FY 2016 Budget Request: STEM Education

The Administration’s FY 2016 request for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education is based on recommendations from several reports from the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology in addition to the 2013 Federal STEM Education Five Year Strategic Plan.

The STEM education budget request provides support for new grant programs at the Department of Education including a new competitive grant program to develop Next Generation High Schools and a Teacher and Principal Pathways program aimed at improving STEM teacher and principal preparation. Another new program, Teaching for Tomorrow provides funding for recruiting, training, supporting, retaining and advancing effective teachers. Additionally, the budget request includes funding at the National Science Foundation for improving undergraduate teaching and learning in STEM subjects.

The Department of Education STEM Education Budget
The FY 2015 budget request for the Department of Education prioritizes college opportunity and affordability, college and career readiness, teacher training and early childhood education. STEM education programs include:

Investing in Innovation
The FY 2015 appropriation was $120.0 million
The FY 2016 request is $300.0 million, an increase of $180.0 million or 150.0 percent

Mathematics and Science Partnerships
The FY 2015 appropriation was $152.7 million
The FY 2016 request is $202.7 million, an increase of $50.0 million or 32.7 percent

Excellent Educators Grants
The FY 2015 appropriation was $230.0 million
The FY 2016 request is $350.0 million, an increase of $120.0 million or 52.2 percent

The Excellent Educators Grant program, currently known as the Teacher Incentive Fund, would support “evidence-based State and local initiatives to strengthen systems for recruiting, developing, and retaining effective teachers and school leaders.”

Improving Teacher Quality State Grants
The FY 2015 appropriation was $2,349.8 million
The FY 2016 request is $2,349.8 million

The following are new programs at the Department of Education:

Next Generation High Schools
The FY 2016 request is $125.0 million

Teaching for Tomorrow
The FY 2016 request is $1,000.0 million

Teacher and Principal Pathways
The FY 2016 request is $138.8 million

The National Science Foundation STEM Education Budget
The National Science Foundation budget includes STEM education funding in the disciplinary directorates, however the primary division responsible for supporting STEM Education is the Directorate of Education and Human Resources.

Education and Human Resources Directorate
The FY 2015 appropriation was $866.0 million
The FY 2016 request is $962.6 million, an increase of $96.6 million or 11.2 percent

Areas of major investment for the Education and Human Resources Directorate include:

Nation of Communities of Learners that have been Underrepresented for Diversity in Engineering and Science (INCLUDES)
The FY 2016 request is $3.0 million

This new pilot program is aimed at empowering youth by engaging them directly in STEM fields.

NSF Research Traineeship (NRT)
The FY 2015 appropriation was $28.3 million
The FY 2016 request is $35.4 million, an increase of $7.1 million or 25.2 percent

Division of Undergraduate Education
The FY 2015 appropriation was $227.3 million
The FY 2016 request is $268.3 million, an increase of $40.9 million or 18.0 percent

NSF programs within the Division of Undergraduate Education include:

Robert Noyce Teaching Scholarship Program
The FY 2015 appropriation was $60.9 million
The FY 2016 request is $60.9 million

Improving Undergraduate STEM Education
The FY 2015 appropriation was $84.0 million
The FY 2016 request is $120.1 million, an increase of $36.1 million or 43.0 percent

This funding increase is to “allow for increased focus on research experiences as part of the undergraduate STEM experience.”

Division of Graduate Education
The FY 2015 appropriation was $273.4 million
The FY 2016 request is $295.6 million, an increase of $22.2 million or 8.1 percent

Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings
The FY 2015 appropriation was $221.5 million
The FY 2016 request is $253.1 million, an increase of $31.6 million or 14.2 percent

FY 2016 budget documents for the Department of Education and National Science Foundation provide details of their STEM education programs.