The Indiana Commission for Higher Education is accepting applications for the STEM Teacher Recruitment Fund grants until Friday, October 2, 2015, at 5 p.m. EDT. The grant program was created by the Indiana General Assembly in 2013 to provide financial support for organizations working to recruit, prepare, place and retain educators in schools where there are shortages of teachers with appropriate training and expertise in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subject areas.
“To continue leading the Midwest in life sciences and technological innovation, we must focus on growing opportunities for students to experience STEM in our classrooms,” Governor Pence said. “That starts by encouraging our future educators to pursue a career in STEM teaching. The STEM Teacher Recruitment grant program is a positive step toward ensuring that education works for all of our children and that every Hoosier student has an opportunity to achieve a brighter future.”
The full grant application and budget worksheet are available on the Commission’s website at www.in.gov/che.
New or existing non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for a portion of nearly $10 million to support their efforts to recruit, train, retain and place STEM-field teachers in high need Indiana schools. In 2015, the General Assembly charged the Commission for Higher Education to administer and monitor the grant program.
“We know that the need for teachers trained in STEM subject areas is increasing along with demand for qualified candidates in STEM industries,” Commissioner for Higher Education Teresa Lubbers said. “This grant will help Indiana gain ground in filling these critical teaching positions to prepare students for success in college and careers in high-demand STEM industries.”
Ensuring Indiana has enough STEM educators is critical considering the rapidly growing STEM sector of our state’s economy. The Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) projects that Indiana STEM jobs will grow at a faster rate than other occupations over the next decade. All occupations are projected to grow about 13.9 percent in Indiana from 2010 to 2020; STEM jobs are projected to grow by 21.2 percent. By 2020, they will represent 12.1 percent of all jobs in Indiana.
To be eligible for the grant, applying organizations must present programs that result in individuals becoming licensed or trained to teach science, technology, engineering, or math in Indiana public K-12 schools. Individuals receiving program support through this grant must seek employment in an eligible Indiana public school.
Winning entries will be selected by a committee of K-12, higher education and workforce stakeholders and announced in November 2015.
To view past recipients of the STEM Teacher Recruitment Grant and learn about their efforts, visit www.in.gov/sboe/files/STEM_Teacher_Recruitment_Report.pdf.
