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Secretary’s Proposed Priorities
The U.S. Secretary of Education published six proposed priorities in the Federal Register. The notice includes related definitions for use in the Department’s discretionary grant programs and an invitation to submit comments through Regulations.gov by July 30, 2021. The six priorities, listed below, are described in detail in the Federal Register notice. STEM, computer science education, and out of school time settings can be found in proposed Priority 2.
- Proposed Priority 1--Addressing the Impact of COVID-19 on Students, Educators, and Faculty.
- Proposed Priority 2--Promoting Equity in Student Access to Educational Resources, Opportunities, and Welcoming Environments.
- Proposed Priority 3--Supporting a Diverse Educator Workforce and Professional Growth to Strengthen Student Learning.
- Proposed Priority 4-- Meeting Student Social, Emotional, and Academic Needs.
- Proposed Priority 5--Increasing Postsecondary Education Access, Affordability, Completion, and Post- Enrollment Success.
- Proposed Priority 6--Strengthening Cross-Agency Coordination and Community Engagement to Advance Systemic Change.
American Rescue Plan State Plans
The Department posted 28 plans submitted by State Education Agencies (SEAs) describing how states plan to use American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) funds to support schools, students and educators, including STEM instruction and learning. The ARP ESSER Fund provides nearly $122 billion to states to support the nation’s schools in safely reopening and sustaining safe in-person operations while meeting the social, emotional, mental health and academic needs of students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In April, states received access to two-thirds of their ARP ESSER allocation—a total of $81 billion. The remaining $41 billion will become available following the Department’s approval of each state’s plan.
STEMI2E2 Newsletter
The ED-funded STEM Innovation for Inclusion in Early Education (STEMI2E2) Center launched a newsletter to help communicate their efforts to:
- Develop and enhance the knowledge base on engagement in STEM learning opportunities for young children with disabilities (0-5);
- Implement high-quality technical assistance and professional development to increase engagement for young children with disabilities in STEM opportunities; and
- Engage partners and stakeholders from diverse disciplines and industry in work to increase the inclusion of young children with disabilities in early high-quality STEM learning experiences.
Sign up to receive the STEMI2 E2 Newsletter today.
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Register Today
Advanced Manufacturing: Jobs of the Future
July 28, 2021, 12:30 – 2:00 PM ET
Register here.
(Note: This event was rescheduled from June 18. If you registered before, you do not need to register again.)
Advanced manufacturing—which includes both new manufacturing methods and production of innovative products—is an engine of America’s economic power and a pillar of its national security. Yet, there is a shortage of Americans with the STEM knowledge and technical skills required in advanced manufacturing careers. Join us as we learn how to further develop advanced manufacturing workforce skills.
For all archived STEM briefing presentations, visit: ed.gov/STEM.
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This is not an all-inclusive list.
Workforce Pathways for Youth Awardees
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced the award of nearly $20 million in grants to four national out-of-school time (OST) organizations to expand local work readiness programs. Administered by the DOL’s Employment and Training Administration, the Workforce Pathways for Youth program expands job training and workforce activities for youth, including soft-skill development, career exploration, including STEM careers, job readiness and certification, summer jobs, year-round job opportunities and apprenticeships in OST organizations nationwide.
STEM Opportunities for Students Kindergarten to Graduate School
The Department of Defense STEM (DoDSTEM) offers opportunities for students, educators, and the current workforce to work on cutting-edge projects solving real-world problems alongside DoD STEM Professionals, including scientists, engineers, manufacturers, and more.
SMART Scholarship-for-Service Symposium: Creating Leaders of the Future
Join Department of Defense (DoD) during their free, virtual Symposium, July 14-15, 2021, as they discuss the latest challenges in national security and STEM priorities with their Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) scholars and Junior Science and Humanities Symposia (JSHS) national oral presentation winners. Learn more about the SMART and JSHS program, view the event agenda and register today.
