H.R.4979: Rural STEM Education Act
Overview
The Rural STEM Education Act (H.R. 4979) would authorize the National Science Foundation to award up to $120 million in grants over the next six years to institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations that participate in research or development of solutions that support and sustain high-quality STEM teaching in rural schools. This bill would specifically target programs that provide K-12 educators in rural regions with professional learning opportunities.
Talking Points
- Offering children the opportunity to engage with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs are important building blocks in children's cognitive development.
- Parents are enthusiastic about expanding STEM programs for K-12, with 70 percent of parents agreeing that afterschool programs should offer opportunities to explore and engage in hands-on STEM learning and 80 percent of parents with children who participate in afterschool STEM programs are satisfied with the STEM learning opportunities.
- Living in a rural area should not be a barrier for children to explore exciting new educational fields.