STEM Ed Coalition Sends ESSA Guidance Recommendations to Dept. of Education

On Wednesday, the STEM Education Coalition’s Leadership Council sent feedback to the U.S. Department of Education on the implementation of STEM-related provisions in the Every Student Succeeds Act.  The guidance recommends that the Dept. of Education:

• strongly recommends states and districts to use Title II funds on professional development activities for STEM educators. These professional development programs should have effective features including a content focus, active teacher participation, and sufficient duration to allow repeated practice.

• define a “high-quality course” broadly enough to include either traditional in-classroom learning or less-traditional, project-based, activities.

• incorporate real-world challenges, as a precursor or complement to education, as part educational activities.

• encourage states to use state afterschool and STEM networks as resources as they implement these provisions.

Read the rest of the STEM Ed Coalition’s guidance here.