Brief description: 

A large, multi-district program to better prepare students in the Iowa City and Cedar Rapids districts for future careers in SMT.  The program includes summer courses, outreach to parents and the business community, and increased professional development for SMT faculty.

Subject the program is most concerned with:

A combination of fields.

Which part of the school system (e.g. elementary school, middle school, high school, all levels, special math/science school, etc.) the project focuses on:

Grades K-12.

Primary focus of the program (e.g. new curriculum, attracting or retaining teachers, classroom technology, community outreach, etc.):

The program has six key goals:

• Public awareness – an information clearinghouse and speaker’s bureau
• Evaluation of student data to guide efforts
• Active collaboration between schools regarding curriculum and graduation requirements
• Increasing after-school, weekend and summer learning activities in STEM
• Improving quantity and quality of professional development for teachers
• Raising additional dollars to support these initiatives

Role of the school board play in implementing or supporting the program:

The board has been actively supportive. One board member provided summer enhanced learning experiences for students through her work with the University Extension Service.

Community and business partners:

This project has many diverse supporters.  Rockwell Collins, a leading electronics firm, which is headquartered in Cedar Rapids was a major supporter. Alliant Energy, the Chambers of Commerce for both Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, ACT (headquartered in Iowa City), Quaker Oats, Penford Products and the Iowa Business Council have all signed on as interested parties in the initiative. Ron Fielder, Chief Administrator of the Grant Wood Area Education Area (an educational partner to both public and private schools in the area) has been instrumental in recruiting member companies and participants.

Higher education partners:

The University of Iowa’s College of Engineering, Iowa State Extension, University of Northern Iowa, Mount Mercy College and Kirkwood Community College have all helped with the project.

Funding and resources:

The districts secured a grant from the Iowa Department of Education, which came about after a local state senator introduced legislation creating the grant monies on their behalf.

Obstacles overcome:

For many people, this is a “plus program” right now, meaning it’s an added responsibility for virtually all the participants without any immediate, tangible (which is to say financial) rewards, meaning that it can sometimes be difficult to command active participation.

Results so far:

In summer 2007, the enrichment program included nine programs in the Johnson, Iowa and Linn Counties at day camp sites, schools, and community centers. A total of 226 students – ages seven to twelve - participated. A survey of the students’ parents indicated 96% were very satisfied or satisfied with the “Engineering is Elementary” program, and 35% of the parents reported their child talked about becoming an engineer in the future.

Advice for other districts:

Be prepared for considerable work ahead. The effort may feel sluggish and tedious at times, but the results are worth it.

What the board can do:

Funding is imperative and so is vocal support – pushing for organizations and companies to get involved with the initiative.

Detailed description:

After reading, Thomas Friedman’s book, The World Is Flat, Ron Fielder, Chief Administrator of Grant Wood AEA, began discussing the ongoing need to help students in our area to become better trained and more competitive for the coming era of global competition. He raised this issue at one of the metro area superintendent meetings.

The group began to consider that would help support the effort, including getting local business leaders involved, making parents aware of the career opportunities in STEM- related fields and the need for their children to take the hard classes that many currently avoid, researching best practices, exploring the current data about student performance in STEM, etc., the group eventually identified six key goals (see #3 above), and each superintendent embraced a leadership role for developing one of the goals.

The following have been identified as measurable outcomes:

• Increased numbers of students participating in math and science coursework and programs.
• Increased numbers of students demonstrating higher levels of achievement in math and science, thus being better prepared to enter post-secondary education/training, and/or enter the workforce.
• Increased public and policymaker voices calling for and supporting research-based change and innovation in our institutions of learning. 
•  Increased career awareness/exploration opportunities for students and teachers in the region.
• Increased capacity to successfully hire qualified, talented teachers in math and science.
• Increased capability among the area’s teachers as a result of expanding high quality professional development programs.
• Increased number of businesses that choose to locate and stay in the region who rely heavily on math and science and a highly educated workforce.
• National recognition as a center for high quality math/science learning.

Although the list of possible activities given such goals is almost endless, the following are expected to be achieved through this initiative:

• Add a speaker’s bureau to stress “urgency of change” to audiences in the region.
• Standardize math/science graduation requirements, and offer remediation opportunities.
• Expand innovative programs such as Van Allen Science and Teaching Center (VAST), Project “Lead the Way,” STEM pathways, etc.
• Increase after school, weekend, and summer math/science learning activities.
• Improve the quantity and quality of professional development for k-16 educators in the region.
• Maximize use of area natural resources.
• Build direct connections to area fields:  bio-tech, medical, engineering, research, technology, energy, etc.
• Establish formal partnerships with regional and state economic development offices to sell the region based on our strengths and initiatives in math/science learning.
• Explore establishment of “magnet” opportunities such as the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy.
• Link to high quality on-line learning opportunities for students and teachers to include courses, live web cams, degree programs, live interactive learning, web/podcasting, etc.
• Examine need to target certain cohorts such as women/girls and minorities.
• Cultivate the quantity and quality of math and science teachers and teaching in Iowa.
• Integrate business expectations/standards/criteria with curricular and program offerings of area educational institutions.
• Invert the science course sequence.
• A 10th month for math and science.
• Increase utilization of an inquiry/engagement/problem solving model.