Hoosiers are among the nation’s least-educated in terms of science and technology, but grants recently awarded to the Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation and the University of Southern Indiana may help improve the state’s report card.
According to a recent report from the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Indiana ranks 42nd in the percent of its population holding a science or technology degree, and nearly half of employers surveyed have left jobs unfilled because they couldn’t find qualified workers.
The Math and Science Partnership Program’s recently renewed grants, announced Wednesday by the Indiana Department of Education, may soon help improve the state’s ranking in STEM education.
The EVSC and USI were among the many recipients of the grants, which pair local schools with institutions of higher education to provide professional training for math and science teachers.
The EVSC received three grants totaling over half a million dollars to partner with schools like USI and the University of Notre Dame. For two of those grants, the EVSC and USI will work with schools districts in other parts of the state to improve their science education.
State Superintendent Dr. Jennifer McCormick said in a news release that emphasizing science and math education ensures that the state’s students are ready to enter a 21st century economy.