​Application Guidelines for A2E STEM-CS

Grant Opportunity at a Glance

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is requesting applications for the Aspiring to Educate (A2E) STEM-CS Grants. There are two grants available.

How to Apply: For either grant opportunity, fill out Application for Funding Form for A2E STEM-CS (Word) and email it to RA-EDOPHEGrants@pa.gov by the application deadline at 11:59 p.m. on September 23, 2022.

Contact: Contact the Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education at RA-EDOPHEGrants@pa.gov for technical assistance or to obtain answers to questions related to the grant application by September 23, 2022.

Background

In recent years Pennsylvania, like other states, has faced both a shortage in the number of teachers in the educator pipeline as well as a shortage in the number of diverse teacher candidates in the pipeline. This has created a disproportionate representation in the number of diverse students vs. teachers.

To address both the lack of capacity and the lack of diversity in the teacher workforce, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) developed the Aspiring to Educate program (A2E) which was piloted during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years in the southeastern region of the state. A2E was designed to equip future and current teachers with the knowledge needed to become culturally competent educators. More information about the initial launch of the A2E program.

The A2E pilot included Temple University as one of the institutions of higher education (IHE) working with the School District of Philadelphia, the primary grantee. Among Temple University's grant responsibilities was to facilitate connections for aspiring educators with all participating IHEs, so that A2E students were aware of the opportunities available to them for pursuing their bachelor's degrees. Temple University facilitated these connections via the creation of the A2E Working Group within its already-existing IHE Educator Diversity Consortium.

The resulting success of the A2E Working Group is profound. Members not only developed draft Culturally Relevant and Sustaining Education (CR-SE) competencies, but three additional and complementary toolkits with guidance developed by the field for the field in the areas of recruitment, mentorship, and retention.¹ Most significantly, the IHE Educator Diversity Consortium has now become the Pennsylvania Educator Diversity Consortium (PEDC), a grassroots organization of PK-12, higher education, nonprofit, and government leaders striving to increase the number of teachers of color as well as culturally-responsive and sustaining educators in Pennsylvania. The PEDC is now the new home for a collection of rich resources to diversify the commonwealth's educator workforce, including reports, toolkits, and an annual summit, https://www.paeddiversity.org.

Research for Action evaluated the pilot phase of A2E in a report released in 2021. The report provides useful background information about the pilot effort, including how those involved responded to the COVID-19 disruptions. PDE encourages those interested in applying for this grant to review this report to gain insights into program design and to glean the lessons learned and areas for improvement.

Pennsylvania's educators are critical to preparing students for the careers of the future, ensuring students and workers develop the skills and abilities needed in the 21st century. Careers in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and computer science (CS) pathways are growing at a much faster rate than other occupations over the past 10 years.

According to the PA Workforce Needs Assessment 2016-2026, there will be 590,000 new and replacement jobs in Pennsylvania through 2026, with STEM-CS jobs growing at over 9 percent. STEM, health, and business majors earn the highest salaries, with graduates earning an average annual wage of $37,000 or more at the entry level and an average of $65,000 or more annually over the course of their careers. Currently, there are 17,787 unfilled CS and software development jobs in Pennsylvania with an average salary of $85,000.

Under Governor Tom Wolf's administration, Pennsylvania has established a strong and innovative culture for STEM learning by strengthening STEM experiences for all students, supporting professional development for educators, and forming diverse partnerships across the commonwealth. More information about PAsmart.

As part of the next phase of A2E, PDE is investing PAsmart funds to make simultaneous progress at diversifying the teacher workforce and increasing the number, diversity, and cultural awareness of STEM-CS teachers.

PDE is inviting approved educator preparation programs (EPPs), including institutions with missions to educate historically disenfranchised groups, to submit applications for funding.

High Priority Populations

PDE has identified several high priority populations that may have interest in becoming STEM-CS teachers:

• high school students who can be encouraged and prepared to consider teaching as a career;
• baccalaureate students in non-education majors who would consider changing their field of study to enter the teaching profession;
• mid-career individuals with baccalaureate degrees in non-education fields who are interested in changing careers and entering a teaching career;
• individuals with some college in their backgrounds whose postsecondary education was interrupted for whatever reason and who are interested in completing their degrees and entering the teaching profession; and
  
• paraprofessionals in the field who have experience working in the schools and an interest in becoming teachers but who lack the necessary education credentials.

These populations include numerous individuals from underrepresented groups within the teacher workforce.

With respect to recruiting STEM-CS teachers, the population of baccalaureate students in STEM-CS majors is particularly significant. A STEM-CS teaching career offers the opportunity for these students to maintain their interest in STEM-CS while opening the door on working directly with youth and communities in school settings. Not all STEM-CS majors pursue careers as bench scientists. In fact, a 2021 National Science Board report found that "only 37% of workers with their highest degree in computer and mathematical sciences, life sciences, physical sciences, social sciences, or engineering worked in occupations classified as scientists or engineers."² STEM-CS education careers can provide many students with a scientifically rich career path that suits their work styles and interests.

PDE welcomes innovative programmatic efforts to achieve success at stimulating interest and response from individuals in these high priority populations.

