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Uncovering STEM Needs and Hopes –

TIES, the operator of the STEM Learning Ecosystems Community of Practice, is partnering with the Ohio Department of Education and others, including the New Growth Group, to build stronger understandings of STEM needs in the state.

The initiative, STEM SAIL: OHIO, is intended to strengthen, accelerate and ignite learning by advancing students’ exposure to and engagement with high quality STEM at all levels.

Coordinated by TIES, funded by the State of Ohio with ESSER III federal funds, and created in partnership with the Ohio Department of Education, STEM SAIL: OHIO is establishing new connections among communities in various parts of Ohio to address unique regional challenges and opportunities.

STEM SAIL:

Ohio seeks to foster and deepen connections among Ohio’s many STEM-focused sectors to create and improve STEM learning opportunities that align to workforce needs of today and tomorrow.

Uniting Partners.

STEM SAIL will bring together leaders from K-12, higher education, business and industry, non-profit sector, out-of-school-time providers, governments and philanthropy to work for shared goals. STEM learning tools will be shared to connect more students to greater STEM opportunities.

Existing Leaders Helping.

As of 2023, Ohio had five robust STEM Ecosystems that are affiliated with the global STEM Learning Ecosystems Community of Practice, SLECoP. Leaders of these five STEM Learning Ecosystems and others, are working with TIES to reach out to targeted regions of Ohio and to serve as supports and inspiration.

Proliferating and Prospering

Made up of partners from K-12 and higher education, business and industry, out-of-school time providers and others, STEM Ecosystems work to develop STEM education and opportunities in their communities. Ohio’s commitment to STEM, demonstrated via leadership from education, workforce development, business and industry, non-profits, philanthropy and others, provides an ideal home for STEM to proliferate and prosper.

The Ohio Department of Education co-facilitated meetings among the Ohio STEM Learning Network Hubs and STEM Learning Ecosystems to help ensure that the work of STEM SAIL is comprehensive and inclusive. 

As part of STEM SAIL, TIES and the Ohio Department of Education are conducted listening tours throughout the state. Information from the tours is being used to enhance STEM learning in new communities throughout Ohio.

Ohio’s STEM Workforce Need is large and growing

STEM has long been recognized as a driver for engaged learning and economic development. As Ohio expands its STEM industry footprint, the need for a homegrown STEM workforce has become a pressing imperative for the state and those trusted with the education and training of the next generation of its workers.

Read a report compiled by the New Growth Group, with partnership from TIES, about a framework for integrating workforce development with STEM learning. 

Ohio is replete with meaningful STEM assets. A next-stage advancement is to deepen connections among these assets and enhance collaborations and interdependencies that capitalize on Ohio’s unique opportunities while creating systems that sustainably address the unique challenges of each region of Ohio. Developing these systems requires collaboration among partners in an intentional Ecosystem approach.

TIES serves as the backbone for the STEM Learning Ecosystems Community of Practice

TIES, Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM, works with cities, regions and states to create STEM Ecosystems that unlock the full potential of regional partnerships to expand STEM.

Listening tours in Ohio communities

What are your community’s greatest STEM needs and aspirations?

What positions do you predict will be in high demand and difficult to fill in the next 5 years? 10 years?

How does your district/institution connect with PK-12, higher ed, business and industry, employers, and other community organizations to support STEM opportunities for students, both in and out of school?

Spotlight on Ohio’s Existing STEM Ecosystems

Much like any ecosystem operating in nature. The sum of all parts, the interconnectedness of each species working together, makes the system thrive.

The Ohio STEM Learning Network

Ohio schools, learners and communities are fortunate to be served by the Ohio STEM Learning Network, OSLN, a public-private partnership between Battelle and the Ohio Department of Education.

OSLN delivers high quality professional development, activities, and educational support to inspire the next generation of Ohio innovators.

New Growth Group

The New Growth Group (New Growth) is a workforce and economic development consulting group that mobilizes businesses and communities to achieve growth. The organization has provided strategic planning, grant and resource development, operations support, and analytics to over 200 business organizations, public agencies, institutions of higher education, philanthropies, and not-for-profit organizations in 25 states and Washington, D.C. This includes the development of over $260,000,000 in grant funding to support workforce initiatives.