TPMA today announced it has signed on with Morehead State University as their strategic consultant to lead external evaluation for their Center for STEM+eXcellence. The TPMA team will assess the extent to which STEM+eXcellence is on track to fulfill project outcomes, as defined by the STEM+eXcellence grant award received from the Kentucky Department of Education funding agency. This is an important milestone for the center as it strives to provide fresh opportunities for Kentucky students to overcome academic barriers– including learning loss created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are incredibly pleased to be working alongside Morehead University on the STEM+Excellence Project,” said Grace Heffernan, Director of Community Impact at TPMA. “Together, we share a common vision of driving continuous improvement and creating a positive impact in the field of STEM education. This collaboration allows us to combine our expertise and resources to make a tangible difference in the lives of students, educators, and the wider community.”
The Center for STEM+eXcellence, a program within the Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics, offers informal STEM+X education opportunities for Kentucky students in grades K-12. Programs are offered during the summer and throughout the year. The “+X” represents three focus areas:
- Creativity and design
- Innovation and entrepreneurship
- Civic and regional engagement
All programs are rooted in mathematics with a science, technology, or engineering application and have +X outcomes for students. The Center for STEM+eXcellence programs are created and implemented by educators in public schools and universities.
The evaluation, which is already underway, includes qualitative research from stakeholders and will include a comprehensive final report in September 2023 for the inaugural 2022- 2023 program year.