HARRISBURG – Gov. Edward G. Rendell announced that Pennsylvania has earned a $500,000 education grant from the National Governors Association to set up a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, or STEM, Center.
“This is an acknowledgement by the nation’s governors that Pennsylvania is a leader in the area of science and technology education,” Rendell
said. “The grant, along with our other investments in high-tech learning, will help ensure the commonwealth’s students gain the necessary edge to compete and succeed in this global economy.”
The grant will enable Pennsylvania to develop a STEM Center, which will focus on developing skills in these ever-important academic areas. The center will help bring together key stakeholders in technology education, research best practices of STEM education and help spread the message about the importance of technology education to local economies.
“In Pennsylvania, we already have made notable strides to improve science and technology in the classroom, but this grant will allow us to further build on our efforts,” Education Secretary Gerald L. Zahorchak said.
The National Governors Association only picked six states to receive the grants based on past performance, long-term goals and each state’s overall policy approach to technology education. Pennsylvania was chosen for the grant, in large part, because of its proven commitment to science and technology education, as well as for its innovative programs and policies.
Rendell’s “Classrooms for the Future” program made 1,200 classrooms technology-ready by providing them with 16,000 laptops during the 2006-07 school year. The “Science: It’s Elementary” program has provided 37,000 students in grades K-8 with improved science instruction, stronger science curriculum and hands-on work that is engaging and fun.
Under Governor Rendell’s direction, the administration hopes to build on both programs in the 2007-08 school year, enabling more students to be
technologically savvy whether they opt to join the workforce or pursue higher education upon graduating from high school.
STEM education is one of the central elements of the National Governors Association’s “Innovation America” initiative, which examines the role of
states in addressing the challenges posed by the evolving global economy. The grant was made possible by support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Intel Corp.