Every Student Succeeds Act

Looking for funding sources for STEM activities, resources and professional learning this fall? Take a look at this powerpoint on the Every Student Succeeds Act, the new federal education law, which includes key highlights that will be in place later this year and federal funding for STEM initiatives.

Update on FY2018 Appropriations

 “I think it’s likely the kinds of cuts proposed in this budget will not occur, so we really need to fully understand your priorities and why they are your priorities,” said Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos during opening remarks at the recent Senate hearing on the FY2018 budget submitted by President Trump.

Here is a chart with some on Federal funding for Education, Selected STEM Programs, for both FY2017 and the budget proposed by the Administration. Read more on the budget here.

FY2017 Appropriations

• ESSA Title I:  $15.9 Billion
• ESSA Title II Teacher Quality State Grants: $2.055 billion ($2.25 billion in FY16)
• ESSA Title IV, Part A, Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants: $400 million (new program, ESSA authorizers requested $1.6 billion for this block grant)
• 21st Century Community Learning Centers: $1.191 billion ($1.166 billion in FY16)
• Computer Science for All: $0 ($100 million proposed)
• STEM Master Teacher Corps: $0 ( $10 million proposed)
• Perkins/CTE: $1.135 billion ($1.125 billion in FY16)

FY2018 Proposed Budget from the Trump Administration

The 2018 Budget submitted by the Administration proposes $59 billion for the Department of Education, a $9 billion or 13 percent reduction. Keep in mind this is a proposed budget only, and Congress is responsible for passing appropriations laws.

• ESSA Title I:  FY18 $16.9 Billion, added $1 billion in new program designed for voucher programs
• ESSA Title II:  $0 Eliminated entirely the $2.4  billion Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants program
• ESSA Title IV Part A:  Student Support and Academic Enrichments (SSAE) $0 requested no funding for FY2018 programs
• ESSA 21st Century Community Learning Centers: $0  Eliminated entirely the $1.2 billion 21st Century Community Learning Centers afterschool program
• ESSA STEM Master Teacher Corps: $0
• Perkins CTE programs: $876 million (includes a new $20 million set aside that would support a competition to promote the development, enhancement, implementation, or expansion of innovative CTE programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.)

ESSA Title IV/A supports activities that will provide students with a well-rounded education. Districts can use these funds for STEM activities such as these:

• Expand high-quality STEM courses; 
• Increase access to STEM for underserved and at risk student populations; 
• Support student participation in STEM nonprofit competitions; 
• Provide hands-on learning opportunities in STEM; 
• Integrate other academic subjects, including the arts, into STEM subject programs; 
• Create or enhance STEM specialty schools – new definition created; 
• Integrate classroom based and afterschool and informal STEM instruction; and
• Expand environmental education

Read more about ESSA Title IV here.

ESSA Title II Funds can be used to:

• train or provide professional development to educators on incorporating technology into effective STEM instruction through personalized learning or blended learning;
• facilitate collaboration among school, after-school program, and informal program personnel to improve the integration of programming and instruction in STEM subjects;
• hire STEM coaches to help grantees tailor professional learning to the needs of individual educators;
• provide differential or incentive pay for educators in high-need subject areas, such as STEM, to serve in high-need schools, or to reward the work of teachers and leaders who have demonstrated effectiveness in improving student outcomes in STEM areas;
• train educators to teach new STEM concepts and approaches, including those in computer science;
• provide stipends to attract STEM educators to the profession;
• recruit qualified individuals with STEM content knowledge from other fields to become teachers;
• provide professional learning opportunities to educators;
• support educators as they implement new courses, such as computer science and engineering;
• support educators to effectively teach students with disabilities in STEM subjects; and
• support elementary STEM teachers, including preschool educators, to incorporate STEM learning experiences into their classrooms.

Read more about Title II here.

ESSA Title 1 funds can be used to:

• update existing STEM-related labs and lab materials, or other specialized learning space;
• support STEM coursework for students;
• support failing students to meet challenging State academic standards through expanded learning time, before- and after-school programs and summer programs and opportunities; and
• support field trips to increase access to real-world, hands-on STEM experiences, activities, and applications, including experiences that expand student knowledge of the impact of STEM in the world.

Read more about using federal funds for STEM education in the“Resources for STEM Education” guidance document issued by the U.S. Department of Education to help state education agencies, local education agencies (districts), schools, and their partners better understand how to use Federal funds to support innovative, equity-focused STEM education strategies.

How will your district/state/school use ESSA funds this year?

There are approximately 30 potential uses of federal funds across ESSA that support STEM described in the “Resources for STEM Education” guidance document. To better help us advocate for funding, we want your feedback on these two questions:

• “What are the barriers, if any, to states or districts in applying for or utilizing federal funds for these purposes?”
• “Do you anticipate that your state or district will be utilizing this authority?”

You can email your response to jpeterson@nsta.org. 

Report Outlines Challenges Faced by Rural Schools

And finally, the Rural School and Community Trust new report “Why Rural Matters” highlights the significant challenges faced by these schools, and includes state-by-state data on demographics and poverty, student achievement, state resources, and college and career readiness. According to this group, “Nearly 8.9 million students attend rural schools—more than the enrollments of New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago—and incredibly, the nation’s next 75 largest school districts combined.”

