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Akron Regional Hub Hosts First Ohio STEM Conference

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

The OSLN Akron Regional Hub was the first of seven regions to host a STEM Conference on Wednesday, March 10, 2010. Featuring Chancellor Eric Fingerhut, the conference was a part of Governor Strickland’s March STEM Education March and included participants from 13 counties and showcased more than 65 area STEM initiatives. Click here to read a press release about the event.

Akron Regional STEM Conference Streaming Live

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

For those that are not able to travel to attend the Akron Regional STEM Conference, you are invited to watch the live stream of the event! There are two channels to choose from: on The University of Akron’s channel (http://www3.uakron.edu/dds/events/live.htm) and on the OSLN Akron Hub’s Channel on Ustream.tv (http://www.ustream.tv/channel/regional-stem-conference) The streaming starts Wednesday, 3/10/10, around 8:45 or 9:00 a.m.

You can also follow what is going on at the conference via Twitter if you search for the hashtag #AkronSTEM. You are invited to tweet updates and ask questions about the conference throughout the day.

Ohio Chosen as Race to the Top Finalist

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Ohio is one of 16 finalists in the Race to the Top competition. Race to the Top is the U.S. Department of Education's $4.35 billion effort to dramatically re-shape America's educational system to better engage and prepare our students for success in a competitive 21st century economy and workplace.

The 16 Round One finalists are:

Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

See the links below for announcemnts, press releases, and some of the media coverages:

Dayton Regional STEM School Accepting Student Applications

Thursday, March 4, 2010

The Dayton Regional STEM School, serving students in Clark, Montgomery and Greene counties, is accepting student applications for the 2010-2011 school year. Students entering 8th, 9th or 10th grade are encouraged to apply. Click here to read the school flyer or visit www.daytonstemschool.org to learn more.

Governor Strickland Announces Ohio’s Real-World Design Challenge Winners

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Governor Ted Strickland announced the Ohio winners of the national Real World Design Challenge (RWDC). Three senior students from Kettering Fairmont High School (near Dayton) took top honors for the state and will head to Washington D.C. to compete against teams from across the nation. (Click here to read Dayton Daily News story.) Announced during a press conference at Metro Early College High School (Columbus), the winners were joined by Ohio’s two other top teams – Metro Early College High School and Thomas Worthington High School.

Governor Strickland was by joined by Dr. Ralph Coppola, Director Real World Design Challenge & Director of Government & Strategic Education Programs Parametric Technology Corporation, to celebrate Ohio’s strong participation in the national STEM competition. More than 40 teams participated across the state with Metro High School having the most teams to compete in the nation.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Deb Delisle, Battelle Vice President of Education and Philanthropy Rich Rosen, FAA Great Lakes Regional Administrator Barry Cooper, and Metro High School Principal Marcy Raymond all provided remarks at the event.

The RWDC is a competition provides high school students with the opportunity to work on real world engineering challenges in a collaborative, team based environment applying the lessons of the classroom to the technical problems of the workplace. Click here to learn more about this competition.

Learn more about Ohio’s STEM education initiatives at the March 2 Ohio STEM Conference. Click here for more details.

National Inventors Hall of Fame School…Center for STEM Learning Featured in Akron Beacon Journal

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Akron's STEM middle school was recently featured in the Akron Beacon Journal. Click the link to learn more about the activities underway at the school: www.ohio.com/news/stem.html.

President Obama Launches “Educate to Innovate” Campaign for Excellence in STEM Education

Monday, November 23, 2009

“Reaffirming and strengthening America’s role as the world’s engine of scientific discovery and technological innovation is essential to meeting the challenges of this century. That’s why I am committed to making the improvement of STEM education over the next decade a national priority.” – President Obama

Today President Obama launched the “Educate to Innovate” campaign – a nationwide effort to move America’s students to the top of the pack in science and math achievement. The initiative will include:

Five public-private partnerships that harness the power of media, interactive games, hands-on learning, and 100,000 volunteers to reach more than 10 million students over the next four years, inspiring them to be the next generation of makers, discoverers, and innovators. These partnerships represent a combined commitment of over $260 million in financial and in-kind support.
A commitment by leaders such as Sally Ride (the first female astronaut), Craig Barrett (former chairman of Intel), Ursula Burns (CEO, Xerox), Glenn Britt (CEO, Time Warner Cable), and Antonio Perez (CEO, Eastman Kodak) to increase the scale, scope, and impact of private-sector and philanthropic support for STEM education. This coalition, with the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation of New York, will recruit private sector leaders to serve as champions for STEM at the state level; mobilize resources to help scale successful STEM innovations; and raise awareness of the importance of STEM among parents and students.
An annual science fair at the White House, showcasing the student winners of national competitions in areas such as science, technology, and robotics.

A video of President Obama's address can be viewed here.

A video of a Q/A Session with Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Office of Science and Technology Policy Director John P. Holdren answering questions about the "Educate to Innovate" initiative can be viewed here.

