Informal STEM Education Update

Informal STEM Education News Update

STEM Education Bill With OST Focus Signed Into Law
Youth Today

Research into after-school programs that promote STEM education got a boost in legislation that reached the president's desk earlier this month.

The STEM Education Act of 2015 calls on the National Science Foundation to continue to award competitive merit-reviewed grants that support research into what works best in out-of-school time and informal STEM education.

James Brown, executive director of the STEM Education Coalition, said researchers and educators are increasingly aware that after-school programs are not a luxury but a valuable piece of the STEM education landscape.

"After-school programs are not just about keeping kids fed and safe. What they do after school reinforces what they do in classroom and vice versa," he said.

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Full STEM Ahead! New America After 3PM Special Report on STEM Released
Afterschool Alliance

Last week, we released our first ever special report on afterschool science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning based on our 2014 America After 3PM survey data.

Full STEM Ahead: Afterschool Programs Step Up as Key Partners in STEM Education is the first comprehensive look at parental perceptions of STEM programming offered by afterschool providers and examines demand, access and satisfaction both nationally and by state.

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Afterschool STEM Hub Releases Toolkit for Advocates
Afterschool STEM Hub

For those interested in advocating for afterschool and informal STEM education programs, the Afterschool STEM Hub, led by the Afterschool Alliance, has released a variety of materials on their website intended to help those who want to make the case for expanding and supporting innovative and engaging informal STEM learning.

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About the STEM Education Coalition Policy Forum

The STEM Education Coalition's Policy Forum is a new 501c3 non-profit organization launched by the Coalition in 2015 to focus on developing a deeper understanding of emerging and critical STEM education policy issues. The Policy Forum aims to keep stakeholders informed about policy issues through organizing public events, publications, hosting policy roundtables, and other informational public functions.