2012: mbrt's year in review

Maryland Business Roundtable for Education 2012 Year In Review

Moving Maryland to World-Class in Education, Innovation, and Workforce Quality MBRT played a key role in this year of transition for education in Maryland: moving to more rigorous standards, greater focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), higher accountability for educators, and robust data system implementation; and has made significant progress in meeting deliverables, fulfilling commitments, and building new partnerships.

Influencing Policy MBRT works with elected officials, national organizations, state agencies, and local jurisdictions to support efforts and influence policies that will strengthen Maryland’s education system, raise academic standards, and increase student achievement.

Creating the Platform and Connecting the People In addition to its ongoing work to motivate, encourage and support students to become college/career-ready, MBRT is working – at the Governor’s request and in partnership with the Maryland State Department of Education – to build Maryland’s STEM Innovation Network. STEMnet will provide quality instructional resources and a powerful platform for interaction among educators, STEM industry professionals, students and parents. With funding from Race To The Top and significant resources and technical assistance from Northrop Grumman, IBM, and other corporate partners, four components of STEMnet’s Teacher Hub and Student Hub have been developed and are ready for launch. Progress on specific deliverables is included as an attachment to this report.

MBRT Recognition

MBRT continues to shine in the national spotlight and is recognized for its leadership and innovation in STEM education.

IBM received the National Governor’s Association award for a model public/private partnership for its work to support MBRT’s development of the STEMnet platform (technical assistance valued at $250,000 over two years). Nationally, only two companies were so recognized.

MBRT was nominated for and accepted into the exclusive 100Kin10 Partnership – a national movement to promote and fund innovative programs that support, increase, and strengthen STEM teachers.

MBRT led the Maryland team at the national Change the Equation conference – mobilizing the business community nationally to improve STEM learning in the United States.

MBRT participated in other national forums:

- Next Generation Science Standards

- Data Quality Campaign

- Clinton Global Initiative, STEM Workgroup

- ACHIEVE

- U.S. Department of Education/

Grantmakers for Education convening of

Race To The Top States

“MBRT has

established the

groundwork for

STEMnet to

become the best-

in-class resource

nationally.

It provides a

powerful platform

of solutions for

interaction among

teachers, students,

and STEM-industry

professionals.”

- Education First

September 2012


Using External Expertise and Client Input to Elevate Our Efforts/Outcomes MBRT engaged and worked with a number of nationally recognized firms and professionals to elevate the level of its efforts and outcomes.

Fundraising: CCS – to conduct a development assessment and draft a case statement for fundraising.

Communications: KSA and communications professionals from Northrop Grumman, McCormick, Johns Hopkins,

UMBC and Battelle – to draft an overall communications plan and develop messages for parents.

National STEM Assessment: Education First – to conduct a national review of state STEM efforts and provide

assessment and recommendations for STEMNet.

Video Resources: MedSchool Maryland Productions – to capture on film the elements of STEM Specialists in the

Classroom for use in promotion and as a model for an online library of video clips as a resource for teachers.

STEMnet Planning: Joan Michel and planning professionals from Northrop Grumman, Earth Networks, UMBC – to

develop a business model for STEMnet beyond 2014.

Publication Support: Lauren Blundin, Robert Madden and Doug Cole Design – to produce Algebra Teachers Speak

Out, a summary of focus group and online survey results (sponsored by T. Rowe Price and printed by Northrop

Grumman).

Magazine Production: The Daily Record – to produce the Be What I Want To Be magazine for students.

Program Support: Three UMBC interns – Aureanna and Kaitlyn Hakenson and Micaela Ferrero.

Believing that successful programs are designed with clients, not for clients, MBRT conducted online surveys and focus groups with teachers, students, parents, and volunteers – and worked with teachers over the summer – to guide development of MBRT’s STEMnet and Achievement Counts programs. In addition, MBRT meets regularly with educators at MSDE and local superintendents to seek their input and advice.

Leadership and Administration As Jim Pitts announced his intention to step down as MBRT Chair at the end of 2012, Freeman Hrabowski, Kevin Hall, and Kevin Manning served on the Succession Committee to identify and nominate his successor. Gloria Flach, who was recently named to succeed Jim Pitts as President of Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems and who has served as Chair of MBRT’s Strategic Steering Committee for five years, was nominated and confirmed by the MBRT Board of Directors, and was elected by the MBRT membership in December.


