Advancing Policy Change

We work to advance policy change through a research and policy agenda that supports best practice and expands youth access to high-quality STEM learning outside the classroom.

As a non-partisan non-profit organization, we sit at the center of communities nationwide making it the ideal home to develop and advance comprehensive STEM policy for all learners based on evidence and research.  

As a grant-making entity, we can catalyze action aligned to a policy and best practices in out-of-school STEM that we know expand access and opportunity for young people.

In order to achieve lasting impact, we must change the systems and structures that have perpetuated ongoing exclusion for many young people in STEM. 

Policy can remove barriers and create the conditions at the Federal, State and Local level to ensure all young people can find success, engagement and joy in their STEM learning experiences.

STEM Next is working to advance policy change in three mutually reinforcing ways:

Developing and enacting a research and policy agenda that expands youth access to high-quality STEM learning outside the classroom.

Deploying STEM Next Opportunity Fellows who are adding capacity to federal agencies to advance STEM learning and out-of-school learning.

Partnering with organizations to collectively advance policy changes that have the potential to impact millions of kids and communities across the country.

Latest Policy Ideas

Core Beliefs Driving Our Policy Agenda

STEM Next’s policy program that is grounded in four core beliefs:

Family and Youth Voice

We must center the voices of the individual and groups for whom the current policies and practices of STEM education are not working.

Collective Action

STEM Next believes deeply in collective action to catalyze bold changes on behalf of young people.

Capacity Building

We need the ideas and the guiding principles to reimagine STEM education as well as a group of experts to support making these changes at the Federal, State and Local level

Bridging Divides

STEM Next has unique expertise at bridging divides between informal and formal learning environments and works with school districts, community based non-profits, philanthropy and industry to advance change.