Stay tuned, and watch for more updates in future issues of NSTA Express.

Jodi Peterson is the Assistant Executive Director of Communication, Legislative & Public Affairs for the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and Chair of the STEM Education Coalition. Reach her via e-mail at jpeterson@nsta.org or via Twitter at @stemedadvocate.

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

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This week in education news, more must be done to increase girls interest in the STEM fields; Florida needs a scientifically literate public; an English teacher’s video explains why teaching is so tiring; misconceptions about climate change common among science teachers; and cash-strapped school systems are turning to traveling teaching teams to help supplement their course offerings, especially in STEM.

Iowa Teaching Standards Don’t Say Humans Cause Climate Change, But…

At first, people who reject predominant scientific findings that humans are the main cause of climate change may be glad that new public-school science standards don’t require teachers to teach that. But if inquiry-based teaching guides under development in the Iowa K-12 Climate Science Education Initiative are used, students may reach that determination on their own, educators say. Click here to read the article featured in the Des Moines Register.

More Must Be Done To Stoke Girls Interest In STEM Fields

The gaps between genders, in terms of STEM interest and proficiency (as well as concerns about a shortage in the number of qualified applicants for future STEM jobs), has spurred private industries, the public sector and educational institutions to respond. Women make up only 24% of STEM workers, despite being 48% of the country’s workforce, according to information from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Click here to read the brief featured in Education DIVE.

Spur A Love For Science That Spans A Lifetime

Today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders, workers and citizens. We need to invest in them now by helping them build a foundation of knowledge in a wide range of subjects. And one of the most important building blocks in that foundation is science. But are Florida’s children getting the science education they absolutely must have to be successful adults? Florida needs a scientifically literate public that can make sound voting decisions and leaders in private businesses and government to implement policies that will help, not harm, our invaluable natural resources. Click here to read the commentary featured in The Orlando Sentinel.

A Teacher’s Viral Video Explains Why Teaching Is Tiring

Why are teachers so tired at the end of the school year? Maybe it’s because they spent the last nine months juggling a million things while still shaping the lives and minds of the students in their care. In a video that has gone viral, high school English teacher Trevor Muir shares the funny and serious ways that teaching is exhausting. He posted it to his Facebook page, The Epic Classroom, where it has received over 18 million views. Click here to read the article and view the video featured on Education Week’s website.

Misconceptions About Climate Change Common Among Science Teachers

Teachers who teach high schoolers about climate change often don’t know much more about the subjects than do members of the general public, according to a new study from the University of Missouri. A survey of 220 secondary school science teachers in Florida and Puerto Rico found that many teachers who reported that they teach about climate change expressed beliefs about the subject the researchers characterize as naive or incorrect. Click here to read the article featured in Education Week.

Climate Change In Schools Where It’s ‘Fake News’

Eric Madrid teaches advanced sciences, including topics on climate change and evolution, to high school students in the deep-red Texas Hill Country. As one might expect in this conservative bastion of the nation, some of the students say it’s all lies or fake news. “But that’s usually in the beginning of the semester,” said Madrid, who left a Ph.D.-level research gig to go into public education. Click here to read the article featured in Common Sense News.

What Elements Make Teacher Professional Development High Quality?

A report last fall found that the majority of professional development—80 percent—doesn’t align with the new federal definition of high-quality training. So, what is working? The fourth and final installment of a report series by the Frontline Research & Learning Institute, released last week, highlighted district best practices on high-quality PD. Click here to read the article featured in Education Week.

Can’t Afford Another Teacher? Try a ‘Makerspace’ Instead

A growing number of public schools in low-income areas have begun using “mobile makerspaces” housed in refurbished school buses and other vehicles to expose students to the joys of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The rolling initiative – which would make Ms. Frizzle, driver of “The Magic School Bus” proud – follows a broader trend of cash-strapped districts turning to mobile classrooms to provide students with opportunities too costly for individual schools to afford. Click here to read the article featured in the Christian Science Monitor.

Can Scientists Help End the Teacher Shortage?

Two years ago, LaTeira Haynes was working in a quiet laboratory at UC San Diego finishing up her doctorate in biomedical engineering. Now, she’s teaching a 9th-grade biology class in South Los Angeles that is so large she uses a microphone to be heard over the constant din of teenage chatter, rustling worksheets, and the zipping and unzipping of backpacks. But to her, there is no sweeter sound. Click here to read the article featured in The Atlantic.

How Generous Private Donations Have Created A Tale Of Two Pre-Ks In Detroit”

LaWanda Marshall and Candace Graham both teach pre-kindergarten at the Carver STEM Academy on Detroit’s west side. Both have colorful, toy-filled classrooms, computers for students to use and assistant teachers to help guide their four- and five-year olds as they learn and explore. But Marshall’s classroom has other things too — lots and lots of other things that regularly arrive like gifts from the pre-K gods. Click here to read the article featured in Chalkbeat.org.

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.

Follow NSTA