§665f Cybersecurity education and training programs

Summary

Creates a program called the Cybersecurity Education and Training Assistance Program (CETAP) inside the Agency. CETAP must help build a national cybersecurity workforce by supporting elementary and secondary (K–12) cybersecurity education. It must provide basic cyber awareness and literacy, encourage career exploration, and support teaching cyber skills. The Director must create and share K–12 curricula and career materials, train teachers, make teaching resources, run student programs like camps, work with State and local education agencies, link with the Department’s post-secondary and workforce programs, promote national K–12 cyber standards, partner with stakeholders, and take other needed actions. CETAP must be deployed nationwide and pay special attention to underserved communities. Within 1 year after CETAP starts, and every year after, the Secretary must brief the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives. Each briefing must include estimated numbers of students and teachers reached; outreach and engagement work, including with State and local agencies; information on grants or cooperative agreements and how they help underserved groups; new curricula and teacher training platforms; and coordination with post-secondary and workforce programs. The Director may use appropriated funds for promotional items and marketing. The Director may award grants or cooperative agreements to States, local governments, institutions of higher education (see 20 U.S.C. 1001), nonprofit organizations, and other non-Federal entities to run and expand cybersecurity education and to help address the national shortage of cybersecurity professionals.