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YOU Belong in STEM

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YOU Belong in STEM

YOU Belong in STEM is a key component of the Biden-Harris Administration's Raise the Bar: STEM Excellence for All Students initiative designed to strengthen and increase Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education nationwide. This new Biden-Harris Administration initiative will help implement and scale equitable, high-quality STEM education for all students from PreK to higher education—regardless of background— to ensure their 21st century career readiness and global competitiveness. The imitative has three primary goals:

  • Ensure all students from PreK to higher education excel in rigorous, relevant, and joyful STEM learning;
  • Develop and support STEM educators to join, grow, and stay in the STEM education field; and,
  • Invest in STEM education strategically and sufficiently using federal, state, and local funds.

In support of the initiative and its goals, the Department:

  • Published a STEM Dear Colleague Letter and enclosure to state and district leaders outlining how federal education funds can be used to enhance STEM teaching and learning.
  • Partnering with EXPLR in hosting the first-ever 2024 National STEM Festival.
  • Partnered with Women in Aerospace (WIA), the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Club for the Future, and the Space Foundation to develop a space communication campaign illustrating the value and benefits of the space enterprise.
  • Partnered withBeyond100K to identify the key challenges regarding the supply and demand of STEM teachers at the state and local levels.

Table of Contents

Background
Department Offices that Support STEM
Examples of the Department's discretionary grants that can support STEM 
Grant Applicant Resources
Call for Peer Reviewers
America's Strategy for STEM Education
Secretary's STEM Priority
STEM Education Briefings
Archived STEM Briefings
Resources
Other Federal Agency STEM Websites
Department STEM Contacts

Background

In an ever-changing, increasingly complex world, it's more important than ever that our nation's youth are prepared to bring knowledge and skills to solve problems, make sense of information, and know how to gather and evaluate evidence to make decisions. These are the kinds of skills that students develop in science, technology, engineering, and math, including computer science -- disciplines collectively known as STEM/CS. If we want a nation where our future leaders, neighbors, and workers can understand and solve some of the complex challenges of today and tomorrow, and to meet the demands of the dynamic and evolving workforce, building students' skills, content knowledge, and literacy in STEM fields is essential. We must also make sure that, no matter where children live, they have access to quality learning environments. A child's zip code should not determine their STEM literacy and educational options.

Department Offices that Support STEM

Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development (OPEPD)
Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE)
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE)
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)
Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE)
Office of Non-Public Education (ONPE)
Office of Educational Technology (OET)
Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA)
Institute of Educational Sciences (IES)
White House Initiatives
Federal Student Aid (FSA)
Office of Communications and Outreach (OCO)

Examples of the Department's discretionary grants that can support STEM

Below are investments made in FY 2020:

You can search for open grant opportunities or reach out to the Department's STEM contacts noted below. 

Grant Applicant Resources

The Department published in spring 2020 two new grant applicant resources. These resources were developed to (1) provide an overview of the discretionary (or competitive) grants application process and (2) offer more details intended to be used by prospective applicants, including new potential grantees. These support one of the Secretary's new administrative priorities on New Potential Grantees that was published in March 2020. They can also be found under the "Other Grant Information" on the ED's Grants webpage.

Call for Peer Reviewers

The Department is seeking peer reviewers for our Fiscal Year 2024 competitive/discretionary grant season, including in the STEM/CS areas (among others). The Federal Register notice spotlights the specific needs of the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA),, the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), and the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). The How to Become a Peer Reviewer slide deck provides additional information and next steps.

America's Strategy for STEM Education

The STEM Education Strategic Plan, Charting a Course for Success: America's Strategy for STEM Education, published in December 2018, sets out a federal strategy for the next five years based on a vision for a future where all Americans will have lifelong access to high-quality STEM education and the United States will be the global leader in STEM literacy, innovation, and employment. It represents an urgent call to action for a nationwide collaboration with learners, families, educators, communities, and employers -- a "North Star" for the STEM community as it collectively charts a course for the Nation's success. The Department is an active participant in each of the interagency working groups focused on implementation of the Plan.

