This grant will support Hoosier schools in integrating science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) instruction and learning opportunities into the classroom, improving access and support for Hoosier students.
"Through STEM education, our students are building skills that will serve them throughout their life, including problem solving, critical thinking, communication and digital literacy skills," said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. "We also know that these important skills are essential to meeting the needs of our state's future workforce. The STEM Integration Grant helps Indiana schools continue to grow their capacity to provide high-quality STEM education, provide early exposure to STEM career opportunities and ultimately, set students on the best possible path for future success, both in life and in their career."
School districts and charter schools receiving the STEM Integration Grant included:
Decatur County Community Schools — $46,693.95
Jennings County School Corporation — $75,000
South Ripley Community School Corporation — $50,000
First launched in the 2018-2019 school year as the STEM Acceleration Grant, the STEM Integration Grant is a competitive grant that helps schools increase students' access to STEM courses, programs and resources.
The grant focuses on helping schools integrate research-based, high-quality coursework, instructional materials and professional development for educators that helps build a culture of STEM leadership in schools.
Of this school year's STEM Integration Grant recipients, 60 percent intend to use these funds to develop or improve previously established STEM infrastructure to support applications for the STEM Certified Schools program, which recognizes schools for their focus on inquiry, project-based learning, community engagement, entrepreneurship, student-centered classrooms and out-of-school time STEM activities.
This grant is funded by state appropriations to IDOE for STEM program alignment. More than 170 schools have been awarded STEM Integration Grants since 2018, with grants totaling more than $11.3 million.
The STEM Integration Grant is one of several IDOE-led initiatives focused on improving access to high-quality STEM education. In addition to the STEM Certified Schools program, this includes the launch of the Indiana STEM Cadre in 2022, which develops and implements collaborative professional development for educators.
Additionally, Indiana approved new science and computer science standards in 2022 that increased focus on supporting active student engagement in science learning.
©2023 the Greensburg Daily News (Greensburg, Ind.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