Click here to learn more about this national STEM education initiative.

Several ariticles reporting the "Educate to Innovate" Initiative -

TIME: Background: Obama's "Educate to Innovate" Initiative
The Boston Globe: Obama highlights science education
Discovery Channel: Discovery Communications To Launch New Multimedia, Multi-Year Science Initiative, "Be The Future," Supporting Obama Administration STEM Priorities
The New York Times: White House Pushes Science and Math Education
Talking Points Memo: Obama: 'Scientific Discovery And Technological Innovation' Are 'Essential To Meeting The Challenges Of This Century'
Columbus Business First: Battelle to take part in national STEM push
- View Battelle's Press Release

Time Warner Cable launches initiative to inspire youth through STEM

Friday, November 20, 2009

Time Warner Cable announces the launch of the Connect a Million Minds (CAMM) initiative . The initiative will focus on building the essential skills of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) through partnerships, volunteerism and grants. Learn more about this initiative by reading the press release or visiting www.ConnectAMillionMinds.com.

Click here to read a Columbus Dispatch newspaper article about this initiative.

Columbus College of Art and Design & Battelle Collaborate to Help Millions of People

Monday, November 16, 2009

A class of Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD) Industrial Design (ID) students recently had the opportunity to work with professionals from Battelle Memorial Institute to create design solutions that could help millions of people across the world to live better lives through improved health, nutrition, safety, and economic prosperity.

This CCAD & Battelle collaboration is featured in Image Magazine published by CCAD. The article starts on page 10 of the magazine (page 7 of the PDF file). Click here to read the magazine.

University of Cincinnati Announces “Let’s Explore” Science PD Series MORE

Friday, October 2, 2009

Cincinnati’s FUSION Center Presents “Let’s Explore” Science Professional Development Series

The University of Cincinnati’s FUSION Center announces their 2009-2010 Let’s Explore Science! Professional Development Series. “Let’s Explore” is an engaging K-8 science curriculum designed to help students obtain a deep conceptual understanding of science through exploration and investigation.

The FUSION Center is currently looking for school districts to host sessions of the PD series. Click here to read more about the program and see how your school might participate.

Contact Paula Schoeff with questions at paula.schoeff@uc.edu or by phone at 513-556-0255.

Dayton Regional STEM School Grand Opening Event Sparks Media

Friday, September 25, 2009

Congratulations to Dayton Regional STEM School who hosted its grand opening celebration Thursday, September 24, 2009. Click here to see an article in the Greene County Dailies. Click here to see a Column in the Editorial page of the Dayton Daily News, as well as photographs from the celebration event.

Ohio STEM Initiatives Featured in Recent Council of State Governments' Midwestern Legislative Conference Report

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Ohio's STEM education initiatives were highlighted in a recent report of the Council of State Governments' Midwestern Legislative Conference. Released in August 2009, the report is entitled "Laboratories of Reform: Initiatives in Midwestern States to Improve Math and Science Education" and outlines various policy reforms and education strategies. Ohio was recognized in the report as launching "one of the most notable and comprehensive STEM Initiatives in the country."

Included in the report is an article (section V, pages 32-35) by Dr. Brad Mitchell, director of STEM education and economic development engagement for Battelle and The Ohio State University, addressing the critical link between STEM education and economic development. Click here to learn more about STEM initiatives in the Midwest and read the full report.

National Engineering Design Challenge

Monday, September 2, 2009

Registration is now open for Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS) National Engineering Design Challenge 2009

Experience engineering: Impact your community!

The National Engineering Design Challenge (NEDC) is an annual engineering design competition for students in grades 9–12. Teams of students design and build an assistive technology device to help a person with a disability.

NEDC is a cross-curricular and service learning program that:

educates young people about careers in engineering,
increases disability awareness,
promotes community involvement,
inspires a spirit of engagement and a willingness to help others.

NEDC teams can win prizes, including a trip to Washington, DC, and cash for their schools.

Click here for more information and to register.

Ohio to fund STEM Initiatives at $10 million in FY 10-11

Monday, July 20, 2009

On Friday, July 17, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland signed H.B. 1 – Ohio’s FY 10-11 budget – officially funding STEM Initiatives at $10 million over the biennium. The funds:

"…shall be distributed by the STEM Committee to STEM schools, STEM Programs of Excellence, or other initiatives that support innovative mathematics and science education and mathematics and science professional development for teachers. Such initiatives may include on-site laboratories, job-embedded professional development and mentoring and coaching." [EDU – SECTION 265.20.60. STEM INITIATIVES]

As indicated in the bill language above, H.B. 1 calls for awards to be granted by the "STEM Committee," formally known as the “STEM Subcommittee of the Partnership for Continued Learning.” The Strickland Administration has eliminated the Partnership for Continued Learning, and administrative support for the STEM Committee will now reside within the Ohio Department of Education. The STEM Committee will retain its existing membership.

