NSPE needs your help in advocating for federal legislation that encourages engineering education for precollege students.
On July 7, 2016, Rep. Tim Ryan (OH-13) and cosponsor Rep. Tom Reed (NY-23) introduced the Pre-College Engineering Education Act. NSPE played a critical role in the development of this legislation. Most notably, NSPE secured a major victory for its members by working with Ryan and his staff to incorporate a provision explicitly emphasizing engineering education as a vital component in attaining licensure as a professional engineer, which requires rigorous education, training, experience, and continuing education. This bipartisan legislation, H.R. 5679, which emphasizes the importance of the E in STEM, consists of four main components. If enacted, the bill would:
- Establish a grant program at the National Science Foundation to encourage states and local school districts to develop and implement sustainable engineering education programs in elementary and secondary schools;
- Teach students the overall analytical approach used in engineering to prepare them to deal with complex technical and nontechnical problems and issues;
- Introduce students to modern engineering tools such as computer-aided design, computer-aided manufacturing, statistical analysis, and reliability analysis; and
- Emphasize engineering education as a vital component in attaining licensure as a professional engineer that requires rigorous education, training, experience, and continuing education.
The Pre-College Engineering Education Act takes an important step in underscoring the value and necessity of engineering education by enhancing K–12 engineering education and emphasizing the importance of attaining licensure as a professional engineer. To this end, H.R. 5679 recognizes the importance of early education in developing the skills and desire to become a professional engineer.
Read Congressman Ryan's press release, which includes comments from NSPE Immediate Past President Tim Austin, P.E., F.NSPE.