Sponsors (4)
The bill would significantly expand K–12 and postsecondary data literacy, teacher capacity, and evidence‑building—improving workforce readiness and equity for many students—while requiring new federal spending and posing sustainability, administrative, and privacy tradeoffs that could blunt benefits for under‑resourced communities.
Students (pre‑K through postsecondary) will gain expanded access to data literacy, data science, and statistics instruction, improving workforce readiness and everyday decision‑making.
Teachers and specialists will receive evidence‑based professional development and funding for hiring/training, increasing instructional capacity to teach data and statistics.
Young adults and underrepresented groups will have better pathways into data‑heavy jobs (via diversified curricula, two‑year college workforce alignment, and industry partnerships), helping address STEM labor shortages.
Taxpayers will fund expanded programs and new data collection (including a $10M/year competitive grant program and additional NCES work), increasing federal and likely state education spending.
Competitive grant structure and administrative requirements may advantage well‑resourced districts and institutions, leaving rural and underfunded schools with less access despite equity aims.
Grant limits (maximum 5‑year awards and a 15% per‑year equipment cap) risk short‑term boosts without sustainable funding or the ability to maintain costly technology after grants end.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Establishes competitive grants to expand data literacy education PK–postsecondary and requires five‑year State data on secondary STEM teachers.
Official title: To direct the Secretary of Education to make grants for the purpose of increasing access to data literacy education, and for other purposes.
Introduced September 10, 2026 by Haley Stevens · Last progress September 10, 2026
Creates a federal competitive grant program to expand access to data literacy, data science, and statistics education from pre‑kindergarten through postsecondary levels, fund model programs, curriculum development, professional development, and student supports. Grants may run up to five years and include activities to increase access to rigorous STEM coursework and reduce opportunity gaps for underrepresented students. Requires the National Center for Education Statistics (the Statistics Center) to collect, on a State-by-State basis and no more frequently than once every five years (beginning one year after enactment), data on secondary‑school STEM teachers including subjects taught, teachers' educational backgrounds, and demographics by race, ethnicity, and gender. The law authorizes reporting, evaluation, and limits equipment purchases with grants to promote sustainability and accountability.