The OSLN is confident that the $10 million investment over the biennium will enable Ohio to strategically grow its nationally recognized STEM education portfolio.

Central Ohio STEM Education Impact Highlighted in the News

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

An article titled "Metro School serves purpose as STEM ambassador" was published in Columbus local papers. It highlights the impact of the Metro Early College High School. Click here to go to the paper's website to read the article or read the article below:

Metro School serves purpose as STEM ambassador

By KHALILA PERRIN
Published: Wednesday, July 1, 2009 12:25 PM EDT

As thousands of Central Ohio students bask in their summer break, local leaders already are looking forward to the end of the coming school year at Metro Early College High School.

That's when the four-year-old school -- the brain child of leaders at Ohio State University, Battelle Memorial Institute and the Franklin County Educational Council -- will graduate its first cohort of seniors at the science, technology, engineering and math-based school.

About 78 students are on the fast track to becoming the school's first graduating class. As full-time students at OSU 11 of the 78 made the university's spring quarter dean's list and some have completed their high school graduation requirements. On average this year's seniors took an about 18 credit hours a piece over the course of the school year while maintaining an average 3.5 gpa.

"They're doing very well. They're hardwrokers," Metro principal Marcy Raymond said.

Evolution isn't just a scientific term. It's a good way to describe what's been going on at Metro since it welcomed its first students in the fall of 2006, said Rich Rosen, Battelle's vice president for education and philanthropy.

That evolution is one key reason some 14,000 students statewide now are enrolled in science, technology, engineering and math-based schools like Metro.

"Metro as a school continues to exist but its footprint of building awareness about STEM is clearly growing as we see other schools start to adopt their own versions of STEM," Rosen said.

Those schools are located in Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo, Dayton and Akron.

Metro has even influenced the creation of STEM schools outside the state. Battelle has partnered with Washington State University and several Washington school districts to create Delta High School, a small public STEM school.

Locally as schools like Linden McKinley in the Columbus City School district and Reynoldsburg schools develop their own STEM curriculum, Metro finds itself at a "transition point," Rosen said.

Hillard City Schools recently opted not to fund any additional students to Metro as it establishes its own STEM curriculum.

Hilliards five allotted seats will go into a general lottery for other districts to use.

Metro's funding comes from districts whose students attend the school as well as the Ohio Department of Education and the KnowledgeWorks Foundation.

In a sense, moves such as Hilliard's are a part of the bigger picture of STEM education in the state, Rosen explained.

"We're much more interested in Linden McKinley being very successful in its own STEM program and Reynoldsburg ... and any other district that wants to create (its) own because that's the way we'll gain the capacity that Columbus needs and the nation needs."

Students from 16 Franklin County school districts are eligible to attend Metro. Each district has a set number of open seats based on each district's size. Student tuition is about $6,400 per year.

Despite the changing demographics, Metro's efforts are still geared toward improving public education and the outlook is bright, OSU President Gordon Gee said.

"As others follow the Metro model we ought to be creating new and different approaches that would further enhance the qualitative growth of public education. So this demonstration school should continue to be on the cutting edge of opportunity," Gee said.

Broadening Metro's enrollment won't be a part of the new and different approach in the coming years, however.

Metro was designed as a 400-student school -- 100 at each grade level. While it would be feasible to open the school to more counties, officials don't plan to go that route, Rosen said. About 280 students made up the student body during the 2008-09 school year and about 160 new students applied for the 2009-10 school year.

"The goal has always been to not go for the expansion of a single school, but to create a model and a system that would create more of these types of experiences all across the region and the state," Rosen said.

Funding Cuts for STEM Initiatives Proposed in Governor’s Balanced Budget Framework

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Last Friday Governor Strickland unveiled his plan to address a $3.2 billion gap in the state’s FY 10-11 biennial budget currently under consideration in a legislative conference committee.

The Governor’s plan calls for a complete cut in funding for STEM Initiatives (Line 200-457) over the biennium.

Click here to take action in support of STEM education.
Click here to view the Governor's specific proposal for STEM Initiatives.
Click here to read the Governor’s speech and press release.
Click here to read the Governor’s Overview of Agency Changes from HB 1 As Introduced.

The Governor’s budget framework will now be considered by House Speaker Armond Budish and Senate President Bill Harris, in conjunction with member of the legislative conference committee.

MC²STEM Fabrication Labs Help Students Grasp Science, Math Concepts

Friday, June 19, 2009

The Cleveland Plain Dealer (6/19, Mangles) reports on the education-oriented fabrication lab, which is "stocked with computers running easy-to-use design software, and linked to cutting-edge production machinery." Cleveland's MC² science/technology/engineering/math high school recently became the first public school to have its own "fab lab," and "national educators are closely watching the MC fab lab experiment, which already has helped raise students' math test scores and is attracting imitators." The original idea for these labs "was to simplify the process of turning an idea into a product" and to enable people, particularly those in developing countries, do create exactly what was needed with less "expense and environmental impact." Yet, educational applications have become a major focus of the labs. High school students in Early College programs use them to "better grasp science and math concepts," and the labs are seen as "especially important as educators try to encourage more girls to pursue science and engineering careers."