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Smithsonian K-12 STEM Education Action Planning Institute
The Smithsonian Science Education Center is holding its second fully virtual, free Action Planning Institute July 27-29, 2021. Through live and asynchronous sessions, individuals and teams will tackle the challenge of ensuring K-12 science education serves the needs of all teachers and learners in all contexts. Participants will share lessons learned from the past year, integrate best practices in online and in-person K-12 science education, address issues of learning loss and learning recovery in STEM, and discuss new America Rescue Plan funding opportunities. Registration is now open!
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Naval Horizons High School 2021 Challenge: Essay Contest Open to All High School Students
The Naval Horizons Challenge introduces students to cutting-edge STEM topics that impact the U.S. Navy & Marine Corps, including autonomy, oceanography, cybersecurity, undersea medicine, and more. Students will learn about Naval STEM challenges, scientists and engineers through a series of short videos. Students are challenged to picture themselves in a STEM career. Up to 5,000 winners will be selected and all winners will receive a $200 cash prize. Submissions are due Friday, July 30, 2021.
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CREDENTIALS: What They Are and Where to Find Them
Credentials play a key role in workforce development. For employers, credentials can assist in identifying qualified workers, upskilling their current workforce, and competing in the marketplace. For job seekers, obtaining credentials can improve employability and lead to career advancement and higher wages. This U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) webinar, July 30, 2021, will highlight characteristics of quality credentials and the types of credentials available, including STEM credentials. Register here.
NASA's TechRise Student Challenge NASA is initiating a new competition for the 2021/2022 school year, asking student teams to design, build, and launch experiments on suborbital rockets and balloon flights. NASA TechRise Educator Summer Workshops, held July 28, and repeated August 11, will dive into the basics of electronics, coding, and designing for flight. The NASA TechRise Student Challenge will start accepting entries August 18, 2021.
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STEM Rising
STEM Rising is your go-to resource for all-things-STEM at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). STEM education is an essential building block to accomplishing DOE’s mission from coast to coast. STEM Rising inspires, educates, and sparks lifelong success in STEM by sharing resources & events from the National Labs, National Nuclear Security Administration, and DOE program offices. The STEM Rising site contains information on competitions, resources for K-12 teachers, K-18 students, and workforce professionals. You can also follow STEM Rising through their monthly newsletter and social media.
New Federal STEM Websites
The federal government recently set up several useful STEM-related websites:
- The Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) Program established the STEM4ALL website for federal internships, scholarships, and training opportunities.
- Launched by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), Q-12 Education is a consortium that will expand access to K-12 quantum learning tools and inspire the next generation of quantum leaders.
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Quantum.gov is the home of the National Quantum Initiative and ongoing activities to explore and promote Quantum Information Science.
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AI.gov is the home of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative and connection point to ongoing activities to advance U.S. leadership in Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The Call to Action for Science Education: Building Opportunity for the Future
Scientific thinking and understanding are essential for all people navigating the world, not just for scientists and other STEM professionals. The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine’s (NASEM) Board of Science Education will articulate priorities and make recommendations to state and national level policy makers on how they can elevate science education opportunities so that they are equitable and high quality. Register for the July 13, 2021, online report release event.
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How States and Districts Used Title II, Part A Funds in 2019-2020
Title II, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) provides over $2 billion per year in funding to states and districts to support effective instruction through the preparation, recruitment, and training of educators, including STEM teachers. The 2015 Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), provided greater flexibility for states and districts in how they use Title IIA funds. Find out exactly how they are using these new options in this new Institute of Education Sciences (IES) report. |
Parental Involvement in U.S. Public Schools in 2017-2018
This new IES Data Point report examines parent and/or guardian involvement, which is important to student success in STEM, in various school-based engagement opportunities, as reported by public primary, middle, and high school principals in the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS).
Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering
This new report provides statistical information about the participation of these three groups in science and engineering education and employment. Data and figures in this report are organized into the following topical areas: enrollment, field of degree, employment status, occupation, including academic careers, and disability status.
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Please send questions on which the Department can be helpful to COVID-19@ed.gov.
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