ASME Supports Afterschool STEM Bill

ASME Supports Afterschool STEM Bill ASME Supports Afterschool STEM Bill ASME Supports Afterschool STEM Bill ASME recently endorsed S. 2543, the Supporting Afterschool STEM Act. This legislation promotes afterschool and summer science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs as vital parts of the K-12 STEM education ecosystem. Currently, many afterschool and summer programs include STEM as a standard part of their comprehensive programming. Afterschool providers recognize the importance of improved STEM education for their students and that hands-on, inquiry-driven STEM is in line with afterschools overall approach to education. Practitioners are able to directly witness the impact afterschool STEM programs have on students when they see youth engaged in and excited about STEM activities, asking questions, and wanting to learn more. However, funders, policy makers and other stakeholders often want data that substantiates such claims and demonstrates positive changes in a variety of outcomes: interest and engagement in science, greater knowledge of STEM careers, election of school science classes, and, sometimes, improved test scores in science and math. The legislation is based on the findings of Examining the Impact of Afterschool STEM Programs, a recent research project of the Afterschool Alliance. The paper provides an overview of some of the recent research findings about the importance of afterschool and other out-of-school time experiences for STEM learning, including: Afterschool STEM programs are successful in engaging and retaining large numbers of students from diverse populations. Young people in these programs express curiosity and interest in STEM subjects, in ways that extended that interest in school and out of school. Afterschool STEM programs can have an impact on academic performance. Participants come to understand the value of STEM in contributing to society and solving global and local problems, and they begin to see how STEM intimately connects to their everyday lives. Young people who take part in these programs display an increased awareness of career options, as well as a nuanced understanding of those careers. On July 28, Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) introduced the House companion bill, H.R. 5217. ASME also supports this bill. To read the Supporting Afterschool STEM Act, visit http://thomas.loc.gov and search by bill number S. 2543. ASMEs letter of support can be read here. To read the Examining the Impact of Afterschool STEM Programs report, visit afterschoolalliance.org/ExaminingtheImpactofAfterschoolSTEMPrograms.pdf. Melissa Carl, ASME Government Relations