Community-based Research:
Our Co-design Process
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Photo credit: SoulPancake Street Team
Sit in a ball pit with a stranger and you may be surprised where conversation takes you. In the right conditions, you both may bond in ways that allow you to share deeper truths and insights that change how you see the world.
In August 2022, Washington STEM invited community members, including people of color, immigrants, and families with children with disabilities, to share their experiences accessing child care and early learning. They participated in a co-design process to reimagine our State of the Children reports as two-page, data-rich reports that also weave in personal stories from child care providers and families.
Read on to learn how we are using this community-centered approach in all our research.
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Why STEM?:
Maria's Journey Through STEM Education
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In Washington, only two-thirds of children are “math ready” when they reach kindergarten. Without interventions, researchers say they will fall further behind each year.
Washington STEM has a plan to turn this around by 2030. But it doesn’t start in high school—it starts in story time.
In this second installment of our "Why STEM?" blog series, follow three-year-old "Maria" on her journey from preschool to high school and beyond, and learn about four factors that can dramatically impact outcomes for all students.
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Meet Our Staff:
Dr. Andy Shouse, Chief Program Officer
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"I saw that my own kids didn’t even have science classes and were starting to be stratified into courses, often without their peers. All the things I knew about inequity in education were right in my face and I wanted to do something more immediate about it."
In this Q&A, Andy Shouse, our Chief Program Officer, discusses the sense of purpose that fuels his work in systems-level education change, and how young people still inspire him.
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Story Time STEAM in Action / en Acción: Join the Conversation
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Starting in June, we will be hosting bimonthly online conversations around Story Time STEAM in Action / en Acción, a program designed to help educators, librarians, and other community-based early learning providers incorporate math in story time.
These conversations provide an opportunity to learn and apply best practices around culturally-appropriate story time when engaging families of color and families who speak languages other than, or in addition to, English.
The online conversations will be facilitated by librarian, Rekha Kuver, and will share best practices for a more inclusive story time.
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Network Highlight:
Northwest WA Students Ride the CTE Wave
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From creating a toolbox, to operating a virtual crane, to speaking directly with tradespeople, students explored pathways to trade careers — and a family-sustaining wage. The impact was clear: 89% of surveyed students reported learning more about apprenticeships, and 59% opted to be contacted with future apprenticeship opportunities.
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210 S. Hudson Street Seattle, WA 98134 206-658-4320
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