“Science and technology are at the heart of nation’s ability to compete in a global economy and to solve our most pressing challenges. “Our future hinges on the next generation of scientists and engineers. I look forward to continuing to work with Innovate-Educate New Mexico.”
Opportunities
As a part of our mission to increase awareness and support of STEM, Innovate-Educate is pleased to compile a national directory of STEM opportunities for interested stakeholders. We anticipate becoming the overarching umbrella organization for everything STEM in New Mexico and the United States, and this is our first step to accomplishing that goal.
There are STEM opportunities available everywhere.
However, the biggest opportunity currently available in our country is affiliated with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and Race to the Top. The U.S. Department of Education released the final application on Nov. 12 for more than $4 billion from the Race to the Top Fund, which will reward states that have raised student performance in the past and have the capacity to accelerate achievement gains with innovative reforms.
The U.S. Department of Education is asking states to build comprehensive and coherent plans built around the four areas of reform outlined in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The application requires states to document their past success and outline their plans to extend their reforms by using college-and career-ready standards and assessments, building a workforce of highly effective educators, creating educational data systems to support student achievement, and turning around their lowest-performing schools.
The $4.35 billion for the Race to the Top Fund is an unprecedented federal investment in reform. Duncan said will reserve up to $350 million to help states create assessments aligned to common sets of standards. The remaining $4 billion will be awarded in a national competition.
In Race to the Top, the department will hold two rounds of competition for the grants. For the first round, it will accept states’ applications until the middle of January 2010. Peer reviewers will evaluate the applications and the department will announce the winners of the first round of funding next spring.
Applications for the second round will be due June 1, 2010, with the announcement of all the winners by Sept. 30, 2010.
For more info visit http://www.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop/applicant.html