Science Technology Engineering Math

(1)

Science Technology Engineering Math

The Delaware STEM Council

Annual Report

(2)

Science Technology Engineering Math

The Delaware STEM Council

Annual Report

(3)

Delaware Stem Council Annual Report

STEM Education

STEM Education is an approach to teaching and learning that emphasizes

integration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for all students

through student-focused, problem-based curricula and instruction. STEM

education fosters creativity and innovation while developing communication,

collaboration, and critical thinking skills through a focus on authentic and

appropriate contexts in curriculum and assessment.

Delaware STEM Council Vision

Delaware will be a leader in STEM education where students are prepared and

inspired to use innovation and creative problem solving to excel in the global

society.

Delaware STEM Council Mission

Working with educators, legislators and business and community leaders, the

Council will foster science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)

education in Delaware to prepare students for careers of the 21st century which

meet competitive challenges by fueling innovation and stimulating economic

growth.

Delaware STEM Council Goals

1) Expand the number of Delaware students who ultimately pursue advanced

degrees and careers in STEM fields and broaden the participation of women and

minorities in these fields; 2) Expand the STEM capable workforce to create, grow

and attract STEM-related businesses to Delaware; 3) Increase STEM literacy for

all Delaware students including those who pursue non-STEM related careers, but

need STEM skills.

(4)

Governor Jack Markell

In January of 2009, Governor Jack Markell created the Delaware STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and

Mathematics) Council, a group tasked with increasing STEM literacy for all Delaware students, thereby expanding

the STEM-capable workforce. The STEM Council, chaired by Dr. Teri Quinn Gray from DuPont and Judson

Wagner from the Brandywine School District, is comprised of more than two dozen stakeholders throughout the

State, representing government, business, and educational organizations and institutions.

Two years ago, we took an important step to ensure that Delaware is able to excel in a highly

competitive, fast-paced global marketplace. By creating the Delaware STEM Council, we affirmed

our commitment to increase and improve access to STEM education, a key factor as we continue

to attract and retain high caliber employers to our State.

We are fortunate to have access

to unprecedented opportunities

to create new partnerships, and

to collaborate and innovate in

ways previously unimaginable.

As you will read in the following

pages, the Delaware STEM

Council worked very hard this

past year to bridge the divide

between our classrooms and our

boardrooms. I am confident the

time, energy and resources they

have invested will result in more

knowledgeable and better

prepared students, with

transferable skills that will lead

them to successful careers.

I want to thank the dedicated men

and women who volunteer to

serve on this Council, led by the

committed team of Dr. Teri Quinn

Gray and Judson Wagner.

I am heartened by the progress we have made thus far, but am fully aware that much more

remains to be done.

My administration stands committed to ensuring our students have every opportunity they need to

succeed.

(5)

Leadership

Teri Quinn Gray

STEM Council Co-Chair

Teri is the New Product Commercialization Manager with DuPont Crop Protection. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the U.S. Education Delivery Institute (EDI), on the Board of Trustees at University of Delaware, and on the Committee of Distinguished Advisors to the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at the University of Maryland. Teri is chair of the American Chemical Society (ACS) Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Board and consultant with the ACS Women Chemists Committee. She holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Jackson State University; earned a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Maryland, and worked as National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Institute of Standards & Technology prior to joining DuPont in 1997. Dr. Gray is President of the Delaware State Board of Education, appointed by Governor Jack Markell in 2009, and co-‐chair of the Delaware STEM Council since September of 2012. "Delaware is poised to become a leader in STEM education and a hub of innovation for STEM-related businesses. Our emphasis on STEM literacy and preparation, coupled with ongoing PK-12 reforms, is aimed at growing a highly capable workforce that attracts jobs to Delaware. We embrace the charge to catalyze STEM partnerships among education, business and government sectors; to connect a broad and diverse cross section of our communities to STEM resources; and to communicate the plethora of STEM-related opportunities available to Delaware students."

Judson Wagner

STEM Council Co-Chair

J

ud Wagner is the STEM Coordinator for the

Brandywine School District. Prior to that position,

he was a physics teacher for 15 years at Concord

High School, as well as Department Chair.

He earned his B.S. in Physics from Elizabethtown

College and his M.Ed. in Instructional Technology

from Wilmington College. He is a National Board

Certified Teacher (NBCT) and Co-‐Chair of the

Delaware Stem Council.

As an educator, Mr. Wagner has been recognized

with the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math

and Science Teaching (PAEMST); the Siemen’s

Advanced Placement Award for Teaching; and the

Cable Industry’s Leader in Learning Award. Mr.

Wagner was appointed co-‐chair of the Delaware

STEM Council by Governor Markell in 2010.

