STEM Action Center
OVERVIEW U.C.A. 63M-1-3201, 3207 The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Action Center prioritizes STEM education, which works to develop Utah’s workforce of the future. The program drives research and implementation of STEM education best practices across Utah by serving the community by coordinating STEM-related activities, creating and coordinating proven STEM education best practices, facilitating educator access to those tools, align public STEM education and higher STEM education activities. In order to advance STEM the STEM Action Center Board will use 2013 appropriation to build the math skills of sixth, seventh and eighth graders and for college math readiness. Additionally, the STEM Action Center will align technology and innovation industry needs with higher education initiatives to ensure that the future workforce development needs of industry are met, and to safeguard the state’s economic prosperity by ensuring there is a workforce ready to take on the high-quality and high-paying STEM related jobs. The STEM Action Center is leveraging a $10 million investment appropriated by the state in HB 0139 to create a hub of collaboration to improve the effectiveness of all the STEM Action Center partners.
STEM Action Center Pilot Program The first call to action for the new STEM Action Center was to pilot a statewide“best practice”technology in select classrooms throughout the state to help close the performance gap for 7th and 8th grade math, as well as college readiness in math in over 150 classrooms. The culmination of these efforts began on Friday, August 9 with 185 teachers representing over 70 different schools coming together for a full-day of professional learning to prepare to implement 11 different “best-in-class” technologies in academic year 20132014. The initial pilot phase is targeted to Utah teachers learning about new math reach more than 31,500 Utah students instructional technology that is a part of the in over 70 different schools in grades STEM Action Center pilot. 7, 8 and 10. This represents more than 25% of the total targeted population in the state. Governor’s Office of Economic Development • 2013 Annual Report • www.business.utah.gov
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