1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Patsy T. Mink Gender Equity in Education Act of 2017 . 2. Findings Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 ( 20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.) (in this Act referred to as title IX ) and the implementing regulations of title IX prohibit sex discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities. (2) Although title IX ensures equal opportunities to participate in athletics, female participation rates, especially for girls of color, lag far behind male participation rates. The National Women’s Law Center reports that only 64 percent of Black girls, 64 percent of Hispanic girls, and 53 percent of Asian-American girls play sports, compared to 76 percent of Caucasian girls. Female student athletes have been found to have higher levels of self-esteem and to be more likely to graduate from high school than female students who do not play sports. Although the availability of athletic scholarships facilitates access to higher education, many schools fail to award proportional athletic financial aid to females, which can affect the long-term employment outcomes and economic security of women. (3) Although title IX ensures gender equity in career and technical education, women are severely underrepresented in nontraditional fields. The American Association of University Women reports that females make up more than 70 percent of students enrolled in classes that prepare students for low-paying and historically female jobs, such as caregivers and cosmetologists and only 20 percent of students enrolled in classes that prepare students for high-paying and historically male jobs, such as energy technicians and electricians. (4) Although title IX ensures gender equity in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (in this section referred to as STEM ) education, women are disproportionately lost at nearly every stage of the STEM pipeline. The National Student Clearinghouse reports that the percentage of women