100% of Maryland seniors met graduation

requirements

Education in Maryland

Leadership Transition For the first time in more than twenty years, Maryland has a new chief state school officer. Dr. Lillian Lowery, former Delaware Secretary of Education, became Maryland State Superintendent of Schools on July 1, 2012. Dr. Lowery has met individually and collectively with MBRT executive director and Board of Directors, and is anxious to work in partnership to support educational excellence, efficiency, and equity. Eleven new local superintendents have recently been appointed. MBRT’s executive director met with all 24 superintendents as a group in January, and has – over the past six months – met individually with 18 local superintendents and their leadership teams. Commitment to collaboration and partnership with MBRT has never been higher.

Student Achievement In 2009, Maryland implemented new, more rigorous graduation standards, requiring students to demonstrate competency in English, Algebra 1, and Biology in order to receive a diploma. 100% of 2012 seniors met the graduation requirement – 90.1% by test performance, 9.6% by Bridge plan (project-based competency assessment), and 0.2% by waiver. A graduation rate of 83% reveals that too many students are still leaving school without a diploma, particularly in Baltimore City, but fewer are dropping out between 9

th

and 10th

grade – the grade level where MBRT efforts are focused.

National Recognition

Maryland is leading the nation in educational progress on many fronts.

Maryland was named #1 in education by Education Week for the 4th consecutive year.

Maryland ranks #1 in Advanced Placement (AP) performance and in the percentage of high schools offering – and students taking – college-level courses.

Maryland is 1 of 3 states that received a top rating from the U. S. Department of Education for implementation of Race To The Top.

Maryland was awarded a new $50 million Race To The Top grant for Early Childhood Learning – one of nine states selected.

Scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) continue to improve. Among students in all states, Maryland 4th graders ranked fifth in math and third in reading. “Maryland won the gold medal by having the steepest overall growth trend over 15 years.”

“Is the U.S. Catching up?” Education Next, 2012


Raising Standards and Accountability Common Core Standards in Math and English Language Arts were developed and adopted by 46 states, which set rigorous and universal expectations for what students K-12 need to learn and be able to do. Maryland is playing a leadership role among 24 states to develop assessments, and Maryland educators are developing curriculum to support implementation of these new standards. Early implementation is underway. Maryland is one of 26 states leading development of Next Generation Science Standards. MBRT serves on the statewide NGSS committee and participates in national conferences with science leaders and educators. New science standards are expected to be released in spring 2013. In an effort to link educator effectiveness to student performance, the Maryland Council for Educator Effectiveness (on which MBRT plays a key role) presented recommendations to the Governor, state legislature, and the State Board of Education for a statewide educator evaluation system, which is being piloted in 23 districts this school year and will be fully operational in the 2013-14 school year. MSDE is working to implement a statewide electronic transcript system that will allow for efficient preparation and dissemination of student transcripts and will create a central repository of student-level data (from pre-K through college) including data on courses completed and grades earned. The Maryland Longitudinal Data System (MLDS) is being launched in the fall of 2012. MBRT has access to the system through its own “portlet,” allowing us to track Maryland Scholars data in all 24 districts.

Risk Analysis

While Maryland ranks high in national comparisons and has achieved remarkable gains on standardized tests, several states outperform us in student achievement; and, internationally, Maryland students rank in the middle of the pack. We must remain vigilant in closing the achievement gap and ensuring that all students perform at higher levels. Early indicators from other states show that fewer students are meeting the more rigorous Common Core Standards than previous state standards. While this outcome was not unexpected and will likely be duplicated in Maryland, a well-crafted communications strategy is needed to quell fears of parents and others and to sustain support for high standards.

“Had all students throughout the United States made the same average gains as did those in [Maryland], the U.S. would have been making progress roughly comparable to the rate of improvement in

Germany and the United Kingdom, bringing the United States reasonably close to the top-performing countries in the world.”

