FCAT Science » Science Education In The News

Florida to Use Race to The Top Funds to Train More Math and Science Teachers

Diana Wehrell-Grabowski — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 23:58:06 +0000

Florida is facing a critical shortage of math and science teachers at the middle and high school level. Florida plans on using Race to The Top funds to spur the education of more of these critical instructors, according to the Florida Department of Education. I’m hoping that the Florida Department of Education seeks out quality educational experiences and long-term professional staff development for the math and science teachers that will be heading into Florida’s middle and high school science classrooms. Also, of importance is the need for teachers trained in STEM education practices. To read Leslie Postal’s article in November 28th, 2011 Orlando Sentinel see the following link.

Florida Governor Rick Scott Wants To Increase STEM Majors In Florida

Diana Wehrell-Grabowski — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 15:47:37 +0000

Florida Governor Rick Scott wants to spend more dollars on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) majors at the university level. “If a student wants to obtain a degree in Anthropology they better look elsewhere.” The state of Florida will begin to shift funding away from certain liberal arts majors at state universities to promote STEM disciplines. Read further details in the October 13th, 2011 US News Report by Jason Koebler. I have not agreed with all of Rick Scott’s ideas, but in this case the governor is “spot-on” to promote funding STEM disciplines.

Project Lead the Way Biomedical Science Class In Full Gear At Mariner School Lee County, Florida

Diana Wehrell-Grabowski — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 23:31:11 +0000

Biomedical Science Class is being offered at Mariner School in Lee County, Florida. The Biomedical Class is part of the the first Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Biomedical ScienceProgram. It’s the first PLTW class that Lee County has offered. Project Lead the Way is a nationally-approved method of increasing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) concepts and explorations within schools. STEM education classes help to achieve the goals set forth in the Race to the Top grant program. Michelle Hellman is the instructor for the Biomedical Science class at Mariner School. She completed two weeks of intensive training provided by PLTW this past summer to become certified to teach the class. Hellman states that “she is more of a facilitator, she hardly lectures.” Students are in charge of most of their own research and labs. Project Lead the Way philosophy and curriculum encourages the development of problem-solving skills, critical thinking, creative and innovative reasoning, and a love for learning. To read more about the Biomedical Science class at Mariner check out the following article in News-Press.com by Mae Yousif-Bashi. To find out more about Project Lead the Way programs and teacher training opportunities check out the Project Lead the Way website.

A Coastal Science Program Helps Mayport Middle Boost Its Enrollment

Diana Wehrell-Grabowski — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 15:47:41 +0000

Mayport Middle School has added a coastal sciences magnet program to its curriculum. The addition of the Coastal Sciences magnet program has helped to increase student enrollment at Mayport Middle School by nearly 100 students. The Coastal Sciences magnet program is the the first of its kind in Duval county, and the first middle –school magnet in the Beaches and intracoastal area. The school’s enrollment had declined in recent years due to the departure of the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy from Mayport and the closing of numerous mobile home parks and apartment complexes in the surrounding area. In addition to taking the traditional sixth-grade science class. Students enrolled in the Coastal Sciences magnet program take another science class divided into four nine-week areas: microbiology, oceanography, marine environments, and living coastal zones. Students conduct hands-on labs such as using dip nets to collect marine specimens within a pond located on the campus. Additionally, Mayport Middle School has a new lab, outfitted with laptops, aquariums, microscopes, and other equipment. The new lab was paid for with a federal grant. Perhaps other Florida school districts facing a decline in student enrollment should consider revamping schools with declining enrollment with science and/or STEM magnet programs. Check out The Florida Times-Union article Marine Biologists: The Next Generation by Mary Kelli Palka.

