STEM Initiative

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)

Integrating Science and Math into Afterschool Learning

An initiative from the Center for Afterschool Education at Foundations empowers afterschool educators nationwide to integrate critical Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) content into their program offerings.

By developing and piloting a scalable model of STEM professional development, Foundations and its partner, the Education Development Center, builds afterschool directors’ skills in folding science content into their programs—regardless of their capacities and resources.

Foundations’ STEM professional development model aims to:

• Clarify the importance of STEM, and maximize the STEM potential of current programs and activities
• Illustrate a range of basic STEM strategies and techniques, and show leaders how to connect with excellent, readily available content, supports and local resources
• Provide leaders with tools and techniques to support their staff in becoming STEM educators and help them apply what they’ve learned directly to their programs
• Link to opportunities for extended or deeper professional development

Foundations will help states build and disseminate STEM programs at the local level.