Establishes the "STEM Career Awareness Activity Program"
Summary
HB 1111 creates a new section of Missouri law directing the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to establish a statewide "STEM Career Awareness Activity Program" for students in grades 9 through 12, subject to appropriation. The program is intended to increase awareness of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics careers by introducing students to a broad range of STEM occupations and technologies through activity-based participation in STEM-related competitions at the state, national, or international level.
The bill sets out a timeline for implementation, requiring the department to solicit proposals by January 1, 2026, and select a provider by March 1, 2026, with promotion of the program beginning in the 2026-27 school year. It also requires the department to choose a provider that can show evidence of effectiveness in improving STEM instruction, increasing college STEM study, or increasing entry into the STEM workforce, and that uses fully certified STEM teachers and organizes student cohorts for competitive STEM activities. The department may instead use a third-party nonprofit to administer the program and manage the provider selection process.
Impact
HB 1111 would add a new state education program and a dedicated fund to Missouri law, expanding the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's responsibilities in STEM career awareness for high school students. It creates the STEM Career Awareness Activity Fund, allows the fund to receive appropriations and donations, keeps unspent money from reverting to general revenue, and authorizes the department to promulgate rules for implementation. The bill would primarily affect DESE, potential nonprofit administrators, STEM program providers, certified STEM teachers, and students in grades 9-12.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, the overall sentiment appears supportive and policy-oriented, with the bill framed as an education and workforce-development initiative. The measure emphasizes measurable outcomes, teacher certification, and structured student participation, suggesting an effort to make the program credible and results-driven rather than purely symbolic. No formal opposition or recorded controversy is available in the supplied context.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are funding and implementation. Because the program is expressly subject to appropriation, lawmakers may question whether the state should create a new program and dedicated fund without guaranteed ongoing funding. Another possible issue is the use of a third-party nonprofit to administer the program and solicit/select providers, which could raise concerns about oversight, procurement, and accountability. The requirement that providers demonstrate effectiveness and use fully certified STEM teachers may also narrow the field of eligible vendors, which could be debated by supporters and administrators.