"The Delaware STEM Council seeks to be

the intersection between the PreK-12

system, higher education, and the

business community. Because of the size

of our state and the unprecedented

collaboration between all of these sectors,

we are confident that we can make the

deep and lasting connections that will

change the STEM conversation in

Delaware, and enhance the opportunities

for our students."

(6)

(7)

Connect

Throughout the past two years, the Delaware STEM Council has made great strides in marshaling the state's vast and varied resources in an effort to connect the sometimes disparate groups working to improve our STEM capacity. Our role is to connect the various stakeholders, become a driving force for positive change, and effectively communicate across all interest areas and all sectors of the community.

This report describes the work the Delaware STEM Council has undertaken this past year.

STEM Business Network

Central to the mission and goals of the Delaware STEM Council are the insights and nvolvement of the business community with both higher education and the PK-12 educational communities. We believe that in order to create, grow, and attract STEM-related businesses in Delaware, we must start with a educated and well-prepared pipeline of students who will ultimately become our workforce.

In July of 2012, the Delaware STEM Council held the inaugural

meeting of the STEM Business Network, a group of local business representatives tasked with helping to improve the communication and collaboration between businesses and the education communities.

Nine founding members were selected from organizations representing both large and small employers throughout the State, and from each discipline: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

The STEM Business Network meets monthly, and in addition to creating a charter and an operating mission, they are currently working on ways to connect businesses more directly with students in the

classroom and their teachers. In alphabetical order, the founding members of the Business Network are as follows:

Air Liquide AstraZeneca

Christiana CareHealth System

CAI DuPont Incyte ILC Dover Pixstar, Inc

W.L. Gore & Associates

STEM Business Network

STEAMPunk participants and

their competition entry

(8)

DOE STEM

Coordinator

Earlier this year, the Delaware DOE appointed April McCrae to the position of STEM Coordinator. A major priority of the Delaware STEM Council this past year was to advocate for the creation of a position within the Department of Education (DOE) that focused on STEM education as a whole entity. In the past, there were Education Associates who concentrated on Science and Mathematics, and even Technology, but none that took a more comprehensive, system-wide approach, focusing on all four components of STEM as a whole.

Mrs. McCrae's primary responsibilities are to provide collaborative leadership in the area of STEM program development within districts and charters, and serve as the DOE liaison to the Governor’s STEM Council.

Mrs. McCrae earned her BS in Biology Education with a minor in Environmental Science from Wesley College, her MS in Science Education from Delaware State University, and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Education from Northeastern University. Prior to becoming the DOE STEM Coordinator, she worked as a secondary science teacher in the Capital School district for nine years before a stint as a "teacher-on-loan" with the Department of Education in the area of science curriculum and instruction. She has been involved in the writing of the Delaware State Science Standards, with multiple curricular modules and assessments, and with the identification and roll-out of multiple commercially available curricular resources.

Fuse Corps Fellow

As an added indicator of the importance of STEM education in Delaware, Governor Markell has assigned Fuse Corps Fellow and international attorney, Laurel Lichty, to work alongside the Department of Education and the DE STEM Council to provide strategic advice to its leadership. Fuse Corps Fellows are mid-career professional civic entrepreneurs specifically skilled in cross-sector leadership. Ms. Lichty's role is to strengthen the infrastructure on the STEM Council and deepen the

collaboration between PK-12 education, higher education and the business community. She

has been working with Council members to help develop and implement systems and

routines, identify effective STEM practices nationally and

internationally for potential replication in Delaware, and ensure successful completion of major STEM initiatives.

Ms. Lichty's fellowship will last one year. Prior to coming to Delaware, she served as an international attorney with specialized experience in regulatory compliance and comparative law. She holds a Master of Science degree from the London School of

Economics, an LLB Hons from City University and an LLM from George Washington University. She is a member of the American Society of International Law and the ABA International Anti-Corruption Committee.

Connect

Laurel Lichty FUSE Corps Fellow

Catalyze

Brandywine School District

students compete in the

Annual Cardboard Regatta

April McCrae STEM Coordinator

(9)

A recurring challenge identified by the Delaware STEM Council was the lack of STEM-related information sharing and communication

between the State's school districts and Charter Schools. In an effort to address this, the Council set out to facilitate the gathering and compilation of data that could be easily accessed by school personnel and shared to enhance best

practices.

Statewide STEM Contacts

Through coordination with Delaware School Superintendents and Charter School leaders, for the first time, a STEM education contact was identified in every school district and Charter School throughout the State. This contact list is being used to both disseminate STEM-related information more quickly and effectively, and to gather important feedback from districts.

