PRINTER'S NO. 2686
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
340
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY N. NELSON, MADDEN, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, HILL-EVANS,
DONAHUE, BELLMON, SANCHEZ, GREEN, D. WILLIAMS AND KINSEY,
MARCH 12, 2024
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MARCH 12, 2024
A RESOLUTION
Urging the Department of Education to expand the PAsmart
initiative to include grants for science, technology,
engineering and mathematics and computer science innovation
ethics programs.
WHEREAS, The Department of Education operates the PAsmart
initiative, which offers grants that connect Pennsylvanians with
the resources needed to innovate and discover careers; and
WHEREAS, The PAsmart initiative targets the needs of the 21st
century and, since 2018, has invested more than $60 million in
expanding the access to science, technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM) and computer science teaching and learning;
and
WHEREAS, Two types of grants are available through the
PAsmart initiative, including targeted grants of up to $35,000
to assist local education agencies in implementing computer
science in schools with limited to no existing programs and
advancing grants of up to $500,000 to assist with the creation
of partnerships to expand access to computer science and STEM
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education, particularly in underserved communities, and promote
diversity and inclusion in these fields; and
WHEREAS, Today, more than 5 billion people use the Internet,
and more than 4 billion people use social media; and
WHEREAS, Our accelerated technological growth has brought
much good to our world, but we must remain wary of the
disruptive power that it can have; and
WHEREAS, The expansion of technology and the Internet bring
on new privacy concerns and crimes such as theft, phishing,
cyberbullying and espionage, among many others; and
WHEREAS, It is vital that our students are taught ethical and
responsible decision making regarding STEM and computer science
innovation and how to properly use the tools they are given for
the common good; and
WHEREAS, Ethics courses promote social responsibility and
help to minimize the risks of innovation; and
WHEREAS, The establishment of programs regarding innovation
and ethics will help to guide the leaders of tomorrow as they
utilize new forms of technology that will foster further
innovation in our world; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the
Department of Education to expand the PAsmart initiative to
include grants for science, technology, engineering and
mathematics and computer science innovation ethics programs.
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