Funding

Discipline(s): Computer Science and Engineering

This program aims to provide all U.S. students with the opportunity to participate in computer science (CS) and computational thinking (CT) education in their schools at the preK-12 levels. With this solicitation, the National Science Foundation (NSF) focuses on both research and research-practice partnerships (RPPs) that foster the research and development needed to bring CS and CT to all schools. Specifically, this solicitation aims to provide (1) high school teachers with the preparation, professional development (PD) and ongoing support they need to teach rigorous computer science courses; (2) preK-8 teachers with the instructional materials and preparation they need to integrate CS and CT into their teaching; and (3) schools and districts with the resources needed to define and evaluate multi-grade pathways in CS and CT.

Proposals will be funded in four "strands" that collectively foster design, implementation at scale, and/or research:

• For the PreK-8 Strand, the focus is on designing, developing, and piloting instructional materials that integrate CS and/or CT into preK-8 classrooms.
• For the High School Strand, the focus is on preparing and supporting teachers to teach rigorous CS courses.
• For PreK-12 Pathways Strand, the focus is on designing pathways that support school districts in developing policies and supports for incorporating CS and/or CT across all grades and potentially the transition into introductory levels at community or four-year institutions of higher education and/or the workforce.
• For the Research Strand, the focus is on building strategically instrumental, or "high leverage" knowledge about the learning and teaching of introductory computer science to support key CS and/or CT understandings and abilities for all students.

The proposal size class should be specified in the first line of the Project Summary. Proposals in the three RPP strands may be submitted in the following size classes (additional funds available for embedded REU supplements):

• Small RPP proposals (maximum of $300,000 for up to 2 years)
• Medium RPP proposals (maximum of $1,000,000 for up to 3 years)
• Large RPP proposals (maximum of $2,000,000 for up to 4 years)
• Research Strand proposals (maximum of $750,000 for up to 3 years).

Due Date: June 4, 2024; Second Wednesday in February, Annually Thereafter

For full funding opportunity, click here.