Mi-STAR Awarded $385K by MiSTEM Council

The Michigan Science Teaching and Assessment Reform Project (Mi-STAR) is receiving a $385,136 grant from the Michigan Department of Education's MiSTEM Advisory Council to continue development of its middle school science curriculum.

In addition, two Michigan school districts have been awarded grants to support their participation in Mi-STAR. Pinckney Community Schools and Otsego Public Schools will receive $10,703 and $19,568, respectively.

"The big news for us is that we received an award from the MiSTEM Advisory Council,” said Jacqueline Huntoon, who is Mi-STAR principal investigator, as well as Michigan Tech provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “Plus the awards to Pinckney Community Schools in Southeast Michigan and Otsego in Western Lower Michigan will help them bring Mi-STAR to their schools."

Huntoon calls the award “great news for Mi-STAR and middle school science teachers and their students.”

The program is currently in use by more than 600 middle school teachers around Michigan, affecting tens of thousands of students.

Stephanie Tubman, coordinator of curriculum development and Implementation,  said the award will allow teachers to access the Mi-STAR program, which includes the curriculum, associated professional learning, and teacher supports such as the curriculum helpline and community forums, for a reduced subscription fee in 2019–20.   The grant will also provide more opportunities for new people to be certified as Mi-STAR professional learning facilitators and for teachers to participate in four curriculum workshops this summer to finish drafting the curriculum.

Mi-STAR is among 21 grant recipients across the state that will share in $3.05 million set aside by Michigan’s 2018–19 School Aid Act to support programs listed in the STEMworks Database, a repository of high-quality STEM programs. The MiSTEM Advisory Council selected the award winners from among 78 applications submitted.