(“Is the U.S. Catching Up?”, Education Next, Fall 2012)


Maryland Scholars… Creating successful students and a STEM-capable workforce

Maryland Scholars is designed to increase the number of students who complete rigorous high school coursework, making them STEM-capable and well prepared to succeed in college and the workplace. Maryland Scholars:

Correlates well to college/career readiness, STEM preparation, and Race To The Top goals

Serves as strong, easily understandable metric to track progress Motivates middle-achieving students to challenge themselves Drives policy decisions, including higher graduation

requirements Conducted in partnership with the Governor, State Superintendent of Schools and local superintendents since 2003, MBRT volunteers encourage 8

th and 9

th graders to complete the Maryland Scholars Course

of Study. In 2012, based on data submitted to date by 12 districts, 54% of Maryland high school graduates met the Maryland Scholars criteria. (2014 Goal: 67%) Between 2009 and 2012, 124,000 more seniors graduated as Maryland Scholars – a 50% increase. Raising the Bar: To foster and promote consistent expectations for college/career-readiness, MBRT adjusted the Maryland Scholars criteria (for 2012 freshmen) – adding a 4

th math credit and raising the GPA requirement to 3.0 – to better align with

USM’s new admission requirements. Local superintendents applaud the new criteria.

Maryland Scholars Course of Study 2003-2011

4 credits of English 3 credits of Math Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2 3 credits of Lab Science

Biology, Chemistry, Physics (preferred*) 3 credits of Social Studies

U.S. History, World History, Government 2 credits of the same World Language Students must attain a 2.5 GPA to qualify Underlined courses exceed current State requirements.

(*A 3rd

lab science may be substituted for physics.)

Maryland Scholars Course of Study for 2012-

(applicable to 2015 grads)

4 credits of English 4 credits of Math Must include math including or beyond Algebra 2 3 credits of Lab Science Biology, Chemistry, Physics (preferred*) 3 credits of Social Studies U.S. History, World History, Government 2 credits of the same World Language Students must attain a 3.0 GPA to qualify

Underlined courses exceed current State requirements.

(*A 3rd

lab science may be substituted for physics.)

MBRT is working with MSDE and local superintendents to define criteria for STEM-advanced, which may result in a new designation – Maryland STEM Scholar.

38%

50% 54% 54%

67%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Maryland Scholars Percent of HS graduates


Lessons learned:

An approach to Service

Johns Hopkins is committed to a culture of service and has demonstrated a deep commitment to MBRT in several ways:

Engaging Leadership. High level managers are actively participating at both the Board of Director and Strategic Steering committee level, while utilizing internal management groups to help recruit volunteer speakers for MBRT programs. All levels of management understand the importance of our efforts, which directly link to Johns Hopkins’ organizational goals, and allow flexibility for employees to participate during working hours.

Engaging Employees. Of the volunteers recruited at Johns Hopkins, they have one of the highest conversion rates – recruited volunteers actually getting into the classroom – 30% in the 2011-2012 school year.

Employees are encouraged to commit to service in the community and management supports their efforts.

Allegany County… Gets It!

Business and district leaders view the Achievement Counts partnership as an established and reputable service resource. The Allegany County Chamber of Commerce leads the effort in Allegany County with more than 13 businesses participating. Every high school in the county has partnered with us consistently since 2005. This district takes ownership, leads the effort, and brings valuable resources to their local schools each year. And in 2012, we will extend this partnership with the addition of the College Access program at Washington Middle School. We celebrate the entire Allegany County leadership!

94% of our volunteers

are rated effective by teachers.

13 Years of… Inspiring and Motivating Students to Achieve The Achievement Counts Speakers Bureau celebrates 13 years of a forward-leaning, innovative approach to business and school partnerships throughout Maryland. More than 3,000 volunteers have worked with MBRT to impact more than 700,000 students statewide, and the effort is the underpinning for many of the programs offered by MBRT. The standard operating model has been documented, tested, and effectively scaled to expand on offerings to schools, teachers and students. During this time of growth and maturity, we have learned that:

Our training prepares business leaders to effectively connect with students; 94% of volunteers are rated

effective at successfully engaging students by teachers.

