MiSTEM Advisory Council, a group created by the Legislature in 2015, has shared its latest recommendations with our governor, the Michigan Department of Education and the Legislature on how we can continue to improve science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in our state.
MiSTEM Advisory Council, a group created by the Legislature in 2015, has shared its latest recommendations with our governor, the Michigan Department of Education and the Legislature on how we can continue to improve science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in our state.
The council, which is comprised of leaders from business, education, philanthropy and beyond, released its fourth annual report which provides specific recommendations to move our state forward in STEM education and support a robust workforce.
The council’s report seeks to support “employer/educator collaborations” such as Launch Michigan, the statewide coalition of diverse organizations, including CMF, who are working together in support of improving student outcomes.
The council says that collaboration is key in this work and MiSTEM Network Regions, “which work to align efforts to capitalize on educational outcomes by grounding their efforts in best practices for teaching and learning.”
Highlights of the recommendations from the report include:
Support a state funded, coordinated educational campaign to build STEM awareness and communicate needs and opportunities for all stakeholders. According to the report, this marketing campaign could “include a website that features dashboards of outcomes, to build STEM awareness and communicate STEM needs and opportunities to students, parents, educators and the business community.”
Analyze and describe the STEM educator talent pipeline. The council is asking for a study of educator talent to examine what may impact this role when it comes to attracting talent.
Include a seat on the council for the governor’s office appointee. The council says this is to elevate the current relationship and ensure the governor has a voice, input and support for STEM education in Michigan.
Increase and reallocate STEM funding. The council is recommending a funding increase from about $14.8 million to $16 million to improve the marketing, communications and evaluation efforts across the state.
In addition to the recommendations, the council provides many specific action steps that could be taken in our state to catalyze this work.
Highlights of action steps include:
Prioritize STEM learning and embed it in every day classroom instruction.
Increase understanding that STEM is an interdisciplinary and inclusive exploration for career pathways.
Support STEM through a variety of learning opportunities in various settings, including family activities, classroom instruction, out-of-school programs and more.
Develop a P-20 master STEM educator ecosystem that supports a collaborative network to connect teachers through professional development, coaching and partnerships with industry experts.
Joint exploration by businesses and educators to remove barriers facing students, educators and employers in the STEM field.
Create a feedback loop where businesses and educators can provide input on critical job skills for the future of work as schools update and design curriculum.
Connect employee engagement and volunteer programs at businesses to the advancement of STEM education in Michigan.
As the report shares, Michigan is projected to see double the job growth in STEM-related jobs compared to all other jobs so it’s important to support students and educators to ensure a robust talent pipeline for the future.
Want more?
Read the full report.
Join your Michigan colleagues and CMF’s P-20 Education Affinity Group for an education conversation on February 12 in Detroit. We will engage in a collaborative discussion on early childhood education with local educators, experts and members of Launch Michigan.
