Sponsors (3)
The bill directs modest federal funding and NSF‑aligned oversight to expand K–12 modeling and data‑science education and teacher training—raising student skills and workforce connections—while imposing new federal costs, administrative burdens on districts, and risks of uneven access and funding uncertainty unless further supports or reauthorization occur.
K–12 students will gain expanded access to mathematical and statistical modeling and data‑science instruction, improving real‑world problem‑solving skills.
Teachers and teacher‑preparation programs will receive targeted professional learning, training resources, and recommendations to strengthen pre‑service and in‑service instruction in modeling and data science.
Colleges, nonprofits, local educational agencies, and researchers will receive federal support and clearer NSF oversight to develop scalable curricula, partnerships with higher education and employers, and related research activities.
Taxpayers fund new federal activities (about $50 million for grants plus ~$5 million for study over five years), increasing federal spending that could displace other priorities.
Local school districts and schools may face added administrative burdens (assurances, reporting, partnership requirements) and potential costs if study recommendations require new state or local investment.
Smaller or under‑resourced LEAs may struggle to meet competitive grant requirements and to sustain reforms after grant periods, risking uneven benefits across districts.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes NSF grants and a National Academies study to advance K–12 mathematical and statistical modeling education, subject to appropriations and a 2029 sunset.
Official title: To coordinate Federal research and development efforts focused on modernizing mathematics in STEM education through mathematical and statistical modeling, including data-driven and computational thinking, problem, project, and performance-based learning and assessment, interdisciplinary exploration, and career connections, and for other purposes.
Introduced January 24, 2025 by Christina Houlahan · Last progress March 25, 2025
Creates a short-term NSF grant program and a funded study to improve mathematical modeling, statistical modeling, data science, operations research, and computational thinking instruction in K–12 schools. Directs NSF to award merit-reviewed competitive grants to higher education institutions and nonprofits to develop and scale innovative preK–12 curricular, teacher-preparation, and transition programs, and requires an external study (with a public stakeholder meeting) on barriers and best practices, funded at $1,000,000 per year for FY2026–2030. Limits all activity to amounts appropriated to NSF, sunsets the award authority on September 30, 2029, and specifies definitions and priorities for applicant partnerships and program content. The bill authorizes—but does not appropriate—funds and does not change other federal education statutes.