In addition, STEM education contacts will soon begin meeting on a quarterly basis to communicate with their counterparts and share STEM-related best practices and ideas.

Statewide STEM Initiatives

and Programs

The STEM Council composed a catalog

of both during and after-school STEM Curricular programs. The catalog will soon be listed on the Council's web page and is designed to be a resource to help teachers, parents, and businesses collaborate on STEM education opportunities in Delaware.

In addition, a web-based survey tool was used to obtain a compendium of STEM initiatives currently being offered by districts throughout the State. The information gathered included any adopted STEM mission and vision statements in those schools and districts, and a description of the multi-faceted initiatives that were in place.

This data can be readily shared between schools in the various districts, so effective initiatives can be easily identified and replicated. The

information will soon be available on the Council's web page,

www.DelawareSTEM.org

STEM Institute for

Teachers

In July, more than 400 teachers joined administrators and business leaders in Dover for the first annual STEM Institute for Teachers. The goal of this

symposium was to better prepare students for STEM-related careers.

Communicate

Delaware teachers with Jeff Gordon at the "Driving Science" Event

held at Dover Downs International Raceway.

A Sussex Tech student works

with his electronic circuit board

(10)

STEM Assessment Rubric

The Delaware STEM Council's

Programs and Evaluation Committee was charged with developing a STEM resources guide, along with formal and informal STEM rubrics to promote increased access to quality STEM programming to all students across the state. "Formal" was defined as content and materials within the typical classroom setting, and "informal" was classified as content and materials outside that setting, to include after school programs and field trips.

This rubric was created as a self-evaluative tool to assist educators in making informed decisions about a particular program and its effectiveness, as well as the program's appropriateness for their particular goals. The

STEM Parent Brochure

The Delaware STEM Council's Women and Minorities Committee produced a free brochure offering helpful tips to both parents and educators about the importance of STEM education for all Delaware students, and the role they play in fostering access and achievement for all students, regardless of gender, race or socio-economic status.

The brochure is available in both English and Spanish and posted on the Stem Council web site.

The short primer imparted the following messages: Teaching science to students raises test scores in reading and math, regardless of socio-economic status; creativity is important to STEM success; students who enjoy STEM can make a difference in the world; using certain toys can help improve spatial skills; and messages we may unintentionally send could reinforce negative stereotypes about ethnic and gender roles.

Higher Education STEM

Collaboration

The Institutes of Higher Education (IHE) Committee spent this foundational year gathering information that can be used to help students, parents, and teachers understand the nuances of STEM preparedness for differing

programs of study offered at each of the three public institutions of higher learning in the state of Delaware (Delaware Technical Community College, the University of Delaware and Delaware State University). The committee has endorsed collaboration between Delaware IHE’s and the P20 Council to facilitate ongoing data collection that will document and monitor student retention, graduation, and success in STEM programs at Delaware’s institutions of higher education.

Tangible communication and feedback mechanisms between IHE’s and the PK-12 network are also under construction. The Delaware Technical Community College Engineering Technologies Departments, The University of Delaware College of Engineering, Delaware State University, Tech Prep Delaware and the Department of Education will conduct a statewide workshop for PK-12 STEM coordinators

and lead counselors to increase PK-12 awareness of “missions” and

opportunities at DSU, DTCC, and UD for STEM educational/career pathways. This is the first of several, planned outreach programs geared toward PK-12 students, teachers and the public with the

intention of providing information on: * Specific competencies for STEM readiness by area (Science, Technology, Engineering and/or Mathematics)

* Transfer pathways in STEM majors from DTCC to DSU or UD

* Career placement and demand for graduates from college or certificate STEM programs

Connect

Principal Michelle Duke of South Dover Elementary

School working with a fourth

grader

(11)

Catalyze

!

_{The number of}

unemployed

Delawareans for

every non-STEM job

!

_{The number of open}

STEM jobs for every

unemployed

Delawarean

!

Source: www.changetheequation.org

STEM Employment in Delaware in 2012

!

Source: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/exgrd_sum/2012.html

!

1_{College Board (2011).}_{Research Report 2011-6: Is AP[R] Exam Participation and Performance Related to Choice of College Major?}_{New York,}

NY: Mattern, K.D., Shaw, E.J., Ewing, M.

2

Tai, R. H., Liu, C. Q., Almarode, J. T., & Fan, X. (2010). Advanced placement course enrollment and long-range educational outcomes. In P. M Sadler, G. Sonnert, R. H. Tai, & K. Klopfenstein (Eds.), AP: A critical examination of the Advance Placement program (pp. 109–118). Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.

3.8 1.7

2012 Participation in AP STEM Courses

The figure above compares Delaware’s AP STEM participation

to US averages. What it suggests is that more Delaware students

are considering AP STEM courses and could therefore be

leaning towards STEM areas after high school.

