Overview and Findings

“Challenging the Status Quo Through In-School STEM Learning in Putnam County, Florida”

Discover how the Putnam County School District, in collaboration with STEM2 Hub, is transforming STEM education for economically disadvantaged students.

Chapter I: Background

Background

Employment opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in the United States are expected to rise between 2021 and 2031. However, there is a shortage of STEM-ready professionals across America and companies are finding it difficult to meet STEM workforce needs.

To prepare students to successfully move from the classroom into STEM careers, two key factors are proficiency and interest in STEM. Yet, interest in STEM tends to decrease across students as they get older and many students struggle to reach proficiency. Socioeconomically disadvantaged communities are particularly susceptible to these issues. Only 18% of fourth graders report engaging in scientific inquiry-related classroom activities on a weekly basis.

By coupling the increased frequency of STEM learning opportunities with teacher professional development, schools may be able to disrupt these trends.

Participants in the study

STEM2 Hub is a nonprofit organization that builds cross-community systems to ensure all students have access to high-quality STEM learning experiences to “accelerate the growth of STEM2 education and careers.” Through engaging the local community and cultivating high-impact cross-sector relationships with schools, and education-focused organizations.

Putnam County School District serves a high proportion of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds (94.7%) and students attending these schools tend to report lower Math and Science proficiency rates compared to statewide Florida rates. Putnam’s high school graduation rates have increased from 55% in 2015 to 93% in 2021. This dramatic improvement can be largely attributed to the implementation of STEM education.

Overview of the Method

 This report examines the impact of in-school STEM education initiatives in Putnam County, FL, conducted by the PEAR Institute in partnership with Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub. Data was collected through surveys administered to students and educators using the Common Instrument Suite – Student Survey (CIS-S) and Common Instrument Suite – Educator Survey (CIS-E) between December 2022 and February 2023.

Most Significant Findings

Across the board, students showed statistically significant positive changes in all 10 STEM-related attitudes and 21st-century skills measured, with medium effects observed in STEM career knowledge. Females experienced more positive changes than males, and 6th-grade students showed the greatest positive changes compared to other grades. Educators also reported significant increases in comfort, interest, confidence, and capability in leading STEM activities.

Student Outcomes of the STEM Program

The STEM program positively impacted students' attitudes towards STEM and 21st-century skills, with the greatest improvements observed in STEM career knowledge and interest. Differential outcomes were noted based on gender, race/ethnicity, and grade level, with 6th-grade students experiencing the most significant positive changes.

Educators Reported Confidence

Educators reported increased comfort, interest, confidence, and capability in leading STEM activities compared to a year ago. While those who received professional development showed greater increases, differences were not statistically significant.

The Effects of Having STEM as a Core Course

Students exposed to daily STEM courses, particularly in 6th grade, showed greater positive changes compared to those with less frequent exposure. This suggests that the frequency of STEM engagement may impact student outcomes.

Educators' Perception of Students' Confidence

Educators perceived significant positive changes in students' confidence across all STEM domains, as well as growth in students' skills related to STEM, computer science, and 21st-century learning.

Conclusions

The Putnam County STEM initiative, in collaboration with STEM2 Hub, has demonstrated a significant impact on student STEM and 21st-century outcomes. By integrating STEM learning into the school day and providing professional development for educators, Putnam County is increasing equitable access to STEM education, challenging traditional norms, and fostering a strong STEM pipeline for the future workforce. Recommendations for future research include further investigation into grade-level differences and linking educators with students to better understand the STEM learning experience.

About the Report

Report on 2022-2023 Data Collection by: Grace Davis and Dr. Dawn McDaniel, October 25, 2023 published by Partnerships in Education and Resilience (PEAR).

Link to the orginal report →

Hightlights Numbers

1317

Students were tested as a part of the study.

10

Scales of STEM related attitudes and 21st century skills were measured. All of which showed a positive change.

77%

Of teachers receiving professional development within the last year, said that they are “very comfortable” or “somewhat comfortable” instructing in the content area.

“It is thrilling to see the data from the PEAR study revealing a strong correlation between STEM engagement and career knowledge & interest. Even more promising is the correlation between academic growth in math and literacy with STEM classes, as is seen with the state data for the 6th grade students who have a STEM class every day. We are seeing that high engagement STEM transfers to other core academic courses.”
dr.kathleen Schofield
Dr. Kathleen Schofield

Executive Director, Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub

“Partnerships with organizations such as Strawbees have proven to be instrumental in providing our students with a hands-on, engaging learning experience. This experience has had a significant impact on our students' academic progress and personal development. Without the support of partners like Strawbees, we would be unable to provide such an enriching experience. Thus, we remain grateful for the opportunity to engage in such fruitful collaborations.”
Michael Helms
Michael Helms

Putnam County STEM Specialist

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