Through a variety of programs and funding mechanisms, Indiana has launched an aggressive program that seeks to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics among its middle and high schools.

Using its career and technical education funding and programs, Governor Mitch Daniels and the Department of Workforce Development are shifting program dollars allocated to middle and high schools to efforts that promote the "STEM" disciplines of science, technology, engineering and Mathematics. The broad goal of this effort is to ensure that all students graduate from high school with the necessary science, technology, engineering, and math competencies to succeed in the workplace of the 21st Century, and to ensure that a greater number of students graduate from high school as potential professionals in STEM fields. These efforts are designed to develop and nurture new models to support effective STEM-focused classrooms, schools, and districts. They will help us build Indiana's STEM education pipeline.

"Prosperity tomorrow depends largely on the science and math proficiency of today's students," said Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels. "Redesigning Indiana high schools for excellence in science and technology is the single best step we can take to raise the income of future generations of Hoosiers."
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Project Lead the Way.

Project Lead the Way is a comprehensive program involving both student learning and teacher training. The program introduces students to the scope, rigor and discipline of engineering and engineering technology prior to entering college, with the goal of attracting more students to engineering.

While Project Lead the Way's primary focus is engineering, the program also recently added Biomedical Sciences to its array of programming. Sixteen Indiana high schools recently received planning grants totaling $400,000 from the Department of Workforce Development to develop programs to better prepare students for jobs in the Life Sciences field.

The program's curriculum was recently recognized in a report by the National Academy of Sciences called Rising Above the Gathering Storm; Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future. Project Lead the Way was cited as a model for a world class curriculum with high quality teaching, standards, and assessments of student learning.

At last count, nearly 23,000 Indiana middle school students and more than 7,500 high school students were involved in Project Lead the Way programs. With 229 Indiana schools participating in the engineering component, and the additional 16 schools involved in the program's biomedical program, Indiana now has more schools participating in this program than any other state.

The state's involvement in Project Lead the Way is a partnership among Purdue University, the Indiana Department of Education and Department of Workforce Development.

For more information on the state's Project Lead the Way program, go here.

FIRST Robotics

FIRST Robotics, an international program, seeks to inspire an appreciation of science and technology by problem solving through science, technology and engineering.

Last December, the Department of Workforce Development awarded grants to 27 Indiana high schools totaling $114,500 to fund robotics programs, boost pre-engineering programs and participate in regional and national FIRST Robotics competitions. For a list of the schools receiving the grants, go here.

As of mid-April, seven Indiana robotics teams were still competing in national competitions. Each of these schools received a $5,000 grant from the state to assist in the competitions. The schools are Warren Robotics Team from Indianapolis; Delphi & Kokomo High School; Boiler Invasion of West Lafayette; Team Cyber Blue in Indianapolis, Pulse/Monon, White County; PHM Power of Mishawaka; Team Hammond in Hammond.

For more information on the national FIRST Robotics program, go here.

New Tech High Schools

Governor Daniels recently announced the awarding of seventeen $50,000 planning grants to Indiana high schools to develop programs to better prepare students in the STEM areas.

Six of the grants were for the New Tech High School model which emphasizes a technology rich environment and project focused learning. Between the fall of 2007 and the fall of 2008, seven New Tech High Schools will begin operating in Indiana. The school districts currently developing the New Tech High Schools include:

• Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation.
• MSD Decatur Township (Marion County).
• Monroe County Community School Corporation.
• Rochester Community School Corporation.
• Indianapolis Public Schools (2 schools).
• MSD Perry Township (Marion County).

Early College Model High Schools.

Ten grants were also awarded to districts and charter schools to create early college model high schools that prepare students for post-secondary success in STEM study and work. The University of Southern Indiana and Vincennes University were also awarded grants to cultivate early college relationships with southwest Indiana high schools.

The school corporations offering early college model high schools and their partnering institutions of higher education are:

• Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation, partnering with Ivy Tech.Community College and Vincennes University.
• Center Grove High School in Johnson County, partnering with Franklin College.
• Charles A. Tindley Accelerated School, partnering with Anderson University..
• Connersville High School in Fayette County, partnering with Ivy Tech.
• Metropolitan School District of Decatur Township in Marion County, partnering with Ivy Tech, Vincennes and the University of Indianapolis.
• Franklin Community School Corporation, partnering with Franklin College.
• Herron High School in Indianapolis, partnering with Marian College.
• Lawrence Early College High School for Science and Technologies, a charter school partnership of the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township in Indianapolis and Ivy Tech.
• Monroe County Community School Corporation, partnering with Ivy Tech..
• Richmond Community School Corporation, partnering with Ivy Tech-Richmond and Indiana University - East..

Source: Indiana Department of Workforce Development