Number of exams taken in a STEM subject for

every 1000 AP exams taken

Collect and Analyze AP Data

Each year, the STEM Council collects and analyzes local, regional, and national Advanced Placement data in an effort to better understand the trends and implications related to Delaware.

There are two ways to use AP data in

STEM subjects as an indicator of

success in STEM education. One is by

looking at student participation in AP

STEM subjects, and the other is by

looking at their performance on AP

STEM exams. Often there is an inverse

correlation between these two

measurements.

Recent studies

1,2

_{show that students}

who take an AP course in a STEM

subject are more likely to choose a

similar STEM major. AP courses in

non-STEM subjects do not demonstrate the

same level of predictability. The

challenge of comparing participation of

Delaware’s students on AP STEM to

other states is the disparity of size. One

approach could consider the number of

exams taken per capita, but without

knowing the proportions of the

populations that are at an appropriate

age, these results would be skewed.

Another approach would be to consider

the students who do choose to take an

AP course and see what proportion of

those choices are directed towards

STEM subjects.

The figure to the right at the top of

this page considers the number of AP

STEM exams taken for every 1000

exams taken in non-STEM subjects

(There are 24 non-STEM subjects in

English, History, World Language and

the Arts). The graph on the opposite

page compares Delaware’s AP STEM

participation to US averages. What it

suggests is that more Delaware students

are considering AP STEM courses and

could therefore be leaning towards

STEM areas after high school.

(12)

!

3_{Maltese, A. V., & Tai, R. H. (2011). Pipeline Persistence: Examining the Association of Educational Experiences with Earned Degrees in STEM}

among U.S. Students. Science Education, 95(5), 877-907.

Intended Majors of DE Seniors, 2012 SAT Questionnaire

Nearly one in four Delaware seniors are looking to pursue a STEM Degree

"Parents, educators, business leaders and

policymakers share a common goal: We all want

our children to graduate from Delaware’s public

school system with the best chance to succeed

in life. For our children to be ready for college or

career, they need a strong background in

science, technology, engineering and

mathematics. Our state’s employers want to hire

Delaware graduates. We need to make sure our

graduates are prepared to take and excel in the

jobs of today and tomorrow."

~ Mark Murphy, Delaware Secretary of Education

Longitudinal studies

3

_{show that indication from students to pursue a STEM degree while in high}

school is a better predictor of degree completion than factors like grade point average (GPA) and

SAT scores. The questionnaire portion of the SAT does in fact collect information on students’

intended majors. Thanks to support from the Race to the Top grant, which paid for all 11

th

_{graders to}

take the SAT, the 2012 data is representative of nearly all Delaware students. These results are

summarized in the pie graph above with STEM majors broken down into the five main employment

sectors. What is encouraging is that with the exception of Computer and Information Sciences,

results keep pace with Delaware’s STEM Employment projections.

(13)

Dr. Ross Armbrecht

Exec. Director of the DE Foundation for Science

and Mathematics Education

Dr. Michelle Kutch

Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction for the Brandywine

School District

Judson Wagner

STEM Council Co-Chair & Supervisor of STEM Education

for Brandywine School District

George Reissig

President and CEO of Pixstar, Inc.

John Singer

STEM Department Chair at PS Dupont Middle School

April McCra

DOE STEM Coord

Dr. Stephanie Wright

President and CEO of the DE AeroSpace Education Foundation

Governor Jack M

Phyllis Buchanan

Dupont Office of Education

Sharon Densler

K-12 Science Teacher in Capital School District

Dr. Rita Vasta

New Castle County Vo-Tech School

District

Frederika Jenner

President of the Delaware State Education Association

Theresa Angelus

STEM Teacher at MOT Charter School

Delaware STEM Council Meeting at Junior Achievement

STEM Council members not pictured: John McMahon, Delaware Secretary of Labor; Jim Sills, Delaware Secre

Theresa Kough, DOE; Dr. Deborah Zych, Polytech Superintendent; Dave Cadogan, ILC Dover; Dr. Noureddine

Charter School of Wilmington; Dr. Annie Norman, State of Delaware Librarian.

