Bill > S4972

This bill directs the Director of the National Science Foundation to support STEM education and workforce development research focused on rural areas. Key provisions include: - Providing grants to institutions of higher education or nonprofits to research and develop innovative approaches to support and sustain high-quality STEM teaching in rural schools, as well as to identify barriers rural students face in accessing high-quality STEM education and develop solutions to improve their participation and advancement. - Requiring the Director to evaluate the grant programs, report the results to Congress, and coordinate with other relevant federal agencies to enhance program effectiveness and avoid duplication. - Directing the National Academy of Sciences to evaluate current federal STEM education programming and research in rural areas, assess the impact of broadband connectivity on STEM and technical literacy, and make recommendations for improving STEM education in rural areas. - Amending the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act to increase the capacity of rural communities to provide quality STEM education and workforce development, and directing the National Institute of Standards and Technology to engage more with rural communities through its Manufacturing Extension Partnership program. - Establishing a Broadband Research and Development Working Group under the National Science and Technology Council to coordinate federal research priorities for improving broadband access and adoption across the United States.