Establishing Cyber Security Educational Programs at Academic Institutions Act
Sponsored By: Representative Elfreth
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create a Department of Defense program to expand cybersecurity education and workforce development at qualifying colleges and senior military colleges. It would set curriculum standards, designate institutions that meet those standards, and require annual reports to Congress on benefits and costs.
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- Students and communities: Students would get clearer cybersecurity curricula, defined competency goals, and outreach to boost participation.
- Colleges and educators: Colleges could earn official designations if they meet criteria like regional accreditation, alignment with federal workforce frameworks, and demonstrated community outreach, and would share curricula and best practices across the network.
- Employers and federal agencies: The Department of Defense would consult the NSA, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, NIST, the FBI, and NSF to avoid overlap and align programs with employer needs across federal, state, local, territorial, and Tribal levels.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Defense cyber education program for students
If enacted, the Secretary of Defense would set up a program to work with eligible colleges and universities to develop cyber security education. The program would set curriculum standards and develop cybersecurity competencies at participating schools. It would promote community outreach and integrate best practices across programs.
Which schools qualify for cyber program
If enacted, the Secretary of Defense would designate schools that meet standards in cyber defense, cyber operations, or cyber research. To be eligible, a school would need to be a U.S. institution that conducts Department of Defense‑sponsored research or be a senior military college. Designation criteria would align with the Defense Cyber Workforce Framework and the NIST workforce framework, emphasize community outreach and leadership in workforce development, require regional accreditation, and encourage collaboration with other schools and employers.
How the program would be run
If enacted, the Secretary of Defense would consult with NSA, CISA (DHS), NIST, FBI, and NSF when running the program to avoid duplicate or conflicting federal cyber education efforts. The Secretary would also consult with other agencies, private partners, and schools and manage instructional opportunities identified in the 2020 NDAA report. The Secretary would work with those agencies to select metrics and report to Congress not later than one year after enactment and then annually. Reports would compare benefits to participants and the Department with costs borne by participating institutions and sponsors. The bill would not authorize agencies to spend new money for this program or change other agencies' statutory authorities.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Elfreth
MD • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Luttrell, Morgan [R-TX-8]
TX • R
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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