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RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO PROMOTE AND ADVANCE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS (�STEM�) PROGRAMS AND EDUCATION BY LINKING COUNTY PROGRAMS, POLICIES AND DIRECTIVES PERTAINING TO STEM TO SUCH STATE OR FEDERAL LEGISLATION; DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO PURSUE AND APPLY FOR ALL AVAILABLE STATE, FEDERAL AND OTHER FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES IN SUPPORT OF THIS PURPOSE; AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO EXECUTE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS, MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING, GRANT AGREEMENTS AND OTHER REQUIRED AGREEMENTS AND DOCUMENTS AS WELL AS AMENDMENTS, EXTENSIONS, AND RENEWALS OF SUCH AGREEMENTS AND DOCUMENTS TO EFFECTUATE THE PURPOSE OF THIS RESOLUTION AND TO EXERCISE TERMINATION, WAIVER, AND OTHER PROVISIONS SET FORTH THEREIN; AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO APPLY FOR, RECEIVE AND EXPEND FUNDING FOR THE PURPOSE SET FORTH IN THIS RESOLUTION; AND DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO PROVIDE A REPORT ON ALL FUNDING CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR THIS PURPOSE

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WHEREAS, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (�STEM�) education integrates the concepts, methodologies and skills encompassed in science, technology, engineering and mathematics in the daily lives of students and utilizes innovative strategies and technology to engage students in the learning process; and
WHEREAS, STEM education advances student investigation and discovery, involves hands-on learning, stimulates interest in STEM disciplines and occupations and is another way to equip students with the requisite knowledge and skills to solve tough problems, gather and evaluate evidence and scrutinize information; and
WHEREAS, research shows that girls and young women, as compared to boys and young men, are underrepresented and/or display a low level of interest in all areas related to STEM fields; and
WHEREAS, according to the September 2015 Million Women Mentors State of the State Report, over the past 10 years growth in STEM jobs in the United States has been three times the rate of non-STEM jobs and is projected to continue increasing at this pace over the next decade; and
WHEREAS, women make up nearly half of the workforce in the United States, but less than one quarter of women work in STEM occupations; and
WHEREAS, although women working in STEM occupations earn 33 percent more than comparable women in non-STEM occupations, women are less likely than their male counterparts to work in STEM occupations even after earning a degree in a STEM discipline; and
WHEREAS, in light of these findings, governmental, public and private institutions have identified the need to expose girls and young women to STEM focused programs and engaged in efforts to promote and increase the quality of STEM learning opportunities for students irrespective of gender; and
WHEREAS, specifically, the 115th United States Congress enacted H.R. 255, the Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act, and H.R. 321, the Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers (�INSPIRE�) Women Act, which were subsequently signed into law by the President on February 28, 2017; and
WHEREAS, the Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act amends the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act, 42 U.S.C. � 1885a, and directs the National Science Foundation to encourage its entrepreneurial programs to recruit and support women to extend their focus beyond the laboratory and into the commercial world; and
WHEREAS, similarly, the INSPIRE Act, 51 U.S.C. � 40901 directs the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (�NASA�) to (1) encourage women and girls to study STEM, pursue careers in aerospace and further advance the nation�s space science and exploration efforts in support of NASA GIRLS, NASA BOYS, Aspire to Inspire and NASA�s Summer Institute in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Research programs and (2) submit a plan within 90 days of its enactment to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the United States House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate pertaining to how NASA can best facilitate and support engagement of female K-12 STEM students and inspire the next generation of women to consider participating in STEM fields and pursue careers in aerospace; and
WHEREAS, this Board has previously demonstrated its support for STEM education; and
WHEREAS, on November 1, 2016, this Board approved Resolution No. R-1045-16 and supported a STEM education program and campaign to encourage and empower girls and young women to pursue STEM related educational and career opportunities; and
WHEREAS, likewise, on February 7, 2017, this Board approved Resolution No. R-154-17 and in recognition of the importance of STEM education, declared February 11, 2017 and each February 11th thereafter as STEM Day; and
WHEREAS, this Board finds that STEM education helps to ensure today�s youth and tomorrow�s innovators, inventors, explorers, educators, researchers and leaders are equipped to solve the most pressing challenges facing our nation and the world,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:
Section 1. Approves the foregoing recitals, which are incorporated herein by reference.
Section 2. Directs the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to promote and advance Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (�STEM�) programs and education by linking County programs, policies and directives pertaining to STEM to such state or federal legislation.
Section 3. Directs the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to continuously pursue and apply for all available state, federal and other funding opportunities in support of this purpose.
Section 4. Authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to execute interlocal agreements, memoranda of understanding, grant agreements and other required agreements and documents, as well as amendments, extensions, and renewals of such agreements and documents to effectuate the purpose of this resolution, and to exercise termination, waiver and other provisions set forth therein, following approval for legal form and sufficiency by the Miami-Dade County Attorney�s Office and subject to subsequent approvals by the Board, if such agreements commit funding from Miami-Dade County.
Section 5. Authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to apply for, receive and expend funding, for the purpose set forth in this resolution, subject to compliance with Section 4 of this resolution.
Section 6. Directs the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to provide a report to this Board within 45 days of the passage of this resolution concerning the matters described in Section 2 of this resolution. This Board further directs the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to place the completed report on an agenda of this Board pursuant to Ordinance No. 14-65.