21st Century STEM for Girls and Underrepresented Minorities Act
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeMrs. Beatty (for herself, Mrs. McIver, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Johnson …
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill creates a new federal grant program to help girls and underrepresented minorities succeed in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. It amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to authorize $10 million per year for four years (2026-2029) for competitive grants to qualifying school districts.
Who Benefits and How
Girls and minority students in high-need K-12 schools benefit through access to tutoring, mentoring, summer programs, field trips, internships, and career exposure activities in STEM fields. Title I school districts with at least 40% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch can receive 4-year grants of $250,000 annually to run these programs. Teachers benefit from professional development training in STEM education and eliminating classroom bias. Educational technology vendors, STEM nonprofit organizations, and employers offering student internships may also see new business opportunities.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Federal taxpayers fund the $40 million total cost over four years. Grant recipient school districts face compliance burdens including annual evaluation requirements, progress reporting, and documentation of how funds are used. The Department of Education bears administrative responsibility for running the competitive grant process.
Key Provisions
- Creates competitive grants of $250,000 per year for 4 years to qualifying school districts
- Limits eligibility to Title I schools where at least 40% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch
- Funds allowed uses include: tutoring, mentoring, summer programs, field trips, STEM events, educational materials, equipment, and up to 50% of internship costs
- Requires annual program evaluations measuring student academic progress and engagement
- Gives priority to districts partnering with organizations experienced in increasing STEM participation for underrepresented groups
- Authorizes $10 million annually for fiscal years 2026-2029
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
Establishes a competitive grant program to fund STEM education activities specifically targeting girls and underrepresented minorities in elementary and secondary schools.
Policy Domains
Legislative Strategy
"Expand STEM education opportunities for underrepresented groups through targeted competitive grants to high-need school districts."
Likely Beneficiaries
- Girls in elementary and secondary schools
- Underrepresented minority students
- Qualified local educational agencies (high-need school districts)
- STEM education program providers and organizations
- Teachers receiving professional development
- Educational technology and materials vendors
Likely Burden Bearers
- Federal taxpayers (\ million/year for 4 years)
- Grant recipient school districts (reporting and evaluation requirements)
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Education
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
A local agency that (A) receives funds under part A of title I; and (B) serves a total student population of which not less than 40 percent are children who are eligible for a free or reduced price lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act.
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology