---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 19172"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "19172"
heading: "National Science Foundation rural STEM activities"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/19172"
units:
  - "Chapter 163 — Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation"
  - "Subchapter V — Broadening Participation in Science"
  - "Part B — Rural STEM Education Research"
---

# §19172. National Science Foundation rural STEM activities

- (a) **Preparing rural STEM educators—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1) shall make awards on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis to institutions of higher education or [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organizations (or a [consortium](/usc/42/17061.md?p=4) thereof) for research and development activities to advance innovative approaches to support and sustain high-quality [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) teaching in rural schools.
  - (2) **Use of funds—**
    - (A) **In general—** Awards made under this subsection shall be used for the research and development activities referred to in [paragraph (1)](#a-1), which may include—
      - (i) engaging rural educators, principals, or other school leaders of students in prekindergarten through grade 12 in professional learning opportunities to enhance [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) knowledge, including computer science, and develop best [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19);
      - (ii) supporting research on effective [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) teaching and school leadership [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) in rural settings, including the use of rubrics and mastery- based grading [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) to assess student performance when employing the transdisciplinary teaching approach for [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) disciplines;
      - (iii) designing and developing pre-service and in-service training resources to assist such rural educators, principals, and other school leaders in adopting transdisciplinary teaching [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) across [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) courses;
      - (iv) coordinating with local partners to adapt [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) teaching [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) to leverage local, natural, and community assets in order to support in-place learning in rural areas;
      - (v) providing hands-on training and research opportunities for rural educators described in [clause (i)](#a-2-A-i) at [Federal laboratories](/usc/42/18901.md?p=9) or institutions of higher education, or in industry;
      - (vi) developing training and best [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) for educators who teach multiple grade levels within a [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) discipline;
      - (vii) designing and implementing professional development courses and experiences, including mentoring, for rural educators, principals, and other school leaders described in [clause (i)](#a-2-A-i) that combine face-to-face and online experiences; and
      - (viii) any other activity the [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1) determines will accomplish the goals of this paragraph.
    - (B) **Rural stem collaborative—** The [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1) shall establish a pilot program of regional cohorts in rural areas that will provide peer support, mentoring, and hands-on research experiences for rural [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) educators, principals, and other school leaders of students in prekindergarten through grade 12, in order to build an ecosystem of cooperation among educators, principals, other school leaders, researchers, academia, and local industry.
- (b) **Broadening participation of rural students in STEM—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1) shall make awards on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis to institutions of higher education or [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organizations (or a [consortium](/usc/42/17061.md?p=4) thereof) for—
    - (A) research and development of programming to identify the barriers rural students face in accessing high-quality [STEM education](/usc/42/18901.md?p=28); and
    - (B) development of innovative solutions to improve the participation and advancement of rural students in prekindergarten through grade 12 in [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) studies.
  - (2) **Use of funds—**
    - (A) **In general—** Awards made under this subsection shall be used for the research and development activities referred to in [paragraph (1)](#b-1), which may include—
      - (i) developing partnerships with community colleges to offer advanced [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) course work, including computer science, to rural high school students;
      - (ii) supporting research on effective [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) in rural settings;
      - (iii) implementing a school-wide [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) approach, including preparation and support for principals and other school leaders;
      - (iv) improving the [Foundation](/usc/42/18901.md?p=11)’s Advanced Technology Education program’s coordination and engagement with rural communities;
      - (v) collaborating with existing community partners and networks, such as the Cooperative Extension System services and extramural research programs of the [Department](/usc/42/19291.md?p=2) of Agriculture and youth serving organizations like 4-H, after school [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) programs, and summer [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) programs, to leverage community resources and develop place-based programming;
      - (vi) connecting rural school districts and institutions of higher education, to improve precollegiate [STEM education](/usc/42/18901.md?p=28) and engagement;
      - (vii) supporting partnerships that offer hands-on inquiry-based science activities, including coding, and access to lab resources for students studying [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) in prekindergarten through grade 12 in a rural area;
      - (viii) evaluating the role of broadband connectivity and its associated impact on the [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) and technology literacy of rural students;
      - (ix) building capacity to support extracurricular [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) programs in rural schools, including mentor-led engagement programs, [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) programs held during non-school hours, [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) networks, makerspaces, coding activities, and competitions;
      - (x) creating partnerships with local industries and local educational [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) to tailor [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) curricula and educational experiences to the needs of a particular local or regional economy; and
      - (xi) any other activity the [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1) determines will accomplish the goals of this paragraph.
