STEM Action Center
OVERVIEW U.C.A. 63M-1-3201–3211 The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Action Center prioritizes STEM education, which works to develop Utah’s workforce of the future. The program drives research and implementation of STEM education best practices across Utah by coordinating STEM-related activities, creating and supporting STEM education, facilitating educator access to education tools, and aligning public STEM education with higher-education STEM activities. In order to advance STEM initiatives, the STEM Action Center Board will use legislative funding to oversee several projects that align with K-12 education and support the Utah State Office of Education and higher education partners. These programs address issues that support outreach, recruitment, retention and student achievement. Additionally, the STEM Action Center will align technology and innovation with industry needs and higher education initiatives to ensure development of the future workforce. This will be a safeguard to the state’s economic prosperity by ensuring there is a workforce ready to take on the high-quality and high-paying STEM related careers.
The following projects are part of the STEM Action Center’s portfolio, in partnership with the Utah State Office of Education, the Utah System of Higher Education and industry: • Providing innovative approaches to professional development for K-12 educators • Creating an elementary STEM endorsement • Improving Career and Technical Education programming • Deploying digital learning math tools in K-12 classrooms • Supporting industry-recognized STEM certification for high school students Middle and High School Math Initiative The STEM Action Center deployed a math digital learning pilot project that has a dual purpose to improve: (1) math proficiency in middle school students and (2) college and career ready math skills in high school students. The pilot consisted of eight vendors, 46 schools, 118 teachers and 5,722 students. Through the pilot project the Center found students who participated in the pilot project from October 2013 to May 2014 made more progress than would be expected
Governor’s Office of Economic Development • 2014 Annual Report • www.business.utah.gov
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