Learn more about what the Department and other federal agencies are doing to implement the plan in these progress reports:

Progress Reports

October 2019
December 2020
December 2021
January 2023
April 2024

Secretary's STEM Priority

Secretary Cardona finalized his six priorities for use in agency discretionary grant programs; equitable access to rigorous STEM, including computer science, experiences is noted in Priority 2. The Department also issued a revised set of common instructions for grant applicants.

  • Proposed Priority 1--Addressing the Impact of COVID-19 on Students, Educators, and Faculty.
  • Proposed Priority 2--Promoting Equity in Student Access to Educational Resources and Opportunities,.
  • Proposed Priority 3--Supporting a Diverse Educator Workforce and Professional Growth to Strengthen Student Learning.
  • Proposed Priority 4-- Meeting Student Social, Emotional, and Academic Needs.
  • Proposed Priority 5--Increasing Postsecondary Education Access, Affordability, Completion, and Post- Enrollment Success.
  • Proposed Priority 6--Strengthening Cross-Agency Coordination and Community Engagement to Advance Systemic Change.

STEM Education Briefings

The STEM Education Briefings are live-streamed, close-captioned, include live ASL interpreters, and will be archived for your convenience on the Department's You Tube Channel..

Archived STEM Briefings

Public Health and STEM with CDC [MS PowerPoint, 40MB]
The Pathway to Convergence [MS PowerPoint, 77MB]
Science: Call to Action [MS PowerPoint, 22MB]
Rural STEM Education ([MS PowerPoint, 125MB]
Think Globally, Teach Locally [PDF, 10MB]
Energizing STEM [PDF, 6.7MB]
Data Literacy [PDF, 12.6MB]
Advanced Manufacturing: Industry of the Future [PDF, 11.3MB]
Summertime STEM [PDF, 18.3MB]
Differing Abilities in STEM, featuring Dr. Temple Grandin [PDF, 13.7MB]
Inspiring STEM Interest [PDF, 3.7MB]
New Frontiers in K-12 Computer Science [PDF, 12.7MB]
Federal STEM Strategic Plan: 2 Years Later [PDF, 15.49MB]
Invention Education [PDF, 13.13MB]
STEM Teacher Preparation [PDF, 3.5MB]
Cybersecurity Education [PDF, 10.5MB]
Early Math [PDF, 2.37MB]

Resources

Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Intervention in the Elementary Grades
Designing and Delivering Career Pathways at Community Colleges
Learning in a Pandemic Webinar
Fall 2020 Back-to-School Success Stories
COVID-19 Information and Resources for Schools and School Personnel
ESEA, IDEA, and Perkins Resources
College Scorecard ― updated again on 1/15/21
Exploring Career Options – FSA
Work-Based Learning
Stackable Credentials that lead to careers
Cross-agency teacher resources
IES data and statistics, research and evaluation, and tools for educators
Out of School STEM Initiatives
The ED Games Expo "Goes Virtual" to Support Distance Learning
STEM Data Story -- A Leak in the STEM Pipeline: Taking Algebra Early
CTE Data Story -- Bridging the Skills Gap: Career and Technical Education in High School
STEM Spotlights 
Parent and Family Digital Learning Guide
Early Learning: STEM – Math Video
Keep Calm and Connect All Student OET Blog Series
K-12 Practitioners' Circle
STEM Innovation for Inclusion in Early Education (STEMI2E2) Center and OSEP's Early Learning Newsletter
A Transition Guide to Postsecondary Education and Employment for Students and Youth with Disabilities
CTE Research Center
Civil Rights Data Collection
Department's Data Strategy

Other Federal Agency STEM websites

The following are federal agencies that the Department collaborates with to support the aims of the STEM Education Strategic Plan (see above section for more details) and support the Department's stakeholders.

Department STEM Contacts

For inquiries, please reach out to STEM@ed.gov

 

Office of Communications and Outreach (OCO)
Page Last Reviewed:
September 26, 2024

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