More than $3 million in grant funding will be distributed between 16 regional organizations across Michigan to help improve educational programs in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
The grants are awarded by the MiSTEM Advisory Council and total $3,050,000 in state funds. Each of the 16 consortia will focus on a different STEMworks Certified Program and will help provide opportunities to students in small and rural districts.
“These grants will help bring programs like robotics, engineering and bio-science to students across Michigan who wouldn’t normally have had these opportunities,” said State Superintendent Michael Rice in a statement. “Every student needs the opportunity to pursue and engage in these fields of study.”
The MiSTEM Advisory Council was created in 2015 and consists of leaders in business, higher education, K-12 education and philanthropy.
Programs funded by the grants include Michigan-developed Cereal City Science; Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative; Michigan Science Teaching and Assessment Reform (MiSTAR); and Phenomenal Science. Projects were chosen based on an analysis of MiSTEM regional needs data.
The chosen programs include ones that have shown to improve student engagement and achievement in the field of STEM.
“A strong economy, and a strong state, requires a concentration of talented people who are prepared to solve future challenges and compete in a global economy,” MiSTEM Advisory Council Chair Michelle Richard said in a statement. “These grants allow students to see how STEM can help solve important problems and lead to rewarding careers.”
The funds were awarded as part of the 2019 School Aid Act.
More information about the MiSTEM Advisory Council and the MiSTEM Network can be found here. The STEMworks database of STEM education programs can be found here.
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Jordyn Pair is a reporter with Battleground State News and The Michigan Star. Follow her on Twitter at @JordynPair. Email her at [email protected].
Photo “Michigan STEM Early Learning” by MISTEM.
