The Idaho Statesman – The Associated Press
“Idaho lawmakers have approved a new state office intended to coordinate efforts by schools and industry to promote science, technology, engineering and math. The STEM Action Center is getting two full-time staffers and nearly $540,000 to launch, according to a plan approved by the state’s powerful budget-writing committee on Thursday. Coeur d’Alene Sen. Bob Nonini, one of the sponsors of the original legislation, told The Spokesman-Review newspaper in Spokane, Washington, (http://bit.ly/1NGwrtj ) that he was extremely pleased now that the legislation has won the support of both houses and had funding allocated by the Joint Finance Appropriations Committee. The STEM Action Center will operate as a state office under Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter, with the goal of identifying and coordinating best practices for STEM education in state schools. “Now we need to go out and find ourselves a great executive director,” Nonini said. “It’s going to take a unique person — someone with some salesmanship and some STEM knowledge.” The center will also coordinate professional development efforts for teachers, work with industry officials on workforce needs and opportunities and coordinate STEM-related competitions, camps and more. A nine-member board of education and business leaders will oversee the work of the agency.”(more)