State Policy & Advocacy Resources
STEM Learning Ecosystems Toolkit
The STEM Education Coalition developed a toolkit to help guide stakeholders through the policy and advocacy process.
How do I get started?
The STEM Education Coalition and the Afterschool Alliance have collaborated to develop a toolkit of materials to guide you through the steps of engaging with state and local policymakers. The first document to read is “Opportunities to Advance Afterschool and Informal STEM Education Through The Every Student Succeeds Act.” This document provides you with the background information necessary to get started in asking your policymakers to take action.
What else is in the toolkit?
We have included a range of background materials and fact sheets on key STEM and informal education topics. We’ve also included links to the formal guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Education to state and local educators on how to apply for federal funds to support STEM education through the ESSA. Finally, there are also links to webinars and other in-depth materials about the new education law and what it means for you.
Additional Resources
Research from the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
The SHPE has some of the best collection of research, FAQs, and peer-reviewed publications regarding Hispanics in STEM. Whether you’re personally interested in learning more, or need reputable sources to cite, you’ll find relevant and trusted information below.
Out-of-School Partners in STEM Learning Recovery
This tool has STEM-specific talking points for learning recovery and workforce. Use these messages for engaging with policymakers and education leaders to make the case for partnership and funding. Download the PDF at the link below.
State Plans Overview
States have started submitting their ESSA plan to the Department of Education. An overview of which plans contain STEM and afterschool can be found at the link below.
Webinar: "How ESSA Will Change K-12 STEM Education”
“What State Leaders and STEM Professionals Need to Know" was hosted by the National Science Teachers Association, The STEM Education Coalition, and STEMx. This and other webinar recordings can be found at the links below.
Federal Guidance
The U.S. Department of Education has released guidance on the implementation of Title II and Title IV-A of the Every Student Succeeds Act. Access them at the links below.
America After 3PM
The America After 3PM report is the nation’s most comprehensive household survey about afterschool programs in the United States. It provides information highlights the trends of afterschool program participation, documents the benefits associated with participation in afterschool programs and measures public support for afterschool programs.
The special report on STEM examines parent perceptions, support and expectations for STEM learning within afterschool programs.
The state dashboard provides information on these issues broken down by state and can be valuable data to draw on as you work to include afterschool in your state’s ESSA implementation plan.