                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD; ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS AND GRANTS; REPORT (§
22.1-367)

A. The Board shall have the following powers and duties:

   1. Create a unified vision regarding STEM education initiatives, language, and
   measures of success to promote a culture of collaboration for STEM programming
   in the Commonwealth.

   2. Develop the infrastructure for creating STEM Regional Hubs and naming STEM
   Champions in communities across the Commonwealth to facilitate partnerships
   between organizations across regions and populations that will lead to
   increased cross-sector opportunities.

   3. Advance and disseminate STEM curricular and professional development
   resources for formal and informal education.

   4. Identify strategies to promote the participation of historically
   underrepresented students in STEM education. Such strategies shall include (i)
   identifying barriers to STEM participation for historically underrepresented
   students in elementary and secondary schools; (ii) developing recommendations
   for elective courses in secondary schools that expand hands-on STEM
   opportunities for all secondary school students; (iii) developing
   recommendations for elective courses in secondary schools that expand and
   promote hands-on STEM opportunities and STEM participation for historically
   underrepresented students; (iv) recommending changes to the Standards of
   Learning that promote the STEM-related contributions of historically
   underrepresented groups; and (v) collaborating with institutions of higher
   education and the private sector in the Commonwealth to educate students on
   and expand STEM pathways and opportunities in higher education, STEM careers,
   STEM internships, STEM fellowships, and other STEM enrichment programs.

   5. Submit an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly for
   publication as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division
   of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents
   and reports. The chairman shall submit to the Governor and the General
   Assembly an annual executive summary of the interim activity and work of the
   Board no later than the first day of each regular session of the General
   Assembly. The executive summary shall be submitted for publication as a report
   document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative
   Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and
   shall be posted on the General Assembly&#8217;s website.

B. The Board may apply for, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations from
public or private sources to enable it to carry out its objectives.

HISTORY: 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 291; 2024, c. 814.