Our volunteers are committed, and vested. Implemented process improvements show steady, favorable results. As of early November, volunteers have signed up for 83% of all

scheduled classrooms (Oct 2012 – May 2013); compared to 82% this time last year and 64% in 2010.

Our partnerships with schools and school districts have deepened, and are critical to the success of our efforts. 13 years of engagement has established the demand for our work, and schools value and trust MBRT as an enduring partner; resulting in a pull vs. push effect overall.

In 2012, our focus was to assess the program volunteer and school engagement. Members of our Speakers Bureau Advisory Board formed two teams who were tasked with reviewing key data points; including school and business engagement, teacher/speaker/student feedback and making recommendations for the program going forward. These recommendations were shared with the Strategic Steering Committee and were implemented with the start of the 2012-2013 school year.

Speakers Bureau Advisory Board Team Members

Angela Ballard-Landers WSSC Carla Beckford Johns Hopkins Medicine Shawn Bediako UMBC John Berkley SSA Michael Ches APGFCU Barry Evans Towson University Kesha Jones KJones Consulting Abraham Joshua 1st Realty Resource, LLC Wanda King Choice Learning & Mgmt Craig Lapreziosa Independent Mary Ann Lovell Citigroup

Lisa Martin Salvere Health & Fitness Angela Mellerson Johns Hopkins University Clyde Middleton Dare to Soar LLC Don Musgrove WAKE4Youth, Inc. Brenda Pettigrew BGE / Constellation Energy Richard Petras Northrop Grumman Maurio Phoenix Northrop Grumman Chitra Raghu Lockheed Martin Laura Sines TIAA-CREF Glenn Speights Lockheed Martin Emilio Stokes Lockheed Martin Leslie Watley SSA


2012 Results and Learnings Program expanded to impact 52 of Maryland’s highest-need middle schools

On target to reach 38,000 8th

and 9th

grade students As of December 2012:

603 volunteers recruited (60% of annual target)

21,349 students reached in 102 schools (55% of annual target)

16 school districts (80% of annual target) Goal by May 2013: 38,000 middle and high school students statewide

More effective approach to school outreach implemented, based on needs assessment conducted by Speakers Bureau Advisory Board.

Partnerships secured early Meetings with 18 superintendents resulted stronger commitment and realistic targets for school outreach; 16 districts scheduled to date. Goal: 20 of 24 districts participating

Communications expanded and strengthened among key stakeholders. Board companies are stepping up their recruitment efforts

15 of 22 board companies have recruited volunteer speakers -- 48% of total recruited. Weekly/biweekly reports are provided to board companies detailing volunteer recruitment, training and completion. Goal: 100% of board companies recruiting volunteers

Raising expectations for high-need students is proving to be essential for college preparation and success.

Students understand the important role of college 92% of students indicated that they plan to continue their education after high school. 80% of students indicate that they plan to take more challenging coursework to prepare –a 15% increase after hearing the presentations from our speakers. Goal: 95% of students understand college/career expectations

Over the years, we have been successful in igniting ownership and a sense of community with our schools and volunteers. As we continue in these efforts, Board commitment to employee engagement in our Achievement Counts program will be a critical factor in the success of future school efforts. 2013 Priorities

Continue to build on our successes and establish a more self- sustaining model for schools and businesses (as highlighted on pg. 6).

Utilize stronger analytics to define/shape behaviors and actions of our students, schools, volunteers, and business partners.

Develop and implement tangible process improvement strategies.

Evaluate the number of high-need students taking more rigorous coursework (Maryland Scholars) in high school. Identify areas of potential influence at the middle school level and develop plan of action with 52 partner middle schools.

Create and widely distribute messages, tools and resources for parents to utilize in supporting their students in college preparation.

High Achievers

Northrop Grumman Corporation was our leading company to recruit volunteers in 2009, 2010 and 2011! Congratulations.

2011-2012 Top volunteer recruitment companies:

128 Volunteers

100 Volunteers

30 Volunteers

25 Volunteers

Very special thanks to our Top 21 Presenters of 2011-12! This group of volunteers went above & beyond by speaking directly with 8,534 students in 342 classrooms throughout the state last year! Thank you!

