‌ ‌	 DECEMBER UPDATE The InterMountain Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Launch Pilot (IM STEM)

What's going on IN the network? Below is a summary of the progress in each work group. If you would like to join a work group, please email  lriegel@napequity.org .

Communications and Resource Sharing

We have registrations coming through the website and the communication team is sending many welcome emails. We have also more than doubled the number of people in our work group and now have representatives from each state. Now that we have momentum with registrations, we are starting to build strategy around how to engage people in our social media channels, including our LinkedIn group (IM STEM Network) and Twitter (@imstemequity). Please join our LinkedIn group and take a moment to post a short blurb about what you are working on, so we can connect with each other. Members of the communications committee will also be reaching out to help connect people within their states. Please also continue to invite your professional colleagues to take advantage of the network by signing up today at our website https://www.napequity.org/stem/stem-equity-project/imstem/ .

Metrics, Data Collection, and Reporting

This workgroup is developing a pilot cross state data dashboard on concentrators in a sample career cluster (manufacturing) using the new requirements in Perkins V to test the feasibility of a more comprehensive analysis. Perkins V requires data to be disaggregated by gender, race/ethnicity and each of the 9 special population groups. It is intended that this pilot would inform states as they are working on data collection and accountability in their State Plans for Perkins V. To learn more about Perkins V go to NAPE’s resource page at  https://www.napequity.org/public-policy/frontline-legislation/strengthening-career-and-technical-education-for-the-21st-century-act/

Asset Map Building

By engaging the Connectory, we were able to secure a list of STEM programs in our network states. We have launched a survey and invited people to input information about their programs. We will be using Tableau and have worked hard to ensure our data collection system will yield clean data, so we can work efficiently to launch the asset map before the end of the year. Please feel free to send this link to anyone engaged in STEM programs focused on equity, so we can capture as many programs as possible. https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aXghURj3Jy76FOR?Q_DL=885FQr4o820wC1v_aXghURj3Jy76FOR_MLRP_6zNoQ1wHjoqiLI1&Q_CHL=email

Effective Practice Scaling

This workgroup is working on the agenda for the next IM STEM Network Meeting, which will be held in February. More details to follow. Due to the great interest in what we presented at the last network meeting, each speaker will host a Table Talk within a week or two of the meeting where you will be able to ask deeper questions and discuss programming. We will share the dates for the Table Talks at the network meeting. Also, we are looking for programs to highlight from each state in our network at our next meeting. If you know of a program that is successful with underrepresented students in your state, email Mimi Lufkin at mlufkin@napequity.org . Finally, this workgroup is working on a rubric to help STEM program administrators, designers, implementers and funders identify critical equity attributes to ensure success for underrepresented students.

Pilot Monitoring

This workgroup is continuing to monitor NAPE’s professional development efforts in the six states. NAPE has recently received a grant from Motorola Solutions Foundation to conduct Micromessaging to Reach and Teach Every Student professional development in the Salt Lake City, UT region. Contact Kathleen Fitzpatrick at kfitzpatrick@napequity.org for more information.

What's going on Around the network?

Colorado The Little Shop of Physics at Colorado State University seeks to find creative ways to share the wonder of science by providing unique hands-on science experiences to a diverse range of K-12 students while also involving undergraduates in significant and meaningful service. The program also provides teachers of any grade level with tools that they can use to incorporate science into their curriculum inexpensively and effectively. In addition to school visits and teacher workshops, the program hosts an annual open house that is free and open to the public with over 350 hands-on homemade science experiments, interactive presentations and activities.  Several times a year, the Little Shop of Physics partners with the Native American Cultural Center and takes road trips to Native American Reservations and other underserved areas.   littleshopofphysics@gmail.com 970-458-5767  http://www.lsop.colostate.edu/

Idaho Four Idaho Elementary schools have received STEM certifications through the Arizona-based nonprofit AdvancED as part of an initiative to increase the state’s skilled workforce. The schools include: Temple View Elementary School, Bingham Academy, Galileo STEM Academy, and Barbara Morgan STEM Academy. AdvanceED STEM standards include ongoing professional development for teachers and community partnerships with STEM businesses or other industry partners. Student-learning standards range from real-world learning emphases and self-directed research to learning through technology and collaborative problem solving.   Devin Bodkin dbodkin@idahoednews.org 208-680-7925 https://www.idahoednews.org/features/schools-lauded-for-stem-programming/

Nevada The College of Southern Nevada (CSN) recently received a $1 million grant to increase the number of underrepresented and low-income students studying and completing degrees or certificates in high-demand STEM fields. The grant was presented by the Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation and Technology (OSIT) and marks the start of a four-year partnership between CSN and OSIT. Many low-income and underrepresented students face multiple academic and non-academic barriers to graduation in STEM. Promising new research suggests integrated interventions addressing academic and non-academic barriers can improve student success rates. CSN will use grant funds to assess the barriers faced by its students and involve students, faculty, and alumni in designing interventions to solve them. The college will also hire a STEM Equity Program Manager who will design and implement a marketing initiative to encourage underrepresented students to consider STEM majors and programs of study. An evaluation of the results of the initiatives will be made public for others to learn from.                                                                                               Kristen Dwyer 702-651-7688 https://www.csn.edu/sites/default/files/documents/csn_press_release_osit_stem_grant.pdf

