The Supporting Afterschool STEM Act (H.R.831) would create a grant to encourage afterschool programs that bolster STEM learning ... This legislation would create a grant that supports K-12 afterschool STEM programs by providing technical assistance, guidance in establishing quality standards, and professional development for afterschool educators. The grant would also assist programs that connect students with STEM mentors ... Programs for populations underrepresented in STEM fields and underserved populations would receive priority in the grants process.
Create a federal grant to support K-12 afterschool STEM programs, including technical assistance, quality standards, educator development, and mentoring, with priority for underserved and underrepresented students.
Occurrences
Evidence
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The bill text states it was introduced in the House by Mr. Castro of Texas and referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. It was titled the Supporting Afterschool STEM Act and was designed to support afterschool and out-of-school-time STEM programs.
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Castro's office said he introduced the Supporting Afterschool STEM Act, which would create a grant to encourage afterschool programs to bolster STEM learning and provide support and technical assistance for afterschool STEM providers.
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The official bill record shows Joaquin Castro introduced H.R. 5217 to create a federal grant for afterschool STEM programs with technical assistance and related supports, but the record only reflects introduction and referral rather than enactment.
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Castro publicly promoted STEM education efforts in a House press release, which shows active advocacy for the idea, but it does not show that the promised federal afterschool STEM grant was enacted or operationalized.
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The official bill record for H.R. 5217 shows Joaquin Castro introduced the Supporting Afterschool STEM Act, which proposed a federal grant for K-12 afterschool STEM programs with technical assistance, quality standards, educator development, and mentoring.
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Current federal law directs NSF to make merit-reviewed competitive PreK-12 informal STEM awards. Eligible uses include after-school, out-of-school, and summer STEM activities for historically underrepresented and rural students, plus role models, near-peer mentors, and training for informal STEM educators.
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NSF's AISL solicitation set annual proposal deadlines, anticipated 48 to 77 awards and $28.382 million to $41 million, and sought informal STEM learning proposals centered on broadening participation and underserved or underrepresented communities.
Assessments
Castro introduced the exact Supporting Afterschool STEM Act in the 113th Congress, matching the promised K-12 afterschool STEM grant structure, but it was only referred to committee and was not enacted in that term. Later federal law and NSF AISL funding created or operated related informal PreK-12 STEM awards covering afterschool/out-of-school activities, underrepresented students, mentoring, and educator training, but the program is broader and research-oriented and does not fully include the promised technical-assistance and quality-standards grant design. This warrants partial delivery with credit for serious legislative effort, not full delivery.
Joaquin Castro introduced H.R. 5217, the Supporting Afterschool STEM Act, which matched the pledge’s grant design and related supports, but the official record shows only introduction and committee referral. The evidence does not show the federal grant was enacted or operationalized, so the promise was not delivered. Because he made a serious legislative attempt, effort_badge is true.
Castro appears to have made a serious and specific legislative effort to fulfill this promise by introducing H.R. 5217, the Supporting Afterschool STEM Act, which matched the promised federal grant concept for K-12 afterschool STEM programs with technical assistance and related supports. But the evidence shows the bill was introduced and referred to committee only, with no enactment or creation of an operational federal grant program. Under the federal office context, that counts as a meaningful attempt but not delivery.
Castro materially advanced the promised policy by introducing H.R. 5217, the Supporting Afterschool STEM Act, in the 113th Congress. The available evidence shows the bill matched the promise closely: it would have created federal grant support for afterschool STEM programs with technical assistance and related supports. However, the evidence only shows introduction and committee referral, with no enactment or creation of the promised federal grant. Because this was a serious legislative attempt that did not deliver the promised outcome, it should be scored as not fulfilled with an effort badge.