(14)

Dr. Teri Quinn Gray

STEM Council Co-Chair & DuPont Chemist

Dr. Doug Hicks

Department Chair for Engineering Technologies at

Delaware Tech

Laurel Lichty

STEM Council Director & Fuse Corps Fellow

Mary Kate

McLaughlin

Deputy Secretary of Education

Donna Johnson

Executive Director of the State Board of Education

Dr. Susan Bunting

Superintendent of Indian River School District

Rebecca Taber

Education Policy Advisor for Governor Jack Markell

ae

inator

Dr. Randolph Guschl

DuPont Office of Education

Markell

Renee Parsley

DOE Education Associate in Mathematics Curriculum

Diana Roscoe

K12 Math Specialist for the Southern DE Professional

Development Center

etary of the Department of Technology and Information; Andrea Connolly, Appoquinimink School District;

Melikechi, Delaware State University; Dr. Kate Scantlebury, University of Delaware; Cheryl Potocki, The

March 2013

Tonyea Meade

DOE Education Associate

(15)

Moving Forward

Looking Ahead

We believe that a successful STEM education must be a highly integrated system that

spans a student's entire academic career, involving a multitude of institutions and

organizations. The members of this Council represent much of that system, and

as a group, they have developed an impressive depth of understanding of how

efforts can be channeled to move Delaware into a leadership position in STEM.

To that end, we intend to focus the vast majority of our time, effort and attention

on the following: (1) Building a successful School-‐to-‐Workforce structure; (2)

Ensuring a successful PreK-‐12 College Transition; (3) Sharing and expanding

successful PreK-‐12 STEM initiatives & programming; (4) Helping to encourage

and foster STEM awards & scholarships; and (5) Building public awareness

around STEM and STEM pathways with both STEM and non-‐STEM partners. Our

goal is to connect the various STEM groups and be a catalyst for positive change

in our State.

(16)

Acknowledgements

With Thanks

The Delaware STEM Council would like to thank the many individuals and

organizations who have offered their time and talent to the Delaware STEM

Council this year. The list is long and their contributions significant. They are:

Former United States Senator and former STEM Council Co-‐Chair, Ted Kaufman;

Laurissa Schutt; Jennifer Ranji; Dr. Rita Vasta; Alison Kemper; Betty Torbert and

the Staff of the Delaware Department of Education; Junior Achievement of

Delaware; Photographer, Jason Minto; STEM Council Student Representatives,

Davey McGinnis and Jordan Siskin; Don Baker, FAME; Chet Benham; Helen Yeh;

Bill Holden; Sharon Guidino; Dr. Reid Huber; Cindy Hall; and Mary Jo Russell.

(17)

www.DelawareSTEM.org

Dr. Teri Quinn Gray, Co-Chair

Judson Wagner, Co-Chair

Theresa Angelus

Dr. Ross Armbrecht

Dr. Susan Bunting

Dave Cadogan

Andrea Connolly

Sharon Densler

Dr. Randy Guschl

Dr. Doug Hicks

Frederika Jenner

Donna Johnson

Dr. Michelle Kutch

Mary Kate McLaughlin

Secretary John McMahon

Dr. Noureddine Melikechi

Dr. Annie Norman

Renee Parsley

Cheryl Potocki

George Reissig

Diana Roscoe

Dr. Kate Scantlebury

Secretary Jim Sills

John Singer

Rebecca Taber

Dr. Deborah Zych

(18)

Governor Jack Markell

In January of 2009, Governor Jack Markell created the Delaware STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and

Mathematics) Council, a group tasked with increasing STEM literacy for all Delaware students, thereby expanding

the STEM-capable workforce. The STEM Council, chaired by Dr. Teri Quinn Gray from DuPont and Judson

Wagner from the Brandywine School District, is comprised of more than two dozen stakeholders throughout the

State, representing government, business, and educational organizations and institutions.

Two years ago, we took an important step to ensure that Delaware is able to excel in a highly

competitive, fast-paced global marketplace. By creating the Delaware STEM Council, we affirmed

our commitment to increase and improve access to STEM education, a key factor as we continue

to attract and retain high caliber employers to our State.

We are fortunate to have access

to unprecedented opportunities

to create new partnerships, and

to collaborate and innovate in

ways previously unimaginable.

As you will read in the following

pages, the Delaware STEM

Council worked very hard this

past year to bridge the divide

between our classrooms and our

boardrooms. I am confident the

time, energy and resources they

have invested will result in more

knowledgeable and better

prepared students, with

transferable skills that will lead

them to successful careers.

I want to thank the dedicated men

and women who volunteer to

serve on this Council, led by the

committed team of Dr. Teri Quinn

Gray and Judson Wagner.

I am heartened by the progress we have made thus far, but am fully aware that much more

remains to be done.

My administration stands committed to ensuring our students have every opportunity they need to

succeed.

(19)

(20)

Connect

Throughout the past two years, the Delaware STEM Council has made great strides in marshaling the state's vast and varied resources in an effort to connect the sometimes disparate groups working to improve our STEM capacity. Our role is to connect the various stakeholders, become a driving force for positive change, and effectively communicate across all interest areas and all sectors of the community.

