Increasing Access to High-Quality Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education, 45417-45419 [2017-21032]

Agencies

• Executive Office of the President

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 187 (Thursday, September 28, 2017)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 45417-45419]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-21032]



[[Page 45415]]

Vol. 82

Thursday,

No. 187

September 28, 2017

Part IV





The President





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Memorandum of September 25, 2017--Increasing Access to High-Quality 
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education


                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 82 , No. 187 / Thursday, September 28, 2017 / 
Presidential Documents

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--
The President

[[Page 45417]]

                Memorandum of September 25, 2017

                
 Increasing Access to High-Quality Science, 
                Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) 
                Education

                Memorandum for the Secretary of Education

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, it is hereby directed as follows:

                Section 1. Policy. A key priority of my Administration 
                is to better equip America's young people with the 
                relevant knowledge and skills that will enable them to 
                secure high-paying, stable jobs throughout their 
                careers. With the growing role of technology in driving 
                the American economy, many jobs increasingly require 
                skills in science, technology, engineering, and 
                mathematics (STEM)--including, in particular, Computer 
                Science. These skills open the door to jobs, 
                strengthening the backbone of American ingenuity, 
                driving solutions to complex problems across 
                industries, and improving lives around the world. As 
                part of my Administration's commitment to supporting 
                American workers and increasing economic growth and 
                prosperity, it is critical that we educate and train 
                our future workforce to compete and excel in lucrative 
                and important STEM fields.

                Today, too many of our Nation's K-12 and post-secondary 
                students lack access to high-quality STEM education, 
                and thus are at risk of being shut out from some of the 
                most attractive job options in the growing United 
                States economy. Courses in Computer Science are 
                especially scarce in too many schools and communities, 
                despite the job opportunities that these skills create. 
                Nearly 40 percent of high schools do not offer physics 
                and 60 percent of high schools do not offer computer 
                programming. Of the nearly 17,000 high schools that 
                were accredited to offer Advanced Placement exams in 
                2015, only 18 percent were accredited to teach Advanced 
                Placement Computer Science (AP-CS). Minorities and 
                students in rural communities often have even less 
                access to Computer Science education. Nationwide, only 
                34 percent of African American students and 30 percent 
                of rural high school students have access to a Computer 
                Science class. Furthermore, even where classes are 
                offered, there is a serious gender gap: less than a 
                quarter of the students who took the AP-CS A exam 
                nationally in 2016 were girls.

                Shortages in high-quality STEM teachers at all levels, 
                particularly in Computer Science, often drive these 
                problems. The Department of Education, therefore, 
                should prioritize helping districts recruit and train 
                teachers capable of providing students with a rigorous 
                education in STEM fields, focusing in particular on 
                Computer Science. This will help equip students with 
                the skills needed to obtain certifications and advanced 
                degrees that ultimately lead to jobs in STEM fields.

                Sec. 2. Expanding Access to Computer Science and STEM 
                Education. (a) Establish promotion of high-quality STEM 
                education, with a particular focus on Computer Science, 
                as a Department of Education priority. The Secretary of 
                Education (Secretary) shall, consistent with law, 
                establish the promotion of high-quality STEM education, 
                including Computer Science in particular, as one of the 
                priorities of the Department of Education. The 
                Secretary shall take this priority into account, to the 
                extent permitted by law, when awarding grant funds in 
                fiscal year 2018 and in future years.

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                    (b) Funding level. The Secretary shall, to the 
                extent consistent with law, establish a goal of 
                devoting at least $200 million in grant funds per year 
                to the promotion of high-quality STEM education, 
                including Computer Science in particular. Within 30 
                days of the Congress passing final appropriations for 
                each fiscal year for which the priority established 
                under subsection (a) of this section is in effect, the 
                Secretary shall identify the grant programs to which 
                the STEM priority will apply and estimate the total 
                amount of such grant funds that will support high-
                quality STEM education, including Computer Science. The 
                Secretary shall communicate plans for achieving this 
                goal to the Director of the Office of Management and 
                Budget (OMB Director) each fiscal year.
                    (c) Explore administrative actions to promote 
                Computer Science at the Department of Education. The 
                Secretary shall explore appropriate administrative 
                actions, to the extent consistent with law, to add or 
                increase focus on Computer Science in existing K-12 and 
                post-secondary programs. As part of this effort, the 
                Secretary shall identify and take action to provide 
                guidance documents and other technical assistance that 
                could support high-quality Computer Science education.
                    (d) Report. Not later than 90 days after the end of 
                each fiscal year, the Secretary shall submit to the OMB 
                Director a report on the activities carried out during 
                the preceding fiscal year under subsections (b) and (c) 
                of this section. In particular, the report shall 
                describe how the grant funds referenced in subsection 
                (b) were spent, any administrative actions that were 
                taken, guidance documents that were released, or 
                technical assistance that was provided pursuant to 
                subsection (c) of this section, and whether these 
                actions succeeded in promoting and expanding access to 
                high-quality STEM education, including Computer Science 
                in particular, both generally and with respect to 
                underserved populations.

                Sec. 3. Definition. The term ``Computer Science'' means 
                the study of computers and algorithmic processes and 
                includes the study of computing principles and 
                theories, computer hardware, software design, coding, 
                analytics, and computer applications.

                Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this 
                memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise 
                affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or 
the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the OMB Director relating to budgetary, 
administrative, or legislative proposals.

                    (b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent 
                with applicable law and subject to the availability of 
                appropriations.

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                    (c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does 
                not, create any right or benefit, substantive or 
                procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any 
                party against the United States, its departments, 
                agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or 
                agents, or any other person.
                    (d) The Secretary is hereby authorized and directed 
                to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2017-21032
Filed 9-27-17; 11:15 am]
Billing code 4000-01-P