Criteria for Identifying Scalable STEM Projects - Massachusetts ...

STEM Operations BoardCriteria for Identifying Scalable STEM ProjectsScale-UpThis document defines the strategy and the criteria for scaling up STEM projects that have thepotential to create more widespread impact on the goals of the STEM Plan.The Operations Board, a subcommittee of the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council, proposes thecriteria in the following sections of this document to inform an assessment of projects for scaleup(“@Scale projects”). These criteria draw upon:• critical gaps and needs as identified through our analyses of STEM themes and state data;• the quantitative goals (Appendix A) defined in the STEM Plan;• the qualitative goals (Appendix B) defined in the STEM Plan;• research-based characteristics for project scale-up;The Operations Board will:• publish this document to inform Regional STEM Network and project leaders of the scaleupcriteria;• prioritize crucial themes based on regional or statewide programmatic and partnershipgaps, and informed by analysis of state data;• call for applications of projects that address prioritized needs and demonstrate readinessfor scale-up;• screen applications based on the criteria of this document, and assess a limited number ofprojects that are determined most ready for scale-up;• recommend @Scale projects to the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council for endorsement.The Governor’s STEM Advisory Council will identify STEM projects to endorse for scale-up;project managers can then seek private funding to support scale-up implementation.The following sections define the criteria for assessing and identifying @Scale projects.2STEM Advisory Council March 11, 2011