This report describes the work the Delaware STEM Council has undertaken this past year.

STEM Business Network

Central to the mission and goals of the Delaware STEM Council are the insights and nvolvement of the business community with both higher education and the PK-12 educational communities. We believe that in order to create, grow, and attract STEM-related businesses in Delaware, we must start with a educated and well-prepared pipeline of students who will ultimately become our workforce.

In July of 2012, the Delaware STEM Council held the inaugural

meeting of the STEM Business Network, a group of local business representatives tasked with helping to improve the communication and collaboration between businesses and the education communities.

Nine founding members were selected from organizations representing both large and small employers throughout the State, and from each discipline: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

The STEM Business Network meets monthly, and in addition to creating a charter and an operating mission, they are currently working on ways to connect businesses more directly with students in the

classroom and their teachers. In alphabetical order, the founding members of the Business Network are as follows:

Air Liquide AstraZeneca

Christiana CareHealth System

CAI DuPont Incyte ILC Dover Pixstar, Inc

W.L. Gore & Associates

STEM Business Network

STEAMPunk participants and

their competition entry

(21)

DOE STEM

Coordinator

Earlier this year, the Delaware DOE appointed April McCrae to the position of STEM Coordinator. A major priority of the Delaware STEM Council this past year was to advocate for the creation of a position within the Department of Education (DOE) that focused on STEM education as a whole entity. In the past, there were Education Associates who concentrated on Science and Mathematics, and even Technology, but none that took a more comprehensive, system-wide approach, focusing on all four components of STEM as a whole.

Mrs. McCrae's primary responsibilities are to provide collaborative leadership in the area of STEM program development within districts and charters, and serve as the DOE liaison to the Governor’s STEM Council.

Mrs. McCrae earned her BS in Biology Education with a minor in Environmental Science from Wesley College, her MS in Science Education from Delaware State University, and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Education from Northeastern University. Prior to becoming the DOE STEM Coordinator, she worked as a secondary science teacher in the Capital School district for nine years before a stint as a "teacher-on-loan" with the Department of Education in the area of science curriculum and instruction. She has been involved in the writing of the Delaware State Science Standards, with multiple curricular modules and assessments, and with the identification and roll-out of multiple commercially available curricular resources.

Fuse Corps Fellow

As an added indicator of the importance of STEM education in Delaware, Governor Markell has assigned Fuse Corps Fellow and international attorney, Laurel Lichty, to work alongside the Department of Education and the DE STEM Council to provide strategic advice to its leadership. Fuse Corps Fellows are mid-career professional civic entrepreneurs specifically skilled in cross-sector leadership. Ms. Lichty's role is to strengthen the infrastructure on the STEM Council and deepen the

collaboration between PK-12 education, higher education and the business community. She

has been working with Council members to help develop and implement systems and

routines, identify effective STEM practices nationally and

internationally for potential replication in Delaware, and ensure successful completion of major STEM initiatives.

Ms. Lichty's fellowship will last one year. Prior to coming to Delaware, she served as an international attorney with specialized experience in regulatory compliance and comparative law. She holds a Master of Science degree from the London School of

Economics, an LLB Hons from City University and an LLM from George Washington University. She is a member of the American Society of International Law and the ABA International Anti-Corruption Committee.

Connect

Laurel Lichty FUSE Corps Fellow

Catalyze

Brandywine School District

students compete in the

Annual Cardboard Regatta

April McCrae STEM Coordinator

(22)

A recurring challenge identified by the Delaware STEM Council was the lack of STEM-related information sharing and communication

between the State's school districts and Charter Schools. In an effort to address this, the Council set out to facilitate the gathering and compilation of data that could be easily accessed by school personnel and shared to enhance best

practices.

Statewide STEM Contacts

Through coordination with Delaware School Superintendents and Charter School leaders, for the first time, a STEM education contact was identified in every school district and Charter School throughout the State. This contact list is being used to both disseminate STEM-related information more quickly and effectively, and to gather important feedback from districts.

In addition, STEM education contacts will soon begin meeting on a quarterly basis to communicate with their counterparts and share STEM-related best practices and ideas.

Statewide STEM Initiatives

and Programs

The STEM Council composed a catalog

of both during and after-school STEM Curricular programs. The catalog will soon be listed on the Council's web page and is designed to be a resource to help teachers, parents, and businesses collaborate on STEM education opportunities in Delaware.

In addition, a web-based survey tool was used to obtain a compendium of STEM initiatives currently being offered by districts throughout the State. The information gathered included any adopted STEM mission and vision statements in those schools and districts, and a description of the multi-faceted initiatives that were in place.

