Washington STEM Initiative News
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In this section, you’ll find an array of helpful resources including Washington STEM Initiative announcements, upcoming meetings and events and presentations from past meetings. Check back frequently for news and updates.
Announcements
Upcoming Meetings and Events
Past Presentations
News
Washington STEM welcomes your feedback and is happy to answer questions. For comments, suggestions or inquiries, please email info@washingtonstem.org or call (206) 658-4320.
Washington STEM seeks a Chief Executive Officer
9/28/2010
Chief Executive Officer--Washington STEM
Washington STEM is a newly-formed nonprofit organization that works to catalyze innovation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) teaching and learning in Washington State. Washington STEM advocates for and impacts policies and practices that will rapidly scale STEM education innovation, support educators in preparing students throughout Washington State for success in postsecondary education and work opportunities, particularly those students who have historically been underserved. To learn more about the Chief Executive Officer's role, read the position description.
Gates Foundation CEO Jeff Raikes Speaks to the Importance of the Washington STEM
3/15/2010
In a speech at the "Foundations of Science" breakfast earlier this month, Gates Foundation CEO praised the Washington STEM's development of the Washington STEM Center and said, "The Center is the big bet on STEM in Washington state." Read the full transcript of the speech.
Read the STEM Initiative's New Concept Paper
11/30/2009
Interested in a deeper look into the design and development of the Washington STEM Initiative? Please view the initiative's extended concept paper.
New STEM Initiative Materials Available
10/29/2009
Looking to share or learn more about the Washington STEM Initiative? We've developed several new tools for individuals to learn more about this important work. Check the materials below for information.
- 4-page Washington STEM Initative Overview
- 11x 17 Diagram of the Washington STEM Initiative and Network
- Powerpoint Presentation on the Washington STEM Initiative's efforts to date and future direction
The New Teacher Project’s Analysis of Washington School Districts Moves Forward
7/16/2009
The New Teacher Project's (TNTP) work to analyze and make recommendations on how Washington State districts can better recruit, retain, evaluate and increase the effectiveness of their math and science teachers continues to move forward and will soon provide data ripe for discussion and learning. In the three districts chosen for analysis (Renton, Nooksack Valley and Spokane) TNTP is currently working with staff to develop web surveys for teacher applicants to the district, as well as teachers who left the district. These surveys will help determine whether or not districts are not recognizing effective teachers in the hiring process, or struggling to retain them once hired. TNTP will also incorporate the most recent data on RIFs to see if, based on seniority practices, districts are being forced to let effective teachers go in shortage areas such as math and science.
The next step in TNTP's work will be an analysis of each districts' teacher evaluation data to eventually make recommendations on how districts can better evaluate their teachers with an emphasis on instructional improvement. By the end of the summer and the start of the school year, TNTP will also launch web surveys for current district teachers and administrators to determine how they view district recruitment, retention and evaluation practices.
Partnership for Learning Hosts Preliminary Design Retreat for the Washington STEM Initiative
6/27/2009
From June 25th to 27th, Partnership for Learning convened a group of Washington education stakeholders from K-12, higher education and the public and private sectors in order to gather input on emerging program design of the STEM Washington Initiative and inform future outreach.
This retreat served as a preliminary step in a wide scale effort to engage education stakeholders throughout the state in the design of the Washington STEM Initiative.
Over the course of three days, retreat participants helped surface and define core principles upon which the STEM initiative will ultimately be designed.
Participants also engaged in a National Governors Associations (NGA) webinar to learn from other national initiatives, discussed research briefs on issues key to STEM learning and explored a sample of STEM Washington programs to learn about existing opportunities and challenges across the state.
Finally, in teams, participants suggested potential strategies for the Initiative and offered recommendations for individuals and organizations to consult for additional expertise in the design phase of the Initiative.
Stay tuned for news on upcoming STEM Initiative Design events.
STEM initiative and ESDs join forces
6/2/2009
On June 2, 2009, Carolyn Landel, STEM Initiative Project Director, met with the Assistant Superintendents from the nine regional education service districts (ESDs). The meeting provided an opportunity to share information about the emerging initative and explore opportunities for collaboration.
