ADE Awards $13 Million to Support STEM Programs

PHOENIX, Ariz. (May 10, 2022) – The Arizona Department of Education today announced targeted funding for STEM programs. “We know that our state’s future workforce depends on a generation prepared in STEM fields, and these investments will help educators inspire and educate students in these critical subjects,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman. “I’m excited to see the impact our partner organizations will have on student growth and learning in the years to come.”

The funding will support:

• ASU Center for Science and Imagination will receive $10 million for Project ASAP (Arizona STEM Acceleration Project) to reimagine Arizona’s STEM education ecosystem and prepare teachers to deliver high-quality, hands-on STEM activities by providing professional development opportunities, as well as the time and materials needed to update classroom curriculum.
• Arizona Science Teachers Association will receive $2.1 million to assist K-12 teachers by providing instructional and curriculum resources and professional development for high quality, relevant science learning.
• SciTech Institute will receive $620,000 to expand experiential STEM opportunities in Title-I schools with the goal of connecting more than 25,000 students statewide.
• Arizona Educational Foundation will receive $560,000 for its teachSTEM initiative which helps address gaps in STEM access while inspiring our next generation of educators.

“We are thrilled to be provided the opportunity to do this important work. This project addresses learning loss that has occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic by giving Arizona’s teachers the training and materials as well as the time to create high-quality STEM lessons,” said Dr. Ruth Wylie, Assistant Director of ASU’s Center for Science and Imagination. “We are ready to work with and grow our partnerships throughout the state.”

“ASTA works to equip teachers to navigate Arizona’s science standards, develop curriculum aligned with those standards, and implement their work in the classroom,” said ASTA President Kim Adkins. “The funding will allow us to work collaboratively to create science units that will have a positive impact on student learning.”

These investments build on previous work done by Superintendent Hoffman to support STEM education. In October 2019, the Department announced Get SET for STEM, a scholarship program for Arizona educators to gain STEM credentials.

These projects are funded with dollars from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) and are part of Arizona’s ARP School and Community Grantees. All funded projects share the goal of supporting schools, students, educators and families as they recover from the effects of the pandemic.