STEM Education Weekly — 2026-09-14

Top Stories

Educators Pick Best of STEM® 2026 Awards Announce Winners

• What happened: Certified STEM educators have named 39 winners across 39 categories in the Educators Pick Best of STEM® 2026 Awards. Notably, this year includes the first-ever "Best of AI" winners, recognizing tools that effectively integrate artificial intelligence into STEM learning.
• Why it matters for educators: This recognition provides a vetted list of high-quality, teacher-approved resources. The inclusion of AI categories reflects the growing necessity for educators to understand and utilize AI-driven platforms in their classrooms.

1 sources

makerandcoder.com

makerandcoder.com

Passaic City Public Schools Seeks External STEM Evaluation

• What happened: Passaic City Public Schools in New Jersey is seeking an external evaluator for its "Future Focused on STEM" program, which operates under the New Jersey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21CCLC) grant. The deadline for proposals is September 25, 2026.
• Why it matters for educators: This initiative underscores the increasing demand for data-driven proof of efficacy in after-school and supplemental STEM programs. Districts are moving beyond mere participation metrics to rigorous evaluation of learning outcomes, a trend that will likely affect funding renewals for similar programs nationwide.

Early STEM Education Trends: Coding and Robotics from Age 5

• What happened: A recent report details the landscape of early STEM education, focusing on how coding, robotics, and engineering concepts are being introduced to Pre-Primary and early elementary students. The article distinguishes between substantive educational programs and those that are merely "branded" without pedagogical depth.
• Why it matters for educators: As STEM initiatives push into younger grade levels, educators must critically assess whether these programs offer genuine developmental benefits or simply mimic advanced technology without foundational learning. This is crucial for curriculum developers and early childhood specialists.

Policy & Funding

• Passaic City Public Schools STEM Evaluation RFP: The New Jersey district is actively soliciting bids for an external evaluator for its 21CCLC-funded STEM program. This highlights the specific operational requirements for maintaining federal and state grant compliance through rigorous third-party assessment.

• Impact of Department of Education Grant Cuts: A new guide analyzes the ongoing effects of U.S. Department of Education grant cuts on schools in 2026. It offers strategies for districts to stretch smaller budgets while maintaining STEM offerings, reflecting the financial pressures many schools face despite high interest in STEM.

EdTech Spotlight

Educators Pick Best of STEM® 2026 Winners

• What it does: A curated collection of 39 top-rated STEM educational tools and resources selected by certified STEM educators.
• Best for: K-12 educators looking for vetted, high-quality resources across various STEM disciplines, including the newly added AI category.
• Standout feature: The "Best of AI" category identifies tools that successfully blend artificial intelligence with traditional STEM pedagogy, offering a shortcut to finding reliable tech-enhanced lessons.

Unruly Splats

• What it does: A cross-curricular STEM learning tool that combines coding games with active physical play and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL).
• Best for: Elementary school classrooms integrating PE, Math, or Computer Science with physical activity.
• Standout feature: Its ability to bridge the gap between sedentary coding activities and active play, making it suitable for diverse classroom settings including libraries and gyms.

Classroom Ideas

1. AI-Assisted Robotics Challenge: Utilize one of the "Best of AI" winners from the 2026 Educators Pick awards to introduce students to basic robotics logic. Have students use an AI tool to generate initial code structures for a simple robot task, then debug and refine the code manually to understand the underlying logic.
2. Active Coding Session: Implement a session using Unruly Splats or similar active-play coding kits. Students program "Splats" to move around a designated area, combining physical education with computational thinking by requiring them to write sequential commands to navigate obstacles.
3. Early Engineering Design Sprint: Inspired by the trends in early STEM education, conduct a low-stakes engineering design challenge for younger students (ages 5-7). Ask them to build a structure using limited materials (e.g., blocks, paper) that meets a specific height or weight requirement, focusing on the iterative design process rather than complex technology.

What to Watch Next Week

• September 25, 2026: Deadline for proposals for the Passaic City Public Schools' external STEM evaluation. Educators and consultants should note this date as an indicator of the growing market for educational program assessment services.