Stunted Growth For State's STEM Funding | $20 million promise for money has never been realized
In 2003 the state legislature and then Gov. Mitt Romney created the STEM Pipeline Fund in an effort to encourage science, technology, engineering and math education in the state.
The plan was to pump $20 million into programs through grants over five years.
Since then, only about $5.5 million has been allocated in grants and the fund has received no new allocations in the last two fiscal years.
In fact, last fiscal year the program was cut $2 million in the face of budget pressure, forcing program officials to fall short on commitments on the final year of three-year grants.
“It’s been tough,” said Keith Connors, program director for the STEM Pipeline Trust Fund. “There are a lot of programs out there and there’s an understanding of the need for resources to go in this direction, it’s just at a time when the state can’t afford to steer money into the trust.”
Unfunded Mandate
Now Gov. Deval Patrick has tapped Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray to chair a new STEM Advisory Council, which aims to create policies to encourage more STEM programs in the state.
But without new funding sources from the state, Connors questions how much can be done.
Education leaders, science industry officials and elected politicians have ramped up their rhetoric in recent years about the need for STEM-related programs. Many say the programs are important to keep the state, and the country, competitive in science industries.
But public funding for the programs has slowed in the last few years, causing school districts and education leaders to turn to less-costly ways to encourage student interests in science and math education and careers.
Murray said he could not promise more funding for STEM programs with the creation of the Council.
But, he said it is important to bring together education and business leaders to help collaborate on STEM programs.
“Science industries are a huge asset for the commonwealth,” Murray said. “But the employers will tell you in health care, life sciences, clean energy, we don’t have enough graduates to meet the workforce needs.”
For example, when Massachusetts high school juniors were asked during the 2008 SAT placement exams which area of study they plan to pursue in college, only 22 percent of respondents indicated they plan to major in a STEM-related field, such as science, technology engineering or math.
Nationally, the average is almost 29 percent, according to the College Board, a nonprofit organization of colleges and high schools. In North Carolina, the figure was at 34 percent.
Mitchell Chester, commissioner of elementary and secondary education at the state, said he doesn’t expect a windfall of money from the state for STEM programs. But, he is still looking to implement cost-effective measures to improve science and math learning and instruction.
New testing standards for elementary and secondary teachers have been implemented that require them to have a base level of knowledge in math and science fields.
Other initiatives include encouraging graduates of STEM programs to pursue teaching careers by linking them up with openings in districts. Another program would accelerate high school students’ access to college-level science programs by facilitating partnerships between colleges and high schools.
“We’re certainly looking for any and all sources of funding, but in this climate we’re also encouraging districts to think of creative ways to promote sophisticated approaches that are not costly, because we’re in a real downturn,” he said.
Disparate Parts
Kevin Thurston, executive director of the MetroWest STEM Education Network who works at Framingham State College, said the problem in the state is not a lack of STEM programs. It’s a lack of a cohesive strategy to unite the programs, determine which are best, and expand those to other districts.
Thurston is hopeful the new advisory council will be able to study which STEM programs are working the best at peaking student interest and help create policies to expand those.
For example, the federal government has made available $4 billion dollars through a new Race To the Top grant funding, which Massachusetts could be eligible for part of if, among other changes, new charter schools are created in the state, Thurston said.
The advisory council could help accelerate the process of allowing STEM charter school programs to form by removing limits on the number of charter schools that are allowed in a region. That’s a no-cost policy shift that could give the state an opportunity to apply for the federal funds, Thurston said. However, some public education advocates are opposed to this plan because it could undermine funding for public school districts.
Some districts have found ways to implement STEM programs without state support, though.
Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School, a public vocational high school in Marlborough, has launched a new biotechnology vocational program without any new public grant funding. The program aims to give students a head start on careers in biotech.
Superintendent Director of the School Mary Jo Nawrocki began hiring staff and constructing laboratory space for the program three years ago as part of a $300,000 investment.
The school used a combination of a privately-funded biotechnology grant and with the school’s regularly allocated federal funding to build the laboratory space and hire the personnel needed to create the program.
“These are great programs, but they’re costly,” she said.
Nawrocki said when creating the program she couldn’t find many public grants available for STEM programs that could have accelerated the development.
Other school districts have looked outside of public funds to seek support.
Kathy Berube is the science, technology and engineering liaison for the Worcester Public Schools and she said regional companies have been instrumental in helping expand opportunities for students to become engaged in science.
The school district works with Intel in Hudson, Abbott Labs in Worcester, EMC in Hopkinton and the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Furthermore, the public schools partner with Quinsigamond Community College and WPI to sponsor robotics teams that compete nationally and host science-focused summer camps for students to attend.
The businesses send scientists and engineers into the Worcester classrooms and invite students to their facilities for tours or to conduct laboratory experiments.
“What it means for kids is they have access to programs that we would not be able to afford otherwise,” Berube said. “This is enrichment for kids because we want to hook them into thinking about STEM futures.”
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