Sonya Pietrogiacomo (33) *Cyndi Slacum (31)

*Dee Barretto (26) *Michael Ches (21)*Emillio

Stokes (20)*Jonathan Everett (18) *Abraham

Joshua (18)*Raza Khan (16)*Stacey Schneider

(16)*Zenora Khan (15)*Roy Taylor (14)*Nancy Hill

(13)*Ivan Laney (13)*Don Musgrove (13) *Nona

Carroll (12 )*Amy Adams (11)*Kenniss Henry

(11)*Donna Peters (11)*Doris Duren (10)*Gloria

Gadson (10)*DeWayne Wilcher (10)

8th

Grade Outreach funding provided by:


STEMnet Teacher Hub… Supporting STEM Teachers In and Out of the Classroom STEMnet – Maryland’s STEM Innovation Network –thestemnet.com - is being created by MBRT in response to the Governor’s STEM Task Force Report, to provide a platform that ensures universal access to Maryland’s vast STEM resources. In partnership with the Maryland State Department of Education, local school districts, and STEM teachers across the state – and with funding from Race To The Top and corporations – the Teacher Hub is being created by MBRT to support STEM teachers and their efforts to move Maryland to world-class status in STEM education. MBRT is building what STEM teachers say they need; an online system that connects them to people and resources that will:

strengthen teacher knowledge and skills

bolster student learning and interest in science and math

demonstrate real-world application of math and science concepts/skills

facilitate greater interaction/collaboration among STEM teachers and practitioners.

STEM Specialists in the Classroom

Offers teachers at-elbow instructional support from workplace specialists with on-the-job expertise in specific math and science concepts and practices. Using an “e-Harmony”-type online system containing profiles of trained workplace specialists and their areas of expertise, teachers invite/schedule specialists to “co-teach” a lesson in their classroom, aligned to standards/curriculum, providing students with the opportunity to experience real-world application of their learning.

2011-12 – Piloted in Baltimore County, biology focus 2012-13 – Expanded to 6 districts, algebra and biology focus 2013-14 – Launch in 22 districts, chemistry and physics added

STEM Resource Clearinghouse

Offers teachers a single online destination where they can find STEM resources to strengthen classroom instruction and improve student learning. Using an “app store”-type format, teachers can easily locate and download curriculum materials, lesson plans, demonstration videos, classroom experiments, enrichment activities, and teaching aids that are mapped and meta-tagged to Common Core Standards and Maryland Core Learning Goals.

2012-13 – Initial phase launched, focus on algebra and biology 2013-14 – Chemistry and physics resources added

STEM Connections

Offers teachers access to STEM educators and professionals in industry, higher education, and government to obtain/share information and collaborate on projects. As part of an online STEM community, teachers can connect with other STEM teachers and professionals in the field to pose questions, share effective practices/resources, work together to solve problems, and learn about professional development or externship opportunities.

2013-14 – Initial phase launched


STEMnet Teacher Hub 2012 Results and Learnings

During 2012, MBRT worked to expand STEM Specialists in the Classroom to include biology and algebra and to launch the program in six districts this school year. MBRT also began development of the STEM Resource Clearinghouse. Program designed with broad teacher input

Surveyed 380 algebra teachers from 21 school districts to identify needed areas of support.

Conducted a focus group with 20 algebra teachers from 8 school districts to further clarify needs.

Produced a report on findings, “Algebra Teachers Speak

Out.”

Worked with 20 algebra and biology teachers over the summer to design implementation and expansion of STEM Specialists in the Classroom and to help develop the STEM Resource Clearinghouse.

Partnerships established and volunteers trained Established partnership with 5 school districts for fall implementation

and received requests to participate from several other districts.

Recruited and trained 60 math and biology workplace specialists to participate in classroom.

Resources developed Created a promotional video on STEM Specialists in the Classroom

Developed a model for establishing an online video clip library of

workplace specialists introducing students to specific algebra/biology concepts/skills and how they are used in the workplace.

Collected useful, aligned lesson plans and resource links from teachers for initial launch of STEM Resource Clearinghouse.

2013 Priorities

Launch STEM Specialists in 2 additional districts in the spring.

Add physics and chemistry to STEM Specialists & Clearinghouse

in the fall.