Click here to read the Cleveland Plain Dealer article.

Cincinnati public broadcasting station CET Features STEM Education

Thursday, June 4, 2009

STEM schools (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) offer a rigorous, diverse, and project-based curriculum that encourages young people to be more innovative. Three educators explain how STEM is benefiting Cincinnati's students and how teachers are being groomed to provide a more specialized education for their students.

Focus on: “STEM Schools for Ohio Students”
Airdate: Thursday, June 4 at 7:30pm

Guests:

Dr. Carla C. Johnson
Serves as director of the Furthering Urban STEMM Innovation, Outreach and New Research (FUSION) Center in the University of Cincinnati’s College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services (CECH). She is also a UC associate professor of science education. The center has an advisory panel represented by faculty in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Medicine) disciplines from across the university. Johnson, who is also a well-published researcher, has also served as an associate professor of science education and as director of a STEMM center at the University of Toledo. Johnson previously taught science at two schools in eastern Kentucky and at two schools in Cincinnati. She’s a former president of the national middle-level Science Teachers Association.

Nick Nicolaides
Manager, P&G University Innovation & Doctoral Recruiting. He received his PhD in synthetic organic chemistry from Cornell University. He was a postdoctoral fellow at The Johns Hopkins University before joining 3M Pharmaceuticals in their drug discovery group. While at 3M, he significantly contributed towards the design and synthesis of immune response modifiers as antiviral agents. In 1984, he joined Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals where he spent the better part of 14 years in drug discovery targeting cardiovascular indications, launching a late discovery/early development custom chemistry and scale-up group, and more recently establishing a competitive and technical intelligence function for P&G Global Health Care. He currently manages P&G’s doctoral recruiting and university relations efforts and is a key player in expanding P&G’s open innovation “Connect + Develop” business model.

Kathy Wright
A 14-year teaching veteran of Cincinnati Public Schools, Ms. Wright is the lead science teacher on the development team for the new Hughes STEM high school. A licensed comprehensive science educator, she is also a master teacher for the Minorities in Mathematics, Science and Engineering program at CPS and a past advisor of the Hughes Center junior chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers.

Program Description

STEM Schools are public schools that offer rigorous, diverse, and project-based curriculum with a strong foundation in scientific inquiry and technological design. In addition, classroom instruction emphasizes how science, technology, engineering and mathematics promotes innovation and economic progress. Students participate in collaborative and group learning environments that also incorporate the arts and humanities.

The Cincinnati STEM Partnership is led by the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Public Schools and is a collaborative effort of K-12, Business, Community, and Higher Education partners who are focused on enhancing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) opportunities for all students in southwest Ohio. The University of Cincinnati is among 107 of the nation’s higher education institutions joining the Science and Mathematics Teacher Imperative (SMTI). This initiative is an effort to place highly qualified math and science teachers in middle and high school classrooms across the nation.

UC collaborates with appropriate state agencies to identify immediate and longer term needs for high school teachers. UC also helps to bolster partnerships among universities, school systems, state governments and other entities to address statewide needs and share best practices for the preparation of teachers.

On this episode of Focus, three educators discuss how STEMM is benefitting Cincinnati’s students and how teachers are being groomed to provide a more specialized education for their students.

Click here to watch this program.

STEM Initiatives Budget Update: Ohio Senate Releases Budget Bill

Friday, May 29, 2009

This afternoon, the Ohio Senate released its version of the budget bill. And, with regard to STEM education, we have great news to share -- thanks to OSLN STEM Advocacy Partners' dedicated efforts and hard work...

The Senate increased funding for STEM Initiatives to $12.2 over the biennium - $6.1 million in each fiscal year to be used to support STEM education. This is nearly double the $6.5 million included for STEM Initiatives in the Governor's introduced and House passed version of the budget.

Click here to read the specific budget language.

Columbus Dispatch: Hilliard to Pull out of Metro High School

Monday, May 25, 2009
The Columbus Dispatch

The Columbus Dispatch reports on Hilliard City School District's decision to stop sending new students to Metro Early College High School.

Click here to read the article.

Linden-McKinley STEM School in the News

Monday, May 18, 2009
The Columbus Dispatch

The Columbus Dispatch published an article about the redesign of Linden-McKinley STEM High School on Monday, May 18. This article is titled "Linden-McKinley Leading Next Wave - Urban Education Reinvented as STEM Academy Starts Journey This Summer". Linden-McKinley is being redesigned to include students in grades seven through 12 and with an upgraded curriculum that seeks to prepare students for 21st-century jobs.

Click here to read the article.

