This fall, the National Academies delivered two significant reports that strengthen the foundation of STEM education work.
The first, Scaling and Sustaining Pre-K-12 STEM Education Innovations: Systemic Challenges, Systemic Responses, examining how we scale STEM education innovations, arrived just as many of us were grappling with exactly this challenge. The report validated what many Ecosystem leaders have observed in their work – while we’ve developed incredible programs and practices, too many remain islands of excellence, reaching only a small fraction of learners. Drawing from a rich collection of over 50 successful initiatives, the report makes clear that real transformation requires more than just great programs – it demands deliberate, system-wide change in how we approach STEM education.
Just weeks later, the Academies released the K-12 STEM Education and Workforce Development in Rural Areas report, offering fresh insights into both the challenges and opportunities facing our rural communities. The findings paint a picture of rural STEM education – one where natural surroundings and strong community ties create unique learning opportunities, even as areas struggle with digital access and resource limitations. What stands out is the report is the emphasis on the power of place-based learning and local partnerships, alongside practical recommendations for how rural districts can work together to maximize their impact through shared resources and collaborative approaches.
For those of us working in STEM Ecosystems, these reports feel like a milestone moment. They validate the core principles that have guided our work while offering fresh perspectives on how to deepen our impact. Both reports underscore what Ecosystem leaders have long championed: meaningful change in STEM education happens through intentional collaboration, strategic resource alignment, and deep community engagement. Let’s explore how these findings connect to and strengthen each pillar of our ecosystem approach.
Partnerships | The Foundation of Scalable Impact
The National Academies confirms what we’ve seen in practice – partnerships aren’t just helpful, they’re essential for scaling STEM innovation. As their scaling report states, partnerships provide “in-depth insights into how contextual factors influence implementation and outcomes.” For rural communities specifically, the Academies found that the most promising models “involve partnerships among K–12 and local higher education institutions, Tribal Nations and other tribal leaders, and local government and business.” These findings validate our ecosystem approach of moving beyond transactional partnerships to true collaboration, where each partner brings unique strengths to the table.
Talking Points for STEM Leaders:
- The National Academies confirms what we’ve seen in practice – partnerships aren’t just helpful, they’re essential for scaling STEM innovation. The reports state, partnerships provide ‘in-depth insights into how contextual factors influence implementation and outcomes.’
- For rural communities specifically, the Academies found that the most promising models ‘involve partnerships among K–12 and local higher education institutions, Tribal Nations and other tribal leaders, and local government and business.’
- These findings validate our ecosystem approach of moving beyond transactional partnerships to true collaboration.
Systems | Building Coherent Frameworks
The PreK-12 STEM Education report emphasizes that success requires “building connected systems of teachers and administrators, curriculum specialists and developers, technology specialists, community learners and partners, and researchers.” This systemic approach is particularly crucial in rural areas, where the Academies recommend “consortium models for STEM education and workforce development that pool resources to maximize opportunities across regions.” These insights reinforce our ecosystems framework of creating scalable, adaptable structures that empower diverse members to contribute their unique strengths while ensuring access and opportunities for all.
Talking Points for STEM Leaders:
- The PreK-12 STEM Education report emphasizes that success requires ‘building connected systems of teachers and administrators, curriculum specialists and developers, technology specialists, community learners and partners, and researchers.’
- For rural areas specifically, the Academies recommend ‘consortium models for STEM education and workforce development that pool resources to maximize opportunities across regions.’
- This perfectly aligns with our ecosystems approach of creating scalable, adaptable frameworks that empower diverse members to contribute their unique strengths.
Teaching & Learning | Connecting Formal and Informal Experiences
Both reports emphasize the power of connecting different learning environments. The National Academies specifically notes that “out-of-school spaces not only provide opportunities for learners but are important spaces for innovation development.” This finding takes on special significance in rural communities, where they emphasize that “place-based learning experiences can be especially productive for building rural students’ competency and motivation in STEM.” These insights align with our ecosystem approach of seamlessly blending formal and informal learning experiences to create comprehensive STEM learning landscapes.
Talking Points for STEM Leaders:
- The National Academies specifically note that ‘out-of-school spaces not only provide opportunities for learners but are important spaces for innovation development.’
- For rural communities, they emphasize that ‘place-based learning experiences… can be especially productive for building rural students’ competency and motivation in STEM.’
- This reinforces our ecosystem approach of seamlessly blending formal and informal learning experiences.
Data Management | Driving Evidence-Based Decision Making
The reports provide compelling evidence for our focus on measurement and continuous improvement. The PreK-12 STEM Education report calls for robust “data systems that capture information about opportunities to learn,” while the rural report talks about the importance of “regularly reporting indicators of STEM education and employment disaggregated by rurality.” These recommendations translate into our ecosystem approach emphasizing leveraging data frameworks to showcase impact and drive evidence-based decision-making.
Talking Points for STEM Leaders:
- Both reports emphasize the critical need for robust data systems. The scaling report calls for ‘data systems that capture information about opportunities to learn.’
- For rural areas, they recommend regularly reporting ‘indicators of STEM education and employment disaggregated by rurality.’
- This validates our ecosystem focus on measurement frameworks that drive continuous improvement.
Workforce | Clear Pathways to Success
The rural report brings fresh perspective to workforce development, focusing on career preparation “could begin as early as middle school” and should emphasize “STEM fields that can contribute to the viability and sustainability of local areas.” The reports also reinforce the need for “lifelong access to high-quality STEM education” to maintain U.S. leadership in STEM, forging robust pathways between education and industry while nurturing adaptable, future-ready talent.
Talking Points for STEM Leaders:
- The rural report emphasizes that career preparation ‘could begin as early as middle school’ and should emphasize ‘STEM fields that can contribute to the viability and sustainability of local areas.’
- The PreK-12 STEM Education report reinforces the need for ‘lifelong access to high-quality STEM education’ to maintain U.S. leadership in STEM.”
- This aligns with our ecosystem approach of forging robust pathways between education and industry.
Key Takeaways for Ecosystem Leaders
These National Academies reports provide powerful validation for the STEM Ecosystems approach and offer fresh insights for strengthening our work. As Ecosystem leaders, we can use these findings to:
- Use these reports to validate your ecosystem approach with members and potential partners and funders. The National Academies’ findings provide strong evidence for the effectiveness of cross-sector collaboration and systematic approaches.
- Consider how your Ecosystem can apply the reports’ specific recommendations about data systems and measurement to strengthen your impact tracking.
- Look for opportunities to strengthen the connection between place-based learning and scaling strategies, particularly in serving diverse communities.
- Use the reports’ emphasis on professional development and teacher support to strengthen your ecosystem’s approach to building educator capacity.
The alignment between these National Academies reports and the STEM Ecosystems framework demonstrates that our approach isn’t just theoretically sound – it’s essential for advancing STEM education and workforce development in communities of all types.
