Mathematical and Statistical Modeling Education Act
Key claim: The bill directs the National Science Foundation to award competitive grants and commission a National Academies study to improve mathematical, statistical, and data science modeling education in K-12 schools.
Abstract
(S2739 · 118th Congress) Mathematical and Statistical Modeling Education Act This bill requires the National Science Foundation (NSF) to take certain actions to increase mathematical and statistical modeling education in public elementary and secondary schools. First, the NSF must provide competitive grants to institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations for research and development to support high-quality mathematical modeling education (e.g., data science and computational thinking) in schools. In addition, the NSF must seek to enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study and report on mathematical and statistical modeling education in schools. Latest action (2023-09-07): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Why this matters
The proposal would use NSF competitive grantmaking to support improvements in K–12 modeling education, alongside a National Academies study to inform that work. For education researchers and institutions, it signals a potential funding opportunity rather than an available grant program; this finding documents introduction, not enactment or appropriations.