Bill Overview
Title: Cybersecurity Grants for Schools Act of 2022
Description: This bill allows the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to award grants or other financial assistance for cybersecurity and infrastructure security education and training programs at the elementary and secondary education levels. Entities eligible for the assistance include states, localities, institutions of higher education, and nonprofits. Additionally, CISA must include information about how the grants and assistance enhance cybersecurity education for underserved populations or communities in annual briefings.
Sponsors: Rep. Garbarino, Andrew R. [R-NY-2]
Target Audience
Population: students, teachers, and educators at elementary and secondary schools worldwide
Estimated Size: 55000000
- The bill targets educational institutions at the elementary and secondary levels, impacting students across these educational stages.
- The grant aims to enhance cybersecurity education, which will affect teachers and educators who will either undergo training or implement new curriculums.
- The focus on underserved populations indicates that students and schools in lower-income or less privileged areas will be primary beneficiaries.
- The involvement of states, localities, and nonprofits suggests that a wide array of educational environments, including public and possibly private institutions, could benefit.
- By enhancing cybersecurity education, future professionals in the technology and cybersecurity fields will emerge, indirectly impacting the broader community.
Reasoning
- The budget allocation suggests that the program will not reach all potential beneficiaries in the first year, but a significant portion will be impacted over 10 years.
- The policy will likely have immediate positive impacts on educational staff involved in new curriculum development and delivery.
- Students in underserved areas will benefit, with a likely increase in average wellbeing scores due to improved educational resources.
- Teachers will experience professional development opportunities, potentially increasing their job satisfaction and wellbeing.
- Schools in varying contexts (public, charter, nonprofit sites) will implement these grants, leading to a diverse range of impacts across different regions.
- In the long term, students' improved cybersecurity education might contribute to career opportunities in technology fields, raising their long-term wellbeing.
- Schools with limited initial IT resources may face challenges in implementing these programs effectively.
- Urban areas with a high density of schools may see more comprehensive implementation compared to rural areas.
- The emphasis on public and underserved populations means that private school environments might see less impact.
- Overall, while the grants aim for equitable access, regional distribution could create pockets of varying impact.
Simulated Interviews
Elementary School Teacher (Chicago, IL)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Implementation of cybersecurity education could make my teaching more engaging.
- This policy seems to offer much-needed resources to update our school’s outdated systems.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
High School Student (Rural Alabama)
Age: 17 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This initiative sounds promising and could give me access to better cybersecurity training.
- Our school really needs more resources and this might help us catch up.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Nonprofit Director (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The grant can enhance our capacity to serve more students with updated cybersecurity curricula.
- It aligns well with our mission to empower underrepresented youth in tech skills.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Middle School Principal (New York, NY)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Expanding our cybersecurity curriculum will provide our students with crucial skills for their future.
- We will need to ensure staff are adequately prepared for the new materials.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
High School IT Technician (Houston, TX)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The grant will help improve our network security and also support educational initiatives for students.
- I hope it translates to more resources for updating our infrastructure.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Junior High School Student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 15 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Access to better cybersecurity classes could open up more opportunities for me in tech.
- It's an exciting chance to learn skills that are in demand.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Cybersecurity Consultant for Education (Seattle, WA)
Age: 28 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy allows us to support more schools in their cybersecurity educational goals.
- Helpful for expanding digital literacy, especially in underserved schools.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Public School Curriculum Developer (Detroit, MI)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This gives us a real opportunity to infuse crucial 21st-century skills into our curriculum.
- We must strive for inclusive and practical content that engages students.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
State Education Administrator (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 9.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The grants will support statewide improvements in cybersecurity infrastructure and teacher training.
- We are keen to maximize these resources to benefit the most disadvantaged schools.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
High School Vice-Principal (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Providing students with cybersecurity skills is essential for their future.
- Our school will truly benefit from additional resources and teacher training.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $150000000 (Low: $130000000, High: $170000000)
Year 2: $160000000 (Low: $140000000, High: $180000000)
Year 3: $170000000 (Low: $150000000, High: $190000000)
Year 5: $180000000 (Low: $160000000, High: $200000000)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- Ensuring grant allocation reaches the intended underserved populations effectively will be crucial for equity and impact.
- The rapid evolution of cybersecurity threats demands regularly updated training materials and teaching methods.
- Collaboration with educational technology providers can optimize resource usage and promote innovation.
- The sustainability of increased educational technology demand may influence hardware and software expenditure in educational institutions.