A Democratic bill with 2 Republican cosponsors · See all 3 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Data Science and Literacy Act of 2026," directs the Secretary of Education to establish a grant program to increase access to data literacy education. The program aims to support students from pre-kindergarten through postsecondary levels to improve data reasoning and STEM skills. It provides for the development of curricula, professional development for educators, and increased access to learning materials. Additionally, the bill mandates reporting on student demographics and the effectiveness of the grants. Finally, it amends existing law to include statistics regarding secondary school STEM teachers.
Yes· 3 of 30
- Scored +9
Would students be better off under this?
Directly benefits students from pre-K through postsecondary with new educational programs.
- Scored +7
Would children be better off under this?
Provides increased access to data literacy education starting at the pre-kindergarten level.
- Scored +7
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?
Improves postsecondary education and workforce preparation for young adults.
The opposite
- Scored -1
Does this reduce what the federal government owes?
The bill authorizes additional government spending of $10 million annually.
- Scored -1
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill increases spending through the creation of a new grant program.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased access to specialized education: The bill establishes a grant program to increase access to data literacy and data science education for students at various levels, from pre-kindergarten through postsecondary (Section 101).
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Workforce development: The legislation seeks to build the United States STEM workforce by providing access to talent across the socioeconomic spectrum and diverse geographies (Section 2).
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Support for underrepresented groups: The bill aims to reduce enrollment and opportunity gaps for underrepresented students in STEM fields (Section 102).
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Improved career readiness: Education provided through these grants is intended to ensure graduates have the skills necessary to compete in a 21st-century workforce that relies heavily on data (Section 2).
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Enhanced professional skills for educators: The funds can be used for providing evidence-based professional development and training for educators transitioning into data science and statistics (Section 103).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts are explicitly detailed in the text provided.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would students be better off under this? — Directly benefits students from pre-K through postsecondary with new educational programs. Would children be better off under this? — Provides increased access to data literacy education starting at the pre-kindergarten level. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Improves postsecondary education and workforce preparation for young adults. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — Focuses on reducing opportunity gaps for underrepresented populations in STEM. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — Focuses on reducing opportunity gaps for underrepresented populations in STEM. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Specifically targets underrepresented students and those eligible for free/reduced lunch. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — Explicitly includes eligible Tribal schools as grant recipients. Would women be better off under this? — Aims to broaden participation in STEM for traditionally underrepresented groups. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Supports tribal schools and regional partnerships in less dense areas. Would Asian Americans be better off under this? — Provides additional STEM educational resources. Would business owners be better off under this? — Helps resolve the struggle to fill data scientist and statistician positions. Would men be better off under this? — Increases general educational resources. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Increases general educational quality and workforce competitiveness. Would people in cities be better off under this? — Increases resources for local educational agencies in urban areas. Would white Americans be better off under this? — Increases general access to high-quality data literacy education. Would people in middle age be better off under this? — Provides professional development for current educators transitioning into data science. Would high-income households be better off under this? — Generally improves the national educational landscape.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated? — The bill aims to broaden participation in STEM for traditionally underrepresented genders. Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill specifically targets reducing opportunity gaps for underrepresented students in STEM. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — Providing high-demand skill education to low-income and underrepresented students can lead to higher earning potential.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into public schools? — The bill provides competitive grants to public educational agencies to expand data literacy. Does this put more money into scientific research? — It increases funding for the application of statistics and data science in educational settings. Does this give people more control over their personal data? — The bill includes 'data security and privacy' as part of the defined data science education.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to grow the economy? — Improving the STEM workforce competitiveness is projected to drive economic growth. Is this likely to create jobs? — By improving STEM skills and workforce readiness, the bill supports long-term job growth in data-driven sectors. Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill increases spending through the creation of a new grant program. Does this reduce what the federal government owes? — The bill authorizes additional government spending of $10 million annually.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — Requires the Secretary to make reports and evaluations publicly available. Does this give the federal government more power? — The Secretary of Education gains authority to award grants and collect STEM teacher statistics.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this better protect the country from computer attacks? — Increased data science literacy contributes to a workforce capable of better cybersecurity. Does this make trade with other countries easier? — Improving the domestic STEM workforce enhances US global economic competitiveness.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — Grant eligibility for tribal schools and local agencies can bring advanced education to rural areas.
- 9/10/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Donald BeyerDemocrat · Virginia
James BairdRepublican · Indiana
Brian FitzpatrickRepublican · Pennsylvania