Res. No. 1185
Resolution calling on the New York State Assembly to pass A.6066, and the Governor to sign, S.379A/A.6066, which would establish a high school robotics grant program
By Council Members Brannan and Louis
Whereas, The United States (U.S.) Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment in science, technology, engineering, and math (“STEM”) fields to grow twice as fast as non-STEM jobs through 2031, reflecting a strong labor demand across engineering, computing, and applied science roles; and
Whereas, National longitudinal research on youth robotic programs finds that students participating FIRST, a global non-profit that runs hands-on STEM learning programs and robotics competitions, are significantly more likely to pursue STEM majors and careers, report higher interest in engineering and computer science, and show gains in workplace skills such as teamwork, communication, and problem-solving relative to comparable non-participants; and
Whereas, New York State (“NYS” or “State”) has identified STEM workforce development as a major economic priority, launching the NYS Office of Strategic Workforce Development to train workers for emerging industries and investing in semiconductor, manufacturing, biotech, and clean-energy ecosystems to meet demand for skilled technical labor; and
Whereas, New York City (“NYC” or “City”) has acknowledged persistent inequities in access to computer science and technology learning, and the City’s Computer Science for All (“CS4All”) initiative aims to expand instruction, particularly in underserved schools; and
Whereas, Evaluation research commissioned for CS4All has found that girls as well as Black and Latinx students in NYC Department of Education schools continue to be disproportionately unable to access STEM coursework and enrichment programming compared to peers; and
Whereas, Other states have implemented competitive grant programs to expand high school robotics teams and increase exposure to STEM, including New Jersey’s FIRST Tech Challenge Mentoring Program Bergen County Pilot, which provided state grant funding to school districts to mentor and establish new robotics teams that would compete in statewide competitions; and
Whereas, If enacted into law, S.379A, sponsored by NYS Senator Samra Brouk, and A.6066, sponsored by NYS Assembly Member Jennifer Lunsford, would amend the State Education Law to establish a high school robotics participating grant program through the NYS Education Department to assist high schools in participating in robotics competitions and to encourage studies in STEM; and
Whereas, Under the proposed program, eligible public and private high schools may apply for competitive grants of up to $5,000 - subject to matching requirements and appropriations - with priority given to Title I schools and schools that have not previously participated in robotics competitions; and
Whereas, The bill justification asserts that robotics competitions expose students to real-world engineering conditions and notes measurable educational benefits across socioeconomic, racial, gender, and geographic groups, aligning with national evaluation research demonstrating the positive impact of robotics education; and
Whereas, Expanding access to robotics programming - especially in under-resourced schools - would increase hands-on STEM learning, support college and workforce pathways, and promote a more diverse pipeline of future NYS workers prepared for a technology-driven economy; and
Whereas, S.379A passed the NYS Senate on June 5, 2025, now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the New York State Assembly to pass A.6066, and the Governor to sign, S.379A/A.6066, which would establish a high school robotics grant program.
CGR
LS #20825
12/08/2025