Delaware Foundation for Science and Mathematics Education

Student services - from 1996 through 2021, dfsme identified, pilot and supported the smithsonian Science curriculum used in all public school districts in Delaware. The curriculum raised Delaware's student achievement in Science as measured on the naep (nation's report card) from 35th out of 44 states and jurisdictions tested to 19th out of 45 tested. Dfsme was instrumental in the formation of the john w. collette Education resource center in dover, providing a central location for stem professional development, a home for the Delaware mathmatics coalition and Delaware Science coalition,and a central warehouse for the state's Science kits. Dfsme works with the Delaware department of Education and the Delaware Science coalition to help provide teacher and administrator training for common core and next generation Science standards, and provided and continues to provide extensive support for professional development for ngss. Dfsme works with the department of Education's career and technical Education pathways program. Dfsme partners with, provides a home for, and serves as fiscal agent for the Delaware stem council and supports the stem council's Delaware stem educator awards. Dfsme works with the Delaware Mathematics coalition, supporting inquiry- based math curriculum and teacher training. Dfsme also administrates the dmc's subgrant for an nsf grant with the university of Delaware. Dfsme works with its partners to ensure equity and inclusion for all students in stem Education, and helps to create a diverse, well-educated stem workforce. Dfsme holds a yearly stem equity summit offering professional learning opportunities for stem teachers in the state. Dfsme's business-education interface links Delaware businesses and business volunteers with districts, schools, teachers, and students in need of stem mentoring and/or volunteer support. Dfsme provides a home and is a fiscal agent for the Delaware chapter of million women mentors, a program designed to provide stem Education and career mentoring and networking for young women from middle school through the early stages of their careers. Dfsme offers seed grants of up to 5,000 to stem educators wishing to pilot innovative, replicable and eventually self-sustaining stem programs for teachers or students. Dfsme offers just-in-time mini grants of up to 500 for educators wishing to complement the curriculum with materials and/or activities not included in their school's budget and which, if not paid for by students or out of the teacher's own pocket, would be forgone. Dfsme recognizes outstanding educators with a series of awards, including classroom teacher awards, life-time accomplishment awards, and awards recognizing teams of teachers working across the curriculum to bring stem Education to students. The dfsme executive director serves on the boards of the Delaware Mathematics coalition, the Delaware Science coalition and the Delaware career and technical Education cadre.