A recent science policy news bulletin published by the American Institute of Physics (API) says a House bill is set to increase the budget of the National Science Foundation’s Education and Human Resources Directorate, with the additional funding directed toward programs that support groups underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.
According to the API’s FY21 Budget Outlook: STEM Education, the House recommends that the National Science Foundation (NSF) increase funding for Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation by at least 7% to $51 million, for the Tribal Colleges and Universities program by at least 20% to $18 million, and for the Hispanic-Serving Institutions program by at least 7% to $48 million.
The API team said there was particular concern about the severe underrepresentation of Hispanic Ph.D. graduates in STEM. It also noted that NSF does not have a dedicated program for Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions and urges the agency to increase grant funding opportunities for these groups.
The budget outlook says the Senate expressed “strong support” for informal science education efforts, encouraging the NSF to “provide the necessary support for investments in both in- and out-of-school time STEM education programs across federal agencies, including support for extracurricular STEM programs.”
The House directs that funds must be used to provide “additional PreK–12 computer science and STEAM [science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics] grants to underrepresented students such as minorities, girls, and youth from families living at or below the poverty line to help reduce the enrollment and achievement gap,” and to bolster “teacher training, proficiency, and knowledge of STEAM and computer science courses.”
API said the Senate similarly directs that the funds support computer science education and “applicants seeking to improve diversity and address disparities in access to participation in high-quality STEM education programs.”
The API report looks at proposed funding for NASA, the Department of Energy’s primary STEM education account, Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists, and the National Defense Education Program, which supports STEM talent development through scholarships and fellowships, STEM outreach to children of military families, and initiatives such as the Manufacturing Engineering Education Program.
The House proposed to increase the budget for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Education.
Within its proposal, the House allocates $20 million for the José E. Serrano Educational Partnership Program with Minority-Serving Institutions, a $3 million increase. The 2021 EPP/MSI Undergraduate Scholarship application is open until February 1, 2021.
Click the link to read more. FY21 Budget Outlook: STEM Education
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