Code.org, a national nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to computer science education, with a priority for young women and other students from underrepresented groups, released its fourth annual State of Computer Science Education in the United States this month. The report is co-authored with The Computer Science Teachers Association and the Expanding Computing Education Pathways Alliance. The report finds some national momentum in challenging times, Minnesota however lags nationally on a number of measures.

Minnesota has taken an approach to computer science education that places computer science in each curriculum area’s standards as they are reviewed by the state. Code.org has a nine-point policy framework and tests states against their adoption of those policies. Minnesota is highlighted for the Department of Education hiring a STEM and computer science specialist with the hiring of Sarah Carter. Of the remaining eight policies Minnesota only meets one when it allows the substitution of a computer science credit for a math credit for graduation requirements.

In reviewing access to computer science in schools Minnesota has the least number of schools offering a standalone course among all 50 states. Minnesota has increased female participation in computer science courses by 1% over the past three years to 21%. The demographics of Minnesota students closely aligns with the student bodies of schools that offer computer science courses.

The authors point out that the need for collective awareness of “which students have access, which students are recruited into computer science classrooms, and which students are retained in computer science pathways”.

ACT released their report on the performance of the 2020 graduating class today. Minnesota received a very Minnesota report. The good news? Minnesota continues to lead the nation in ACT scores among states that like us test high percentage of students. The bad news? While Students of Color and Indigenous students in Minnesota do better than their peers nationally, we have persistent and significant racial disparities in scores. Overall scores are largely unchanged over the past five years.

Minnesota students averaged a score of 21.3, out of a total possible score of 36, down 0.1 from 2019. Black/African American students averaged an overall score of 17, American Indian/Alaska Native students 17.1, White students 22.5, Hispanic/Latino students 18.3, Asian students 20.6, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students 19.0, students reporting two or more races averaged a score of 20.9.

ACT has four college ready benchmarks in English, Reading, Math and Science. Minnesota students outperformed their national peers with 43% of Minnesota students meeting or exceeding the benchmarks on three or four measures where nationally 37% of test takers met the benchmarks. Additionally, ACT has a more rigorous STEM preparation benchmark for those anticipating entering an engineering or other STEM program in college. On that measure 24% of Minnesota test-takers met or exceeded that measure compared to 20% of the national peers. These benchmark measures are again largely unchanged over the past five years.

One thing of note is that over the past five years Minnesota has seen a somewhat steady decrease of roughly 7,000 students taking the test. This even though the number of 11th graders in the state has increased 4% over that same 2016-2020 time period. While the cause of this decrease in test taking is unknown the legislature did change its policy and state support for ACT test costs by school districts in 2017. Before that the state reimbursed districts for all 11th graders taking the ACT or SAT; a 2017 change limited the reimbursement to only students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch service, a generally used test of poverty.

The Minnesota State Fair Board has made the decision to cancel the 2020 State Fair due to concerns regarding the COVID-19 virus.  This forces the cancellation of the annual STEM Day at the Fair.  We hope to be back in our usual places on opening day of the 2021 Great Minnesota Get Together.

The transition to distance learning for Minnesota schools opens a whole new set of opportunities and challenges for teachers and support staff.  Parents who are home are looking for resources, teachers will be trying approaches, seeing what works, what doesn’t, and then looking for more resources.

The Minnesota Department of Education is providing resources across academic areas for implementing the states academic standards.

The Southeast Service Cooperative in Rochester has developed an extensive Distance Learning Resource Repository. The repository has links to online museums with robust digital learning resources such as the Smithsonian; Chicago Field Museum as well as National Park virtual tours; online museum collections, exhibits; and a long list of STEM specific resources.

The MDE requirement that this new area of distance learning requires that teaching be equitable for all students including those with special needs such as those requiring special education services, English Language Learners, and those with limited or no access to internet services at home.  The PEW Charitable Trust raises concerns and reviews some of the federal Department of Education guidance.  : Switch to Remote Learning Could Leave Students with Disabilities Behind.

Students without access to high speed internet make up 14% of the population according to recent federal statistics.  Reaching those students presents a different set of challenges.  Many districts have been reaching out to families and even providing school purchased devices.  KQED, the San Francisco National Public Radio affiliate has provided 14 Tips for Helping Students with Limited Internet Have Distance Learning.

SciMathMN and The Works, joint hosts of the December 3 conference Transcending Boundaries; Connecting School, Career, and Community Through STEM, announced an expansive list of conference partners November 1.  Conference participants will be able to choose from a variety of sessions exploring gender-equitable and culturally relevant teaching practices with SciGirls from Twin Cities PBS, the role of women mentors in the classroom with Million Women Mentors and Project Scientist.  Those wanting to explore the future of STEM education in Minnesota can choose opportunities on expanding computer science data and policies with Computer Science for All-Minnesota, teaching computer science with low cost robots from CoderDojo, and the challenges, barriers, and potential solutions to exploring STEM and STEAM opportunities for students of color.  Connecting school to community and workforce opportunities include 3D printing with Dunwoody Institute, bringing together STEM and CTE in Greater Minnesota with representatives from the southeastern part of the state.  More conference partners and registration along with session choices can be found at Transcending Boundaries; Connecting School, Career, and Community Through STEM. Discounts are available for teams of three or more who attend together.

Please join SciMathMN and The Works Museum at Transcending Boundaries: Connecting School, Career and Communities Through STEM Tuesday, December 3rd at the University of Minnesota Continuing Education and Conference Center in St. Paul.  There you will connect with Minnesota’s STEM educators, nonprofit providers, and business representatives to consider the role of STEM education in providing inclusive environments, adequate resources, and career-connected learning that prepare the next generation for the future.

Transcending boundaries will look at creating partnerships that enrich Minnesota’s STEM learning ecosystem by connecting in, out, and after-school time; formal and informal settings; and educational and workplace environments. The conference will also explore transcending boundaries between disciplines by engaging youth in authentic, human-centered learning that blends knowledge and practices from STEM subjects with arts, humanities, and other areas—and ensures that STEM learning is accessible and relevant for all.

The days keynote speaker is Dr. Jayshree Seth, 3M Corporate Scientist and Chief Science Advocate, will provide an overview of the 3M State of Science Index, a global survey of more than 14,000 people in 14 countries to uncover what people think of science and how they perceive its impact on their daily lives. Many of the survey findings highlight the importance of reducing real and perceived barriers to science appreciation and STEM education—in order to ensure that we have a healthy pipeline of future scientists and engineers to solve tomorrow’s challenges. Jayshree will share her personal journey as she explores ways we can advocate for science and promote STEM awareness, equity, and access for all.

Breakfast, lunch and cookie break included in registration.  You can register here.

 

The best day of the Minnesota summer, STEM Day at the Fair returns Thursday, August 22, 2019 at Dan Patch Park.  STEM Day again kicks off the Fair on opening day expecting over three dozen hands-on exhibitors of all things Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math for young families to discover and explore.  Last year STEM Day attracted more than 13,000 fairgoers through its exhibit area while more stopped in to the stage to see performances by a variety of organizations.

Organizations interested in exhibiting can review participation criteria and complete an application