HR 5351119th CongressIn Committee

NSF AI Education Act of 2025

Introduced: Sep 15, 2025

Sponsor: Rep. Fong, Vince [R-CA-20] (R-California)

EducationTechnology & Innovation

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The NSF AI Education Act of 2025 would direct funding and new authorities through the National Science Foundation to expand AI education, student scholarships, and professional development focused on artificial intelligence. Key elements include: (1) scholarships and fellowships for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing AI-related studies, with emphasis on areas like teaching AI, AI-enabled manufacturing, and AI in agriculture; (2) creation of up to eight regional Centers of AI Excellence at community colleges and area career and technical education schools to integrate AI into curricula, support workforce needs, and foster industry partnerships; (3) new NSF-supported awards for research on AI in K-12 education, focusing on teaching models, tools, and classroom integration; and (4) a pilot AI Collaborative to build educator networks and connections with researchers and industry. The act envisions outreach to rural and EPSCoR jurisdictions, rigorous evaluation, and reporting to Congress on program effectiveness within several years. Funding is generally subject to appropriations.

Key Points

1Scholarships and fellowships in artificial intelligence: The NSF may award undergraduate and graduate scholarships and fellowships through colleges and universities (including community colleges) for AI-related programs. Priorities include AI teaching, AI and advanced manufacturing, and AI in agriculture. Awards can cover tuition, fees, a stipend, and professional development funds for up to five years, paid to the student’s institution. Outreach targets rural and EPSCoR jurisdictions, and eligibility requires U.S. citizenship/national status or lawful permanent residency, a commitment to AI, and acceptance of fellowship terms. A Congress-directed report on program effectiveness is due within seven years.
2Centers of AI Excellence at community colleges and area CTE schools: Up to eight regional Centers of AI Excellence will be designated to boost AI education and workforce development. Eligible applicants include community colleges or area CTE schools partnering with government, higher education, private industry, economic development bodies, or nonprofits. Centers will focus on AI integration in teaching/learning, partnerships with employers, data-driven evaluation, and dissemination of best practices. Applications must include focus areas, capacity, workforce demand, evaluation plans, and outcome measures. Centers rely on available appropriations and must be evaluated with results reported to Congress within 180 days of evaluation completion.
3Awards for research on AI in education (K-12 focus): The act creates new NSF authority (reclassifying and expanding a section of the National AI Initiative Act) to award competitive grants to eligible entities (universities, nonprofits, or consortia with private partners) to fund research on AI teaching models, classroom integration, and learning outcomes. Applications may describe regional partnerships, ethical considerations, and collaboration with educators, industry, or other stakeholders. Funds would support developing AI instructional materials, teacher preparation for AI, scalable professional development, and evaluating impacts on student learning.
4AI Collaborative (teacher, administrator, and leader network): The NSF may establish a pilot program of regional cohorts to provide peer support, mentoring, and hands-on AI-related research experiences for K-12 educators, principals, and school leaders. The program would enable networking with researchers, academia, and local industry and may be funded through existing NSF or related programs, including a pilot linked to a broader Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act framework.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected: K-12 students and K-12 teachers, community college students, and higher-education AI students, who would benefit from expanded AI education, scholarships, and professional development; community colleges and area vocational/technical schools would play a central role through the Centers of AI Excellence.Secondary group/area affected: Employers and industry partners (through internships, apprenticeships, and collaboration on curricula), and institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations involved in AI education and research.Additional impacts: Rural and EPSCoR jurisdictions would receive targeted outreach and opportunities; system-wide evaluation and reporting to Congress would shape ongoing policy decisions and potential future funding. The act would also influence how AI is introduced into teacher preparation, classroom materials, and PD programs, potentially affecting job pathways and regional workforce demands.EPSCoR: Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, a program designed to strengthen research capabilities in underrepresented regions.Centers of AI Excellence: designated regional hubs hosted by community colleges or area CTE schools to advance AI education and workforce development.Postsecondary and K-12 connection: The bill emphasizes bridging higher education AI study with K-12 teaching and learning, including teacher prep and professional development for AI integration.“Subject to appropriations”: Many provisions depend on Congress providing funds; the act sets authorizations and frameworks but requires future budgets to implement fully.

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