Press Release- Jul 02, 2007
OFFICE OF GOV. BILL RITTER, JR.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
MONDAY, JULY 2, 2007
Contact:
Evan Dreyer, 720.350.8370
COLORADO WINS $500K "STEM" EDUCATION GRANT
Colorado was named today as one of six states to receive $500,000 grants from the National Governors' Association to establish science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education centers. The centers will serve as the foundation for improved and modern workforce development as the global economy becomes more and more competitive.
The Colorado STEM Network will coordinate closely with Gov. Bill Ritter's new P-20 Education Council and the Governor's Jobs Cabinet. Network participants will include the Center for Education Policy Analysis at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Science Center, the Colorado Children's Campaign, the Colorado Department of Higher Education, and the Colorado Math, Science, Technology and Engineering Coalition.
The NGA grants are funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Intel Corp. as part of NGA Chair and Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano's "Innovation America" initiative. Other state recipients are Hawaii, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The Colorado grant also triggers a $100,000 direct match from the Denver Metro Chamber Foundation's WIRED Initiative and a $150,000 in-kind match from the Colorado Children's Campaign.
"Every day, economic competition among states and foreign countries grows more and more intense," Gov. Ritter said. "Focusing on rigorous STEM education will allow us to better prepare Coloradans for a 21st century workforce that will serve the industries of the future. It also will help us achieve our goals of cutting high school dropout and achievement-gap rates in half within 10 years and doubling the production of postsecondary certificates and diplomas."
The Colorado STEM Network will have two components: a state-level coordinating center and a network of regional STEM compacts. The STEM Coordinating Center will work directly with P-20 Council subcommittees. Regional compact participants will include Colorado State University, Poudre School District, University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and CSU-Pueblo.
The P-20 Council is scheduled to hold its first meeting on Aug. 6. Exact time and location are still to be determined.