LANSING — State Representatives Adam F. Zemke (D-Ann Arbor) and Bill Rogers (R-Brighton) announced today that they have secured $375,000 from the state budget for the Michigan Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Partnership. The Michigan STEM Partnership is a statewide, public-private collaborative that aims to increase STEM education and skills in children. The sum will fund a competitive grant available to programs directly involved in the STEM education of students ranging from kindergarten through college at schools across the state.
“I am proud to play a part in bringing STEM education to thousands of kids in Michigan,” Zemke said. “This funding allows for the state to put its money where its mouth is; too often, the state encourages programs without providing the proper funding for them. This appropriation is a step in the right direction to make sure Michigan’s students learn the skills they need to succeed in tomorrow’s workforce.”
Zemke and Rogers worked in a bipartisan fashion to secure the funding and implement the partnership grant program.
“I’ve spoken with teachers, business leaders and members of the community who are concerned about depth of science and technology education in Michigan’s schools,” Rogers said. “This funding will go to supplement the curriculum our teachers already have in place and will hopefully spark an interest in students to pursue careers in these high-demand fields.”