FY 2025 Appropriations
Both the House and Senate are in the process of developing and finalizing their FY2025 appropriations bills, which essentially fund the government and federal programs, many of which provide critical support for both afterschool and STEM education.
We are tracking both the House and Senate's appropriations bills to advocate that funding for STEM education and afterschool are robust and meet the needs of the field. This includes increased funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV-B of the Every Student Succeeds Act) and full funding for the Student Support and Academic Enrichment program (Title IV-A of the Every Student Succeeds Act).
Request to Fully Fund the National Science Foundation
Summary of House's Labor-Health & Human Services-Education Appropriations Bill
Afterschool Alliance Statement on House Appropriations Committee Mark-up
NSF AI Education Bill
This bill would expand scholarship and professional development opportunities to study artificial intelligence. It would create fellowships for professional development for those already in the STEM and education workforce and require the National Science Foundation to work with educators and academics to create guidance to introduce AI skills and education in K-12 classrooms.
We are engaging in the development of this bill to ensure that afterschool educators are eligible for the professional development opportunities and afterschool programs are represented and highlighted as key learning spaces to engage youth in learning about artificial intelligence.
Women and Underrepresented Minorities in STEM Booster Act of 2024
This legislation would create new federal grants for programs focused on professional development, training, mentoring, and outreach activities of women and minorities in STEM fields.
There is opportunity for afterschool STEM to be a substantial part of this bill, as we know that afterschool programs offer unique spaces for girls and underrepresented youth to build their sense of identity in STEM, form and maintain key mentorship relationships, and engage in joyful STEM learning.
Reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is designed to strengthen the U.S. public workforce system and help workers, including youth and those with significant barriers to employment, obtain high-quality jobs and careers. It is also designed to help employers hire and retain skilled workers.
We are closely following the reauthorization of WIOA to advocate that it include the Youth Workforce Readiness Act and support opportunities for youth to engage in STEM career exploration and workforce opportunities, such as pre-apprenticeships an apprenticeships. We are also advocating that youth voices and community based organizations working directly with youth are included in workforce boards and committees.
Request to Support the Youth Workforce Readiness Act as part of WIOA's reauthorization (page 2)
Youth Workforce Readiness Act Press Release
Youth Workforce Readiness Act Bill Text
Advancing Research in Education Act
The Advancing Research in Education Act (AREA) would reauthorize the Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA), which created the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) in 2002. ESRA enables educational data collection and authorizes various federal government efforts to conduct research on education from early childhood through post-secondary school. It's reauthorization is an opportunity to expand access to high-quality early learning opportunities through improved research and data.
We submitted recommendations that the definition of "evidence-based" be less restrictive so as not to exclude afterschool, summer, and other out-of-school time learning experiences since they are often evaluated via qualitative evaluations and by means other than randomized-control trials. We also recommended that a focus on youth well-being and mental health be included in a revised draft. Our recommendations have been adapted into revised bill language and we are following the bill's development.