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STEM Opportunities Act
5/11/2023, 3:45 PM
Summary of Bill HR 204
One of the key provisions of the STEM Opportunities Act is the establishment of a grant program to support STEM education and workforce development initiatives. This program would provide funding to schools, colleges, and other organizations that are working to increase diversity and inclusion in STEM fields. The bill also calls for the development of a national strategy to address barriers to STEM participation for underrepresented groups.
Additionally, the STEM Opportunities Act aims to improve data collection and reporting on diversity in STEM fields. This would help policymakers and educators better understand the challenges faced by underrepresented groups and develop targeted solutions to address them. The bill also includes provisions to support research on effective strategies for increasing diversity in STEM. Overall, the STEM Opportunities Act is designed to promote equity and inclusion in STEM education and workforce development. By increasing access to opportunities in these fields for all individuals, regardless of background, the bill seeks to ensure that the United States remains competitive in the global economy and continues to lead in innovation and technological advancement.
Congressional Summary of HR 204
STEM Opportunities Act
This bill provides for guidance, data collection, and grants for groups historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education at institutions of higher education (IHEs) and at federal science agencies.
Specifically, the bill requires the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to provide specified guidance related to such groups to federal science agencies and IHEs.
Each federal science agency must collect comprehensive demographic data on recipients of merit-reviewed research and development grants given to IHEs and federal laboratories supported by that agency.
Each agency must also implement recommendations from the OSTP report titled Reducing the Impact of Bias in the STEM Workforce. In addition, each agency must carry out a pilot program and implement evidence-based policies and practices to minimize the effect of implicit bias in the grant review process.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) must carry out and publish a survey to collect data on the demographics of STEM faculty, by broad fields of STEM, at different types of IHEs.
The NSF must also carry out a variety of grant programs, including grants for increasing (1) the recruitment, retention, and advancement of individuals from underrepresented minority groups in STEM careers; (2) the recruitment and retention of minority students who are underrepresented in STEM fields; and (3) student participation in computer science and computational thinking education programs at tribal colleges and universities.
