100+ Indiana Schools Leaning In on Innovative STEM Focus
Monday, May 9, 2022
Holly Lawson
Deputy Director of Communications
(317) 232-0536
hlawson2@doe.in.gov
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) today announced 15 schools are newly-certified as leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. This brings Indiana’s total number of STEM Certified Schools to more than 100 statewide.
“With now upwards of 100 STEM Certified Schools across the state, these schools are leading the way in helping our students explore, engage, and gain experiences in STEM fields,” said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. “I’ve directly witnessed several of these schools’ innovative approaches to inquiry- and problem-based learning, as they integrate STEM across their curriculum and engage families and community partners to help students build knowledge and skills that will serve them throughout their lives.”
Created in 2015, the STEM Certified Schools program recognizes schools committed to teaching STEM disciplines beyond the classroom. STEM Certified Schools exemplify a highly innovative approach to education, employing a great deal of inquiry, project-based learning, community engagement, entrepreneurship, student-centered classrooms, integration into humanities and related arts and out-of-school STEM activities. For secondary schools in particular, earning STEM certification requires heightened intention and coordination in terms of vision, scheduling and interdisciplinary collaboration.
This year’s new STEM Certified Schools are:
- Bailly STEM Academy, Gary Community School Corporation
- Brentwood Elementary School, Plainfield Community School Corporation
- Career Academy High School South Bend
- Career Academy Middle School South Bend
- Edgewood Junior High, Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corporation
- Farmersville Elementary School, MSD Mount Vernon
- Guilford Elementary School, Plainfield Community School Corporation
- Indiana Math & Science Academy West
- John S. Irwin Elementary School, Fort Wayne Community Schools
- Marrs Elementary School, MSD Mount Vernon
- North Side Elementary School, Randolph Eastern Community Schools
- South Ripley Elementary School, South Ripley Community School Corporation
- Van Buren Elementary School, Plainfield Community School Corporation
- West Elementary School, MSD Mount Vernon
- Whitney Young Early Childhood Center, Fort Wayne Community Schools
This year’s schools that have been recertified as STEM Certified Schools for an additional five years are:
- Brooklyn Elementary School, MSD of Martinsville
- Lora L. Batchelor Middle School, Monroe County Community School Corporation
- Prosser Career Education Center
Each of these schools completed a rigorous application and review process, which must be repeated every five years to remain certified. View a complete list of Indiana STEM Certified schools here. Schools interested in pursuing STEM Certification can review guidance here.