LANSING, Mich. — Kalamazoo RESA, Grand Valley State University and Washtenaw ISD are each getting about $900,000 in funding to expand science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the $2.7 million total awarded to the three programs Monday.
According to a release from Whitmer’s office, Michigan has the 4th largest engineering, design and development (EDD) workforce in the nation, with over 113,000 employed in related industries in 2020.
The grants were approved by the Michigan STEM (MiSTEM) Advisory Council within the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) and will be administered by the Michigan Department of Education.
Whitmer says the grants will be awarded to:
• Kalamazoo RESA to elevate mathematics as the language of STEM and provide a tool for STEM exploration;
• Grand Valley State University to expand access to, and highlight the importance of, high-quality computer science experiences; and
• Washtenaw ISD to ensure students have science and engineering literacy as a 21st-century skill.
“STEM education opportunities are critical as we prepare young Michiganders for high-tech, high-skill careers that will serve as the backbone of Michigan’s economy,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “These investments are critical to ensure our schools have the funds to help each and every Michigander reach their full potential. And in my budget recommendation for next year, I have proposed the biggest per-student investment ever and $1 billion for school construction and renovation so we can keep funding and building more computer labs, classrooms, and science facilities to help our kids pursue their potential.”