Eligible Applicants

PDE welcomes PA-approved educator preparation programs (EPPs) to apply for these grants. The goal of programmatic funding is to support the development and sustainability of the Aspiring to Educate program (A2E) with a STEM-CS focus. Approximately $1 million in funding is available to be shared amongst all grantees. To achieve the goals of A2E-STEM-CS, funding will be awarded to those applicants who demonstrate a willingness and ability to develop a sustainable partnership with one or more LEAs and/or other relevant partners including local workforce development boards and organizations active within one or more of the Pennsylvania STEM ecosystems. The grantees will be responsible for disbursement of all funds once selections have been made.

Types of Available Grants

PDE will be awarding two types of grants as part of this program: Planning grants for 2022-2023 and Implementation grants for 2022-2023 through 2023-2024.

Planning grants will be awarded to consortia led by approved EPPs and are intended to assist EPPs in their efforts to establish or expand partnerships with the goal of designing a partnership-led local or regional pilot to increase and diversify the STEM-CS teacher pipeline. The highest dollar amount for a planning grant will be $100,000 and the funds must be expended during the 2022-2023 academic year.

Implementation grants will cover two academic years (2022-2023 through 2023-2024) and are intended for EPPs with established partnerships to support partnership-based interventions to increase diversity and cultural awareness in the STEM-CS teacher pipeline. The highest dollar amount for an Implementation grant will be $250,000 and the funds must be expended during the period of the grant.

Application Scoring Criteria and Funding Priorities

A2E STEM-CS Grant applications will be reviewed for the following:

1. Identification of a problem related to the shortage of STEM-CS teachers of color locally, regionally and/or statewide, description of program goals, and their alignment to the goals of the A2E and PAsmart initiatives.
2. A program narrative describing the activities for which funding will be used, including details of how the proposed program/activity will address diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives coupled with improvements in the supply of highly qualified STEM-CS teachers. The proposed program/initiative can include innovations in the recruitment, retention, graduation, and placement of STEM-CS teachers of color.
3. Detailed budget information that supports the goals and objectives of the proposal, is accurate and itemized using a per-unit cost and total expenditure, and is summarized into three categories: Contracted Services, Supplies, and Other.
4. Expected program outcomes that are stated in measurable terms including baseline information and expected improvement, with a clear plan for assessing the impact of the program being funded through the grant.
5. Accuracy of the information submitted.

Responses on the application will be scored according to the strength of their alignment to the goals of A2E and PAsmart.

Additionally, priority will be given to proposals from eligible organizations which include the following features:

Planning grants must show:

• Partnerships across multiple sectors, including postsecondary education, K-12, workforce development, businesses, chambers of commerce, STEM ecosystems, and community-based organizations.
• A cross-sector partnership with clear roles and responsibilities for each partner in the establishment of the partnership as well as the design and planning for the pilot.
• Demonstrated commitment to serve and increase access for historically underrepresented and underserved learners, workers, businesses, and communities. Applicants are encouraged to identify and address barriers to education and employment.

Implementation grants must show:

• A partnership with at least one LEA with schools that have high proportions of students of color or low-income students.
• A partnership with at least one LEA with chronic, multiple teacher shortages in STEM-CS subjects.
• A partnership with a Pennsylvania STEM ecosystem and/or other relevant partners, including local workforce development boards, where appropriate, to achieve a comprehensive approach with positive results that meet the need for talent at the regional level.
• Demonstrated commitment to serve and increase access for historically underrepresented and underserved learners, workers, businesses, and communities. Applicants are encouraged to identify and address barriers to education and employment.
• The utilization of data-driven strategies that identify research-based responses with promise to rectify the shortage of culturally aware STEM-CS teachers, particularly those from underrepresented groups within the profession.
• A design that builds upon existing efforts and past successes to leverage resources to build long term institutional capacity.
• The use of clear performance metrics so that progress can be monitored and corrections/interventions made where warranted.

Eligible Expenses

Only items directly related to eligible programs and activities covered in this request for application will be funded. Grant funds paid to institutions of higher education with approved educator preparation programs may not be used for direct salaries, fringe benefits, or operational rates. However, funding can be used for stipends. Indirect cost rates may not be used to claim administrative costs. Administrative costs (not to exceed 5% of the grant award) can be claimed as long as those costs are itemized within the application.

All budgets will be reviewed to evaluate appropriateness and connection to proposed grant activities and goals.

Funding Source

The grants are funded through Governor Wolf’s PAsmart initiative, a state-level investment in education and workforce development.

Funding Period

For planning grants, resources will cover activities through June 30, 2023.

For implementation grants, resources will cover activities through June 30, 2024.

Application and Award Timeline

To be considered for funding, all applications must be completed and submitted to PDE no later than September 23, 2022. The submission must be made to PDE via email as indicated in the application form.

Issuing Office and Contact Information

Contact the Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education at RA-EDOPHEGrants@pa.gov for technical assistance or to obtain answers to questions related to the grant application. All substantive questions must be submitted by September 23, 2022 date.

¹PDE supported the A2E Working Group via two contractors, along with the technical assistance and support of the Region IV Comprehensive Center, as part of its agreement with PDE.

²National Science Board, National Science Foundation. 2021. The STEM Labor Force of Today: Scientists, Engineers and Skilled Technical Workers. Science and Engineering Indicators 2022. NSB-2021-2. Alexandria, VA. Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsb20212.