DELAWARE FOUNDATION FOR SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION

STUDENT SERVICES - FROM 1996 THROUGH 2006 DFSME IDENTIFIED, PILOTED, AND SUPPORTED THE SMITHSONIAN SCIENCE CURRICULUM USED IN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN DELAWARE. THE CURRICULUM RAISED DELAWARE STUDENTS' ACHIEVEMENT IN SCIENCE, AS MEASURED ON THE NAEP (NATION'S REPORT CARD), FROM 35TH OUT OF 44 STATES AND JURISDICTIONS TESTED TO 19TH OUT OF 45 TESTED. DFSME CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM. DFSME WORKS WITH THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THE DELAWARE SCIENCE COALITION, THE DELAWARE MATHEMATICS COALITION AND THE DELAWARE CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION CADRE TO PROVIDE EDUCATOR TRAINING (BOTH TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS) FOR COMMON CORE AND NEXT GENERATION STANDARDS, AS WELL AS THE CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PATHWAYS PROGRAM, TO PROVIDE EXTENSIVE SUPPORT FOR EDUCATOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. DFSME ALSO WORKS WITH COMMUNITY EDUCATORS TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY WITH STANDARDS AND BREADTH OF REACH. DFSME COLLABORATES WITH ITS PARTNERS TO ENSURE EQUITY AND INCLUSION FOR ALL STUDENTS IN STEM EDUCATION AND HELPS TO CREATE A DIVERSE, WELL-EDUCATED STEM WORKFORCE. DFSME HOLDS A YEARLY STEM EQUITY CONFERENCE OFFERING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STEM TEACHERS AT ALL GRADE LEVELS IN THE STATE. OUR BUSINESS-EDUCATION INTERFACE LINKS DELAWARE BUSINESSES AND BUSINESS VOLUNTEERS WITH DISTRICTS, SCHOOLS, TEACHERS, AND STUDENTS TO PROVIDE ROLE MODELS, PROGRAMS, AND MENTORING THAT ENCOURAGES EQUITABLE STEM EDUCATION AND STEM EXPERIENCES, AND DIVERSITY IN STEM CAREERS. DFSME SUPPORTS STEM EDUCATORS AND EDUCATOR RETENTION THROUGH ITS GRANTS AND AWARDS PROGRAMS. DFSME OFFERS SEED GRANTS OF UP TO 5000 FOR INNOVATIVE, REPLICABLE, AND EVENTUALLY SELF-SUSTAINING STEM PROGRAMS FOR EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS. DFSME MINI GRANTS OFFER JUST-IN-TIME FUNDING UP TO 500 FOR EDUCATORS WISHING TO COMPLEMENT THE CURRICULUM WITH MATERIALS AND/OR ACTIVITIES NOT INCLUDED IN THEIR SCHOOL'S BUDGET AND WHICH, IF NOT FUNDED, WOULD EITHER BE PAID FOR OUT OF THE TEACHERS' OWN POCKETS OR BE FORGONE. A SERIES OF AWARDS ENCOURAGES RECOGNITION AND RETENTION. THESE INCLUDE CLASSROOM AND COMMUNITY TEACHER AWARDS, LIFE-TIME ACCOMPLISHMENT AWARDS, AND AWARDS RECOGNIZING TEAMS OF EDUCATORS WORKING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM TO BRING INNOVATIVE STEM EDUCATION TO STUDENTS. DFSME SERVES AS FISCAL AGENT FOR THE DELAWARE MATHEMATICS COALITION, THE DELAWARE STEM COUNCIL AND MILLION WOMEN MENTORS DELAWARE CHAPTER.