STEM Council to launch six more school+business partnerships in Iowa

Proposals to be an Iowa STEM BEST model will inspire youth and spur local economic development

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The Iowa Governor’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Advisory Council has designated a portion of legislative funding to help establish six new Iowa STEM BEST® (Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers) models across the six STEM regions.

A STEM Council priority for FY2017 is to drive additional community partnerships where schools work together with local employers to build and teach STEM curriculum related to local industry applications. Eight of these STEM education models, known as Iowa STEM BEST, already dot the state, serving as examples for other partnerships to follow.

“Learning how to align what students learn in the classroom with what exists in Iowa’s jobs of today and the future is the signature goal of the Iowa STEM BEST program,” said Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, co-chair of the STEM Council. “Students who get to experience a STEM BEST environment not only develop invaluable soft skills like collaboration and communication, but they also build relationships with future employers in the communities where they live.”

Applied learning has a long history in the realm of career and technical education, including courses like consumer science and industrial technology. What the Iowa STEM BEST models aim to create are similar learning experiences in core areas of study like mathematics and science.

“The current eight STEM BEST models represent major business and industry sectors across Iowa,” said Kemin Industries President and CEO Dr. Chris Nelson, co-chair of the STEM Council. “From industrial manufacturing and technology innovations to entrepreneurship and engineering, communities are learning how to work together to introduce their students to the skillsets needed and opportunities available to them in their hometowns across Iowa.”

Beginning today, June 1, the STEM Council invites school+business partnerships across Iowa to submit their proposal to build a STEM BEST model at www.IowaSTEM.gov/STEMBEST/Proposal. All Iowa private and public schools and school districts serving students in any of grades K-12 are eligible to apply. All six awarded applicants will receive $25,000 to be matched with local cost-share and will be designated as an Iowa STEM BEST model. The application window will close on Friday, September 23, and recipients will be announced in early November.

To learn more about Iowa STEM BEST, please visit www.IowaSTEM.gov/STEMBEST or register today for the STEM School+Business Innovation Conference set for June 29 at www.IowaSTEM.gov/School-Business-Conference.  

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, companies and Iowa students and families addressing policies and programs designed to improve Iowa’s educational system focused on 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 47-member STEM Council is chaired by Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds and Kemin Industries President and CEO Dr. Chris Nelson. For more information, visit www.IowaSTEM.gov.

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