	Introduction

Federal policy makers have a long-standing interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. This interest is largely driven by concerns about the national science and engineering workforce, which is widely believed to play a central role in U.S. global economic competitiveness and national security. The foundation is also the only federal agency whose primary mission includes supporting education across all fields of science and engineering. As such, the NSF is a key component of the federal STEM education portfolio. The significance of these funding trends for NSF's education and research missions, as well as for the federal STEM education effort overall, depends in part on how these changes fit within historical funding trends at the NSF. This report analyzes those trends—and addresses selected STEM education policy issues—in order to place the conversation about federal funding for STEM education at NSF in broader fiscal and policy context. Policy Issues and Observations

As the previous section's analysis of historical funding trends at NSF shows, Congress reduced funding for NSF's main education account in both FY2011 and FY2012. Those year-over-year reductions followed several years of fluctuating funding for E&HR. In addition, changes in the distribution of the foundation budget reduced funding for the main education account as a percentage of the total NSF budget. These changes generally appear to result from a combination of holding the main education account more or less constant while applying most of the foundation's FY2003-FY2012 budget growth to R&RA. However, in constant (2005) dollars, at least some of the growth in NSF research funding appears to come from the foundation's education-related activities. It is not clear if these funding changes reflect evolving congressional and Administration policy priorities and an intentional prioritization of research over educational activities at the NSF. They may simply reflect the cumulative impact of funding decisions made in response to specific conditions in specific fiscal years. What are NSF's STEM education activities? What impact might changes in the NSF STEM education account have on research activities at NSF? Smaller portions of NSF's STEM education budget provided for a number of other objectives. What Is NSF's Role in the Federal STEM Education Portfolio? In terms of the character of its contribution to the federal STEM education portfolio, NSF highlights its STEM education research and development (R&D) functions.
Federal policy makers have a long-standing interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education that dates to at least the 1st Congress. This interest is largely driven by concerns about the national science and engineering workforce, which is widely believed to play a central role in U.S. global economic competitiveness and national security.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is a key component of the federal STEM education effort. Several inventories of the federal STEM education portfolio have highlighted NSF's important role—both in terms of funding and in the number and breadth of NSF programs. The NSF is also the only federal agency whose primary mission includes supporting education across all fields of science and engineering. As such, funding for STEM education at the NSF impacts not only the agency, but also the entire federal STEM education effort.
Congress reduced enacted funding levels (from the prior year) for NSF's main education account in both FY2011 and FY2012. Those year-over-year reductions followed several years of varying funding, as well as changes in the overall distribution of the foundation budget that reduced funding for the main education account as a percentage of the total NSF budget. For the most part, these changes appear to result from a combination of holding the main education account more or less constant while applying most of the foundation's FY2003-FY2012 budget growth to the main research account. However, in constant dollar terms, it appears at least some of the increase in funding for research activities during the observed period may have come at the expense of education activities.
It is not clear if these funding changes reflect evolving congressional and Administration policy priorities and an intentional prioritization of research over educational activities at the NSF, or if they reflect the cumulative impact of funding decisions made in response to specific conditions in specific fiscal years that happen to have had this effect. Further, the significance of these changes for NSF's STEM education and research missions—and for the overall federal STEM effort—depends, in part, on how they fit within the broader policy context. In particular, it depends (among other things) on how policy makers perceive and assess the policy rationale behind STEM education funding at the NSF; the character of NSF's STEM education activities; the foundation's role in the federal STEM education portfolio; and the impact of changes in NSF's education account on the foundation's other primary mission, research.
This report analyzes NSF funding trends and selected closely related STEM education policy issues in order to place conversations about NSF's budget in a broader fiscal and policy context. It concludes with an analysis of potential policy options.