Details of cuts to informal STEM education at the National Science Foundation

Afterschool STEM programming has seen remarkable growth over the past decade with investments from a range of federal agencies. While the US Department of Education’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers funding is the only dedicated funding stream for afterschool and provides the backbone for many afterschool programs, resources and partnerships with science mission agencies such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the National Science Foundation (NSF) have been crucial for their STEM offerings. In particular, the NSF has been one of the biggest drivers of the evolution and growth of informal STEM learning over the past few decades, with its investments in research that informs effective practice. The FY 2026 budget request includes deep cuts to scientific research and development (R&D) work and the STEM education portfolio at NSF. These cuts will affect afterschool programs both directly and indirectly through their impact on key partners such as Universities and science centers.

How does NSF currently support informal STEM education?

Currently, there is a dedicated stand-alone Directorate for STEM Education (EDU) at NSF with a total budget allocation of $1.17B. This is used to support a wide variety of education priorities across the agency, including research on learning in both formal and informal environments. EDU also funds graduate education; undergraduate education (which includes programs that support STEM teacher training programs), and additional programs that support the growth of STEM programs and scholars in rural areas, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and other Minority Serving Institutions.

In addition, there are separate NSF-wide initiatives, such as the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) and the INCLUDES initiative, that train underrepresented students, including those with disabilities, for STEM careers. Investments in education within the research activities of the individual subject-specific directorates also support STEM education. So the total investment in STEM education across NSF is much greater than the dedicated $1.17B within EDU.

Proposed cuts and their impact

The President’s budget request would eliminate EDU as its own distinct Directorate and roll it into the Research and Related Activities portfolio. The requested funding for this revised funding stream is $288M, a cut of 75% from the current level. A large percentage of this cut will presumably affect EDU’s Division for Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Environments (DRL).

The most relevant cut within DRL for informal learning comes from the proposed elimination of the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program. AISL has funded many research and development projects that have benefitted afterschool STEM programs greatly over the years. One such project familiar to the afterschool community is ACRES, an afterschool STEM coaching model developed by the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance. ACRES has supported professional development for thousands of afterschool educators, librarians, and anyone who works with youth in out-of-school-time (OST) settings to increase their confidence in facilitating high-quality STEM experiences for youth. The National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) is another initiative that has benefitted from AISL funding over the past 15 years. NGCP has been a leader in advancing the research and practice on gender equity in STEM, which has then positively impacted afterschool programs across the nation. There are many such examples of projects, at both smaller and larger scales, funded by AISL that have influenced the growth and expansion of high-quality afterschool STEM programs. This funding stream has been a major source of support for science centers and universities, and the loss of the AISL program would be keenly felt by both researchers and practitioners in many informal STEM learning settings.

Similarly, the NSF INCLUDES initiative, which supported a push to make STEM for all a reality through systemic changes and currently disburses $23M in funding, would be zeroed out if the White House has its way. Many afterschool programs were partners on INCLUDES grants and projects. Overall, more than $300M currently invested in programs intended to broaden participation in STEM, would be eliminated. While this amount has not been exclusively used for informal learning, afterschool programs have benefited from many of these funding streams.

Opportunities

The proposed cuts across NSF are alarming, but there are some areas that would see growth. The emphasis will very much be on workforce training and development in some key national priority areas such as semiconductor manufacturing, artificial intelligence (AI), and Quantum Information Science. While all of these topics may not be suited for afterschool programs, some of them may work well for programs that serve older youth.

The CHIPS for America Workforce and Education Fund program at NSF was authorized and the funds appropriated at the same time via enactment of the CHIPS and Science Act in 2022. This program aims to bring the manufacture of semiconductor chips back to the United States and will require a skilled workforce for research and development as well as the production sites. This Fund sees an increase from $25M to $50M, and this level of funding is expected to continue for FY27. Assuming the Trump Administration chooses to spend the appropriated funds as directed by Congress, this could offer some opportunities for partnerships on local workforce development initiatives for teens and older youth in areas where semiconductor chips will be manufactured.

AI is a topic that will receive significant attention. For instance, the budget request maintains $35M for AI within EDU, level with FY24 funding. While EDU is proposed to be consolidated into Research & Related Activities (R&RA), within this structure, EDU will “support fellowships, scholarships, research, and workforce development opportunities across all learning settings in two AI fields: 1) AI in Education, which uses AI to enhance teaching and learning, and 2) AI Education, which prepares the workforce for the AI-driven economy. EDU funds research and development of AI-enabled pedagogy and tools that support personalized learning, teacher effectiveness, and student engagement, as well as curriculum innovations and research experiences that integrate AI with domain knowledge in cybersecurity, energy, and manufacturing.”

Additionally, the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program that supports public-private partnerships in K-12 education appears to remain in place in the budget request. This program is funded by the H-1B visa fees paid by workers from other countries, which is projected to increase, though it is difficult to see how that happens in this environment.

Congress will ultimately decide funding levels for research agencies and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) has started the process of developing the FY 2026 spending bills. Both the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and the Commerce, Justice, and Science spending bills are slated for action in July. We will continue to bring you updates as more information becomes available.

In the meantime, we encourage you to engage with your lawmakers and ask them not to allow these draconian cuts to NSF, continue to apply for research opportunities at the NSF and elsewhere, and support allies in the research, STEM, and informal science communities. We are at risk of endangering both our nation’s leadership in science and our ability to support a STEM-literate citizenry and STEM-proficient workforce.