21st Century STEM for Girls and Underrepresented Minorities Act
Dec 3, 2025
Dec 3, 2025
Summary
Creates a grant program for schools to fund activities that encourage girls and underrepresented minorities to study and work in science and tech fields.
What problem does this solve?
Girls and underrepresented minorities are often not encouraged to enter science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. This bill gives money to schools to create special programs, like tutoring and summer camps, to get these students interested in STEM careers.
Who does this affect?
- Girls in K-12 education
- Underrepresented minorities in K-12 education
- Public school districts in low-income areas
What does this bill do?
Creates a new grant program for schools
Establishes a competitive grant program run by the Secretary of Education. The program gives money to qualified local school districts to fund STEM education activities for girls and underrepresented minorities.
Targets schools in lower-income areas
Specifies that only school districts that receive federal Title I funds and have at least 40% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch can apply for these grants.
Lists approved uses for grant money
Outlines specific activities the funds can support, including tutoring, mentoring, summer programs, field trips, teacher training on bias, and paying for up to half the cost of student internships.
Sets grant amounts and duration
Determines that each grant will be for a four-year period, with schools receiving $250,000 for each year.
Authorizes program funding
Approves $10 million in funding for the program for each fiscal year from 2026 through 2029.
Requires annual reports from schools
Mandates that any school district receiving a grant must submit a yearly report to the Secretary of Education. The report must describe the program's activities and assess the academic progress of students.
What is the real world impact?
•
Strengthens the future U.S. workforce
Aims to fix the lack of diversity in high-demand science and technology jobs. By encouraging more people from different backgrounds to enter these fields, the country can become more creative and competitive on a global scale.
When does this start?
The grant program will start within 90 days of the bill becoming law and includes several key deadlines.
Program funding period
Authorizes funding of $10 million per year for the fiscal years 2026, 2027, 2028, and 2029.
Grant program start date
Requires the Secretary of Education to start the grant program no later than 90 days after the bill becomes law.
Annual school reports deadline
Requires schools receiving a grant to submit a written report on their program's progress within 30 days after the end of each school year.