Mission
UMass Dartmouth's K-20 Regional STEM Partnership, a coalition of SouthCoast school districts within Southeastern Massachusetts and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (UMass Dartmouth), promotes regional initiatives for the improvement of STEM education and student achievement.
The Partnership
The K-20 Regional STEM Partnership consists of district curriculum coordinators, math coordinators/chair persons, teacher leaders, principals, superintendents, education consultants, UMass Dartmouth faculty from the science, mathematics and education departments, the Kaput Center for Research and Innovation in Mathematics Education (Kaput Center) at UMass Dartmouth, and the Center for University, School and Community Partnerships (CUSP) at UMass Dartmouth. The Partnership is directly linked to the business community through the SouthCoast Education Compact (the Compact) and is supported by the leadership of Chancellor Jean McCormack of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
Goals and Organization
The goal of the Partnership is to build a regional STEM education community to positively impact student achievement through collaborative efforts by establishing research and professional development projects. The Partnership provides opportunities for PreK-20 math and science educators to learn from each other and exchange information across districts and with UMass Dartmouth. Meeting regularly, the Partnership discusses topics and issues pertinent to mathematics and science education as well as plans and implements regional initiatives in mathematics and science.
In establishing partnerships, Pre K-12 educators, UMass Dartmouth Faculty and Center associates will develop and submit research proposals to various funding agencies for work inside classrooms and professional development of teachers. These partnerships will also assist in the integration and sustainability of new initiatives and innovation in the region's schools and the mathematics and teaching programs at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
The K-20 Regional STEM Partnership is housed within the Kaput Center and has strong alliances with CUSP and the Compact. Through these associations, the Partnership will maintain focus and find support for sustained investigation of fundamental issues in the field of mathematics and science education, issues that will enhance and deepen educational experiences for all teachers and students in Massachusetts.
Aims and Objectives
- To provide forum for teachers, school and business leaders, and state elected officials to share with each other successful initiatives and resources used to improve STEM education
- To build community so teachers can support and provide opportunities to other teachers/schools who are in need
- To discuss the future of education in our region and how we can better serve our students
- To inform the University of what they can do to develop research and development programs to create necessary change
Ongoing activities within the Partnership include:
- Monthly meetings to discuss the work of the partnership
- Planning and prioritizing future events
- Forming strategic sub-committees to operationalize the needs of the partnership
- Hosting an annual math and science education conference bringing educators together from across the region
- Discussing needs in the Partnership and responding to them in efficient and sustainable ways
- collaborated in writing grants
- participated in mathematics education research
- analyzed MCAS data
There is no limit to what we can do together for the SouthCoast community.