Florida Students Rank Fifth Nationwide in Taking, Passing Advancement Placement Tests

Diana Wehrell-Grabowski — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 15:42:06 +0000

The number of Florida students taking Advanced Placement tests hit a record high in 2009, however the number of students who fail the exams is rising, particularly in the South. No longer are AP classes for an elite group of students, there has been a major push in the state of Florida to get more students enrolled in Advanced Placement classes. The new Florida high school grade system will take into account participation and performance on the AP exams, adding another incentive for schools to encourage participation in AP classes. Florida was fifth in the list of states with the greatest percentage of high school seniors doing well on AP exams. In 2009 21.3 percent of Florida students did well on the AP exams, up from 16.3 percent in 2004. However, data shows that Florida students did not do well when compared to their national counterparts on some AP exams, specifically those in math and science. On the AP Biology exam only 32 percent of Florida students did well, earning at least a 3 on the five-level test, compared to about 49 percent nationally. Kristen Klopfenstein, a senior researcher at the Texas Schools Project and a professor on leave from Texas Christian University, who conducts research on AP has found that students who take AP often do well in college. However, Klopfenstein’s research shows that it’s other rigorous courses, especially in math and science that lead to that success. To see viewpoints of parents and administrators in regards to the push to take AP courses see the following article by Leslie Postal in Orlando Sentinel on February 10, 2010.

Governor Crist Signs Florida’s Race to the Top Application

Diana Wehrell-Grabowski — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 21:52:31 +0000

Governor Charlie Crist signed Florida’s application for more than $700 million of the $4.35 billion federal dollars that will be available through Race to the Top funds. Race to the Top is the largest-ever federal competitive investment in school reform. The U.S. Department of Education is reviewing the applications, winners will be announced for the first round of funding by April.

If Florida is awarded the funds, half of the awarded funds will go to the 59 school districts, as well as three lab schools, and the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind that signed onto to become a part of the reform. The remainder of the funds will go directly to the state (Tallahassee) to support state-level projects benefiting all school districts.

The funding will be used in the following areas:

Curriculum Standards

Assessments of Student Learning

Increased Use of Data (one-stop data crunching for the entire state for use by teachers and district staff).

Teacher and Leader Quality and

Assistance for Struggling Schools

For complete details on Florida’s Race to the Top Grant visit Florida’s Department of Education American Recovery and Reinvestment Act site.

National Lab Day

Diana Wehrell-Grabowski — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 22:57:19 +0000

A coalition of educators, scientists, engineers, and philanthropies announced the launching of National Lab Day. A new grassroots initiative designed to reinvigorate science and math education in the nation’s schools and after-school programs which will is hoped to ultimately lead to increased U.S. competitiveness.
The goal of the initiative is to improve the quality of Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education in America. A collaboration between the government and more than 200 public-and private sector organizations, National Lab Day will connect students in grades 6–12 to hands-on learning experiences and promote tinkering in laboratory settings. National Lab Day is a New York-based education organization dedicated to improving science and math education nationwide. National Lab Day welcomes new partnerships and can be reached at info@nationallabday.org. For further details on the National Lab Day initiative please see the following link to the National Lab Day Organization website. http://www.nationallabday.org/

Obama announces $250 million iniative for science and math teacher training

Diana Wehrell-Grabowski — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 17:04:11 +0000

President Obama announced a $250 million public-private combination effort to improve science and mathematics instruction. The goal of the initiative is to help the United States compete in science and engineering fields with global economic competitors. The funding will prepare more than 10,000 new math and science teachers teachers over the next five years, and provide on-the-job training for an additional 100,000 teachers in STEM fields. I am hoping that the state of Florida benefits from this iniative via providing additional and much needed quality hands-on professional staff development for math and science teachers. For further details on the initiative see the article by Nick Anderson, Washington Post Staff Writer in the following link “>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/06/AR2010010602063.html”>

“Educate To Innovate” Program for Excellence in technology, Science, Engineering & Math

Diana Wehrell-Grabowski — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 21:23:47 +0000

November 23rd, President Obama launched the “Educate to Innovate” campaign. The goal of the nationwide effort is to move American students from the middle to the top in science and math achievement over the next decade, over $260 million in public-private investments have been made to help achieve this goal. Big name public and private partnerships have come on board to help achieve this goal including: Time Warner Cable, Discovery Communications, Sesame Street’s Early STEM Literacy Initiative, The MacArthur Foundation, Sony Computer Entertainment America, and numerous other corporations. States have begun submitting qualifying paperwork to state their interest in applying for “Race to the Top” funds. States receiving Race to the Top funds will have to dramatically improve their schools and student achievement in science and math. A major portion of the funds are expected to be used for professional staff development. For further details on the “Educate to Innovate” campaign see the official White House Press release below.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-launches-educate-innovate-campaign-excellence-science-technology-en