This week in education news, the Girl Scouts have added 30 new badges in STEM to encourage more female involvement; back-to-school spending will hit $82.8 billion for K-12 and college combined, and more teachers are digging into their wallets; and meet astrophysicist – and NSTA President-elect—Dennis Schatz.

Girl Scouts Launch New STEM Badges

The Girl Scouts have added 30 new badges in science, technology and engineering to encourage more female involvement in STEM. Girl Scouts CEO Sylvia Acevedo joins the ‘Power Lunch’ team to discuss how the non-traditional activities will help girls adapt to a changing world. Read the article featured on CNBC.com.

Teachers Must Budget For Hundreds Of Dollars In School Supplies

Kids love it, parents may dread it, but one thing’s certain: The annual school shopping ritual is a smack to the wallet every year. This year, back-to-school spending will hit $82.8 billion for K-12 and college combined, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey. That’s almost as high as last year’s $83.6 billion. Read the article featured on CNBC.com.

Working Geek: A Star In Science Ed, Astrophysicist Dennis Schatz Wants To Expand Minds

Schatz is a solar astrophysicist by training, has written 25 science books for kids and last year Asteroid 25232 was renamed Asteroid Schatz by the International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center in honor of his dedication to science education. He’s worked for the Science Center for four decades. Read the article featured on GeekWire.com.

1st Of Christa McAuliffe’s Lost Lessons Released From Space

The first of Christa McAuliffe’s lost lessons finally was released from space Tuesday, 32 years after she died aboard Challenger. Read the article featured in Education Week.

8 Apps You Should Check Out Before School Starts

Check out this list of apps, ranging from kindergarten through high school and touching on topics such as STEM, history, and vocabulary. Read the article featured in eSchool News.

Stay tuned for next week’s top education news stories.

The Communication, Legislative & Public Affairs (CLPA) team strives to keep NSTA members, teachers, science education leaders, and the general public informed about NSTA programs, products, and services and key science education issues and legislation. In the association’s role as the national voice for science education, its CLPA team actively promotes NSTA’s positions on science education issues and communicates key NSTA messages to essential audiences.

The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.

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