PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

Provides competitive, merit-reviewed grants to tribal colleges and universities (the tribal higher education institutions named in federal law) to strengthen undergraduate STEM teaching and to raise retention and graduation rates for Native American students in associate’s and bachelor’s STEM programs. Grants may pay to improve courses and curricula, train and develop faculty, give stipends to undergraduates doing research, buy lab equipment and materials, and fund other related activities the Director approves. Also requires the Director to award competitive grants to expand Tribal participation in computer science and computational thinking. These awards fund work to start CS courses and degrees at Tribal colleges, create culturally relevant teaching materials, develop and evaluate distance-learning CS programs, and similar activities; Tribal colleges may partner with other colleges or nonprofits. The Director must coordinate with other federal agencies. The law authorizes $2,000,000 per year for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027 for this computer-science effort.

Title 42, §1862p–13

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Director shall continue to support a program to award grants on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis to tribal colleges and universities (as defined in section 1059c of title 20, including institutions described in section 1059d of title 20), to enhance the quality of undergraduate STEM education at such institutions and to increase the retention and graduation rates of Native American students pursuing associate’s or baccalaureate degrees in STEM.

(b)Grants awarded under this section shall support—

(1)activities to improve courses and curriculum in STEM;

(2)faculty development;

(3)stipends for undergraduate students participating in research; and

(4)other activities consistent with subsection (a), as determined by the Director.

(c)Funding provided under this section may be used for laboratory equipment and materials.

(d)(1)The Director, as part of the program authorized under this section, shall make awards on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis to eligible entities to increase the participation of Tribal populations in computer science and computational thinking education programs to enable students to develop skills and competencies in coding, problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity and collaboration.

(2)Awards made under this subsection shall support—

(A)research and development needed to bring computer science and computational thinking courses and degrees to Tribal Colleges or Universities;

(B)research and development of instructional materials needed to integrate computer science and computational thinking into programs that are culturally relevant to students attending Tribal Colleges or Universities;

(C)research, development and evaluation of distance education for computer science and computational thinking courses and degree programs for students attending Tribal Colleges and Universities; and

(D)other activities consistent with the activities described in paragraphs (1) through (4) of subsection (b), as determined by the Director.

(3)A Tribal College or University seeking an award under this subsection, or consortia thereof, may partner with an institution of higher education or nonprofit organization with demonstrated expertise in academic program development.

(4)In carrying out this subsection, the Director shall consult and cooperate with the programs and policies of other relevant Federal agencies to avoid duplication with and enhance the effectiveness of the program under this subsection.

(5)There are authorized to be appropriated to the Director $2,000,000 in each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027 to carry out this subsection.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was enacted as part of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, also known as the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Reauthorization Act of 2010, and also as part of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2010, and not as part of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 which comprises this chapter.

Amendments

2022—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 117–167 added subsec. (d).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Definitions For definitions of terms used in this section, see section 2 of Pub. L. 111–358, set out as a note under section 6621 of this title, and section 502 of Pub. L. 111–358, set out as a note under section 1862p of this title.

§1862p–13 Tribal Colleges and Universities Program