Evaluate effectiveness.

Prepare to launch in 22 districts in the fall.

Develop STEM Connections.

Lessons learned:

Teacher-to-Teacher Promotion Works

Two biology teachers from last year’s pilot – Sara Grogan and Brian Patterson – took the initiative to schedule and conduct a breakout session at the Baltimore County science teacher professional development meeting to introduce STEM Specialists in the Classroom to their fellow biology teachers.

The response was overwhelmingly positive – all 40 teachers attending created STEMnet accounts and are eagerly awaiting the green light to invite specialist to their classrooms.

Possibly the most effective way to promote the program to teachers is encouragement from a trusted colleague.

Teachers Have Specific Priorities

Instructional support and resources must be easy to use, interactive, engaging, age-appropriate and aligned to Common Core Standards.


STEMnet Student Hub… Connecting Students to STEM Professionals, Careers, and Real-Life Challenges MBRT is building what students say they want; an online system that connects them to information, resources and opportunities that will:

make science and math instruction come to life

provide opportunities to learn about STEM careers

challenge their thinking and reward outstanding achievement

STEM Career Exploration

Offers students an opportunity to explore a wide variety of STEM careers and what it takes to qualify for them. Using an interactive teen-oriented website, students can browse through a variety of well-paying, high-demand career fields, get in-depth information about the ones that interest them, and construct a plan to set and achieve their career goals – and to become part of an online community of STEM-interested students.

2011-12 – Initial phase developed, biology-related fields 2012-13 – Expanded to include algebra-related fields 2013-14 – Expanded to more STEM fields

STEM Challenge Program

Offers students, in class or on their own, the opportunity to solve real STEM problems experienced by (and posed by) real-world industry specialists. Using an online webinar-type module, students will be introduced to a real-world challenge by an expert in the field and are invited to participate in the solution, allowing them to become part of a community of problem-solvers and to receive feedback and recognition for their contributions to the solution.

2012-13 – Initial phase launched, focus on algebra and biology 2013-14 – Chemistry and physics challenges added

STEM Workplace Exposure Opportunities

Offers students the opportunity to obtain workplace exposure in the form of internships and job shadowing. Using an online inventory of workplace exposure opportunities, students can locate and apply for positions that will allow them to experience work in a career field of their choosing. This program will give all students a more level playing field to compete for existing opportunities.

2013-14 – Initial phase launched


Lesson learned: Get students actively involved as online problem-solvers

Example: Baltimore County Public Schools wanted to engage students in a rich-STEM activity online. MBRT joined forces with the TIME Center and CCBC to create an interactive contest.

The app developed, “Operation Creation”, prompted students to solve real-world problems … and to design and build the solutions virtually at BeWhatiWantToBe.com. The contest was completed by 350 8

th

grade students, with 9 nine teachers … in just 2 days. Winning students developed prototype models at CCBC’s Fab Lab using 3-D printing and rapid-prototyping. Students were also introduced to the careers using similar technology and the education paths available. Sample middle-school student entries: *Digital sensors for the blind *Energy-generating footwear

STEMnet Student Hub

STEM Career Exploration Students continue to utilize the career exploration tools of the BeWhatIWantToBe.com website and magazine. In 2012, a STEM focus was added to the online experience, including two dozen new STEM careers for students to explore. The STEM Careers Exploration materials offer an opportunity for students to be exposed to career options, to understand what it takes to qualify for them, and to chart a course of action to reach their STEM goals. Teachers continue to build classroom lessons around the program, to supplement STEM classroom learning with direct application in Maryland-based careers. 2012 Results and Learnings Growth of the online student audience continued in 2012:

over 261,000 students used the tool

13,280 students have active accounts

classrooms in all 24 Maryland school districts participate

Student interest in STEM career activities – particularly with online elements like video, games, and apps – is higher than ever. More significantly, many educators seek high-quality, relevant and STEM-oriented activities online for their students as well. Even as some barriers to technology use in schools remain, online tools are gaining adoption in classrooms. 2013 Priorities

Continue to prepare and package STEM tools for teacher and student use. BeWhatIWantToBe.com print and online tools will be supplemented with additional STEM career content for the 2013 school year.

