Title page 1

Contents 3

Highlights 2

Letter 4

Background 7

Federal Role in Supporting STEM Education 7

Additional Research on Rural STEM Education 8

Variation Among Rural Communities 9

Selected Federal Agencies Reported Supporting Rural Populations as Part of Broader K-12 STEME ducation Initiatives 9

Stakeholders Cited Limited Staffing and Student Access to Learning Opportunities and Materials as Challenges for Rural K-12 STEM Education 15

Staffing Challenges 15

Limited Access to STEM Learning Opportunities and Materials 17

Improving Access to Materials and Connecting STEM to Students' Lives Were Among the Ways Stakeholders Supported Rural K-12 STEM Education 21

Improving Access to STEM Materials 22

Connecting STEM to Students' Lives 25

Providing Professional Development to Teachers 30

Agency Comments 33

Appendix I: GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments 35

Tables 3

Table 1. Initiatives Identified by Selected Federal Agencies That Most Directly Support K-12 STEM Education for Rural Populations, as of Fall 2024 11