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Local school STEM programs benefiting from state grant

By Miles Flynn

Southern Indiana Business Report

Dr. Katie Jenner

INDIANAPOLIS — School districts in Greene, Lawrence, Martin and Washington counties are among the 48 organizations across the state sharing in more than $2.6 million in STEM Acceleration Grant funding from the Indiana Department of Education. The awards will help schools deploy new offerings during the upcoming school year to accelerate students’ learning across science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.

“As our students explore, engage, and gain experiences in STEM, they’re learning to solve real-world problems while building skills such as critical thinking, creativity, innovation and teamwork,” said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. “Schools that receive this grant are leaning-in to increase intentional STEM learning and opportunities. This important work is the first step that may further lead to additional strategic community partnerships, state STEM certifications and students earning additional exploration and engagement in STEM careers.”

Local recipients

Linton-Stockton Community School Corporation was awarded $50,000. “We are grateful for the support of the Indiana Department of Education to enhance and expand the STEM programming we are offering for our students,” Dr. Kathy Goad superintendent, told Southern Indiana Business Report. “This $50,000 grant will propel our programs in grades K-12.”

She explained the corporation will be using the funds for Project Lead the Way fees for the 2022-23 school year. “This includes PLTW Launch in grades K-5, PLTW Gateway in grades 6-8; and PLTW biomedical, computer science and engineering courses in the high school,” Goad noted.

In addition, the school will offer students in grades 9-12 two new courses: computer science A and digital design. “Our digital design course will include a component for a student-run printshop supported through this grant,” Goad said.

Middle school teachers will receive additional PLTW Gateway project kits to supplement their science curriculum.

“Finally, over $18,000 from the grant will be used in the renovation of our new FAB (fabrication) Lab, bringing additional student-run businesses to our campus,” Goad said. “This expansion of our STEM programming helps our schools to meet the needs of our various learners.”

Mitchell Community Schools received $49,138. Apryl Kidd, director of initiatives for the Collaboration of Shoals, Mitchell and Orleans Schools, explained Mitchell will use the funds to provide professional development opportunities for all teachers in project- and inquiry-based learning, establish a media club at Burris Elementary School, and expand access to robotics teams across the district.

Shoals Community School Corporation received $25,000. “We are extremely excited about this grant opportunity,” said Dr. Candace Roush, superintendent. “We will be using the funds to partner with Indiana University on incorporating the Novel STEM curriculum into grades 5-8. Teachers will attend professional development this summer to learn how to incorporate STEM into every classroom.”

White River Valley School District in western Greene County received $24,717. “We were very pleased to earn the STEM Acceleration Grant because it will open up even more opportunities than our students are presently receiving,” said Dr. Bob Hacker, superintendent. “We have a shared district STEM coordinator who is shared between the elementary and the middle school. The grant will help him to continue to upgrade our curricular STEM offerings and activities. It will increase our technology offerings with tablets and 3-D printers for our Project Lead the Way curriculum at the middle school and help provide ‘hands-on’ manipulatives for additional curriculum at the elementary. We are very thankful for the opportunities that this competitive grant will be bringing to the students of our district.”

Salem Community Schools received $49,175, and Southern Indiana Business Report will update this story once more information on plans there are available.

Other recipients

  • Anderson Community School Corporation – $74,660
  • Believe Charter School – $25,000
  • Benton Community School Corporation – $50,000
  • Christel House Academy South – $25,000
  • Circle City Prep – $25,000
  • Clay Community Schools – $25,000
  • Concord Community Schools – $54,052
  • Dekalb County Central United School District – $50,000
  • Fort Wayne Community Schools – $99,930
  • Greater Clark County Schools – $100,000
  • Greensburg Community Schools – $75,000
  • Griffith Public Schools – $74,399
  • Indiana School for the Deaf – $25,000
  • Indianapolis Public Schools – $74,738
  • Kokomo School Corporation – $25,000
  • LaPorte Community Schools – $75,000
  • Logansport Community School Corporation – $75,000
  • Madison Grant United School Corporation – $50,000
  • Manchester Community Schools – $24,869
  • Marion Community Schools – $75,000
  • Milan Community Schools – $25,000
  • Mississinewa Community School Corporation – $75,000
  • MSD Lawrence Township – $74,928
  • MSD Pike Township – $75,000
  • MSD Warren Township – $66,870
  • MSD Washington Township – $73,728
  • Muncie Community Schools – $75,000
  • Northeast School Corporation – $75,000
  • Pike County School Corporation – $50,000
  • Plymouth Community School Corporation – $50,000
  • Randolph Eastern School Corporation – $25,000
  • School City of Hammond – $100,000
  • School City of Mishawaka – $74,987
  • South Bend Community School Corporation – $74,000
  • South Harrison Community Schools – $75,000
  • South Henry School Corporation – $25,000
  • South Vermillion Community School Corporation – $50,000
  • Southeast Fountain School Corporation – $23,500
  • Southwestern Jefferson County Consolidated Schools – $49,853
  • Steel City Academy – $25,000
  • Victory College Prep Academy – $24,760
  • Vigo County School Corporation – $100,000
  • Western Wayne Schools  – $25,000

More about the grant

First launched in the 2018-19 school year, the STEM Acceleration Grant is a competitive grant that helps schools increase students’ access to STEM courses, programs and resources. The grant focuses on helping schools implement research-based, high-quality teaching practices and professional development for educators that helps build a culture of STEM leadership in schools.

This year, more than 70% of school districts awarded a STEM Acceleration Grant have one or more schools that are currently working to become STEM Certified Schools, which recognizes schools for their focus on inquiry, project-based learning, community engagement, entrepreneurship, student-centered classrooms, and out-of-school time STEM activities.

While students continue to recover from COVID-19-related learning disruptions, schools were encouraged to focus their grant proposals on learning recovery for students most impacted academically by these disruptions.

This grant is funded by state appropriations to IDOE for STEM program alignment. More than 150 schools have been awarded STEM Acceleration Grants since 2018, with grants totaling more than $9.2 million. The awardees for the 2022-23 school year include 18 first-time recipients.

The STEM Acceleration Grant is one of several IDOE-led initiatives focused on STEM education. These include the STEM Certified School program, as well as the state’s recently-developed priorities for STEM education. To implement these priorities, IDOE is working with educators and schools across the state to provide high-quality, integrated STEM learning opportunities to all students. Schools can currently opt in to the voluntary coalition with IDOE to integrate high-quality STEM instruction through a locally managed coaching model. Schools can learn more about this program here.

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