This data can be readily shared between schools in the various districts, so effective initiatives can be easily identified and replicated. The

STEM Institute for

Teachers

In July, more than 400 teachers joined administrators and business leaders in Dover for the first annual STEM Institute for Teachers. The goal of this

symposium was to better prepare students for STEM-related careers.

Communicate

Delaware teachers with Jeff Gordon at the "Driving Science" Event

held at Dover Downs International Raceway.

A Sussex Tech student works

with his electronic circuit board

(23)

STEM Assessment Rubric

The Delaware STEM Council's

Programs and Evaluation Committee was charged with developing a STEM resources guide, along with formal and informal STEM rubrics to promote increased access to quality STEM programming to all students across the state. "Formal" was defined as content and materials within the typical classroom setting, and "informal" was classified as content and materials outside that setting, to include after school programs and field trips.

This rubric was created as a self-evaluative tool to assist educators in making informed decisions about a particular program and its effectiveness, as well as the program's appropriateness for their particular goals. The

STEM Parent Brochure

The Delaware STEM Council's Women and Minorities Committee produced a free brochure offering helpful tips to both parents and educators about the importance of STEM education for all Delaware students, and the role they play in fostering access and achievement for all students, regardless of gender, race or socio-economic status.

The brochure is available in both English and Spanish and posted on the Stem Council web site.

The short primer imparted the following messages: Teaching science to students raises test scores in reading and math, regardless of socio-economic status; creativity is important to STEM success; students who enjoy STEM can make a difference in the world; using certain toys can help improve spatial skills; and messages we may unintentionally send could reinforce negative stereotypes about ethnic and gender roles.

Higher Education STEM

Collaboration

The Institutes of Higher Education (IHE) Committee spent this foundational year gathering information that can be used to help students, parents, and teachers understand the nuances of STEM preparedness for differing

programs of study offered at each of the three public institutions of higher learning in the state of Delaware (Delaware Technical Community College, the University of Delaware and Delaware State University). The committee has endorsed collaboration between Delaware IHE’s and the P20 Council to facilitate ongoing data collection that will document and monitor student retention, graduation, and success in STEM programs at Delaware’s institutions of higher education.

Tangible communication and feedback mechanisms between IHE’s and the PK-12 network are also under construction. The Delaware Technical Community College Engineering Technologies Departments, The University of Delaware College of Engineering, Delaware State University, Tech Prep Delaware and the Department of Education will conduct a statewide workshop for PK-12 STEM coordinators

and lead counselors to increase PK-12 awareness of “missions” and

opportunities at DSU, DTCC, and UD for STEM educational/career pathways. This is the first of several, planned outreach programs geared toward PK-12 students, teachers and the public with the

intention of providing information on: * Specific competencies for STEM readiness by area (Science, Technology, Engineering and/or Mathematics)

* Transfer pathways in STEM majors from DTCC to DSU or UD

* Career placement and demand for graduates from college or certificate STEM programs

Connect

Principal Michelle Duke of South Dover Elementary

School working with a fourth

grader

(24)

Catalyze

!

The number of

unemployed

Delawareans for

every non-STEM job

!

The number of open

STEM jobs for every

unemployed

Delawarean

!

Source: www.changetheequation.org

STEM Employment in Delaware in 2012

Source: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/exgrd_sum/2012.html

1_{College Board (2011).}_{Research Report 2011-6: Is AP[R] Exam Participation and Performance Related to Choice of College Major?}_{New York,}

NY: Mattern, K.D., Shaw, E.J., Ewing, M.

2

Tai, R. H., Liu, C. Q., Almarode, J. T., & Fan, X. (2010). Advanced placement course enrollment and long-range educational outcomes. In P. M Sadler, G. Sonnert, R. H. Tai, & K. Klopfenstein (Eds.), AP: A critical examination of the Advance Placement program (pp. 109–118). Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.

3.8 1.7

2012 Participation in AP STEM Courses

The figure above compares Delaware’s AP STEM participation

to US averages. What it suggests is that more Delaware students

are considering AP STEM courses and could therefore be

leaning towards STEM areas after high school.

Number of exams taken in a STEM subject for

e

ve

e

ry

y

10

0

0 AP e

e

xa

a

ms

s

ta

a

ke

e

n

Collect and Analyze AP Data

Each year, the STEM Council collects and analyzes local, regional, and national Advanced Placement data in an effort to better understand the trends and implications related to Delaware.

There are two ways to use AP data in

STEM subjects as an indicator of

success in STEM education. One is by

looking at student participation in AP

STEM subjects, and the other is by

looking at their performance on AP

STEM exams. Often there is an inverse

correlation between these two

measurements.

