South Ripley Schools Awarded STEM Integration Grant

Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at 9:11 AM

By Indiana Department of Education, news release

Forty-eight school districts and charter schools received nearly $2.2 million in grants.

Shutterstock photo.

INDIANAPOLIS - The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) today announced that 48 school districts and charter schools across Indiana will receive nearly $2.2 million in STEM Integration Grant funding. This grant will support Hoosier schools in integrating science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) instruction and learning opportunities into the classroom, improving access and support for Hoosier students.

“Through STEM education, our students are building skills that will serve them throughout their life, including problem solving, critical thinking, communication and digital literacy skills," said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. “We also know that these important skills are essential to meeting the needs of our state’s future workforce. The STEM Integration Grant helps Indiana schools continue to grow their capacity to provide high-quality STEM education, provide early exposure to STEM career opportunities and ultimately, set students on the best possible path for future success, both in life and in their career.”

School districts and charter schools receiving the STEM Integration Grant are:

Anderson Preparatory Academy - $23,500
Brownstown Central Community School Corporation - $50,000
Canaan Community Academy - $25,000
Carmel Clay Schools - $99,804
Circle City Prep Charter School - $25,000
Cold Spring School - $25,000
Decatur County Community Schools - $46,693.95
DeKalb County Central United School District - $50,000
East Chicago Lighthouse Charter - $43,875
Eastern Hancock County Community School Corporation - $50,000
Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation - $72,600
Gary Lighthouse Charter School - $44,200
Geist Montessori Academy - $25,000
IN Math & Science Academy - $24,995
IN Math & Science Academy - North - $24,995
Indiana Agriculture and Technology - $25,000
Indy STEAM Academy - $25,000
Irvington Community School - $49,880
Jennings County School Corporation - $75,000
John Glenn School Corporation - $48,638
Manchester Community Schools - $49,609
Matchbook Learning - $25,000
MSD Lawrence Township - $75,000
MSD Martinsville Schools - $75,000
Muncie Community Schools - $75,000
North Daviess Community Schools - $49,910
Northeast Dubois County School Corporation - $11,257
Options Charter Schools - $25,000
Orleans Community Schools - $25,000
Paoli Community School Corporation - $22,300
Perry Central Community Schools - $50,000
Randolph Central School Corporation - $50,000
Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corporation - $47,250
Richmond Community Schools - $74,718
Rock Creek Community Academy - $25,000
Sheridan Community Schools - $20,500
South Madison Community School Corporation - $71,920
South Ripley Community School Corporation - $50,000
Southwest Dubois County School Corporation - $50,000
Southwest School Corporation - $50,000
Tri-Central Community Schools - $24,990
Union-North United School Corporation - $50,000
Vincennes Community School Corporation - $25,000
Washington Community Schools - $74,500
Western School Corporation - $50,000
Westfield-Washington Schools - $74,997
White River Valley School District - $24,645
Yorktown Community Schools - $75,000

First launched in the 2018-2019 school year as the STEM Acceleration Grant, the STEM Integration Grant is a competitive grant that helps schools increase students’ access to STEM courses, programs and resources. The grant focuses on helping schools integrate research-based, high-quality coursework, instructional materials and professional development for educators that helps build a culture of STEM leadership in schools.

Of this school year’s STEM Integration Grant recipients, 60% intend to use these funds to develop or improve previously established STEM infrastructure to support applications for the STEM Certified Schools program, which recognizes schools for their focus on inquiry, project-based learning, community engagement, entrepreneurship, student-centered classrooms and out-of-school time STEM activities.

This grant is funded by state appropriations to IDOE for STEM program alignment. More than 170 schools have been awarded STEM Integration Grants since 2018, with grants totaling more than $11.3 million.

The STEM Integration Grant is one of several IDOE-led initiatives focused on improving access to high-quality STEM education. In addition to the STEM Certified Schools program, this includes the launch of the Indiana STEM Cadre in 2022, which develops and implements collaborative professional development for educators. Additionally, Indiana approved new science and computer science standards in 2022 that increased focus on supporting active student engagement in science learning.