Partners the fresno state kremen school of education s office of community based learning CBL will partner with california teaching fellows foundation ctff fresno county superintendent of schools fcss…

This is a $325,000 cooperative agreement awarded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to the Fresno Foundation, which is the nonprofit auxiliary organization supporting California State University, Fresno. The agreement will partner the Fresno State Kremen School of Education's Office of Community Based Learning with the California Teaching Fellows Foundation, Fresno County Superintendent of Schools, and California Region VII STEM Hub to scale the existing Murep Aerospace Academy (MAA) program. The program aims to increase STEM literacy and skills among 3,000 underserved Fresno County students in grades 1-12, as well as their families and Fresno State pre-service teachers. Key components include hands-on NASA-themed curriculum enhancement activities, family engagement events, and training for pre-service teachers. The agreement will also fund a rigorous evaluation to document program impacts and facilitate scaling the MAA model across California. This award does not utilize any set-aside designations.

Partners the fresno state kremen school of education s office of community based learning CBL will partner with california teaching fellows foundation ctff fresno county superintendent of schools fcss and california region VII stem hub to scale its existing MAA program. Target audiences 3000 fresno county 1 12 graders, 95.2% of whom are ethnic minorities families of these students and fresno state preservice teachers, 85% of whom are minorities. Method of approach: the proposed murep aerospace academy replication and scaling maars program will expand the cblctff partnership s existing MAA program to increase the NASA stem literacy of underserved fresno county students, families, and preservice teachers while conducting an evaluation study to document impacts and lay the groundwork for MAA scaling throughout california. Fresno state preservice teachers will integrate nasathemed elos into fcss expanded learning programs afterschool saturday, summer. Family cafe will engage parentscaregivers in researchbased strategies, such as advising parents on the value of stem education improving parent stem knowledge and confidence to partner in their children s education and linking families to stem resources. Objectives and outcomes goal 1 increase underserved students stem interest, engagement literacy, and skills by delivering technologyrich stem curriculum enhancement activities using content from NASA mission directorates and communications campaigns. OBJ. 1.1 1500 students per year will complete at least 36 hours of handson stem curriculum enhancement activities ceas using NASA content. OBJ. 1.2 85% of students will demonstrate an increase in stem knowledge, literacy, and skills. OBJ. 1.3 85% of students will demonstrate increased stem interest and engagement. Goal 2 increase parents caregivers stem literacy and capacity to support their children in stem. OBJ. 2.1 85% of MAA students will have at least one family member who participates in one or more family cafe events. OBJ. 2.2 participation in family cafe will be positively correlated with an increase in the level of stem collaborations at home. Goal 3: increase underserved preservice teachers NASA stem content knowledge and pedagogical skills. OBJ. 3.1 24 fresno state preservice teachers will serve as MAA instructors. OBJ. 3.2 90% of MAA instructors will demonstrate an increase in nasaspecific stem content knowledge and pedagogical skills. OBJ. 3.3 90% of MAA instructors will report increased competence and confidence in teaching stem curriculum. Goal 4 conduct a rigorous evaluation that documents impacts and lays the groundwork for MAA sustainment and scaling. OBJ. 4.1: complete an impact study that documents the relationship between MAA participation and increases in student stem interest, literacy, and skills. OBJ. 4.2 broadly disseminate evaluation results to formal and informal educators to garner support for the program. OBJ. 4.3: secure contracts with districts to replicate MAA. Relevance to NASA themes and use of NASA content: over the past decade CBL has collaborated with NASA ames research center and stem educators to develop ceas aligned with NASA mission directorates and communications campaigns, and the maars program will leverage these NASA resources including 1 explorations on planet x a 45HOUR curriculum based on NASA best activities 2 existing NASA MAA ceas covering stem areas related to all mission directorates and 3 new 9 12HOUR technologyrich ceas that CBL has developed over the past three years of implementing MAA which explore NASA topics such as rocket science artificial intelligence planetary exploration coding 3D printing, and unmanned remotely operated vehicles. The program will also incorporate NASA resources such as digital badging NASA smartphone apps NASA wavelength and materials available through fresno states NASA educator resource center.