Bill Overview
Title: GIRLS STEM Act
Description: This bill authorizes the Department of Education to provide grants to local educational agencies serving underrepresented or low-income students to enable elementary and secondary schools to implement a program to (1) encourage the interest of female students in careers requiring science, mathematics, engineering, or technology (STEM) skills; and (2) prepare female students to pursue credentials needed to pursue a career in a STEM field.
Sponsors: Rep. McNerney, Jerry [D-CA-9]
Target Audience
Population: Female students in elementary and secondary schools globally
Estimated Size: 7000000
- The focus of the bill is on elementary and secondary female students, which in the U.S. amounts to approximately half of the total student population.
- There are significant disparities in STEM opportunities for female students globally, and they represent a large potential audience for programs supported by the GIRLS STEM Act.
- The bill is targeted particularly at female students in underrepresented or low-income communities, which further narrows the focus group within the total female student population.
Reasoning
- The conservative estimate is that 7 million female students in the U.S. are within the target demographic for this policy which includes those in underrepresented or low-income communities.
- The policy budget of $385 million in the first year suggests that resources are limited and not all students can be reached initially. Assuming an average grant size which allows substantial outreach and resources for each participating school, the policy might directly impact a select number of school districts initially.
- The impacts of the policy are expected to be visible primarily in terms of increased interest and engagement in STEM fields, which might not immediately translate into higher self-reported wellbeing but could influence long-term career satisfaction and opportunities.
- It is expected that students in economically disadvantaged or underrepresented communities will feel the impact more significantly, as policy resources are directed towards reducing the existing resource gaps.
Simulated Interviews
High School Student (Detroit, MI)
Age: 16 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm excited about programs that might give us more equipment and experiences in robotics.
- I hope this policy will mean more opportunities for girls like me to explore engineering.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Middle School Student (San Antonio, TX)
Age: 12 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I want more science kits and projects at school.
- Our school doesn't have many resources for fun science activities.
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 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
High School Student (Chicago, IL)
Age: 15 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hoping for more advanced coding classes and competitions.
- This policy might help our schools get better computers for us.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Middle School Student (Raleigh, NC)
Age: 14 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think having more experiments in class would be awesome.
- This program could make science fun and exciting.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Elementary School Student (Fresno, CA)
Age: 11 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I wish we had more science clubs.
- Extra activities would make school a lot more fun.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
High School Student (New York City, NY)
Age: 17 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this leads to more equality in STEM education.
- There aren't enough role models and mentors for girls like me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Middle School Student (Jackson, MS)
Age: 13 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We need better ways to learn math fun.
- I want to understand math to enter these fields.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Elementary School Student (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 10 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope we get to do more science projects.
- I love the idea of building things.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
High School Student (Houston, TX)
Age: 18 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We need more exposure to real-world STEM applications.
- This policy might finally get us some needed labs and field trips.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Elementary School Student (Miami, FL)
Age: 9 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If this helps us get more computer classes, that's great.
- I think learning about technology is super cool.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $385000000 (Low: $350000000, High: $420000000)
Year 2: $385000000 (Low: $350000000, High: $420000000)
Year 3: $385000000 (Low: $350000000, High: $420000000)
Year 5: $385000000 (Low: $350000000, High: $420000000)
Year 10: $385000000 (Low: $350000000, High: $420000000)
Year 100: $385000000 (Low: $350000000, High: $420000000)
Key Considerations
- The program's focus on underrepresented and low-income groups could help bridge the gender gap in STEM fields.
- Increases in female STEM participation might indirectly contribute to economic growth and improved societal outcomes.
- Effective execution requires collaboration with local educational agencies, with potential variations in cost based on implementation strategies.