New Mexico The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) Aspire IT is offering Future IT Girls on February 15 – April 5, 2019, free to participants. This program is designed to expose elementary students to computing while also informing the girls about possible career paths. Students will complete a project on water and its impact on the local community in addition to learning about CS principles through AppInventor, Scratch, Ballroom Dance, and Sphero. Questions? Email the team at AspireIT@NCWIT.org            https://theconnectory.org/opportunity/future-itgirls-2

Utah The Ogden Computer Science Pilot is a partnership between Ogden School District and the nonprofit, BootUp PD. The pilot program has been funded at $125,000 by the Utah STEM Action Center, whose goal for the funding is to build K-12 computing pathways in Utah school districts. Ogden School District’s objective is to provide equitable access to computer science by implementing instruction school-wide at each elementary school. Participating schools will add computer science to their computer lab curriculum and provide professional development for lab monitors. Lab monitors will then provide approximately 30 minutes of computer science instruction weekly to all of their K-6 grade students.  Ogden School District Contact: Vincent Ardizzone               STEM Education K-12/CTE ardizzonev@ogdensd.org   801-430-2955   BootUp PD Contact: Abby Funabiki Associate Executive Director abby@bootuppd.org 435-631-2056 https://www.educationdive.com/press-release/20180810-computer-science-pilot-receives-125000-to-develop-professional-skills/

Wyoming Earlier this year, the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) announced the launch of Boot Up Wyoming 2022 , an initiative to implement computer science in all Wyoming schools. The initiative will focus on analyzing the costs and district needs to offer computer science, ensuring teachers are trained to teach the subject, and facilitating the development of statewide standards for promulgation by the State Board of Education (SBE). Kari Eakins, Communications Director kari.eakins@wyo.gov 307-777-2053   https://edu.wyoming.gov/blog/2018/04/02/boot-up-wyoming-2022-aims-to-implement-computer-science/

STEM Equity News, Events, & Resources

We’re Addressing Gender Disparity in Engineering Way Too Late The engineering workforce continues to suffer from gender disparity. Even though there is a range of STEM advocacy groups making a concerted effort to encourage women to enroll in engineering courses in high school and college and to then go into the profession, the problem is that girls self-select out of engineering before these efforts even have a chance to be effective. It is time we expand engineering education to all children, starting as early as preschool, so we can build a learning environment in which engineering is a part of girls’ daily conversations. When we start young, we never allow the stereotypes to take root in girls. 2018. https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/26/were-addressing-gender-disparity-in-engineering-way-too-late/ Boosting the Number of Students From Underrepresented Groups in Physics Diversity is an issue across all the sciences, but in the United States, physics, along with math and engineering, is near the bottom of the pile. The reason for these disparities are many, including the fact that underrepresented-minority people are more likely to be economically disadvantaged leading to poor access to good education and a resulting lack of opportunities, as well as a lack of role models. This article highlights programs from high school through to graduate school that are aiming to keep more women and people from underrepresented groups in the physical sciences. October 3, 2018.  https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-06834-y   This is Why Women Leave Jobs in Tech Not only are there few women in tech jobs, but the ones who are there leave at a much higher rate than their male counterparts. This article discusses why and what tech companies can do to retain them. December 6, 2018. https://www.fastcompany.com/90274067/this-is-why-women-leave-jobs-in-tech   Film and Television Tell Children Who Can Be Scientists An analysis of a longitudinal study by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media and the Lyda Hill Foundation found that the media largely reinforces the idea that scientists are white men. However, on the positive side, although female representation is low, female STEM characters are as likely as male ones to be portrayed as leaders in their fields, and they are painted as equally competent and empowered and more intelligent than men in these roles. Collaborators of the study are taking their findings to meetings with advertisers and producers of TV, movies and YouTube content with a simple message, “If she can’t see it, she can’t be it.” November 23, 2018. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-07512-9   It’s Time to Revise STEM Doctoral Admissions Procedures The selection of students for STEM doctoral programs determines who will be leaders in these fields. For decades, this selection process has relied heavily on the GRE. Unfortunately, women and students from underrepresented groups score less well on the GRE than other groups, and thus are less likely to score above arbitrary “cut off” scores commonly used by admissions committees. However, a recent investigation focused on the ability of GRE scores to predict success in STEM doctoral programs, and the results may surprise you. November 26, 2018. https://sciencetrends.com/its-time-to-revise-stem-doctoral-admissions-procedures/

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IM STEM is a network of STEM educators and leaders across six states (CO, ID, NM, NV, UT, and WY) working to support STEM equity at key transition points (middle school to high school and high school to college).

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1744472. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.