The Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council announces applications have opened for the STEM Scale-Up Program which provides educators and students throughout the state with access to exemplary STEM educational opportunities. These programs are some of the top in the nation and offer a diverse range of STEM activities to nearly 100,00 students each year. The application period for the STEM Scale-Up Program closes on February 28, 2023.
Thirteen programs were selected from a pool of 65 proposals for the 2023-2024 Scale-Up Program menu based on the Council’s strategic priorities, including agricultural science, computational thinking, early learning, ecology and energy education, mathematics, STEM and arts integration, STEM careers, integration into existing curriculum and transdisciplinary learning. These priorities were selected to provide Iowa students with educational opportunities that emphasize the necessary skills needed for the future workforce. Students who participate in the STEM Scale-Up Program have historically performed better on statewide tests compared to students who do not participate. These students also have an increased interest in STEM subjects and careers.
“The Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council resolved early on that Iowa kids will come in second to no one when it comes to access and opportunity to the best STEM learning resources known to exist,” said Jeff Weld, executive director of the Council. “Scale-Up is that mechanism, selecting outstanding programs that provide educators with the tools to generate interest in STEM subjects among students as well as increase awareness of the abundance of opportunities and demand for STEM careers.”
