STEM Education Act of 2015
PL 114-59 (H.R.1020), enacted 10/07/2015

129 STAT. 540 
PUBLIC LAW 114–59—OCT. 7, 2015 
Public Law 114–59 
114th Congress 
An Act 
To define STEM education to include computer science, and to support existing 
STEM education programs at the National Science Foundation. 
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 ‘‘STEM Education Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF STEM EDUCATION. 
For purposes of carrying out STEM education activities at 
the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, and the Environmental Protection 
Agency, the term ‘‘STEM education’’ means education in the subjects 
of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, including com-
puter science. 
SEC. 3. INFORMAL STEM EDUCATION. 
(a) GRANTS.—The Director of the National Science Foundation, 
through the Directorate for Education and Human Resources, shall 
continue to award competitive, merit-reviewed grants to support— 
(1) research and development of innovative out-of-school 
STEM learning and emerging STEM learning environments 
in order to improve STEM learning outcomes and engagement 
in STEM; and 
(2) research that advances the field of informal STEM 
education. 
(b) USES OF FUNDS.—Activities supported by grants under this 
section may encompass a single STEM discipline, multiple STEM 
disciplines, or integrative STEM initiatives and shall include— 
(1) research and development that improves our under-
standing of learning and engagement in informal environments, 
including the role of informal environments in broadening 
participation in STEM; and 
(2) design and testing of innovative STEM learning models, 
programs, and other resources for informal learning environ-
ments to improve STEM learning outcomes and increase 
engagement for K–12 students, K–12 teachers, and the general 
public, including design and testing of the scalability of models, 
programs, and other resources. 
SEC. 4. NOYCE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AMENDMENTS. 
(a) AMENDMENTS.—Section 10A of the National Science Founda-
tion Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n–1a) is amended— 
42 USC 1862q. 
42 USC 6621 
note. 
STEM Education 
Act of 2015. 
42 USC 1861 
note. 
Oct. 7, 2015 
[H.R. 1020] 
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129 STAT. 541 
PUBLIC LAW 114–59—OCT. 7, 2015 
(1) in subsection (a)(2)(B), by inserting ‘‘or bachelor’s’’ after 
‘‘master’s’’; 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph (2)(B); 
(B) in paragraph (3)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘for teachers with master’s degrees 
in their field’’ after ‘‘Teaching Fellowships’’; and 
(ii) by striking the period at the end of subpara-
graph (B) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(4) in the case of National Science Foundation Master 
Teaching Fellowships for teachers with bachelor’s degrees in 
their field and working toward a master’s degree— 
‘‘(A) offering academic courses leading to a master’s 
degree and leadership training to prepare individuals to 
become master teachers in elementary and secondary 
schools; and 
‘‘(B) offering programs both during and after matricula-
tion in the program for which the fellowship is received 
to enable fellows to become highly effective mathematics 
and science teachers, including mentoring, training, induc-
tion, and professional development activities, to fulfill the 
service requirements of this section, including the require-
ments of subsection (e), and to exchange ideas with others 
in their fields.’’; 
(3) in subsections (e) and (f), by striking ‘‘subsection (g)’’ 
each place it appears, and inserting ‘‘subsection (h)’’; 
(4) by redesignating subsections (g) through (i) as sub-
sections (h) through (j), respectively; and 
(5) by inserting after subsection (f) the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(g) 
SUPPORT
FOR
MASTER
TEACHING
FELLOWS
WHILE 
ENROLLED IN A MASTER’S DEGREE PROGRAM.—A National Science 
Foundation Master Teacher Fellow may receive a maximum of 
1 year of fellowship support while enrolled in a master’s degree 
program as described in subsection (c)(4)(A), except that if such 
fellow is enrolled in a part-time program, such amount shall be 
prorated according to the length of the program.’’. 
(b) DEFINITION.—Section 10(i)(5) of the National Science 
Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n–1(i)(5)) 
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129 STAT. 542 
PUBLIC LAW 114–59—OCT. 7, 2015 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 1020: 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 114–115 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 161 (2015): 
Feb. 24, 25, considered and passed House. 
Sept. 24, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
Oct. 1, House concurred in Senate amendment. 
is amended by inserting ‘‘computer science,’’ after ‘‘means a 
science,’’. 
Approved October 7, 2015. 
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