Twelve more business-education partnerships set to innovate

Northeast Community School district use new space for STEM BEST program
Northeast Community School District created a new space for its STEM BEST program that has allowed students to connect with local businesses and work in collaborative environments.

The Iowa STEM network that has helped nurture, grow and establish four STEM Redesigned Learning Environments (RLE) and five STEM Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers (BEST) models in the state during the last two years has now awarded 12 more of these business-education partnership prototypes in Iowa.

From Mt. Pleasant Middle School’s STEM RLE made up of collaborative workstations and touch-screen monitors to Rock Valley’s student-run, “Rocket Manufacturing” STEM BEST program that makes real products, both current models transform the typical, K-12 classroom environments and methods to unite business and education and develop clear pathways from STEM education to STEM careers in the state.

Last week, the STEM Council’s Executive Committee voted unanimously to award and support 12 of 22 proposed partnerships that bring to the table a total cost-share commitment of $630,628. The $300,000 STEM Council investment made possible through a combination of state and private sector funds is divided equally among these 12 awardees to purchase equipment and provide teacher training:

  • Charles City Community School District — North Central STEM Region — STEM BEST
  • Lincoln Intermediate School — North Central STEM Region — STEM RLE
  • Dubuque Community School District — Northeast STEM Region — STEM RLE
  • North Tama County Community School District — Northeast STEM Region — STEM RLE
  • Carroll High School — Northwest STEM Region — STEM RLE
  • Western Christian High School — Northwest STEM Region — STEM RLE
  • Albia Community School District — South Central STEM Region — STEM RLE
  • Hoover High School — South Central STEM Region — STEM BEST
  • Davenport Community School District — Southeast STEM Region — STEM BEST
  • West Branch Community School District — Southeast STEM Region — STEM RLE
  • Corning Elementary School — Southwest STEM Region — STEM RLE
  • Hamburg Community School District — Southwest STEM Region — STEM RLE

Some of this year’s models will allow students to intern at Iowa-based STEM companies like DuPont Pioneer and Valent BioSciences Corporation, conduct research alongside university professionals and develop stronger communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking in transformative environments that will use large TV monitors, group workstations, one-to-one technologies and more to teach these STEM skillsets.

Each selected program submitted an in-depth proposal that addressed criteria, such as quality business partnerships, applied curriculum and effective professional development. The programs each bring unique strengths and will serve as models of educational innovation for others across the state.

Congratulations to our new partners in learning innovation--Iowa’s own Magellens of educational exploration. To learn more about these models, visit www.IowaSTEM.gov/STEMRLE or www.IowaSTEM.gov/STEMBEST.

Category: 
To Top