- (c) **Application—** An applicant seeking an award under subsection [(a)](#a) or [(b)](#b) shall submit an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1) may require. The application may include the following:
  - (1) A description of the target population to be served by the research activity or activities for which such award is sought.
  - (2) A description of the process for recruitment and selection of students, educators, principals, and other school leaders, or schools from rural areas to participate in such activity or activities.
  - (3) A description of how such activity or activities may inform efforts to promote the engagement and achievement of rural students in prekindergarten through grade 12 in [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) studies.
  - (4) In the case of a proposal consisting of a partnership or partnerships with one or more rural schools and one or more researchers, a plan for establishing a sustained partnership that is jointly developed and managed, draws from the capacities of each partner, and is mutually beneficial.
- (d) **Partnerships—** In making awards under subsection [(a)](#a) or [(b)](#b), the [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1) shall—
  - (1) encourage applicants which, for the purpose of the activity or activities funded through the award, include or partner with a [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organization or an [institution of higher education](/usc/42/18901.md?p=13) (or a [consortium](/usc/42/17061.md?p=4) thereof) that has extensive experience and expertise in increasing the participation of rural students in prekindergarten through grade 12 in [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27);
  - (2) encourage applicants which, for the purpose of the activity or activities funded through the award, include or partner with a [consortium](/usc/42/17061.md?p=4) of rural schools or rural school districts; and
  - (3) encourage applications which, for the purpose of the activity or activities funded through the award, include commitments from school principals, other school leaders, and [administrators](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) to making reforms and activities proposed by the applicant a priority.
- (e) **Evaluations—** All proposals for awards under subsections [(a)](#a) and [(b)](#b) shall include an evaluation plan that includes the use of outcome-oriented measures to assess the impact and efficacy of the award. Each [recipient](/usc/42/18901.md?p=24) of an award under this subsection shall include results from these evaluative activities in annual and final [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2).
- (f) **Accountability and dissemination—**
  - (1) **Evaluation required—** The [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1) shall evaluate the portfolio of awards made under subsections [(a)](#a) and [(b)](#b). Such evaluation shall—
    - (A) use a common set of benchmarks and tools to assess the results of research conducted under such awards and identify best [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19); and
    - (B) to the extent practicable, integrate the findings of research resulting from the activity or activities funded through such awards with the findings of other research on rural students’ pursuit of degrees or careers in [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27).
  - (2) **Report on evaluations—** Not later than 180 days after the completion of the evaluation under [paragraph (1)](#f-1), the [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1) shall submit to Congress and make widely available to the public a report that includes—
    - (A) the results of the evaluation; and
    - (B) any recommendations for administrative and legislative action that could optimize the effectiveness of the awards made under this subsection.
- (g) **Report by Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering—** As part of the first report required by [section 1885c(e) of this title](/usc/42/1885c.md?p=e) transmitted to Congress after August 9, 2022, the Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering, in consultation with the Chief Diversity Officer of the National Science [Foundation](/usc/42/18901.md?p=11), shall include—
  - (1) a description of past and present policies and activities of the [Foundation](/usc/42/18901.md?p=11) to encourage full participation of students in rural communities in science, mathematics, engineering, and computer science fields;
  - (2) an assessment of trends in participation of rural students in prekindergarten through grade 12 in [Foundation](/usc/42/18901.md?p=11) activities; and
  - (3) an assessment of the policies and activities of the [Foundation](/usc/42/18901.md?p=11), along with proposals for new strategies or the broadening of existing successful strategies towards facilitating the goal of increasing participation of rural students in prekindergarten through grade 12 in [Foundation](/usc/42/18901.md?p=11) activities.
- (h) **Coordination—** In carrying out this subsection, the [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1) shall, for purposes of enhancing program effectiveness and avoiding duplication of activities, consult, cooperate, and coordinate with the programs and policies of other relevant Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1).
- (i) **Authorization of appropriations—** There are authorized to be appropriated to the [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1)—
  - (1) $8,000,000 to carry out the activities under [subsection (a)](#a) for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027; and
  - (2) $12,000,000 to carry out the activities under [subsection (b)](#b) for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title V, § 10512, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1613.)