Scale-Up Training Pivots Virtual

STEM Scale-Up Program Virtual Professional Development Training
A STEM Scale-Up Program Provider provides virtual training and demonstrations of the STEM in Action lessons. More than one thousand educators are participating in professional development training to implement Scale-Up Program this fall.

As educators across Iowa prepare for the upcoming school year, more than 1,000 teachers and informal educators are taking part in professional development training to implement STEM Scale-Up Programs this fall.

A menu of 13 outstanding STEM programs were selected in January to “scale up” through Iowa’s PreK-12 schools, afterschool programs and other educational settings. Recipients were selected by Regional STEM Managers guided by their Regional STEM Advisory Boards based on need. While Scale-Up Program Providers were prepared to provide in-person training to recipients, they worked efficiently and effectively with Regional STEM Managers to rapidly shift the training to a virtual format.

Tens of thousands of students are expected to be impacted through the Scale-Up Program during the coming academic year. Students who participate in this program performed better on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress compared to students who did not receive Scale-Up Programming. In 2018-2019, two percent more Scale-Up Program participants met proficient or advanced level benchmarks in mathematics, science and English language arts. Gains were even greater for minority students.

Developers and deliverers of exemplary STEM programs are invited to apply for scaling their program(s) across Iowa. The application window for programs to apply to be on the 2021-2022 Scale-Up Program menu opens August 17 and can be previewed at IowaSTEM.gov/scaleup-provider-application.

More information about the STEM Scale-Up Program can be found at IowaSTEM.gov/scale-up.

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