Department of Education grants

(a) Authorization of grants (1) In general The Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to support the expansion of emerging and advanced technology education. From the amounts appropriated under subsection (g), after reserving amounts under subsection (e), the Secretary shall— (A) reserve 50 percent of the remaining funds to award grants to eligible entities that propose to use grant funds in accordance with subsection (c); and (B) reserve 50 percent of the remaining funds to award grants to eligible entities that propose to use grant funds in accordance with subsection (d). (2) Consortia An eligible entity may apply for a grant under this section as part of a consortium of one or more eligible entities. (3) Duration Grants awarded under this section shall be for a period of not less than 3 years and not more than 5 years. (4) Considerations In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall consider— (A) the information and recommendations included in the reports prepared under section 103; and (B) structural and other barriers facing specific demographic groups, as informed by the reports prepared under section 103. (5) Multiple awards (A) In general Except as provided in subparagraph (B), an eligible entity may receive only 1 grant award under this section. (B) Part of consortia (i) In general An eligible entity may receive more than 1 grant award under this section if the eligible entity is part of consortia that receive the grant awards. (ii) Lead fiscal agent An eligible entity that receives more than 1 grant award under this section as part of consortia, may be the lead fiscal agent only on 1 grant award under this section. (b) Application requirements (1) In general An eligible entity that desires a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (2) Plan An eligible entity that proposes to use grant funds in accordance with subsection (c) shall include in the application under paragraph (1), at a minimum, plans for the following: (A) Every high school student served by the eligible entity to have access to emerging and advanced technology education not later than 5 years after receipt of grant funds. (B) All students served by the eligible entity to have access to a progression of emerging and advanced technology education from prekindergarten through the middle grades (as defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)) that prepares students for high school emerging and advanced technology education. (C) Expansion of overall access to rigorous (as defined by the Secretary) STEAM classes, utilizing emerging and advanced technology as a catalyst for increased interest in STEAM more broadly, and reducing the enrollment and academic achievement gap for underrepresented groups, such as minorities, girls, and youth from families living at, or below, the poverty line. (D) Continuous monitoring and evaluation of project activities. (E) Effectively sustaining project activities after the grant period ends, and the length of time which the applicant plans to sustain the project activities. (F) Disclosure of how the eligible entity will engage with industry to inform the project activities, and with which entities from industry they will engage. (G) Leveraging of permissible activities described in subsection (c)(2), if relevant to support and enhance program activities. (c) Grant funds for emerging and advanced technology education (1) Required activities An eligible entity that receives a grant under subsection (a)(1)(A) shall use the grant funds for each of the following activities: (A) Training teachers to teach emerging and advanced technology, including providing professional development opportunities. (B) Expanding access to high-quality learning materials and online learning options, including equipment and other related technologies and access to broadband internet that are necessary to fully perform in the area of emerging and advanced technologies. (C) Creating plans for expanding overall access to rigorous STEAM classes, utilizing emerging and advanced technology as a catalyst for increased interest in STEAM more broadly, and reducing course equity gaps for all students, including underrepresented groups, such as minorities, girls, and youth from low-income families. (D) Ensuring additional support and resources, which may include mentoring for students traditionally underrepresented in STEAM fields. (E) Ongoing industry engagement to receive feedback on curricula and the emerging skills needed of artificial intelligence-related jobs. (2) Permissible activities An eligible entity that receives a grant under subsection (a)(1)(A) may use the grant funds for 1 or more of the following activities: (A) Building effective regional collaborations with industry, nonprofit organizations, State boards and local boards (as such terms are defined in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102)), institutions of higher education (including community colleges, technical colleges, and minority-serving institutions), and out-of-school providers. (B) Recruiting and hiring instructional personnel as needed, including teachers and paraeducators (which shall have the meaning given the term paraprofessional in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)), including through support for the workforce development system (as defined in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102)) in the State. (C) Preparations for effectively sustaining project activities after the grant period ends. (D) Disseminating information about effective practices. (3) Limitation Not more than 15 percent of a grant awarded under subsection (a)(1)(A) may be used to purchase equipment. (d) Grant funds for emerging and advanced technology teacher development and recruitment (1) In general An eligible entity that receives a grant under subsection (a)(1)(B) shall use the grant funds for emerging and advanced technology teacher development and recruitment, which may include professional development opportunities, loan repayment, or tuition reimbursement for service as an emerging and advanced technology teacher, or any other program designed to develop and recruit emerging and advanced technology teachers. (2) Fulfilling obligation If an eligible entity that receives a grant under subsection (a)(1)(B) uses the grant funds to implement a loan repayment program or program for tuition reimbursement for service as an emerging and advanced technology teacher, the eligible entity shall fulfill any loan repayment or tuition reimbursement obligation made to a teacher in exchange for service. (e) National activities The Secretary may reserve not more than 2.5 percent of funds available for grants under this section for national activities, including technical assistance, evaluation, and dissemination. (f) Evaluations In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall authorize third-party evaluations of grants awarded under this section to help build an evidence base of effective programs that advance a 21st-century artificial intelligence workforce. Such evaluations shall assess the scalability of activities funded by such grants to support the 21st-century artificial intelligence workforce. (g) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $160,000,000 for fiscal year 2026.