Fourteen programs offer hands-on STEM experiences to PreK-12 students for 2024-2025 academic year
The Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council is pleased to announce the opportunity to apply for world-class STEM Scale-Up Programs for the 2024-2025 academic year will open January 8, 2024. The application period for the STEM Scale-Up Program closes on February 28, 2024, at 4:59 p.m. The selected educator recipients will be announced in April.
The STEM Scale-Up Program provides educators and students throughout the state access to exemplary STEM educational opportunities. These programs offer a diverse range of STEM activities to over 100,000 students each year, boosting mathematics, science and reading scores on statewide tests, encouraging resolve to pursue STEM careers upon completing studies and fostering the confidence needed to become lifelong learners and critical thinkers.
Fourteen programs were selected from a pool of 84 proposals from across the country for this menu based on the STEM Council’s strategic priorities, including agricultural science, computational thinking, early learning, ecology and energy education, mathematics, STEM and arts integration, STEM careers, integration into existing curriculum and transdisciplinary learning. These priorities were selected to provide Iowa students with educational opportunities that emphasize the necessary skills needed for the future workforce. Students who participate in the STEM Scale-Up Program have historically performed better on statewide tests compared to students who do not participate. These students also have an increased interest in STEM subjects and careers.
A team of trained reviewers considered evidence of effect, scalability, diversity impact, cost-benefit ratio, sustainability, Iowa’s academic standards alignment and more when selecting final programs. The following 14 programs were selected to be offered to preK-12 educators across Iowa for the 2024-2025 academic year:
- All About Balance (an Iowa program), PK-2, Early Childhood Physics
- Artificial Intelligence for K-12 Educators (an Iowa program), K-12, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)
- Blackbird Code, 6-12, Coding Embedded in Mathematics and Science
- Derivita Math Program, 6-12, Mathematics Applications to Careers
- Exploring and Connecting to Iowa’s Agriculture – teacher professional development, 2-8, Agriculture Connections in School
- FUSE Studio - Innovate, 4-12, Maker Space Blended Environment (virtual and actual)
- Investigating Everyday Phenomena, K-5, Elementary Science Hands-On Discovery
- Making Innovative STEM Connections, PK-8, Problem Solving Skills via Making
- Positive Physics, Chemistry, Physical Science, Biology, Environmental Science & Engineering, 6-12, Science Class Enhancement Tool
- Robo Wunderkind STEM Program, K-5, Elementary Coding and Robotics
- Spatial Vis: The First Step in Design for Engineering and Technology, 6-12, Spatial Visualization for Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Mathematics
- Storytime STEM-Packs, PK-2, Literacy + STEM
- Teachley Math, K-5, Mathematics Foundations
- Turing Tumble, 3-12, Fundamentals of Computing
To apply, educators will need an account established with the IowaGrants.gov system.