Goals
Inspire and empower our students to develop the knowledge, skills, and mindsets necessary to thrive in a rapidly changing, technologically rich, global society.
Ensure equitable opportunities and access for every student to become a part of an inclusive innovation economy.
Continuously improve the effectiveness, support, and number of formal and informal P-20 STEM educators.
Develop a sustainable funding and policy environment for STEM and CTE that provides reliable, seamless, and sufficient support across biennia.
Innovation Strategic Priorities
2023-2025 Biennium
For the 2023-2025 biennium, the STEM Hubs shared focus on four core project areas:
In-School STEM, Out-of-School STEM, Early STEM, and
Career Connected Learning.
Core STEM
Central to the Network's charge of increasing access to STEM/STEAM learning opportunities, Core STEM connected core subjects and standards by articulating alignments between best practices in engaging STEM learning and Oregon's adopted content standards.
Pathways to STEM/Career Connected Learning
The primary aim of the Pathways to STEM / Career Connected Learning (CCL) project was to connect classrooms to the world of work through a continuum of experiences across P-20 that helped learners make informed decisions about their educational and career goals that are culturally appropriate, place-based, learner-relevant, and directly linked to professional and industry-based expectations. Close alignment with ODE’s
Career Connected Learning (CCL) framework, with considerations for regionally specific partners and needs, informed strategies for the Pathways to STEM / Career Connected Learning project.
Early STEM
This project provided early educators and childcare providers with tools, resources, and strategies to ensure the youngest learners have equitable access to quality STEM learning experiences.
Community STEM
As a collective, the STEM Hub Network explored and expanded upon many valuable strategies to address Community STEM needs through multi-Hub and regionally specific activities.
2025-2027 Biennium
For the 2025-2027 biennium, the STEM Investment Council narrowed the strategic priorities. The STEM Hubs were asked to thoughtfully and intentionally integrate the following strategic priorities across the previous four key project areas (In-School STEM, Out-of-School STEM, Early Learning, and Career Connected Learning) to maximize impact in academic outcomes and workforce readiness:.
Elementary Science
This priority aligns with STEM Investment statutes, highlighting 5th-grade science outcomes, and it recognizes that integrated science is a meaningful teaching approach, especially in elementary schools.
Middle School Math
This priority aligns with the Governor's accountability efforts, highlighting 8th-grade math outcomes and providing a pathway forward to Mathways work, which emphasizes academic success in high school mathematics. Work includes activities and/or professional development opportunities.
Computer Science
This priority reflects the ongoing commitment to ensure students acquire Computer Science foundation skills for workforce readiness in our technology-driven age. Work includes activities and/or professional development opportunities.
Career Connected Learning
This priority reflects a core value of the STEM Investment Council’s desire to continue to emphasize these activities both as integrated with the priorities above, as well as remaining its own activity group. Work includes activities and/or professional development opportunities.