Education Week Publishes Creativity - The Path to Economic Recovery

Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Education Week

An article by Ohio STEM Learning Network's David Burns has been published by Education Week. The article "Creativity - The Path to Economic Recovery" is a call-to-action to put creativity and innovation into our education system.

Click here to read the article on Education Week website. Or, click here to download the article.

President Obama Expresses Need for Math, Science Graduates in Recent New York Times Magazine Interview

Tuesday, April 28, 2009
The New York Times

“…I don’t just want to see more college graduates; I also want to specifically see more math and science graduates, I specifically want to see more folks in engineering.” “….if you look at who our long-term competition will be in the global economy – China, India, the E.U., Brazil, Korea – the countries that are producing the best-educated work force, whose education system emphasizes the sciences and mathematics, who can translate those technology backgrounds or those science backgrounds into technological applications, they are going to have a significant advantage in the economy. And I think that we’ve got to have enough of that in order to maintain our economic strength.” President Obama, “After the Great Recession,” May 3, 2009, The New York Times, by David Leonhardt

Click here to read the entire article.

Educator Positions Available at MC²STEM High School and Design Lab Early College High School in Cleveland

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) recently posted several job positions for their two STEM schools – MC²STEM High School and Design Lab Early College High School. Educators who are looking for more information about these opportunities and who are interested in applying should visit the MC²STEM Hub website or the CMSD website.

State Budget for STEM Education in the News

Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Dayton Daily News

Following Ohio STEM Learning Network’s STEM Education Legislative Advocacy Day at the Statehouse, The Dayton Daily News published a news article on the state budget focusing on budget for STEM education. OSLN staff member, Laurie McFarlin, was interviewed and quoted in the article! Click here to read the news article.

An editorial piece was also published urging support of the Dayton Regional STEM school. The arguments in this essay are relevant in support of all STEM schools in our network. Click here to read the editorial piece.

Choose Ohio First Scholarship Awards Announced

The Cincinnati STEM Hub, in partnership with the University of Cincinnati, the Ohio STEM Learning Network and a slate of K-12 education, higher education, business and community partners, was the recipient of a $267,600 Choose Ohio First grant from the Ohio Board of Regents. This grant will be used provide a seamless STEM education pathway for students in high school through college and is part of Cincinnati's greater vision to connect a pipeline of P-16 STEM initiatives.

Click here to read more about Choose Ohio First Scholarship Awards.

Ohio Mathematics and Science Partnership (MSP) Program Issues RFP

The Ohio Mathematics and Science Partnership (MSP) Program released a 2009 Request for Proposals for FY 2010. The partnership provides professional development opportunities for mathematics and science educators across Ohio.

An “Intent to Submit” form is due by March 25 and should be submitted to Peggy Sorenson, Management Analyst Supervisor, Ohio Department of Education at Margaret.sorenson@ode.state.oh.us.

Click here to learn more about this grant opportunity.

NIH Announces the Availability of Recovery Act Funds

NIH Announces the Availability of Recovery Act Funds for Administrative Supplements Providing Summer Research Experiences for Students and Science Educators

Click here for more information.

Columbus Metropolitan Library To Provide STEM Enhanced Homework Help Centers

Building upon a successful model for CML (Columbus Metropolitan Library) Homework Help Centers, Battelle and Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC), in partnership with CML, are excited to engage students with an expanded hands-on learning opportunity through STEM Enhanced Homework Help Centers (SE-HHC). This concept brings together elements of community, industry, and education to provide a rich and relevant learning environment for students from all ages and incomes. Through integrated activities that highlight concepts in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) core classroom subjects are revealed by providing students with a new vantage point from which to experience learning.

The goal is to provide homework help and learning enrichment, weekdays after school, for students in need, from all ages and incomes, in a rich and relevant learning environment. The three pilot CML branches are:

Linden Branch - 2223 Cleveland Ave. Columbus, OH 43211
Karl Road Branch - 5590 Karl Rd. Columbus, OH 43229
South High Branch - 3540 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43207

Click here for more information.

Appalachian Regional Commission Releases RFP

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) recently released a request for proposals to help implement energy efficiency and renewable energy programs in K-12 schools. (Click here to read the press release.) Governmental and non-profit organizations, including public schools, private non-profit schools, state and local government, non-profit trade associations, and cooperatives are eligible to apply. The ARC expects to provide six to ten awards of up to $45,000 each, for a total of $250,000 in awards, to help implement these programs within K-12 schools in the Appalachian Region.

The deadline for submission of proposals is May 29, 2009, and grant selections will be announced on June, 30 2009. For information on submitting an application please go to www.arc.gov/energy.

Cleveland MC²STEM School Moves into Its Home

After several months of holding classes at the Great Lakes Science Center, MC²STEM High School moved into its newly renovated home on GE Nela Park campus Monday, February 9, 2009. More

Cincinnati Announces STEM School Principal

Cincinnati announces Virginia Rhodes will be the principal of Hughes STEM High School. More

The Ohio Academy of Science Publishes Survey Results Indicating Policy Shift

Alternative energy, the U.S. economy and STEM education were the three top science- and technology-based policy concerns among 182 topics cited by state and local public officials in a survey released January 23, 2009 by The Ohio Academy of Science. More

Cincinnati Enquirer Published Editorial on Hughes STEM School

Click here to view this Editorial.

