The STEM BEST (Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers) program focuses on teachers and industry professionals working side-by-side to craft curriculum and projects that prepare students for exciting STEM careers local to their community in manufacturing, information technology, bioscience (agriculture and medicine), finance and more.
Since 2014, 121 STEM BEST® Programs have been awarded an opportunity to grow a series of community collaborations involving school+business partnerships.
“The STEM BEST satellite model will allow students to experience the industry or business environment firsthand. That experience is vital to prepare students for STEM success in college or career training after high school, and it allows business and industry to introduce students to outstanding career opportunities.” –Governor Kim Reynolds, co-chair of the STEM Council.
The STEM Council is working to dramatically expand STEM BEST® (Business Engaging Students and Teachers) via a Request for Proposals. The STEM BEST funding opportunity offers:
-
Award amounts up to $40,000.
- Award period is 15 months – February 2025 to May 2026.
- Cost-share requirement is 2:1 match required, or $40,000 state to $20,000 awardee.
The goal of the STEM BEST program is to support the launch of new or expanded STEM BEST K-12 models specifically focused on creating work based learning opportunities that allow students to develop future focused, high demand skills through authentic real world experiences.
Application and Program Timeline:
- October 7, 2024 - application opens
- December 11, 2024 (4:59pm central time) - Application DEADLINE
- February 2025 - Awards Announced
Congratulations to the 2024-25 STEM BEST grant recipients in Northeast Iowa;
- Easton Valley High School
- Edgewood Colesburg High School
- Waverly-Shell Rock High School
| District | School | Name of Program | Award Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allamakee Community School District | Waukon High School | 2018-2019 | |
| Allamakee Community School District | Waukon Middle School | 2023-2024 | |
| Bosco Catholic School System | Don Bosco High School | 2021-2022 | |
| Cedar Falls Community School District | Cedar Falls High School | CF CAPS | 2017-2018 |
| Cedar Falls Community School District | Cedar Falls High School | CF CAPS | 2018-2019 |
| Cedar Falls Community School District | Cedar Falls High School | CF CAPS | 2020-2021 |
| Cedar Falls Community School District | North Cedar Elementary School | 2016-2017 | |
| Cedar Valley Catholic Schools | Columbus High School | 2020-2021 | |
| Central Community School District | Central Elementary School | 2021-2022 | |
| Central Community School District | Central Middle School/High School | 2021-2023 | |
| Central Community School District | Central Middle School/High School | Clayton Co. BEST | 2018-2019 |
| Dike-New Hartford Community School District | Dike-New Hartford High School | 2021-2023 | |
| Dubuque Community School District | Dubuque Senior High School | 2021-2023 | |
| Dubuque Community School District | Hempstead High School | 2023-2024 | |
| Eastern Allamakee Community School District | Kee High School | 2021-2022 | |
| Easton Valley Community School District | Easton Valley High School | 2024-2025 | |
| Edgewood Colesburg Community School District | Edgewood Colesburg High School | 2024-2025 | |
| Holy Family Catholic Schools | Wahlert Catholic High School | 2023-2024 | |
| Howard-Winneshiek Community Schools | Crestwood High School | 2021-2022 | |
| Jesup Community School District | Jesup High School | Jesup CAPS | 2019-2020 |
| MFL MarMac Community School District | MFL MarMac High School | 2021-2022 | |
| MFL MarMac Community School District | MFL MarMac High School | 2021-2023 | |
| New Hampton Community Schools | New Hampton High School | Iowa BIG North | 2015-2016 |
| New Hampton Community Schools | New Hampton High School | 2019-2020 | |
| North Fayette Valley Community School District | North Fayette Valley High School | 2020-2021 | |
| North Tama County Community School District | North Tama Elementary School | 2021-2022 | |
| Oelwein Community School District | Oelwein High School | Huskies Project One | 2017-2018 |
| Riceville Community School District | Riceville High School | Iowa BIG North | 2017-2018 |
| Starmont Community School District | Starmont Elementary & Middle School | 2022-2023 | |
| Turkey Valley Community School District | Turkey Valley Jr-Sr High School | Iowa BIG North | 2017-2018 |
| Turkey Valley Community School District | Turkey Valley Jr-Sr High School | 2022-2023 | |
| Wapsie Valley Community School District | Wapsie Valley High School | 2021-2022 | |
| Waterloo Community Schools | Waterloo Career Center | 2019-2020 | |
| Waterloo Community Schools | Waterloo Career Center | 2021-2023 | |
| Waterloo Community Schools | Waterloo Career Center | 2023-2024 | |
| Waverly-Shell Rock Community School District | Waverly-Shell Rock High School | 2024-2025 | |
| West Delaware County Community School District | West Delaware High School | DelCo BEST | 2016-2017 |
To learn more about Iowa STEM BEST, please visit https://educate.iowa.gov/iowa-stem/stem-best