Students in STEM programs on average score higher in mathematics and science on Iowa Assessments and other metrics

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The Iowa Governor's STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Advisory Council recently announced results from its 2014-2015 independent evaluation that measures the success of the STEM Council's efforts with STEM education and economic development across the state.

Highlights of the 349-page Iowa STEM Evaluation Report include :

• Students who participated in STEM Scale-Up programs scored an average of 6 percentage points higher in mathematics and science on the Iowa Assessments.
• A total of 376 new business-education partnerships formed through Iowa STEM programs.
• Eighty-one percent of educators who implemented STEM Scale-Up programs last year agree or strongly agree that they have more confidence in teaching STEM content.
• From 2012 to 2014, public support of an increased focus on STEM education to improve Iowa's economy rose to 89 percent.

"It is very inspiring to see such positive results coming from all sectors of our STEM initiative," said Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, co-chair of the STEM Council. "While this report indicates that what we are doing is working, it also shows that we have progress to make, and I can tell you that we're dedicated to doing just that. We have great people involved in the STEM Council, and we will continue to make large strides in STEM education in Iowa."

In addition to these gains, evaluators also found more students are earning four-year college degrees in STEM-related fields, more students are taking Advanced Placement (AP) STEM courses, more high school teachers are getting their initial license in STEM areas and more ACT-tested graduates across all demographic subgroups, including males, females, African-Americans and Hispanics, are attracted to STEM fields. The evaluation team also unveiled the Iowa STEM Professional Network Analysis, which shows significant growth in connections across the K-12, higher education, business and non-profit from 2007 to 2015.

"The value of these statistics is immeasurable," said Dr. Chris Nelson, co-chair of the STEM Council and president and CEO of Kemin Industries. "As a leader in the business sector, it is all about results and determining what is working well and what needs improvement. This report provides the data we need to continue to make a difference in STEM education in our state."

This independent evaluation is conducted by an inter-university consortium of Iowa State University's Research Institute for Studies in Education (RISE), University of Iowa's Iowa Testing Program and the University of Northern Iowa's Center for Social and Behavioral Research (CSBR). Key findings of this year's report range from measuring public attitudes and awareness of STEM to interest and achievement among Iowa students. The evaluation is funded in part by the STEM Council and a grant from the National Science Foundation.

To view the entire report, please visit: www.iowastem.gov/sites/default/files/evaluation/2014-15%20Iowa%20STEM%20Evaluation%20Report.pdf.

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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 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 47-member STEM Council is chaired by Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds and Kemin Industries President and CEO Dr. Chris Nelson. For more information, visit www.IowaSTEM.gov.

WASHINGTON - A bicameral group of lawmakers is questioning the constitutionality of the Department of Commerce's plans to transition critical Internet infrastructure systems away from U.S. government stewardship and oversight.  In a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, Senator Ted Cruz and Representative Darrell Issa asked whether the plan would result in the transfer of government property, which could violate Article IV, Section 3 of the Constitution.

At issue are key components of the Internet's infrastructure, collectively known as the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) functions, which enable the efficient operation of the Internet. Included is the management of the root zone file, which was developed by taxpayer-funded Department of Defense researchers, and which remains designated as a "national IT asset" by the U.S. government. Article IV, Section 3 of the Constitution grants Congress the sole authority to transfer government property. If this file?or other government-developed components of the Internet?are determined to be the property of the government, then transferring their control to a nongovernmental entity without congressional consent, as the Department of Commerce has proposed, may violate the Constitution.

The Commerce Department's contracts with the organizations that administer Internet name and address system policies explicitly state that the root zone file is "the property of the U.S. government," and changes cannot be made to the file without government approval.  Congress has also passed legislation blocking federal funding for efforts to relinquish stewardship of the domain name system, including the root zone file.

To ensure that Congress is informed of any government property that may be transferred without its approval, the lawmakers asked GAO to study the government property implications of the Department of Commerce's proposal. They also asked GAO to determine whether the agency has the legal authority to conduct such a transfer to a nongovernmental entity without congressional approval.

Text of the letter

Join us at the Putnam Museum & Science Center for our extended hour evenings with your family and friends! Explore the museum, learn about history and discover all there is to see and do! Experience hands-on fun for everyone in our interactive Science Center, catch a film on the National Geographic GIANT Screen and enjoy the fun science events of the night!

CHAMPAIGN, Ill., Sept. 10, 2015 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that 21 states will receive grants through the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) to add infrastructure needed to supply more renewable fuel to America's drivers. Since announcing the program in May 2015, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) received applications requesting over $130 million, outpacing the $100 million that is available. With a more than 1:1 match from private and state resources, USDA estimates that the BIP grants will support nearly 5,000 pumps at over 1,400 fueling stations across the country.

"The quality and geographic diversity of the applications, backed by supportive state and private partners, demonstrate the strong demand across the country for cleaner, more affordable fuel," said Secretary Vilsack. "The Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership is one approach USDA is using to aggressively pursue investments in American-grown renewable energy to create new markets for U.S. farmers and ranchers, help Americans save money on their energy bills, support America's clean energy economy, cut carbon pollution and reduce dependence on foreign oil and costly fossil fuels."

A typical gas pump delivers fuel with 10 percent ethanol, which limits the amount of renewable energy most consumers can purchase at the pump. USDA estimates that this investment will more than double the number of stations that offer intermediate blends of ethanol, mainly E15 fuel levels, nationwide.

Through BIP, USDA will award competitive grants, matched by states, to expand the infrastructure for distribution of higher blends of ethanol. BIP funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation must be used to pay a portion of the costs related to the installation of fuel pumps and related infrastructure dedicated to the distribution of higher ethanol blends, for example E15 and E85, at vehicle fueling locations. The matching contributions may be used for these items or for related costs such as additional infrastructure to support pumps, marketing, education, data collection, program evaluation and administrative costs. This partnership will expand markets for farmers, support rural economic growth and the jobs that come with it, and ultimately give consumers more choices at the pump.

The preliminary list of state finalists and estimated pumps includes:

Colorado 28

Florida 892

Illinois 428

Indiana 110

Iowa 187

Kansas 174

Louisiana 110

Michigan 89

Minnesota 620

Missouri 171

Nebraska 80

North Carolina 190

North Dakota 90

Ohio 148

Pennsylvania 308

South Dakota 74

Texas 763

Virginia-Maryland 191

West Virginia 107

Wisconsin 120

TOTAL 4880

Funding amounts for each state will be announced at a later date. For more information about BIP, visit the Energy Programs website.

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