Keystone Today

Gov. Tom Wolf has announced 42 PAsmart Advancing Grants amounting to nearly $20 million that will expand access to computer science, science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education for students in Pennsylvania. 

Wolf made the announcement in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). The projects funded through the grants will be for developing K-12 data science, increasing the number of K-8 educators with computer science endorsements in the northeast part of the state, engineering and digital fabrication for elementary students, and increasing the focus on computer science at the high school level.

“Our historic investments in education throughout my administration are ensuring a better future for our children and a stronger Pennsylvania,” Governor Wolf said in a news release on Tuesday. “These PAsmart awards focused on STEM education are particularly valuable in putting commonwealth students on a path to the best jobs of the future.”

Acting Secretary of Education Eric Hagarty said the PAsmart grant program prepares students for the future, no matter where they live or plan to live.

“Equitable access to STEM and computer science programs gives students from all walks of life the skills they need to obtain meaningful, family-sustaining careers, and these grants will provide thousands more learners the opportunity to build on their skillset, grow and achieve,” Hagarty said in the release.

One awarded proposal was “PA Aquaponics Collaborative Expansion” led by Intermediate Unit 1. This is a project that enables the Southwest PA Aquaponics Collaborative, businesses, higher education, the intermediate unit and school district partners to expand educational aquaponics programs into the rural, western and central parts of the state. The focus is for rural students across 20 counties to learn about food systems, farming and sustainability through aquaponics.

Another is “Reimagining Access and Mathematical Pathways (RAMP) to STEM.” This is led by the Delaware County Intermediate Unit and the STEM Equity Alliance, and brings culturally relevant math education to underserved students of color. 

Every county in Pennsylvania will be served by at least three project awarded grants and more than three quarters of the 67 counties will be impacted by four or more projects.

According to the Center for Workforce Information and Analysis at the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, by 2028 there will be approximately157,000 more occupations requiring knowledge in mathematics statewide, which is 65% of all employment in the state. There will also be approximately125,000 more occupations requiring knowledge in computers and electronics, or 54% of all employment. 

Since Gov. Wolf took office, his administration has invested $116 million in STEM, including $20 million annually over eight years for PAsmart. There have been 495 PAsmart grants awarded for computer science and STEM education and training at 765 schools across the state since the 2018-19 school year.