Public schools get $1Mgrant for STEM

A group of foundations Tuesday announced more than $1 million in grants to improve education in science, technology, engineering and math, dubbed STEM, in Palm Beach County public schools.

The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties provided its largest grant ever for the initiative — $661,203 over two years. Cash came from the its endowed John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fund.

TheMary and Robert Pew Public EducationFundandQuantumFoundation also kicked in more than $340,000 for the first year of the three-year effort to create a “best-in-class” educational program in STEM, subject areas considered vital for future jobs and economic competitiveness.

The University of Florida’s College of Education will help develop the county’s STEMprogram, funders said.

UF educators will train some middle school science teachers as leaders and also, launch coaching and mentoring programs for new science and math teachers in county schools.

“As the biotech industry continues to grow locally, now is the time to work toward creating one of the finest science and math educational systems in the country,” said JillianC. Vukusich, vice president for programs at the Community Foundation in announcing the funding.

Officials from the School District of Palm Beach County hope the STEM reform can become a national model. The initiative seeks measurable improvement in four key areas: school culture, teacher quality, student learning, and higher performanceandassessment evaluations both for students and teachers.

Some programs are designed especially for schools in low-income areas, where teacher recruitment and retention is more challenging, the school district said.