HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Education (HIDOE) has received a $1 million grant from the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Partnership that will fund Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education for kindergarten through eighth grade students at eight military-impacted schools in the Campbell-Kapolei Complex Area over five years.  These schools will be able to integrate an online science curriculum to support their existing STEM program, Project Lead the Way.  The grant will focus on increasing students' science academic achievement by providing quality instruction and relevant hands-on lessons and opportunities to utilize technology in-class to support more problem-based learning.

"STEM-related education positively impacts students' academic potential and career readiness and the DoDEA grant will help them to develop this vital learning foundation at early ages," said Superintendent Dr. Christina Kishimoto.  "Previous grants from our generous partners at DoDEA have provided funding for teacher training, lesson materials and equipment and their continued support will help to expand STEM learning to new schools in West Oahu."

The grant includes Ewa Makai Middle School and seven elementary schools: Ewa Beach, Holomua, Hoʻokele, Iroquois Point, Keoneʻula, Makakilo and Mauka Lani.  Each of these eight schools has significant populations of military-dependent students whose parents serve in the various branches of military service.

"Our continued partnership will impact the academic achievement of military-dependent students from kindergarten through eighth grades," saidSean Tajima, Campbell-Kapolei Complex Area Superintendent. "We are honored to receive this third DoDEA grant that will provide quality Science learning experiences and STEM learning opportunities so our students can be college and career ready."

PLTW also has a built-in STEM Professional Development component that offers teachers tools for robust and flexible instructional support leading to increased academic achievement, as well as an ongoing professional community.

"I am very grateful that we will be able to move STEM education forward for our students via a quality science curriculum aligned with Next Generation Science Standards," said Project Director Hope Espinda.  "We will also be integrating research-based strategies, such as Response to Intervention and STEM extra-curricular activities during each year of the five-year grant."

For more information on STEM education at Hawaii's public schools, please visit https://bit.ly/1FhRlAS.