---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 2036"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "2036"
heading: "Grants to support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/2036"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part III — Training and Education"
  - "Chapter 102 — Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps"
---

# §2036. Grants to support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education

- (a) **Authority.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3), in consultation with the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Education, may carry out a [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) to make grants to [eligible entities](/usc/10/4951.md?p=1) to assist such entities in providing education in covered subjects to students in the Junior [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [Officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1)’ [Training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) Corps.
- (b) **Coordination.—** In carrying out a [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) under [subsection (a)](#a), the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) may coordinate with the following:
  - (1) The Director of the National Science Foundation.
  - (2) The [Administrator](/usc/10/2700.md?p=3) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
  - (3) The heads of such other Federal, [State](/usc/10/4951.md?p=4), and [local government](/usc/10/4951.md?p=4) entities the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense determines to be appropriate.
- (c) **Activities.—** Activities funded with grants under this section may include the following:
  - (1) [Training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) and other support for instructors to teach courses in covered subjects to students.
  - (2) The acquisition of materials, hardware, and software necessary for the instruction of covered subjects.
  - (3) Activities that improve the quality of educational materials, [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) opportunities, and curricula available to students and instructors in covered subjects.
  - (4) Development of travel opportunities, demonstrations, mentoring [programs](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1), and informal education in covered subjects for students and instructors.
  - (5) Students’ pursuit of certifications in covered subjects.
- (d) **Preference.—** In making any grants under this section, the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) shall give preference to [eligible entities](/usc/10/4951.md?p=1) that are eligible for assistance under part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ([20 U.S.C. 6311](/usc/20/6311.md) et seq.).
- (e) **Evaluations.—** In carrying out a [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) under this section, the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) shall establish outcome-based metrics and internal and external assessments to evaluate the merits and benefits of the activities funded with grants under this section with respect to the needs of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense.
- (f) **Authorities.—** In carrying out a [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) under this section, the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) shall, to the extent practicable, make use of the authorities under [chapter 111](/usc/10/chstA/ptIII/ch111.md) and sections [2601](/usc/10/2601.md) and [2605](/usc/10/2605.md) of this title, and other authorities the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) determines appropriate.
- (g) **Definitions.—** In this section:
  - (1) The term “[eligible entity](/usc/10/4951.md?p=1)” means a local education [agency](/usc/10/3451.md?p=3) that hosts a unit of the Junior [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [Officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1)’ [Training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) Corps.
  - (2) The term “covered subjects” means—
    - (A) science;
    - (B) technology;
    - (C) engineering;
    - (D) mathematics;
    - (E) computer science;
    - (F) computational thinking;
    - (G) artificial intelligence;
    - (H) machine learning;
    - (I) data science;
    - (J) quantum information sciences;
    - (K) cybersecurity;
    - (L) robotics;
    - (M) health sciences; and
    - (N) other subjects determined by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense to be related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title V, § 513(a)(1), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3587; amended Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title V, § 511, Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 1682.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, referred to in subsec. (d), is Pub. L. 89–10, Apr. 11, 1965, 79 Stat. 27. Part A of title I of the Act is classified generally to part A (§ 6311 et seq.) of subchapter I of chapter 70 of Title 20, Education. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 6301 of Title 20 and Tables.

### Amendments

2021—Subsec. (g)(2)(J) to (N). Pub. L. 117–81 added subpar. (J) and redesignated former subpars. (J) to (M) as (K) to (N), respectively.