With the shared interest of ensuring all regions of the state have access to information about the initative, the group agreed to work together on an outreach strategy to be launched in Fall 2009. This strategy will capitalize on the strong regional partnerships and relationships each ESD has with their local constituents to ensure information about the STEM initiative is disseminated effectively and that the program design reflects regional context and variation.
Carolyn Landel Hired to Lead Design of the Washington STEM Initiative
6/1/2009
Partnership for Learning in collaboration with Education First Consulting has contracted Dr. Carolyn Landel to lead the program design of the Washington STEM Initiative.
Dr. Landel received her doctoral degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of Chicago and pursued postdoctoral studies at University of Massachusetts Medical School and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. While maintaining an active research program, Dr. Landel brought together her strong scientific training and her commitment to education by supporting state and national science education reform efforts.
In 2002, Dr. Landel joined the Science, Mathematics and Technology Education program at Western Washington University (WWU), as Project Director of the North Cascades and Olympic Science Partnership, a National Science Foundation-funded partnership. The program united scientists from Western Washington University and four community colleges with teachers and administrators 28 small and rural school districts to improve science education. Dr. Landel directed the day-to-day work of all aspects of the project, including participation in science education research studies.
Dr. Landel will be leading the day-to-day development of the program design for the Washington STEM Initiative, as well as convening business, education and policy stakeholders from across the state to raise awareness and gather input on the design.
Contact Carolyn Landel at stem@partnership4learning.org.
Partnership for Learning Partners with The New Teacher Project to Study Three Washington School Districts
5/18/2009
The launch of a Washington STEM Center is a key component of the Washington STEM Initiative. In order to ensure that the new Center opens ready to make an impact on student learning, the Partnership is collaborating with The New Teacher Project (TNTP) to issue recommendations for improving the recruitment, retention and effectiveness of Washington math and science teachers.
After a month-long selection process, we are pleased to announce Renton, Nooksack Valley and Spokane as our district partners with TNTP. In selecting these districts, the Partnership sought partners with strong leadership, which would represent Washington state both demographically and geographically. Each district has committed to assist TNTP with building a district-level fact base on the dynamics that drive the shortage of math and science teachers in our state and limit their effectiveness in the classroom.
From there, the Partnership will work with TNTP to produce a final report with recommendations for improving district, state and other policies and practices that impact the recruitment, retention and effectiveness of Washington teachers. This is exciting work and we are honored that a nationally-known group such as TNTP has targeted Washington as a key state for analysis of teacher effectiveness.
Upcoming Meetings and Events
There are no STEM events posted at this time.
Presentation to House Education Committee—October 26, 2009
Overview of STEM Initiative efforts to date and future direction.
Initial STEM Initiative Design Retreat—June 25-27, 2009
Three-day preliminary design retreat of Washington education stakeholders from K-12, higher education and the public and private sectors. Stakeholders were convened to provide input on emerging program design and to inform ongoing outreach efforts.
Presentation to Regional ESD Math Coordinators—June 17, 2009
Overview of STEM Initiative efforts to date.
Presentation to ESD Superintendents—June 10, 2009
Overview of STEM Initiative efforts to date. Presentation generated a long term plan to collaborate on regional outreach in Fall 2009.
Presentation to LASER Alliance Directors and Regional ESD Science Coordinators—May 5, 2009
Overview of STEM Initiative efforts to date.
Stimulus Workgroup Meeting—April 9, 2009
Meeting of Washington business, education and nonprofit leaders on positioning Washington for federal education stimulus funds.
State Board of Education Presentation—March 12, 2009
Overview of the Initiative presented to the State Board of Education.
Leadership Advisory Group Launch—March 2, 2009
Initiative launch meeting of the state’s top business, education and policy leaders.
Technical Advisory Group Meeting—December 15, 2008
Convocation of educators, policymakers and academics at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to gather feedback on how best to accelerate student math and science achievement.
News
Education Standards Likely to See Toughening
New York Times View this article
Science is failing to inspire some
Houston Chronicle View this article
Doling out federal stimulus money in Washington state
Seattle Times View this article
Dateline: May 12, 2009, 2:58 pm