Recent studies

1,2

_{show that students}

who take an AP course in a STEM

subject are more likely to choose a

similar STEM major. AP courses in

non-STEM subjects do not demonstrate the

same level of predictability. The

challenge of comparing participation of

Delaware’s students on AP STEM to

other states is the disparity of size. One

approach could consider the number of

exams taken per capita, but without

knowing the proportions of the

populations that are at an appropriate

age, these results would be skewed.

Another approach would be to consider

the students who do choose to take an

AP course and see what proportion of

those choices are directed towards

STEM subjects.

The figure to the right at the top of

this page considers the number of AP

STEM exams taken for every 1000

exams taken in non-STEM subjects

(There are 24 non-STEM subjects in

English, History, World Language and

the Arts). The graph on the opposite

page compares Delaware’s AP STEM

participation to US averages. What it

suggests is that more Delaware students

are considering AP STEM courses and

could therefore be leaning towards

STEM areas after high school.

(25)

!

3_{Maltese, A. V., & Tai, R. H. (2011). Pipeline Persistence: Examining the Association of Educational Experiences with Earned Degrees in STEM}

among U.S. Students. Science Education, 95(5), 877-907.

Intended Majors of DE Seniors, 2012 SAT Questionnaire

Nearly one in four Delaware seniors are looking to pursue a STEM Degree

"Parents, educators, business leaders and

policymakers share a common goal: We all want

our children to graduate from Delaware’s public

school system with the best chance to succeed

in life. For our children to be ready for college or

career, they need a strong background in

science, technology, engineering and

mathematics. Our state’s employers want to hire

Delaware graduates. We need to make sure our

graduates are prepared to take and excel in the

jobs of today and tomorrow."

~ Mark Murphy, Delaware Secretary of Education

Longitudinal studies

3

_{show that indication from students to pursue a STEM degree while in high}

school is a better predictor of degree completion than factors like grade point average (GPA) and

SAT scores. The questionnaire portion of the SAT does in fact collect information on students’

intended majors. Thanks to support from the Race to the Top grant, which paid for all 11

th

_{graders to}

take the SAT, the 2012 data is representative of nearly all Delaware students. These results are

summarized in the pie graph above with STEM majors broken down into the five main employment

sectors. What is encouraging is that with the exception of Computer and Information Sciences,

results keep pace with Delaware’s STEM Employment projections.

(26)

Dr. Ross Armbrecht

Exec. Director of the DE Foundation for Science

and Mathematics Education

Dr. Michelle Kutch

Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction for the Brandywine

School District

Judson Wagner

STEM Council Co-Chair & Supervisor of STEM Education

for Brandywine School District

George Reissig

President and CEO of Pixstar, Inc.

John Singer

STEM Department Chair at PS Dupont Middle School

April McCra

DOE STEM Coord

Dr. Stephanie Wright

President and CEO of the DE AeroSpace Education Foundation

Governor Jack M

Phyllis Buchanan

Dupont Office of Education

Sharon Densler

K-12 Science Teacher in Capital School District

Dr. Rita Vasta

New Castle County Vo-Tech School

District

Frederika Jenner

President of the Delaware State Education Association

Theresa Angelus

STEM Teacher at MOT Charter School

Delaware STEM Council Meeting at Junior Achievement

STEM Council members not pictured: John McMahon, Delaware Secretary of Labor; Jim Sills, Delaware Secre

Theresa Kough, DOE; Dr. Deborah Zych, Polytech Superintendent; Dave Cadogan, ILC Dover; Dr. Noureddine

Charter School of Wilmington; Dr. Annie Norman, State of Delaware Librarian.

(27)

Dr. Teri Quinn Gray

STEM Council Co-Chair & DuPont Chemist

Dr. Doug Hicks

Department Chair for Engineering Technologies at

Delaware Tech

Laurel Lichty

STEM Council Director & Fuse Corps Fellow

Mary Kate

McLaughlin

Deputy Secretary of Education

Donna Johnson

Executive Director of the State Board of Education

Dr. Susan Bunting

Superintendent of Indian River School District

Rebecca Taber

Education Policy Advisor for Governor Jack Markell

ae

inator

Dr. Randolph Guschl

DuPont Office of Education

Markell

Renee Parsley

DOE Education Associate in Mathematics Curriculum

Diana Roscoe

K12 Math Specialist for the Southern DE Professional

Development Center

etary of the Department of Technology and Information; Andrea Connolly, Appoquinimink School District;

Melikechi, Delaware State University; Dr. Kate Scantlebury, University of Delaware; Cheryl Potocki, The

March 2013

Tonyea Meade

DOE Education Associate

(28)

Moving Forward

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(29)