H.R. 5351
NSF AI Education Act of 2025
Sponsor: Vince Fong · 28 cosponsors
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Official summary
Written by the Congressional Research Service.
NSF AI Education Act of 2025
This bill establishes, or authorizes the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish, various scholarship, fellowship, and grant programs to promote education and professional development related to artificial intelligence (AI).
The bill authorizes NSF to award scholarships and fellowships to college students focusing their studies on AI. NSF may also support AI-related professional development fellowships for (1) students and faculty, (2) K-12 teachers and school professionals, and (3) industry professionals seeking short-term appointments to teach AI.
NSF must also establish up to eight centers of AI excellence at community colleges or area career and technical education schools. Designated centers must develop best practices for AI research and education, integrating AI into the classroom, and facilitating partnerships with the private sector, among other topics. This program must be administered in coordination with the Department of Commerce Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs program.
NSF may make merit-based grants to eligible entities, including institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations, for research on AI teaching models, integration of AI in the classroom, and AI’s impact on educational outcomes for students through grade 12. Awards must be used to (1) prepare K-12 teachers to integrate AI into their classrooms; and (2) research, test, and implement AI-related instructional materials, teaching models, and professional development for teachers.
Finally, NSF may establish a pilot program through which regional cohorts will provide AI-related peer support, mentoring, and research experiences to K-12 teachers and school leaders.
Text of the bill
(a) In general. Subparagraph (B) of section 5401 of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 (15 U.S.C. 9451(e)(3); enacted as part of title LIV of division E of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283)) is amended to read as follows:
(B) Centers of AI excellence
(i) Definitions. In this subparagraph:
(I) Area career and technical education school. The term area career and technical education school has the meaning given such term in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302).
(II) Eligible applicant. The term eligible applicant means a community college, or area career and technical education school, in partnership with one or more of the following:
(aa) A Federal, State, local, Tribal, or territorial government entity.
(bb) An institution of higher education.
(cc) An entity in private industry.
(dd) An economic development organization or venture development organization.
(ee) A nonprofit organization.
(III) Venture development organization. The term venture development organization has the meaning given such term in section 27(a) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of (15 U.S.C. 3722(a)).
(ii) Establishment of centers of AI excellence. The Director of the National Science Foundation, in coordination with the Regional Technology Hubs program of the Department of Commerce, subject to the availability of appropriations, shall establish up to eight regionally and geographically diverse eligible applicants to be designated as Community College and Area Career and Technical Education Centers of AI Excellence (referred to in this subparagraph as Centers of AI Excellence). Such Centers of AI Excellence shall enhance educational outcomes and drive workforce development by integrating artificial intelligence into teaching, learning, and community engagement.
(iii) Application. An eligible applicant seeking to be designated as a Center of AI Excellence under this subparagraph shall submit to the Director of the National Science Foundation an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Director may require. Such application shall include the following:
(I) A description of the focus area or areas for such proposed Center of AI Excellence and how such area or areas are aligned with regional investments made by industry and the Federal Government.
(II) A description of the capacity of the applicant to carry out the purpose of such proposed Center of AI Excellence.
(III) A description of demonstrate current and anticipated future workforce demands in occupations directly related to such proposed Center of AI Excellence.
(IV) A description of how the eligible applicant will support the collection of information and data for purposes of evaluation of such proposed Center of AI Excellence.
(V) An evaluation plan that includes the use of outcome-oriented measures to assess the impact and efficacy of such proposed Center for AI Excellence.
(iv) Activities. A designated Center of AI Excellence shall develop and disseminate information regarding best practices for matters such as the following:
(I) Artificial intelligence research and education, and research on the effects of artificial intelligence in education, at community colleges and area career and technical education schools.
(II) Methods to scale up successful programs that perform research or provide education on artificial intelligence at community colleges and area career and technical education schools.
(III) Providing educators and teachers with actionable strategies and resources to effectively integrate artificial intelligence into curriculums in the classroom.
(IV) Providing experiential learning opportunities, including research and industry experiences on artificial intelligence and learning opportunities for students that are enabled through artificial intelligence.
(V) Identifying pathways for students to jobs that are enabled by artificial intelligence, such as previously nonexistent jobs with respect to which artificial intelligence use is an integral part, jobs working directly on artificial intelligence, and previously existing jobs with respect to which needed skills have been significantly changed due to working with artificial intelligence.
(VI) Facilitating partnerships with employers, employer consortia, or other private sector organizations that offer apprenticeships, internships, cooperative education, or applied learning experiences in the field of artificial intelligence.
(v) Partnerships. The Director of the National Science Foundation shall encourage applicants to consider including or partnering with a nonprofit organization, civil society organizations, industry, or an institution of higher education (or a consortium thereof) that has extensive experience and expertise in artificial intelligence.
(vi) Evaluations. All applications for designation under clause (ii) shall include an evaluation plan that includes the use of outcome-oriented measures to assess the impact and efficacy of the proposed Center for AI Excellence.
(vii) Accountability and dissemination
(I) Evaluation required. The Director of the National Science Foundation shall evaluate the activities under clause (iv). Such evaluation, to the extent practicable, shall integrate the findings of research resulting from such activity or activities as a result of a designation under clause (ii) with the findings of other research on artificial intelligence education.
(II) Report on evaluations. Not later than 180 days after the completion of the evaluation under subclause (I), the Director of the National Science Foundation shall submit to Congress and make widely available to the public a report that includes the following:
(aa) The results of such evaluation.
(bb) Any recommendations for administrative and legislative action that could optimize the effectiveness of the designations made under clause (ii).