21st Century STEM for Girls and Underrepresented Minorities Act
Sponsored By: Representative Beatty
Introduced
Summary
Would create a competitive grant program to boost STEM participation of girls and underrepresented minorities. It would fund districtwide K–12 activities like mentoring, internships, tutoring, field trips, and teacher training to build STEM pathways for these students.
Show full summary
- Students: Girls and underrepresented minority students would gain access to targeted STEM tutoring, mentoring, after‑school and summer programs, field trips, and academic advising. Grants may pay up to 50% of internship costs for eligible students.
- Local school districts: Qualified local educational agencies that receive Title I funds and serve at least 40% of students eligible for free or reduced‑price lunch would compete for grants of $250,000 per year for up to four years. Grants must supplement, not supplant, existing nonfederal funding.
- Teachers and families: Funding can support professional development to address gender and racial bias and training to guide students into advanced STEM coursework. Grants must also include parent education and engagement to help sustain student participation.
*Would authorize $10.0 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2029 to carry out the program.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
STEM grants for girls and underrepresented students
This bill would set up competitive grants for K–12 girls and underrepresented minority students in STEM. The program would start no later than 90 days after enactment. Eligible districts are Title I districts where at least 40% of students get free or reduced-price lunch. Each grant would pay $250,000 per year for four years and must add to, not replace, other non-Federal funds. Money could pay for tutoring and mentoring, after-school and summer programs, materials and equipment, STEM trips and events, parent outreach, advising, teacher training, and up to 50% of internship costs. Districts that partner with expert groups would get priority.
Authorizes $10 million yearly for STEM grants
The bill would authorize $10 million each year for fiscal years 2026–2029 to run these grants. This is an authorization; Congress would still need to appropriate the money. If funded, the money would support the competitive grants to eligible districts.
New application and yearly evaluation rules
To get a grant, a district would need to file an application in the form the Secretary requires. It would have to describe the program, K–12 plan, collaboration across schools, student recruitment and selection, activities, and expected partners. Each year, within 30 days after school ends, grantees would send an evaluation. It would report the program, curriculum and partnerships, time spent in STEM activities, and student progress from start to finish. This adds paperwork and tracking for districts.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Beatty
OH • D
Cosponsors
McIver
NJ • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Lynch
MA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Johnson (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Bell
MO • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Lee (PA)
PA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Foster
IL • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Brown
OH • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Grijalva
AZ • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Clarke (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 12/9/2025
Swalwell
CA • D
Sponsored 12/9/2025
DelBene
WA • D
Sponsored 12/17/2025
Lofgren
CA • D
Sponsored 12/17/2025
Stansbury
NM • D
Sponsored 1/7/2026
Davids (KS)
KS • D
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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