Summary
The Instructional Technology Division of the Georgia Department of Education announces the FY10 Title II, Part D ARRA Competitive Grant for 21st Century STEM Labs pending final State Board of Education approval on June 10, 2010.

Georgia is making an important investment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) that involves the creation of state of the art 21st Century STEM Labs that will be located in middle and high schools deeply engaging school staff with post-secondary, community, and business partners. Strategically locating the 21st Century STEM Labs in each of Georgia’s 13 Congressional Districts ensures the greatest potential of expanding STEM education to many school sites across the state. To that end, the GaDOE has established a FY10 Title II, Part D 21st Century STEM Lab Competitive Grant with the goal of seeding sustained statewide emphasis on STEM education. This investment involves expanding the impact of Georgia’s 21st Century STEM education initiatives on the K-12 level – specifically through the creation of 26 STEM Labs in middle and high schools and the formation of 21st Century STEM Lab Governance Boards for each grant school that will partner with post-secondary institutions, STEM research and demonstration sites, community, and business.

Eligible LEAs may apply to support any eligible high school and its feeder middle school.

The primary goals of the FY10 Title II, Part D ARRA Competitive Grant for 21st Century STEM Labs are to:

1. Increase community understanding of the importance of STEM education and capacity to sustain a viable STEM educational program to prepare students for work and life in the 21st century.
2. Develop model technology enabled STEM labs emphasizing, interdisciplinary, hands-on, inquiry-based (guided discovery) learning aligned to the Common Core State Standards and the Georgia Performance Standards.
3. Increase Georgia’s capacity to provide high quality K-12 STEM professional learning opportunities.
4. Increase student engagement and interest in STEM studies.
5. Increase student 21st century skills and technology literacy by providing students with opportunities to use the technical tools of the STEM industry.
6. Increase the number of students pursuing careers in STEM-related fields and/or post-secondary STEM related education/training.

Grant Documents

1. FY10 Ed Tech ARRA 21st Century STEM Labs Grant Application and Guidance
2. FY10 Ed Tech ARRA 21st Century STEM Labs Grant Rubric
3. FY10 Ed Tech ARRA 21st Century STEM Labs Grant Required Appendices
4. Educational Technology Centers (ETCs) and Regional Educational Service Agencies (RESAs)