STEM Ed Update 6/10/2016

Please enjoy this week's STEM Ed update.

Coalition Update:

Coalition Expresses Disappointment with Senate Education Subcommittee Funding Level

STEMEd Coalition

The STEM Education Coalition issued a statement on the Senate Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee bill to fund the Department of Education and the nation's new education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

Read more here.

Top Article:

Senate Panel OKs Tiny Hikes for Key K-12 Grants, $300 Million for ESSA Block Grant

EdWeek

School districts and states wouldn't see big increases to funding for special education, or Title I money for disadvantaged students under a spending bill approved Tuesday by the Senate panel that oversees education, labor, and health spending.

And, to the chagrin of many advocates, a new flexible spending fund created under the Every Student Succeeds Act-called the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grant program-would be slated to receive only $300 million, or a little more than the roughly $278 milllion the programs that make up the block grant (such as Advanced Placement and elementary and secondary school counseling) are getting currently.

Read more here.

Stay in the Know:

Latest STEM Education Policy News Across the U.S.

Federal Data Show Unequal Access to Challenging Math and Science Courses

EdWeek

New federal civil rights data released Tuesday show that black and Latino high school students are being shortchanged in their access to high-level math and science courses that could prepare them for college. An early preview of the latest U.S. Department of Education's Civil Rights Data Collection, based on the 2013-14 school year, lays out sharp racial and ethnic disparities in access to challenging high school courses.

Read more here.

More Hands-on, Real-World Experiences

Change the Equation

A new survey of American teenagers from the Amgen Foundation and Change the Equation finds that teens like science and would welcome the opportunity to do more engaging, hands-on science in school. Yet the survey also reveals that teens lack access to real-world science experiences, out-of-school opportunities, and professional mentors, which is limiting their chances to pursue science any further. These findings are a call to action for anyone who is committed to inspiring the next generation of American scientists and innovators.

Read more here.

Around the Community:

High School Girls Recognized for Math, Science Accomplishments

Sandia National Laboratories
Celeste Rohlfing, chief operating officer at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), presented Sandia National Laboratories' 25th annual Math and Science Awards to 28 young women from San Francisco Bay Area high schools. Rohlfing, a chemist at Sandia for 11 years, was one of the original founders of the awards.

Read more here.

STEM Magazine: June Issue

Check out this month's issue of STEM magazine and read about a variety of topics including articles about basketball, drones, and colleges.

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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