STEM Ed Update 3/6/15

Welcome!

Please enjoy this week's STEM Ed update.

Top Article:

GOP Education Chairman Anticipates Votes on Education Bill

ABC News

The bill by Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., chairman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, would keep annual testing requirements in schools, but it gives states and districts more freedom in the way they spend federal money and set rules to identify and fix failing schools. It prohibits the federal education secretary from demanding changes to state standards or imposing conditions on states in exchange for a waiver around federal law - a provision that shows opposition to the Obama administration's encouragement of the Common Core education standards that spell out what reading and math skills students should master at each grade.

Read more here.

Stay in the Know:

Latest STEM Education Policy News Across the U.S.

Joe Courtney: Promote STEM for Security and Prosperity

The Hill

In the wake of the shocking news that the Soviet Union had launched Sputnik, the world's first space satellite, in 1958, President Eisenhower signed the National

Education Act into law. This established anational policy to promote science, technology,
and math (STEM) in America's schools and colleges. Ike underscored the necessity of a national response, explaining that the law "would do much to strengthen our American system of education so that it can meet the broad and increasing demands imposed on it by consideration of national security."

Read more here.

Congrats Young Scientists, You Face The Worst Research Funding In 50 Years

The Huffington Post

Young scientists entering biomedical research find themselves in the worst financial environment in a half a century, the head of the National Institutes of Health said Tuesday. In an appearance before the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Dr. Francis Collins offered a familiar warning to lawmakers considering future appropriations for scientific research. Investments are falling relative to inflation, he said, forcing changes likely to snowball into the future.

Read more here.

When Will State Boards of Education Review Their Standards?

Education Week

Much of the talk about the fate of the Common Core State Standards is focused on state legislatures and

whether or not they will repeal the standards. But it's important to remember that in nearly every state, it was state boards of education that adopted the standards in the first place. And standards, once they're adopted, are typically reviewed, revised, and renewed periodically by these state boards.
Read more here.

The Top Cities For Engineers

Forbes

Which cities offer engineers the greatest combined opportunities and compensation? To deter

mine the best cities for engineers, personal finance site NerdWallet looked at 350 of the largest metropolitan areas in the U.S., analyzing the size of the engineering industry therein using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as well as annual mean salary for engineers, and media gross rent.
Read more here.

Mobile Devices For Schools Generating Huge Momentum, Analysts Say

Education Week

By the next academic year, mobile devices will be available for 1-to-1 computing for half of the U.S. K-12 student and teacher population, according to Futuresource Consulting Ltd, a U.K.-based research and forecasting Company. In fact, by the calendar year 2016, 54 percent of students and teachers will have access to a school-issued personal computing device.

Read more here.

From Around the Community

The Next MacGyver:" Global Contest Seeks New TV Show About Female Engineers

Buick Achievers Scholarship Program

The Buick Achievers Scholarship Program rewards students who have succeeded both inside and outside of the classroom-and who may not be able to attend college without financial assistance. It's a reward for what you've made of yourself and the difference you are making for others.

Read more here.

Going The Distance

Career Changers: First Step to Becoming a Teacher

Changing careers to become a teacher is not always an easy step to take, but it is one that can bring rewards far beyond what you might imagine. In this and future articles, I plan to offer you information that will ease that journey into teaching and make the end result something you enjoy as a new teacher.

Read more here.

Recognized for Leadership in STEM Education

Fresh Fossil Studies Rewrite the History of Humanity's Genus Homo

Washington Facts: STEM Edition

Colleges and universities are in a jungle of red tape that should be an embarrassment to all of us in the federal government," said Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) committee.

Read more here.

Join the Coalition!

We at the STEM Education Coalition hope you have enjoyed this week's edition of the STEM Ed Newsletter.

Any organization may join the Coalition, and there is no cost to become an Affiliate Member. Affiliate members are listed on our website, receive periodic communications on policy matters, and will be signed up for the weekly newsletter.

Your organization can also apply to join the Coalition's Policy Council, where they play an active role in setting the public policy agenda for the Coalition and are invited to participate in frequent interactions with policymakers.

If you would like to join the Coalition at any level, please read our message to prospective members or email us at [email protected].

We appreciate your continued support and involvement.

Our Coalition's Co-Chairs

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