INFORMS Supports Bipartisan Data Science and Literacy Education Bill

The INFORMS community applauds the bipartisan introduction of the Data Science and Literacy Act, which, if enacted, would increase access to statistics and data science education. This curriculum is essential to meet workforce and societal standards to build future researchers.

Sponsored by Representatives Haley Stevens (D-MI), Jim Baird (R-IN), Don Beyer (D-VA) and Young Kim (R-CA), the Data Science and Literacy Act of 2023 supports a voluntary program at the Department of Education through which educational entities (pre-K-12 and two- and four-year colleges) could apply for funding to increase access to data science and literacy education. Eligible entities such as states, local educational agencies, tribal schools and institutions of higher education could use grant funding to:

• ensure access to data science, data literacy and statistics education for all students served by the eligible entity;
• promote data science, data literacy and statistics through professional development for teachers and developing learning material;
• expand access to STEM classes, using data science and literacy as a catalyst for increased interest in STEM more broadly; and
• address equity gaps in access to STEM courses. 

INFORMS Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer Jeff Cohen says, “Ensuring that data literacy is a foundational aspect of education is a cornerstone of the United States’ long-term economic and national security. Data is everywhere and the ideas and demands to create more of it, and the evermore complex ways to deploy it, are growing more significant by the day. This bill is a key part of addressing the substantial shortfall of STEM-prepared students for the workforce of tomorrow. Operations research, analytics, and the science and technology of decision-making is predicated on the sound and ethical use of data. INFORMS strongly supports the bipartisan Data Science and Literacy Act of 2023 and looks forward to working to ensure its passage and effective implementation.”

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