Supporting STEM Learning Opportunities Act
Bill: S.1565 | Sponsor: Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne (D-NH)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Supporting STEM Learning Opportunities Act
This bill establishes a grant program to promote hands-on learning opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for prekindergarten, elementary, and secondary school students.
Specifically, the National Science Foundation must provide grants to eligible nonprofit programs to (1) support hands-on learning opportunities in STEM education, including through after-school activities and innovative learning opportunities (e.g., robotics competitions); and (2) evaluate the impact of these programs on STEM learning and disseminate the evaluation results.

To provide for hands-on learning opportunities in STEM education.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting STEM Learning 
Opportunities Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Developing a robust, talented, and homegrown workforce, 
        particularly in the fields of STEM, is critical to the success 
        of the United States innovation economy.
            (2) The United States educational system is not producing a 
        sufficient number of workers with the necessary STEM expertise 
        to meet the needs of the United States industry in STEM fields.
            (3) Hands-on and experiential learning opportunities 
        outside of the classroom are critical for student success in 
        STEM subjects and careers, stimulating students' interest, 
        increasing confidence, and creating motivation to pursue a 
        related career.
            (4) Hands-on and experiential learning opportunities can be 
        particularly successful in inspiring interest in students who 
        traditionally have been underrepresented in STEM fields, 
        including girls, students of color, and students from 
        disadvantaged backgrounds.
            (5) An expansion of hands-on and experiential learning 
        programs across the United States would expand the STEM 
        workforce pipeline, developing and training students for 
        careers in STEM fields.

SEC. 3. HANDS-ON LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN STEM EDUCATION.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) ESEA terms.--The terms ``elementary school'', ``high 
        school'', ``secondary school'', and ``State'' have the meanings 
        given the terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (2) Eligible nonprofit program.--The term ``eligible 
        nonprofit program''--
                    (A) means a nonprofit program serving 
                prekindergarten, elementary school, or secondary school 
                students; and
                    (B) includes a program described in subparagraph 
                (A) that covers the continuum of education from 
                prekindergarten through high school and is available in 
                every State.
            (3) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
        the National Science Foundation.
            (4) STEM.--The term ``STEM'' means science, technology, 
        engineering, and mathematics.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this section are to--
            (1) provide effective, compelling, and engaging means for 
        teaching and reinforcing fundamental STEM concepts and 
        inspiring the youth of the United States to pursue careers in 
        STEM-related fields;
            (2) expand the STEM workforce pipeline by developing and 
        training students for careers in United States STEM fields; and
            (3) broaden participation in the STEM workforce by 
        underrepresented population groups.
    (c) Program Authorized.--
            (1) In general.--The Director shall, subject to the 
        availability of appropriations for such purposes, provide 
        grants to eligible nonprofit programs for supporting hands-on 
        learning opportunities in STEM education, including via after-
        school activities and innovative learning opportunities such as 
        robotics competitions and for the purposes of evaluating the 
        impact of such programs on STEM learning and disseminating the 
        results of such evaluations.
            (2) Priority.--In awarding grants under the program, the 
        Director shall give priority to eligible nonprofit programs 
        serving students that attend elementary schools or secondary 
        schools (including high schools) that--
                    (A) are implementing comprehensive support and 
                improvement activities or targeted support and 
                improvement activities under paragraph (1) or (2) of 
                section 1111(d) of the Elementary and Secondary 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(d)); or
                    (B) serve high percentages of students who are 
                eligible for a free or reduced price lunch under the 
                Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 
                1751 et seq.) (which, in the case of a high school, may 
                be calculated using comparable data from the schools 
                that feed into the high school).
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $25,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2022 through 2026.
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