STEM Scale-Up Programs
The Iowa STEM Scale-Up Program was launched as a way to meet the Governor's STEM Advisory Council's top priority: Increasing student interest and achievement in STEM across the state.
The Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council will begin accepting applications from educators for the 2026-27 STEM Scale-Up Program menu on January 27, 2026. PreK-12 public and private schools, after school programs and other educational organizations are encouraged to apply for the programs to be implemented during the 2026-2027 academic year.
TIMELINE
January 27, 2026 - Application opens.
March 10, 2026 - Deadline to apply for a Scale-Up program.
April 14, 2026 - Award recipients are announced.
With the top priority of boosting student interest and achievement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), the Governor's STEM Advisory Council approved 3 high-quality STEM education programs for 2026-27.
- Coming Soon (Grades PK-3)
- Coming Soon (Grades 5-8)
- Coming Soon (Grades 7-12)
Receive the newsletter from the Northeast Region of the Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council.
Past Scale-Up Program Awardees
Application Process/Timeline
The Governor’s STEM Advisory Council is currently accepting applications for high-quality STEM education programs for 2025-26 referred to as Scale-Up programs. Scale-Up programs are offered to educators in private and public schools, after-school programs, libraries, home school organizations and other informal settings for grades pre-K through 12.
TIMELINE
- January 27, 2026 - STEM Scale-Up application opens. Applicants must apply online.
- March 10, 2026 – DEADLINE to apply for 2026-2027 STEM Scale-Up Programs
- April 14, 2026 – Announcement of 2026-2027 STEM Scale-Up awardees.
- July 1, 2026 – (pending budget approval) – Scale-Up programming begins
- July – September – (depending on Scale-Up Program) Educator attends training.
- October 31 - All kits/materials are ordered and delivered to the organization (pending program).
- Educator implements the STEM Scale-Up program.
- March-May 2027 – Evaluation/Survey
WHO CAN APPLY?
PreK-12 cross-curricular educators, both in and out of the classroom, are eligible to apply, so long as they have undergone a criminal background check as a requirement of employment. Eligible applicant(s) include public and private school PreK-12 teachers, youth organization leaders, informal education professionals, home school associations and others who deliver STEM education programming. Every applicant must secure the commitment and signature of the institution’s lead administrator(s).
THIS PROGRAM IS AN AWARD, NOT A GRANT.
It is a program delivered to selected applicants. However, applicants who propose to cost-share by absorbing some expenses (e.g. supplies, travel or administration, etc.) or bringing additional funding (e.g. a grant or private sector donation, etc.) will be considered favorably during the review process. Some program options require cost-sharing as noted in their descriptions. The STEM Scale-Up Program funding is provided from the Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council Regional STEM Hub Institutions directly to the program provider, rather than to the selected applicant.
RESOURCES FOR THE APPLICATION
- A copy of the STEM Scale-Up Program application
- Online Portal Help Guide
- Scoring Rubric - Coming Soon
Evaluation
The evaluation includes a survey of educators who implemented a STEM Scale-Up program and compares STEM Scale-Up program student participants to all students statewide in STEM-related areas of interest and achievement on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP). The STEM Scale-Up program Educator Survey is collected annually from educators who implement a STEM Scale-Up program in their schools and organizations. The purpose of the survey is to gather information about STEM Scale-Up program implementation, working with the STEM Scale-Up program provider and outcomes of implementing a STEM Scale-Up program.
The deadline for both tasks is the end of May.
*Educator Survey: The educator survey is to be completed at the end of the STEM Scale-Up program. An email invitation with link to the educator survey will be sent to you in the Spring. This link is unique to you to help us direct reminder emails and to stop additional reminders once you have completed the survey. (Please note the survey questions are from 2023-2024 and may change slightly for 2024-2025.)
*Student Participant List (Download Excel Template): The student participant list is to be completed at the end of the STEM Scale-Up program (access code will be provided in the evaluation email sent early Spring).
For additional information, visit https://educate.iowa.gov/iowa-stem/stem-scale/stem-scale-program-evalua…
