Afterschool STEM policy updates: June 2024

Members of the Afterschool STEM Hub meeting with Jacquelun Southerland in Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)'s office during the 2024 Afterschool for All Challenge

With summer upon us, the country’s economy–and its STEM advocates–remain focused on fulfilling the promise of the CHIPS and Science Act and developing the associated workforce. At the same time, policymakers are trying to stay ahead of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential for transforming so many industries and jobs, as well as education. There are many policies on the proverbial table with potential implications for afterschool STEM.

As part of the Afterschool for All Challenge, which saw 200 advocates convene on Capitol Hill in support of afterschool funding, members of the Afterschool STEM Hub advocated on behalf of afterschool STEM and its support in some of these policies. One of the Hub’s advocacy goals, which was front and center at the Challenge, is to have Congress fully fund the National Science Foundation’s Directorate for STEM Education.

In FY 2024, the National Science Foundation (NSF) saw an 8% cut from its FY 2023 budget level and the Directorate for STEM Education bore $199 million of that cut - a 15% decrease in funding compared to the previous year. Not only does the Directorate work to develop a well-informed citizenry and a diverse STEM workforce, but it also supports research on the design, development, and impact of out-of-school time STEM learning experiences through its Advancing Informal STEM Learning program. Despite the importance of these programs, the House’s Commerce, Justice, and Science’s FY 2025 appropriations bill that was released this week would implement an additional 15% funding cut for the Directorate. The bill was approved by the Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee via a partisan vote and is slated for full Committee action in July. We will be following this closely and continue to advocate for full funding of the NSF Directorate for STEM Education.

The House’s Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill was also released this week. While it proposes level funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers programs (Title IV-B of the Every Student Succeeds Act, ESSA), the only federal funding stream solely dedicated to afterschool programs, it would provide a $10 million increase for the Student Support and Academic Enrichment State Grant program (Title IV-A of ESSA), which is a program districts can use flexibly for a number of activities, including STEM education. While this increase represents a mere 0.7% increase in Title IV-A funding, it is gratifying to see the bipartisan support for both afterschool and STEM in this difficult fiscal environment.

The annual appropriations process isn’t the only policymaking keeping us busy. There are a number of stand-alone bills we are weighing in on as well. For instance, the NSF AI Education Act of 2024 was recently introduced in the Senate; the House is currently working on their own version. The bill would create student scholarships, fellowships for professional development, AI guidance for K-12 teachers, and new AI education hubs. It would require NSF to work with educators and academics to create guidance to introduce AI skills and education in K-12 classrooms.

The Women and Underrepresented Minorities in STEM Booster Act of 2024 was introduced earlier this year in both the Senate and the House. The proposal, which has been introduced in the last several Congresses, seeks to create new federal grants for programs focused on professional development, training, mentoring, and outreach activities of women and minorities in STEM fields. The bill would, in part, support outreach programs providing youth increased exposure to STEM fields and facilitate the creation of mentorships.

The reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act is also making some progress. The bills being considered have the potential to support older youth through STEM workforce learning opportunities. The Senate recently released its draft of a bipartisan proposal  to update the law. We are responding to that draft and will be watching as the Senate proposal progresses.

With afterschool STEM having strong bipartisan and public support, along with President Biden's proposition of an $8 billion grant program that would support the expansion of afterschool and summer programs, we are hopeful that Congress will leverage this unique opportunity to unite in supporting policies that are positive for afterschool STEM.

In the meantime, we are eagerly looking forward to the release of the new Federal STEM Education Strategic Plan. This week’s inaugural State of the Science Address highlighted the need to nurture the innate interest of children to explore the natural world around them through hands-on, experiential learning. Informal STEM learning was highlighted as the perfect way to engage youth in STEM and get them excited about learning. Our hope is that the new STEM Education Strategic Plan and the final version of the policies mentioned above will reflect this evidence-based method of supporting both our youth and our future workforce, through supporting funding for afterschool STEM.

You can follow us on LinkedIn to stay updated on how funding and policy plays out for afterschool STEM.