Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Policy Tracker

Patrick creates Mass. STEM council; Nonprofits, schools vie for innovation grants

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Patrick creates Mass. STEM council
Gov. Deval Patrick issued an executive order establishing a council intended to increase students’ interest and proficiency in the fields of science, technology engineering and math (STEM) — the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council. 

The council, announced at MathWorks in Natick, will comprise public and private sector officials and plans to advise on the creation of a statewide, five-year STEM plan. To that end, the council will work with the IT Collaborative, the Readiness Project, the Goddard Council and the 21st Century Skills Task Force, as well as private sector organizations.

Lt. Gov. Tim Murray will serve as chairman of the council. Other members include education secretary Paul Reville, economic development secretary Greg Bialecki and secretary of labor and workforce development Suzanne Bump.

Patrick announced the formation of the council at a STEM Leaders Breakfast at the Museum of Science in June.
— Mass High Tech


Nonprofits, schools vie for innovation grants
The U.S. Department of Education outlined its priorities for $650 million in grants that will be awarded to local schools for innovative programs that improve student achievement.

Nonprofits are eligible to join with school districts in applying for these Investing in Innovation Fund grants, which were funded by the economic stimulus bill.

Three categories of grants will be awarded. The largest group will go to programs that potentially could reach hundreds of thousands of students. Other grants will go to existing programs that show promise and to new practices that should be studied.

Grant recipients will be required to match the federal funds with public or private dollars, and demonstrate how their programs will be sustained after the federal grants expire.

Applications for the grants will be published early next year.

“We’re making an unprecedented investment in cutting-edge ideas that will produce the next generation of school reforms,” said Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

— Kent Hoover, ACBJ Wire Service