Grants to Foster STEM Learning

The National Commission on Teaching and America's Future has received a $95,000 grant from the Boeing Corporation to implement its "STEM Learning Studios" initiative in targeted Maryland school districts.  The STEM Learning Studios partner local scientists and engineers with inter-disciplinary teams of teachers on a campus who work together on a year-long investigative project involving a real-world problem with an aim to reach a solution.  A summit was held on 15 November with Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and education officials to engage more industry representatives in the initiative.  http://nctaf.org/featured-home/nctaf-receives-grant-from-boeing-to-implement-innovative-stem-teaching-initiative/

The US Department of Education recently announced the finalists in the 2012 Investing in Innovation (I3) grant competition.  Included among the top contenders are two STEM initiatives, both involving Project Lead the Way.  One is proposed by LEED Sacramento, and the other by Clark County Schools.  http://www2.ed.gov/programs/innovation/2012/applications.html  The final awards are expected to be announced by 31 December 2012.

STEM Projects Receive i3 Grant Awards

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/i3-projects-receive-18-million-matching-funds-private-sector  and the US Department of Education announced the newest round of recipients of the Investing in Innovation (i3) grant on 20 December 2011.  Among the twenty-three highest-ranked applications, five (22%) addressed Absolute Priority 2: STEM Education, receiving $48 million in grant funding (33% of the total awarded).   http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/12/20/investing-innovation-creates-stem-awards

In the STEM category, award recipients were:  Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA, for a technology-facilitated scale-up of a proven model of math instruction in high schools; National Math and Science Initiative for a partnership to increase student achievement and college readiness in STEM education in Dallas, TX; New York City Board of Education for "Innovate NYC"; New York Hall of Science for "SciGames," a techology-enhanced bridge between formal and informal education; and Baltimore City Public Schools for a middle school summer STEM learning program. 

Within California, Fresno County Office of Education received an award to enhance an expository reading and writing course for college readiness, while Aspire Public Schools in Oakland received a grant on transforming teacher talent for effective teaching in low-income schools, Oakland Unified School District received an award for "Oakland Accelerates," and Del Norte Unified School District in Crescent City received an award for "REACT" (Responding Effectively to Assessments with Curriculum and Teaching).