NSF FY 2001 Request: Education and Human Resources

Under the FY 2001 request, NSF’s Education and Human Resources (EHR) Activity would receive $760.0 million, an increase of $36.1 million, or 5.0%, over FY 2000 funding of $723.9 million. The requests for the seven subactivities within EHR are shown below, along with selected quotes from NSF’s budget document:

Educational System Reform (ESR) would fall 3.4%, or $3.9 million, to $109.5 million. “ESR programs implement large-scale reform of science, mathematics, and technology (SMT) education, particularly at the preK-12 level, across the nation,”through the Statewide Systemic Initiatives, the Urban Systemic Program, and the Rural Systemic Initiatives.

Office of Innovation Partnerships would fall 19.2%, or $11.5 million, to $48.4 million. “The Office of Innovation Partnerships was initiated in FY 2000 as a result of Congressional action. The goal of this Subactivity is to stimulate the innovation process and strengthen economic development in diverse research and education settings, with emphasis on areas that are not currently participating fully in NSF programs.... In addition, the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) is located in this Subactivity”(EPSCoR request: $48.4 million).

Elementary, Secondary and Informal Education (ESIE) would grow 3.9%, or $7.1 million, to $191.5 million. “During the past year, ESIE convened a panel of national experts and began a strategic planning process.... A major new effort, Centers for Learning and Teaching (CLT), addresses two components of quality SMT education: (1) strengthening the competencies of the current and future teaching force (pre-K through university) and (2) developing the next generation of experts to guide the development of instructional materials, classroom and large-scale assessments, education research and evaluation, and informal science education.... The number of centers in FY 2001 will increase significantly in order to serve multiple groups and geographical areas. Other FY 2001 emphases will address identified areas of national need.... Reflecting the continued need for accountability in both district programs and broad-based reforms, assessment will be a high priority. Finally, ESIE will begin the development of a research agenda within funded programs which will help to create a knowledge base of effective practices in implementation areas that will inform the community, and assist NSF in its program development.”

Undergraduate Education would grow 20.8%, or $24.3 million, to $140.6 million. “The FY 2001 increase of $24.25 million supports three high priority areas: (1) expansion of support to two-year colleges and their partners in order to strengthen workforce competence and proficiency in areas related to information technology, manufacturing, and teacher preparation; (2) continuing development of a digital library for SMET education; and (3) providing scholarships for service in support of protecting the nation’s critical information infrastructure.”

Graduate Education would grow 14.4%, or $11.3 million, to $89.5 million. This subactivity includes four programs designed to support graduate education for “outstanding individuals...; to reform graduate education; and to strengthen links between higher education and K-12 education”: Graduate Research Fellowships; Postdoctoral Fellowships in Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology Education; Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeships; and Graduate Teaching Fellowships in K-12 Education.

Human Resource Development would grow 6.0%, or $4.6 million, to $81.9 million. “Within this Subactivity, programs address three priorities: (1) increasing substantially the diversity of the SMET professoriate; (2) strengthening the synergy among key minority-focused programs, and strengthening the interactions among grantees within these programs and other general NSF programs in research and education; and (3) expanding upon a strong educational research base to develop and foster broad implementation of innovative strategies for increasing participation and achievement of girls, women, and persons with disabilities in SMET education and research activities.”

Research, Evaluation and Communication would grow 10.1%, or $6.2 million, to $67.7 million. “A portfolio of over 200 projects is helping build a productive and forward-moving research and evaluation community that is characterized by its multidisciplinary expertise in cognition, learning theory, technology, pedagogy, instructional workforce development, policy, and education system reform. A primary goal is to increase the level of rigorous science and mathematics knowledge of all students, as well as to develop mechanisms for ensuring effective implementation of learning strategies and tools in classrooms, schools, and large-scale systems.”

The EHR budget also includes $31.0 million for H-1B Nonimmigrant Petitioner Fees, which would be 6.1% less than in FY 2000. By law, a portion of the “fees collected for each petition for alien nonimmigrant status” must be made available to NSF for Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics Scholarships (request: $25.4 million); Grants for Mathematics, Engineering, or Science Enrichment Courses (request: $2.8 million); and supplemental Systemic Reform Activities (request: $2.8 million).