June STEM Ed Fellow Update

[Veronica Gonzales]

Please see the June newsletter from Patti Curtis, STEM Ed Fellow, below:

Happy Summer STEM Friends – enjoy these tidbits, resources and opportunities.

 

Condition of Education
Earlier this month, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) released The Condition of Education 2019, a congressionally mandated report to the country on education in America today.  The report presents 48 indicators under four areas: pre-primary, elementary, and secondary education; postsecondary education; population characteristics and economic outcomes; and international comparisons.  It also spotlights several issues of policy interest: young adult educational and employment outcomes by family status and postsecondary outcomes for non-traditional undergraduate students (blog post)

Green Ribbon Schools 

The Department recently announced the 2019 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools, District Sustainability Awardees, and Postsecondary Sustainability Awardees.  A total of 35 schools, 14 school districts, and four postsecondary institutions — nominated by 28 states — were selected for their progress in reducing environmental impact and utility costs, promoting better health for students and staff, and offering effective environmental education, including civics, STEM, and green career pathways (blog post).  To learn more about honorees here. Resources for all schools at the Dept’s Green Strides portal.

 

Become a US ED Peer Reviewer
The Department is always looking for new peer reviewers with expertise in relevant fields, including STEM and computer science. All U.S. Department of Education peer reviewer applicants must create a G5 account in order to enter their profile in the G5 system, submit a current resume, and check off the programs of interest to them.  A G5 account can be created via the G5 Home page (http://www.g5.gov).  Interested persons would click on the “Not Registered? Sign up.” link and follow these next steps:

•Upon logging in, select “My Profile” under the “Main” tab in the top navigation bar;

•Scroll to the bottom of the page, select “Reviewer” in the Available Type list, and click “Continue”;

•Complete the reviewer profile tabs to the left of the page;

•Submit a resume through this online process. The resume (maximum of five pages) should include a brief list of career highlights and areas of expertise;

•Make sure to “Submit” all inputs upon completion.

 

Join NSF INCLUDES Network

One of the National Science Foundation’s 10 Big Ideas, NSF INCLUDES (Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science) aims to enhance U.S. leadership in science and engineering by developing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) talent from all sectors of our society.

 

AmeriCorps Turns 25
The Corporation for National and Community Service announced $560 million in AmeriCorps funding — including grants and education awards — to help national and local organizations, educational institutions, and faith-based groups respond to the most critical issues facing communities.  This year marks the 25th anniversary of AmeriCorps.  Since the program’s inception in 1994, more than a million AmeriCorps members have served, providing over 1.5 billion hours of service and earning over $3.6 billion in scholarships.

Call for a National System to Measure Equity in Education, Identify Disparities in Outcomes and Opportunity
A centralized, consistently reported system of indicators of educational equity is needed to bring attention to disparities in the U.S. education system, says a new report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Indicators — measures used to track performance and monitor change over time — can help convey why disparities arise, identify groups most affected by them, and inform policy and practice measures to improve equity in pre-K through 12th grade education.

The report, Monitoring Educational Equity, says the new system should track disparities in student outcomes such as kindergarten academic readiness, coursework performance, and on-time graduation and track disparities in students’ access to resources and opportunities, such as high-quality pre-K programs, effective teachers, rigorous curriculum, and non-academic supports.  The study — undertaken by the Committee on Developing Indicators of Educational Equity — was sponsored by the American Educational Research Association, Atlantic Philanthropies, Ford Foundation, Spencer Foundation, U.S. Department of Education, William T. Grant Foundation, and W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Disclaimer: The contents of this STEM ED Fellow Update was developed for the benefit of the reader and contains various informational resources. The U.S. Department of Education (Department) does not mandate or prescribe practices, models, or other activities in this Update. The contents of this Update may contain examples of, adaptations of, and links to resources created and maintained by another public or private organization. This information is provided as a convenience. The Department does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. The content of this Update does not necessarily represent the policy of the Department, nor does it reflect its importance. This publication is not intended to represent or be an endorsement by any Federal agency or department, or the U.S. Government of any views expressed, or materials provided, or links to information contained therein. 

Patti Curtis

Robert Noyce/Ellen Lettvin STEM Education Fellow

Office of Program Evaluation & Policy Development

U.S. Department of Education