For the fourth year in a row, hand2mind solutions have been included in a statewide program proven to increase students’ achievement in STEM subjects.

(IOWA) February 3, 2020 – The Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council has chosen hand2mind’s Differentiated Math Centers  and STEM in Action as two of 13 exemplary STEM programs in its annual STEM Scale-Up Program. To support superior STEM learning opportunities for Iowa’s youth, the council selects quality programs that reach nearly 100,000 young learners each year.

Differentiated Math Centers include hands-on activities and manipulatives that help K–5 students deepen their understanding of key math concepts. With three levels of differentiated activities for each learning objective, these standards-based centers enable teachers to address a wide range of student needs. STEM in Action allows educators to easily implement science, math, literacy, and engineering skills and apply them to real-world problems.

“Our programs use real-world challenges to teach STEM principles through hands-on discovery,” hand2mind CEO Rick Woldenberg said. “Educators love how effective these programs are in raising student engagement and strengthening conceptual understanding.”

Since its adoption in 2012, the STEM Scale-Up Program has been proven to increase student interest and achievement in STEM across all demographics. During the 2019-20 academic year, more than 1,200 educators were awarded STEM Scale-Up Programs, and they hope to expand that reach through an extended operating budget and inclusion of more quality solutions. This is the fourth year in a row that a hand2mind product has been chosen for the program. To be selected, each educational tool went through a rigorous review process at both the national and state level. Criteria included:

•     Demonstrating an appeal to diverse youth;
•     Success in improving academic performance;
•     Evidence of integrating STEM concepts;
•     Development of school-business-community partnerships; and
•     Sustainability beyond STEM Council financial support.

The 2020-2021 STEM Scale-Up Program application is now open for qualifying educators to incorporate Differentiated Math Centers (K-5) and STEM in Action (PreK-5) into their classrooms. Successful applicants will be required to participate in assessing the effectiveness of their program through surveys and to provide additional evaluation data.

The application process closes March 2, 2020. Implementation of awarded applicants will begin July 1, 2020, and ends May 31, 2020.

About hand2mind
With more than 50 years of experience in education, hand2mind provides interactive, hands-on resources for math, science, STEM, and literacy. Our mission is to support teachers, inspire students, engage parents, and champion learning by doing. A family-owned company, hand2mind is based in Vernon Hills, Illinois. For more information, please visit hand2mind.com.

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