The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) this week signed on to a letter written by the STEM Education Collation to elected officials in charge of federal budget appropriations (the process that is used to distribute federal taxpayer dollars to government run programs) for the FY19 federal budget, which covers the period from 10/1/2018 – 9/30/2019.
While recent efforts by SWE and like-minded organizations positively contributed to FY18 funding levels for federally funded programs critical to the future of women in engineering (adequate funding for career and technical education, STEM education, teacher professional development, etc.), the FY19 budget request from the current Administration once again proposed drastic budget cuts and/or eliminations to programs that are critical to the long-term viability of future United States STEM workers.
The advocacy letter was signed by over a hundred diverse organizations with a strong commitment to advocating for STEM students, their educators, and the future of the United States STEM workforce. The letter will be sent to the Chairs and Ranking Members of House and Senate Appropriations Committees and the Labor, HHS, Education and Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittees. To view a full version of the letter and the names of signers, please see below.
Letter to Appropriation Leaders Regarding STEM Funding Levels in FY19 Federal Budget
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Dear Appropriations Leaders:
On behalf of the undersigned organizations, thank you for your leadership on the FY2018 budget. The increased funding for programs authorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act will allow for vital teacher training, much-needed afterschool programs, and increased career and technical education programs in our K-12 schools. The $700 million increase for the ESSA Title IV-A Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) grant program is especially encouraging since it will give states and districts the additional resources to pursue STEM programs which will prepare our next generation of innovators, thinkers, and STEM-literate citizens.
As attention now turns to the next budget, we ask that the Committee provide full funding ($1.6 billion) for the ESSA Title IV-A grant in FY2019. With this grant states and districts have the flexibility to provide well-rounded education programs, including Science and STEM, to our most at-risk students. They will have access to new, high‐quality STEM courses and resources, critical STEM opportunities both inside and outside the classroom for activities like STEM competitions, hands‐on and field‐based learning opportunities, increased access to Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs, and more computer science courses.
The STEM Education Coalition would also like to see robust funding levels continue for ESSA Title II Supporting Effective Instruction Grants and ESSA Title IV/B, 21st Century Community Learning Centers. These grants allow for teacher training and class-size reduction efforts and fund high-quality STEM programming in afterschool and summer learning programs.
Increased funding for Career and Technical Education State Grants will allow educators to provide more STEM-focused strategies in apprenticeships, work-based learning and dual-enrollment credits.
Finally, we request a robust appropriation for the National Science Foundation’s Education and Human Resources (EHR) Directorate. The EHR directorate plays a critical role in expanding the STEM education knowledge base for broadened participation, graduate and undergraduate innovation and fellowships, enabling a skilled technical workforce, informal and afterschool education, and student experiences in STEM careers.
We appreciate the opportunity to share our views and we look forward to working with you and your staff closely during this appropriations process.
Sincerely,
STEM Education Coalition
American Chemical Society
FIRST
National Science Teachers Association
Society of Women Engineers
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Education Development Center
National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools
Magnet Schools of America
Project Lead The Way
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
American Society for Engineering Education
MVPvets
Aeronautical Repair Station Association
National Summer Learning Association
National Institute of Building Sciences
100Kin10
American Physical Society
Girls Inc.
National Girls Collaborative
STEM Learning Ecosystems
American Geophysical Union
American Astronomical Society
Code.org
Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship
Vermont Afterschool
Pennsylvania STEM Education Coalition
Thinking Media-Learning Blade
Malama Molokai Foundation
Sister to Sister International, Inc.
Twig Education
Damascus Outreach Association Inc
Trenton Public Schools
Miller Park Elementary School
Project Outreach, Inc.
Windsor High School
Conrad Weiser West Elementary
NYRAD, Inc.
ITEEA – International Technology and Engineering Educators Association
ITEEA – STEM Center for Teaching and Learning
Technology and Engineering Education Association of Pennsylvania
Samueli Foundation
K-12 Maker Education
OC STEM
Rural Stem Community
Piedmont GLOBAL Academy
Learning Zone
Stem News Chronicle
Rhode Island STEAM Center @ Rhode Island College
CompTIA
South Carolina’s Coalition for Mathematics & Science
Helping Others Foundation
Teaching Garage
Self Sufficient Resources
Michigan Science Teachers Association
STARBASE Hanscom AFB
STEMulating Minds Foundation
Science Coach
FunD Av Consulting
Unbuttoned Innovation, Inc.
Outdoor Promise
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands
Kids at Science Foundation
Tri-Tech Pathways Inc.
American Concrete Pressure Pipe Association
STEM Girl, Inc.
The Ohio Academy of Science
Women Tech Council
Pinewood Physics, LLC
Northwest Ohio Center for Excellence in STEM Education
Tina On Tech
IEEE Ventura Co
Stemnastics LLC
Afterschool for Children & Teens Now
Greater Cleveland Neighborhood Centers Association
Greater Life of Fayetteville, Inc (GLOF)
Berrien County Math & Science Center
Open Mind Creative Koncepts, LLC
Lebanon Valley College
STEMY
AMS Academic Solutions
Cool Creator Club LLC
SOSSI- Saving Our Sons & Sisters International
Technology Education Association of Maine
Love STEM
American Association of Physics Teachers
Bytes For Bits
Ravenscroft School
Exploratorium
Ithaca College
Campaign for Environmental Literacy
Metro Nashville Schools
Center for Advancement of Informal Science Education (CAISE)
Brooklyn Technical High School
Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools
STEM Jobs
Long Island LEADS
Community college of the district of Colombia
Center for Inclusive Competitiveness
Ravenscroft School
Eagles Nest Youth Association
Butler Community College
Vernier Software & Technology
American Modeling Teachers Association
Cool Science
SACNAS
Power and Grace Preparatory Academy
Family Focus Evanston
