Building Blocks of STEM Act

Bill: 116-hr-1665
Sponsor: Rep. Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11]
Introduced: 2019-03-11 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Computers and information technology
Education programs funding
Educational technology and distance education
Elementary and secondary education
Preschool education
Research administration and funding
Science and engineering education
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Women's education

Summary:
action_date: 2019-03-11
text: 

Building Blocks of STEM Act

 
This bill modifies National Science Foundation (NSF) grant programs that support STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, including computer science) education.
 
The bill instructs the NSF, when awarding grants under the Discovery Research PreK-12 program, to improve the focus of research and development on early childhood education.
 
The bill specifies that NSF grants to increase the participation of underrepresented populations in STEM fields may be used for research into various subjects regarding female students in prekindergarten through elementary school, including
 
 
the role of teachers and caregivers in encouraging or discouraging participation by such students in STEM activities, and
 
the types of STEM activities that encourage greater participation by such students.
 
 
The bill specifies that NSF grants to research computer science education and computational thinking may be used to support development and implementation of various tools and models for teaching and learning, including
 
 
developing and offering gender-inclusive computer science enrichment programs, and 
 
acquainting female students in prekindergarten through elementary school with careers in computer science. 
 

action_date: 2019-07-23
text: 

Building Blocks of STEM Act

 
This bill modifies National Science Foundation (NSF) grant programs that support STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, including computer science) education.
 
(Sec. 3) The bill instructs the NSF, when awarding grants under the Discovery Research PreK-12 program, to improve the focus of research and development on early childhood education.
 
(Sec. 4) The bill specifies that NSF grants to increase the participation of underrepresented populations in STEM fields may be used for research into various subjects regarding female students in prekindergarten through elementary school, including
 
 
the role of teachers and caregivers in encouraging or discouraging participation by such students in STEM activities, and
 
the types of STEM activities that encourage greater participation by such students.
 
 
(Sec. 5) The bill specifies that NSF grants to research computer science education and computational thinking may be used to support development and implementation of various tools and models for teaching and learning, including
 
 
developing and offering gender-inclusive computer science enrichment programs, and 
 
acquainting female students in prekindergarten through elementary school with careers in computer science. 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-07-24
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H7166-7167)
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H7166-7167)
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1665.
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7166-7168)
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Ms. Johnson (TX) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
action_date: 2019-03-11
text: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
action_date: 2019-03-11
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Research and Technology.
action_date: 2019-03-11
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2019-03-11
text: Introduced in House