co-
operate, and coordinate with the programs and policies of 
other relevant Federal agencies. 
SEC. 10. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 
the Director of the National Science Foundation es-
tablished under section 2 of the National Science 
Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861). 
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(2) FEDERAL LABORATORY.—The term ‘‘Fed-
eral laboratory’’ has the meaning given such term in 
section 4 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Inno-
vation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3703). 
(3) FOUNDATION.—The term ‘‘Foundation’’ 
means the National Science Foundation established 
under section 2 of the National Science Foundation 
Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861). 
(4) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 101(a) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). 
(5) STEM.—The term ‘‘STEM’’ has the mean-
ing given the term in section 2 of the America COM-
PETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 
6621 note). 
(6) STEM EDUCATION.—The term ‘‘STEM 
education’’ has the meaning given the term in sec-
tion 2 of the STEM Education Act of 2015 (42 
U.S.C. 6621 note). 
Passed the House of Representatives May 18, 2021. 
Attest: 
CHERYL L. JOHNSON, 
Clerk. 
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