Ohio Announces FY09 STEM School and Program of Excellence Award Winners

The STEM Subcommittee of the Ohio Partnership for Continued Learning recently announced FY09 STEM School and Program of Excellence award winners. These funds, totaling $5.9 million, will support the development of 8 STEM schools and 19 STEM Programs of Excellence.

Award winners include:

STEM SCHOOL RENEWAL AWARD WINNERS

Cleveland Metropolitan School District (Cuyahoga County) - $ 367,978.05
Wright State University (Montgomery, Clark, Greene Counties) - $ 341,981.10
STRIVE (Hamilton County) - $ 341,354.31
Educational Council (Franklin County) -$ 301,418.71
Akron Public Schools (Summit County) - $ 278,598.37

STEM SCHOOL NEW AWARD WINNERS

Perkins Public Schools (Erie County) - $ 497,830.29
New Miami Local School District (Butler County) - $ 479,913.11
Reynoldsburg City Schools (Franklin County) - $ 247,926.06

K-8 STEM PROGRAM OF EXCELLENCE RENEWAL AWARD WINNERS

Fort Recovery Local School District (Mercer and Auglaize Counties) - $ 262,263.38
New Lebanon Local School District (Montgomery County) - $ 249,344.00

K-8 STEM PROGRAM OF EXCELLENCE NEW AWARD WINNERS

Parma City School District (Cuyahoga County) - $ 220,188.54
Reynoldsburg City School District (Franklin County) - $ 217,358.35
New Miami Local School District (Butler County) - $ 211,131.94
Avon Lake City School District (Lorain County) - $ 207,169.68
Newcomerstown Exempted Village (Tuscarawas County) - $ 203,773.46
Akron Public School District (Summit County) - $ 195,848.93
New Boston Local School District (Scioto and Adams Counties) - $ 194,716.86
Napoleon Area School District (Henry County) - $ 160,238.93
Oberlin City School District (Lorain County) - $ 158,893.27
Morgan Local School District (Morgan County) - $ 139,462.93
Bexley City School District (Franklin County) - $ 130,388.11
Youngstown City School District (Mahoning County) - $ 125,169.99
Anna Local School District (Shelby County) - $ 122,726.15
Liberty Local School District (Trumbull County) - $ 119,785.19
Northwestern Local (Wayne County) - $ 87,953.58
Girard City School District (Trumbull County) - $ 68,690.86
Fairborn City School District (Greene County) - $ 51,895.84

Click here to read the press release issued from the Ohio Board of Regents.

Reform Reports That Matter

STEM Education and Economic Development: Reports That Might Matter for the Next Legislative Session. More

Ohio Welcomes New State Superintendent of Public Instruction

On Monday, December 1, Ohio welcomed its new state superintendent of public instruction, Deborah Delisle. Delisle, who is replacing Dr. Susan Tave Zelman, will oversee the Ohio Department of Education and the state’s elementary and secondary education system in addition to working closely with Governor Strickland, Chancellor Fingerhut, Ohio’s legislative leaders and local school districts.

Delisle most recently served as the superintendent of Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District since 2003 and brings 30 years of educational experience to the position.

Click here to read a message from Superintendent Delisle and learn more about her background.

Applications Available for National Inventors Hall of Fame School…Center for STEM Learning

Akron Public Schools recently released an application for open enrollment to the National Inventors Hall of Fame School…Center for STEM Learning. Students entering the 5th or 6th grade during the 2009-2010 school year are eligible to apply. Registration begins Monday, December 1, 2008 and closes at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, January 9.

Click here to download the application. Questions can be directed to Maryann Wolowiec, Project Manager, National Inventors Hall of Fame School…Center for STEM Learning, at 330-761-2820.

Akron Public Schools to Sponsor Parent and Community STEM School Informational Meetings

Akron Public Schools is sponsoring parent and community meetings to discuss the upcoming student enrollment process for their STEM Middle School. Interested parents and community members with students entering grades 5 or 6 in Fall 2009 are encouraged to attend.

A unique and comprehensive middle school, the National Inventors Hall of Fame School….Center for STEM Learning will open its doors in Fall 2009 for middle school students in grades 5 and 6. Each year a grade will be added until Fall 2011, when all grades 5-8 are a part of the school. (Click here to learn more about the school.)

Additional meeting details are forthcoming. For more information, visit www.akronscienceschool.com or contact Maryann Wolowiec at 330-761-2820.

Scoring Rubrics for STEM School & K-8 Program of Excellence Proposals Released

The PCL STEM Subcommittee released the scoring rubrics for FY09 STEM School & K-8 Program of Excellence proposals. The link to download can be found in the OSLN Toolkit for RFP Respondents located in The Lounge.

