Carnegie Among Funders of STEM Learning Ecosystems, 17 Regional Partnerships Focused on STEM Education Pathways Added
The STEM Learning Ecosystems Initiative, launched by the STEM Funders Network (SFN), has grown to encompass 54 regional Ecosystems that are making a significant impact on STEM education and workforce development. Seventeen Ecosystems joined the group today (http://stemecosystems.org/), as announced at the U.S. News STEM Solutions National Leadership Conference.
In just two years, the STEM Learning Ecosystems Initiative has become a thriving network of hundreds of organizations and thousands of individuals joined in regional partnerships. The Ecosystems have the objective of collaborating in new and creative ways to increase equity, quality and STEM learning outcomes for all youth. See more at http://stemecosystems.org/first-community-of-practice/.
“It’s so important to consider the entire continuum of education,” said SFN co-chairs Gerald Solomon, Executive Director, Samueli Foundation, and Ron Ottinger, Director of STEM Next. “The growing Community of Practice shares ideas and best practices for innovative learning that will benefit students’ individual development and prepares them for the demands of the 21st century workforce.”
The 17 incoming ecosystem communities were selected because they demonstrate a commitment to cross-sector collaborations in schools and beyond the classroom—in afterschool and summer programs, at home, with local business and industry partners, and in science centers, libraries and other places both virtual and physical. As STEM Ecosystems evolve, students will be able to connect what is learned in and out of school with real-world opportunities.
“It makes complete sense to collaborate with like-minded regions and organizations," said Matthew Felan of the Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance STEM Initiative, one of the founding Ecosystems. “STEM Ecosystems provides technical assistance and infrastructure support so that we are able to tailor quality STEM learning opportunities to the specific needs of our region in Michigan while leveraging the experience of similar alliances across the nation."
The following ecosystem communities were selected to become part of this national STEM Learning Ecosystem:
- Arizona: Flagstaff STEM Learning Ecosystem
- California: Region 5 STEAM in Expanded Learning Ecosystem (San Benito, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey Counties)
- Louisiana: Baton Rouge STEM Learning Network
- Massachusetts: Cape Cod Regional STEM Network
- Michigan: Michigan STEM Partnership / Southeast Michigan STEM Alliance
- Missouri: St. Louis Regional STEM Learning Ecosystem
- New Jersey: Delran STEM Ecosystem Alliance (Burlington County)
- New Jersey: Newark STEAM Coalition
- New York: WNY STEM (Western New York State)
- New York: North Country STEM Network (seven counties of Northern New York State)
- Ohio: Upper Ohio Valley STEM Cooperative
- Ohio: STEM Works East Central Ohio
- Oklahoma: Mayes County STEM Alliance
- Pennsylvania: Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery STEM Learning Ecosystem
- Washington: The Washington STEM Network
- Wisconsin: Greater Green Bay STEM Network
- Canada: Symbiosis, British Columbia, Canada
Learn more about the initiative and the 37 other Ecosystems at http://stemecosystems.org/. Address specific questions to info(at)stemecosystems(dot)org. Join our online conversations on Facebook and Twitter @STEMecosystems and #STEMecosystems.