Does anyone know particulars about the robotics bill? It says a fund will be created to fund robotics teams, but I can’t find any dollar figures. I think its waiting for the governor to sign it. Could be great news for Indiana FRC! The goal is to vastly inrease the number of teams in Indiana. Everyone keep their fingers crossed!
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Summary of bill:
Robotics programs. Establishes the robotics competition program to provide grants to eligible robotics competition teams (eligible teams) in order to expand opportunities to increase interest and improve skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through participation in competitive robotics programs. Provides a procedure for eligible teams to apply to the department of education (department) to receive a grant. Establishes the robotics competition program fund. Provides that the department shall establish guidelines to: (1) award grants to eligible teams for allowable expenses; and (2) accommodate the participation of students with disabilities on eligible teams or in robotics competitions.
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From the looks of the bills language, rather than create a new program, it amends Indiana Code 20-20-45, adding a new chapter specifying funds can be used for competitive robotics programs.
IC 20-20-45 itself specifies the creation of a “Next level computer science fund” which is funded via:
(1) Appropriations from the general assembly.
(2) Gifts to the fund.
(3) Grants, including grants from private entities.
(4) Other state funds that are transferred to the fund.
So while the code establishes the existence of the program, a separate appropriations bill (probably part of an annual state budget) is what defines the funding amount for it (hence why you can’t find funding in the bills language itself).
For FY 2022-2023, current state funding for the grant fund appear to be $3 million annually based on this document. It’s possible, subsequent to the passage of bill 1382, additional funding will be requested in the budget to account for the expansion of the program.
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Ok, I’ll try to explain the bill as best I can. In 2019 my team got with Senator Rogers and got her to put forth a bill similar to Michigan’s. First Indiana actually held a “rally” for it in the state house the day before Covid shut it down. Hence it died in committee.
Fast forward to the next statehouse rally. My team met Representative Chuck Goodrich and after talking to him for about 1/2 an hour he simply offered to write the bill for us.
We met with him a month or so later and he had taken all the research we gave him (basically the Michigan bill, and the results from that and had drafted a bill. We talked about what each team needed, etc. From there he went like a bull and got this through.
The bill has set aside $4,000,000 (this was also signed at the same time) in the budget for robotics programs. The idea is that the first year teams would get enough to cover a kit of parts, registration and a coach stipend. After that just registration and the stipend. (Though details aren’t in the bill so we will see how it shakes out)
This would cover FLL, FTC and FRC as well as other non FIRST robotics competitions. The teams would have to raise 25% of the money themselves.
One of my students spoke at the Senate reading of the bill: Senate Speech HB 1382 - YouTube
Rich.
FTC Team 12014
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That’s great. Thanks for getting that going. It just needs Holcomb’s signature now.
Let’s Go!!!
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Some additional context - click here to review the official language for the “House Enrolled Act No. 1382”.
Currently it’s in the IDOE’s court to determine the amount of funding provided based on level of programming and level of competition.
I strongly recommend watching the FIRST Indiana Robotics blog for updates and connecting with Firewires (aka @hardcopi’s FTC Team 12014), in order to get support in preparing materials for your team to apply for the grant support.
As a starting point for what you would want to have prepared, check out Sec. 11. (b):
(b) To receive a grant, an eligible team must show proof of the
following in its application:(1) A partnership for the purposes of a robotics competition with at least one (1) sponsor, business entity, higher education institution, or technical school.
(2) An adult robotics team mentor.
(3) A spending plan.
(4) A commitment to compete in a robotics competition.
(5) For grades 9 through 12, a commitment to creating an original, iteratively designed robot.
(6) A local in kind or cash match from other private or local funds in an amount equal to at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the amount of the awarded gra
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Shout out to all the folks that made this happen. It’s going to be absolutely huge for robotics in Indiana.
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Besides working with teams in Indiana to help them expand their programs or start new ones, (We have FRC teams we are working with, FLL as well as FTC) we are in talks with teams from other states to help them get the process started in their states to pass similar bills. It is a really long process with a LOT of steps. There are things that you can do to make things run more smoothly though.
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We (191) are working together with 1511 to pass a similar (but smaller) bill in New York. The unique thing we are doing is prioritizing Title I Schools – that is schools with high poverty. We think this is key to making it an equity program as well as work force development and education. As an inner city team, we feel strongly in the need to make FIRST sustainably accessible to historically neglected populations. State support like this can help make that happen. Good job Indiana!
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Great to see another state other than Michigan prioritizing STEM education through FIRST.
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