Information/Support Toolkit for HB 119 STEM School & K-8 Program of Excellence RFP Respondents

An information/support toolkit is available to school districts that submitted letters of intent to the STEM Subcommittee of the Ohio Partnership for Continued Learning in response to their recent RFPs for STEM schools and K-8 STEM Programs of Excellence.

This toolkit is located in The Lounge of the OSLN website. Please note that this is a work-in-progress. More information will be added to the toolkit as it becomes available. Please visit The Lounge often!

Registration for Statewide Forum

The OSLN Statewide Forum is open to school districts that submitted letters of intent to the STEM Subcommittee of the Ohio Partnership for Continued Learning in response to their recent RFPs for STEM schools and K-8 STEM Programs of Excellence.

You, as the school or program contact, along with up to two members of your team are invited to attend.

Please note that though this event is free, registration is required.

Registration for the event closes at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, October 24.

Click here to register for the OSLN Statewide Forum.

PCL STEM Schools and Programs of Excellence RFPs Revised

Both STEM Schools RFP and K-8 STEM Programs of Excellence RFP were revised on Friday, October 17, 2008.

Here’s a brief overview of changes to the RFPs:

K-8 STEM Programs of Excellence

Category A for previously funded K-8 programs now includes a section 3.2 through 3.6 that asks those applying for the rationale of their proposed program, outcomes, commitment, project narrative and timeline, and sustainability. You’ll find these changes on page five of the new RFP.

STEM Schools

Category A for previously funded STEM schools has changed. You’ll notice that a 3.7 section has been added addressing attachments.
Category B for new STEM school applicants also has a new section added about attachments. You’ll find this in section 5.22.

To view the revised RFPs please visit PCL's website at www.pcl.ohio.gov/rfp.php.

PCL STEM Schools and Programs of Excellence Bidders Conference Handout

Click here to download a copy of the handout from Battelle at the PCL STEM School and Programs of Excellence Bidders Conference on October 14, 2008.

Support Available for HB 119 STEM Schools and K-8 STEM Programs of Excellence RFP Respondents

The State of Ohio STEM Subcommittee of the Partnership for Continued Learning has established a collaborative agreement with Battelle to provide coordination support for the programs awarded through HB 119 funding.

Click here to view full agreement.
Click here to view summary of agreement.

The OSLN operates independently from the PCL STEM Subcommittee, and the management team of the OSLN does not participate in – nor influence – the review process or selection of HB 119 awards. We do share a common interest in maximizing the connection among STEM programs and key experts across the State of Ohio to accelerate the availability of quality STEM education to all students and teachers in Ohio.

The HB 119 RFP for STEM Schools and K-8 Programs of Excellence instructs respondents to use one of two pathways, depending on whether you are submitting to continue a program from 2008 award, or applying with a new program in 2009.

Continuing an existing program. Existing HB 119 programs that are proposing to renew are asked to provide a progress report with evidence of the accomplishments made during the first year, and a 2009 budget. Evidence of collaboration with the OSLN is – in effect – the opportunity to document how your program has connected and leveraged with other activities within the state and how both parties specifically benefitted from those interactions.
New programs for 2009. If you are proposing a new effort in 2009 (STEM School or K-8 Program of Excellence), a full proposal is called for similar to 2008. The RFP calls for new programs to also connect to the OSLN and collaborate with Battelle.

During the proposal phase (timeframe between the release of the RFP and the submittal deadline), the members of the OSLN want to help facilitate your access to best practices, progress from other related efforts, key resources, and lessons learned. To that end, the OSLN plans to arrange at least one statewide forum to share information. Invited participants will include award winners from 2008 and applicants to the 2009 award phase that submit letters of intent to the State of Ohio. If appropriate, national STEM education experts will be on-hand to provide guidance and counsel in moving forward. Date and location will be posted on this website, and email invitations will also be sent.

Additional support that may be available from OSLN hubs across the state

The OSLN currently helps support five “hub” locations across the state. These locations coincide with the HB 119 awards in 2008 for STEM schools. In the context of the OSLN, we use the term “hub” as a mechanism defined by a formal operating agreement between specific public K-12, higher education, and business/civic participants, and a single fiscal agent. This group collectively commits resources and is accountable for spreading the impact of STEM platform schools and associated research to communities of teachers, students, and families across their region.

The OSLN theory of action directs private resources (through local support of personnel, direct funding, and technical assistance) to support these schools as incubators (e.g., platforms) that help build capacity for spreading STEM education innovations to the surrounding regions. If your organization is proposing a new program for 2009, we strongly encourage you contact one of the existing hub areas of the OSLN. They may be able to connect you to tools, programs, expertise or other resources. As recipients of OSLN financial support, they are encouraged to share their work with other areas or regions interested in developing a STEM education presence. Click here to see the existing STEM schools and their managing organizations.

