Lt. Gov. Reynolds speaks to Marshalltown Noon Rotary Club
Iowa Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds spoke to the Marshalltown Rotary Club on Tuesday at Elmwood Country Club in Marshalltown.
Reynolds, a longtime proponent of education issues, told the club about Iowa’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) efforts that have now engaged over 100,000 students statewide in multiple in-school and after-school programs since the initiative was begun in 2012.
STEM is one of Reynold’s signature programs and one that she is the co-chairs of the state’s STEM advisory board.
She told the Rotarians that STEM dramatically improves student performance in all disciplines. Reynolds cited that participants have seen their test scores increase by several percentage points and that the increase in test scores has not just been limited to STEM coursework but has also positively increased scores in reading, history, art and many other academic areas. Reynolds said the STEM council uses 18 metrics to measure the growth in student learning.
Reynolds said the term STEM is used all over the country but she also likes the term STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math). She said because STEM works across all disciplines to help students learn the “A” in STEAM can get two uses here in Iowa – Art and Agriculture.
When asked about any goals or causes she might get behind after she becomes governor as soon as Governor Terry Branstad steps down to become US Ambassador to China, Reynolds declined to discuss any goals citing instead several goals of the Branstad Administration that she believes in strongly and has helped develop stating she will continue to work toward those efforts.