STEM Ed Update: Sign-on Letter on Federal Budget, Upcoming Events, NEW STEM Reports
Greetings STEM Ed Coalition Affiliates and Colleagues-
A number of great events and key reports on STEM listed below, but first please review the action item letter from the coalition to House and Senate appropriations leaders.
Action Item: Sign on to STEM Education Coalition letter on FY2013 Appropriations to Senate appropriations leaders
In the attached letter the Coalition is asking Congress to ensure STEM education is a national priority in the FY2013 budget. Specifically we are seeking strong support for the NSF Education and Human Resources Directorate; continued support for the Math and Science Partnership at the Department of Education (ED); and continued support of STEM efforts at the federal mission agencies. Last year the ED Math and Science Partnership program was zeroed out by House appropriators. In the current fiscal environment it is absolutely critical that we get as many organizations as possible to show their support for strong federal funding of STEM programs. Let us know by Monday, April 30th if your organization can sign on to the attached letter.
Click here to see the Coalition’s appropriations letter.
STEM Events of Interest:
STEM / Health Sciences Day
Students with an affinity for science, technology, engineering, math, and health sciences are in high demand. Students and interested others including parents and STEM professionals, are invited to join the online STEM Health Sciences Day on April 24, 2012 from 2:00 pm-10:00pm EDT to learn what top STEM programs have to offer. During the event students can
• Chat live with 50+ leading schools in STEM/health sciences- including Texas Tech, Cal State Polytech, Oregon Institute of Technology, Emory University, and Florida A&M University
• Video chat with current college students majoring in STEM or health sciences
• Gain expert advice on making the most of your STEM education
Circulate this opportunity among your listservs and members! Sign up now http://www.collegeweeklive.com/en_CA/br/STEM_HEALTH_SCIENCE_DAY/refcode=NGO_STEMCOALITION_STEM For additional information or to receive STEM Day materials please contact CollegeWeekLive representative Shaina Jackson at sjackson@collegeweeklive.com
Special White House Event on Women and Girls in STEM
On April 24, 2012 from 10:30am – 11:30am EDT. Women and girls continue to be significantly underrepresented in the STEM fields – a trend that starts early and comes at a serious cost to both the career prospects of our young women and the success of our economy. By ensuring women and girls receive the exposure, encouragement and support they need to enter, and succeed in, STEM fields, this country can benefit from the full range and diversity of its talent.
The White House Council on Women and Girls is excited to announce a White House event that features a panel of trailblazing women in STEM fields who will share their experiences and encourage young women to follow in their footsteps – or blaze a trail of their own. This event will also include the very first public screening of “Girls in STEM,” a video on girls in STEM, featuring footage from girls who participated in the 2012 White House Science Fair. This event will be live-streamed over the internet, and students will be able to submit questions for the panelists via Twitter and Facebook.
Here’s how you can participate:
Submit your questions for the panel right now through a webform on www.WhiteHouse.gov
On April 24th, watch live and join the discussion on Facebook and Twitter:
o Watch live stream on WhiteHouse.gov/live beginning at 10:30 a.m. EDT
o On Facebook, watch the event live through the White House Live App and ask questions on our wall
o On Twitter, use the hashtag #GirlsInSTEM to ask questions and discuss the panel
If you can’t join live, full video of the event will be posted on www.WhiteHouse.gov/administration/eop/cwg
The USA Science & Engineering Festival, www.usasciencefestival.org is slated for April 28-29 at the Walter Washington Convention Center.
Framework and Next Generation Science Standards symposium on May 10, 8:30 to 12 at the National Education Association (NEA), Washington, DC The National Research Council’s Framework for K-12 Science Education is serving as the foundation for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and notes that professional development, instruction and instructional materials will also need to reflect this foundation. In this half-day event, experts will describe model professional development and specific ways instruction and materials must change.
The AAAS/SSE STEM Volunteer Program annual meeting at AAAS on May 17 from 4:00-6:30 p.m. at AAAS, 1200 New York Ave. NW, DC. Learn about the development and implementation of the new K-12 science standards. A second presentation will feature AAAS/SSE STEM volunteers and their teacher partners and describe their work at area elementary, middle and high schools. Volunteers assist teachers for the school year, generally going to schools for a few hours, one day a week.
The Afterschool Alliance and MetLife Foundation need your help identifying exemplary afterschool programs serving middle school youth to win a $10,000 MetLife Foundation Afterschool Innovator Award and to be featured in our 2012 series of issue briefs. Nominate a program by May 15, 2012, to be considered for this prestigious initiative, now in its fifth year. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MetLifeInnovator2012
STEM Reports to Note:
An Analysis of STEM Education Funding at the NSF: Trends and Policy Discussion < http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42470.pdf>
This report from the Congressional Research Service analyzes NSF funding trends and selected closely related STEM education policy issues in order to place conversations about FY2013 funding in broader fiscal and policy context. It concludes with an analysis of potential policy options.
The Role of Informal Science in the State Education Agenda http://www.nga.org/cms/home/nga-center-for-best-practices/center-publications/page-edu-publications/col2-content/main-content-list/the-role-of-informal-science-in.html This publication from the National Governors Association provides guidance to states on how to make informal science a part of their state STEM agenda,.
New Poll Shows Strong Support for Improving Science Education http://achieve.org/new-poll-shows-strong-support-improving-science-education
A recent poll commissioned by Achieve on public attitudes toward science and math education finds strong public support for improving science education and support for the idea of states working together to create common science standards.
Cheers,
-Jodi and James
Jodi Peterson
Chair, STEM Education Coalition
Assistant Executive Director, Legislative and Public Affairs
National Science Teachers Association
1840 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 312-9214 (office)
jpeterson@nsta.org
www.nsta.org
www.stemedcoalition.org
James Brown
Executive Director
STEM Education Coalition
700 North One Lafayette Centre
1120 20th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 400-2192
jfbrown@stemedcoalition.org
www.stemedcoalition.org
