An announcement from Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration has revealed that New York City is on track to provide all of the city’s 1.1 million students with computer science education by 2025.

In just one year, an outpouring of support from private donors has helped the city reach half of its $40 million goal. After the $40 million in funding is raised, it will be matched by public funding to bring the initiative’s total cost to $80 million.

The initiative has thus far trained over 450 teachers, a step towards the eventual 5,000 teachers it hopes to train in 10 years.

Read more about the announcement here. 

Detroit Rises Above Negativity to Lead STEM-Teacher Training

Despite the negative headlines when it comes to Detroit’s current issues with its education system, something good is happening within in the city’s walls.

According to The Detroit News, Michigan as a whole is poised to be a “STEM-teacher leader” given its efforts over the past few months.

”[T]his summer Michigan hosted an event that disproved . . . assumptions. More than 350 STEM (science-technology-engineering-math) teachers from high-need schools across the nation gathered in Detroit for 'Tomorrow’s Teachers Today,' a convening of the Woodrow Wilson Foundation’s Teaching Fellows from Georgia, Indiana, Ohio, New Jersey, and Michigan,” said The Detroit News.

Topics discussed included 3D printing in the classroom, technologies for assessment and many more.

Michigan, the article says, is poised to become a leader in providing schools with incentives, funding and latitude "to create robust peer learning opportunities for their teachers.”

Read the full story. 

New Study Reveals Just How Adaptable Brain is to Math

Are you teaching students who have a lack of confidence in their math abilities? It’s a common feeling—but you should show them this study to encourage perseverance.

The study, from John Hopkins University, looked at how "the brain network behind numerical reasoning is identical in blind and sighted people,” indicating "the brain is vastly more adaptable than previously believed.”

"If we can make the visual cortex do math . . . in principle we can make any part of the brain do anything,” said co-author Marina Bedny.

Talk about some useful words of encouragement.

Read about the full study here. 

Boeing Co. Invests in Future Workforce with $6 Million Commitment to STEM

Boeing Co. is the latest company to recognize the importance of investing in STEM for its future success.

$6 million in grants will be provided by the company to universities, nonprofits and educational groups throughout the company’s home state of Washington.

"Grants totaling $1 million are going to the University of Washington, Washington State University and Seattle University. The other $5 million will be divvied up among about 50 nonprofit groups and educational institutions across the state,” said Geek Wire.

"Boeing said some of the largest grants will support Thrive Washington, which focuses on early learning; Washington STEM and its K-12 learning initiative; and SkillUp Washington, which partners with community and technical colleges on training for manufacturing jobs.”

Read more here. 

Nicole Gorman, Senior Education World Contributor

9/23/2016