The 2009 RFP from the State of Ohio indicates a preference for STEM school proposals from southeast and northwest regions. While the OSLN has no immediate plans to automatically flow private support into these new regions that might be funded by the state, this type of “hub” support may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Of specific interest to the OSLN are hub models that can operate in rural regions of the state.

Additional support relating to independent review of proposal drafts

(UPDATED after the statewide forum, October 27, 2008)

The response to the HB119 FY09 RFP for STEM Schools and K-8 Programs of Excellence is significant and shows the interest that Ohio has in making STEM Education work in our state. In all, nearly 60 letters of intent were submitted. As a follow-up to the dialogue from the October 27, 2008 statewide meeting at COSI/Columbus hosted by Battelle, OSLN will be providing the following support to HB119 bidders during the proposal preparation phase:

Watch the OSLN website for our views on the FAQ’s submitted to the State Partnership for Continued Learning. The FAQ’s on this site will be identical to those found on the PCL website. In addition, for selected questions, the OSLN site will include additional commentary regarding strategy and advice that may be helpful in strengthening your proposal. Please note that this advice is solely the opinions of the managers of the privately-funded Ohio STEM Learning Network and does not represent the views of the Ohio PCL or any of its proposal reviewers, and following the guidance may not result in an awarded proposal.
Additional convenings will be scheduled through meetings and/or conference calls. The purpose of these additional meetings is to enable potential bidders to have additional opportunities to interact with your colleagues across the state at a time when your proposal plan is more fully developed. In particular, these group sessions may help you identify other collaborative partners, new resources, or other information that could be helpful in enhancing the quality of your proposal and its alignment to the HB119 evaluation rubric.
Questions regarding your specific strategies may be submitted directly to the OSLN website via “The Lounge” portion of the site. We will attempt to provide opinions or direct you to additional resources if questions are in subject areas where OSLN or Battelle has relevant expertise. Please note that the overwhelming response to the HB119 solicitation does not enable OSLN or Battelle to facilitate an independent review of your proposals. Questions of a public nature should be submitted directly to the PCL via their published procedure.

Where We Stand: America’s Schools in the 21st Century

Ohio was featured in a recent PBS broadcast hosted by Judy Woodruff, senior correspondent for The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. The broadcast, “Where We Stand: America’s Schools in the 21st Century,” provided a frank evaluation of the nation’s educational system’s strengths and weaknesses – challenging America to go beyond the status quo.

The program showcased schools in urban Cincinnati, suburban Columbus and rural Belpre, Ohio, and featured Guadalupe M., a student at Metro High School in Columbus. In addition, several national experts involved in education reform were a part of the broadcast.

Watch this program and find up-to-date information on pertinent articles and events related to the broadcast at http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wherewestand/.

OSLN Technical Assistance Workshop

The OSLN is sponsoring “A Conversation for Possibilities and Action: An OSLN Technical Assistance Workshop” on Friday, September 19, 2008 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Columbus.

The Conversation for Possibilities and Action Workshop is aimed at the final development of an OLSN tool for conducting a Systematic Review of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education Readiness and Capacity for STEM education in Ohio. Building upon the self-reported capacities of the district, schools and stakeholders, this systematic review will identify, compile and analyze capacity data to enhance grantee school district’s ability to implement a quality STEM program that lead to improved student performance. The data analysis will drive the design and planning of the technical assistance to each STEM school funded through H.B. 119.

For more information, contact Jessica Gade at 614-340-1208.

Welcome to the new Ohio STEM Learning Network website!

This website is designed to be a central location for finding information about the regional, state and national STEM landscape. And, it’s also setup to allow you to share your thoughts and opinions on STEM.

When you browse around the site you can visit the “For Inquiring Minds” page where you’ll learn more about what STEM is - essential to every student and every career path - and what STEM isn’t - just for the elite and excluding the arts and social sciences.

But just like any other innovation, this website continues to evolve and is not “complete.” That’s where the OSLN needs your help.

We invite you to contribute your thoughts and opinions on STEM. And there are several ways to do that:

Visit the Lounge: Here you can provide your thoughts and opinions on topics the OSLN is researching and exploring. Get comfortable, we hope you stay a while.
Share your Feedback: You’ll see that many pages on our site have a link for you to share your thoughts. Maybe you know a helpful STEM organization that we’ve missed, have a favorite STEM learning site, or have resources to add to the page. We want to incorporate your ideas.
Contact Us: On the homepage, you’ll find a link to contact the OSLN. Your questions, thoughts and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.

Coming soon…..

The STEMShare portion of the website will contain collaborative spaces and toolkits to help move STEM education forward from policy to practice, classroom to career. It’s under construction now, but will be live soon.

Whether you are a student, parent, community member, educator or policy maker, thanks for helping us make STEM education work for Ohio – and for being part of the conversation!

Come join the conversations about making STEM Education work for Ohio.
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