SciMathMN

STEM Day at the Minnesota State Fair makes successful return

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After a year’s hiatus due the State Fairs Covid-19 related cancellation STEM Day at the Minnesota State Fair successfully returned this year.

First day Fair attendance was hampered by many Minnesotans having concerns about the Fair acting as a risky event for pandemic transmission in large crowds given the lack of vaccine or masking requirements by the Fair governing body.   Opening day was additionally hampered by a rightly ominous weather forecast.  Attendance on opening day was 46% of the 2019 opening day.  2021 attendance for the run of the full 12 days was 61% of the 2019 record year.  STEM Day attendance mirrored the Fair, with our tracking of exhibit area visitors of 7700 before a rain storm forcing an abrupt close to the event around 2:30 p.m.

A survey of STEM Day exhibitors shows that participants were very pleased with the event.  78% of respondents indicated that their organizations goals for the day were well met or very well met.  87% of respondents indicated that their organization would apply to participate again next year.  Exhibitors were strongly positive about event management with 93% giving it their strongest rank in the survey.  Over 25% of exhibitors were first time participants keeping the event fresh for families who consistently attend the event.

A survey of visitors to STEM Day shows an almost even mix of those who plan ahead specifically to attend STEM Day as part of their Fair experience and those who discover the event once they are at the Fair.  The later are important in moving beyond those who search out STEM education opportunities for their children and instead expose and engage families who may not already identify as having an interest in STEM education. Those families may come away from the event with a new appreciation of their children’s interests.

A significant percentage of those who visited STEM Day did so based on State Fair promotion of events on site and in state newspapers.  We consider the Fair to be a strong partner and appreciate the relationship we have built over the past 12 years.  Governor Walz again proclaimed the day STEM Day at the Fair in Minnesota.

We’re grateful for all our partners in creating another successful celebration of all things STEM and highlighting to Minnesotans the opportunities for their children to explore their interests and curiosity.

End of legislative session highlights enhanced STEM opportunities

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With the Governor’s signature on this year’s K12 education budget June 29, coupled with the Minnesota Department of Education announcement of how it will use $125.4 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds highlight several strategies enhancing STEM education opportunities.

The 2021 session K12 budget bill, setting the education budget for the state for the 2022-2023 fiscal years, included the largest investment in the general education formula in 15 years.  Within that bill is a Walz Administration provision intended to increase the breadth of Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate STEM courses available to students and also participation by more diverse student populations.  The provision establishes a priority for those programs offering AP’s Computer Science Principles courses.  The changes require districts and charter schools to establish three year plans only once they receive grants, shifts from a per pupil amount to a flat $75,000 grant amount to support smaller schools being able to utilize the grants, and encourages the Commissioner to consider statewide geographic balance in the awarding of the grants.

June 30th the Minnesota Department of Education released its plan for allocating $125.4 million in federal American Rescue Funds under its control.  This represents 9.5% of the ARP funds dedicated to education.  90% of the total education funds were directly distributed to schools and districts based on their Title 1 population.

Of the $128 million $66 million will be distributed to schools for evidence based strategies targeted at responding to learning loss. These funds will be distributed based on school’s population of historically underserved students, defined as students of color, American Indian students, low income students, students experiencing homelessness, and students receiving special education or English Language Learning services.

Importantly for STEM education advocates $4 million of ARP funds will be available as grants to schools to support expanding access to rigorous coursework defined as AP, IB, Career Technical Education, and Post-secondary Enrollment Options offerings.  Schools receiving these grants will be required to report the demographics of students participating in rigorous coursework in their building.

MDE will provide $26.4 million for after school and summer enrichment programs.  Half of that money will be distributed by Ignite Afterschool, the states after-school network.  Of those dollars, and the monies MDE is retaining for the same purposes 50% of funds must go to community organizations and 50% of funds must go to culturally specific community organizations.  After school and summer programs often include STEM opportunities and ignite has long prioritized supporting program quality in the STEM area.

The remaining ARP funds go to a variety of programs supporting students social-emotional learning, training for school staff on non-exclusionary discipline, anti-bias, and trauma informed practices, early learning, and department administration.