Focus on adding mobile web strategies to all student campaigns. Campaigns will also be promoted through peer-to-peer social networks.

Seek to leverage additional online tools from partners in allied STEM programs, including new video, games and apps.

STEM Challenges

The program offers students the opportunity to solve real STEM problems experienced by (and posed by) real-world industry specialists.

Produced by the Daily Record


Lesson learned: Be open and connected The approach to technology of STEMnet was established with key partners, MSDE, IBM and Northrop Grumman, to secure the long term viability of the platform:

Be open. A widely adopted open-source environment, Drupal, was selected. The STEMnet benefits from the wide community of developers contributing improvements.

Connect. To share resources at scale, the platform is being developed to connect users to other allied systems … a network of networks around STEM. This provides users with a rich set of STEM activities, programs and people with less effort.

Organizations leading the strategy in 2012 include:

The Platform to deliver our services

To support the growing offering of services delivered to strengthen STEM education in Maryland, MBRT built the foundational platform of STEMnet with significant technical assistance led by IBM, Earth Networks and Northrop Grumman. STEMnet was created to use transformational technology to provide universal access to STEM information, resources, and opportunities in Maryland. MBRT has continued to invest in new features and communication tools that allow better connection between STEM educators, professionals and students. 2012 Results and Learnings

To better support the new STEM programs in the 2012 school year, MBRT conducted a design overhaul of the STEMnet technical platform.

Platform enhancements include: new interface, that is mobile-friendly program features for educators, volunteers and parents new STEM career tools for students

2013 Priorities

Platform improvements scheduled for 2013 include:

supporting existing STEM program commitments,

staying aligned with MSDE’s data systems and

providing a secure and private environment for the user base.

The Plan to maximize our impact

2012 Results and Learnings

At the request of the MBRT Board of Directors, a recommended future business model was created with the help of business and education advisors.

The STEMnet Advisory Board, the Technology Committee and the Content Committee, conducted long-term business planning for the STEMnet offering. The opportunity to sustain MBRT’s STEM programs and infrastructure was explored. Market conditions, potential partners, costs and revenue sources were designed for the period beyond 2014.

2013 Priorities

The opportunity for MBRT to enter an enhanced public/private partnership in STEM collaboration has gained momentum. MBRT will explore the business model in detail with potential partners in 2013.

Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll, Harford, Howard Frederick and Washington County Public Schools


2013 Priorities MBRT will continue its efforts to inform, motivate and help students to prepare for college and careers, with special emphasis on STEM and high-need schools and students. To meet grant commitments, MBRT is expanding its services to high need middle schools/students; developing a tool-kit for educators, parents and others; performing additional data/ evaluation processes; and continuing to develop of Teacher, Student and Parent Hubs on the STEM Innovation Network. 1. Target Strategies to Advocate, Convene and Provide Service More Effectively

-- to ensure that all students are college/career-ready Strengthen key partnerships and volunteer base

Help partners succeed

Find ways to connect more effectively and efficiently with schools, teachers and students

Tighten focus on

Promoting STEM coursework and careers Districts farthest from reaching Scholars target High poverty schools and students Reaching students earlier Actionable data

Continue working with superintendents and higher education to align programs and policies

Support implementation of policies required by Race To The Top to move forward Maryland’s third wave of education reform

2. Capitalize on New Opportunities

-- to strengthen MBRT’s position and capabilities Continue to refine comprehensive technology systems architecture to support existing and new programs

STEM Innovation Network – build, test, launch and expand four key components of the STEMnet Teacher and

Student Hubs

Seek aligned partnerships to advance MBRT’s goals 3. Ensure MBRT Effectiveness and Funding

-- to support MBRT priorities and to strengthen organizational capacity Hire two staff members to help handle additional workload and fulfill grant requirements

Secure Board support in achieving membership and project funding goals

Leverage all available resources and in-kind contribution opportunities

Extend use of technology to better accomplish objectives

Monitor benchmarks and indicators of success

2012: mbrt's year in review

Documents

stem education

mbrt recognition mbrt

states mbrt

effortsoutcomes mbrt

policy mbrt

stem science

stem teachers

marylands education