CEDAR FALLS, IOWA (June 17, 2019) — The Iowa Governor’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Advisory Council awarded high-quality STEM Scale-Up Programs to more than 1,200 Iowa educators for the 2019-2020 academic year. In its seventh year, the Scale-Up Program is expected to impact 83,000 students during the upcoming school year.
“The idea behind the STEM Scale-Up Program was that our Council believes that every young Iowan, especially those of disadvantage, deserve the same high-quality learning-opportunities as the most advantaged learners, anywhere in the world,” said Jeff Weld, executive director of the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council. “Today, the preK-12 learners taking part in Scale-Up play second string to no one when it comes to world-class STEM education experiences.”
After completing a thorough review process, a menu of ten high-quality STEM programs were selected in January to “scale up” in Iowa’s PreK-12 schools, afterschool programs, and other educational settings. Iowa educators were able to apply for one or more of these STEM Scale-Up Programs to implement in their educational setting.
Iowa’s regional STEM managers, guided by their regional STEM advisory boards, selected recipients throughout the state based on need, student diversity, geographic distribution, capacity to sustain, and other factors. Since 2012, funding from the Iowa legislature has enabled nearly 500,000 PreK-12 Iowans to take part in these proven learning models.
Results from the annual Iowa STEM evaluation report show students who participated in the STEM Scale-Up Program score higher on the Iowa Assessments in National Percentile Rank by an average of three points in science and two points in mathematics and reading compared to all students statewide. Participants also expressed a stronger interest in STEM subjects and pursuing a STEM career in Iowa.
Educator training for the STEM Scale-Up Programs will begin this summer, followed by implementation of the programs this fall. A complete list of 2019-2020 STEM Scale-Up Program awards can be found at www.IowaSTEM.gov/Scale-Up.
About the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council
Established in July 2011 via Governor’s Executive Order, the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council is a public-private partnership of educators, businesses, and Iowa families addressing policies and programs designed to improve Iowa’s educational system focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The STEM Council works to engage and prepare students for a career-ready workforce path, regain our State’s historic leadership position in education, and provide a vital competitive economic advantage now, and for the future, to ensure that every Iowa student has access to world-class STEM education opportunities. The 50-member STEM Council is chaired by Governor Kim Reynolds and Accumold President and CEO Roger Hargens. For more information, visit www.IowaSTEM.gov.
