On July 12 – 14, 2022, the Smithsonian Science Education Center will host an education summit as part of its Zero Barriers in STEM Education Accessibility and Inclusion Program, an initiative focused on increasing the prevalence of accessible and inclusive practices in STEM education and school culture for students with disabilities.

The convening will bring teams of educators representing schools, districts, and state education agencies across the US together to develop logic models that focus on a problem of practice related to accessible and inclusive STEM programs and school culture for students with disabilities.

Over the course of 2 ½ days in the nation’s capital, teams and an assigned mentor will work together to identify their problem and develop a plan of action, which will be implemented for 18 months following the summit. Developing a logic model at the summit is the first of many steps that educators will take to serve as change agents in their organizations when participating in this program. 

As team members build their capacity to be leaders and initiate change in their educational ecosystem, the program also wants them to understand the importance of engaging all stakeholders in decision-making processes, especially when addressing systemic issues. To that end, teams must be comprised of a diverse group of individuals that operate within different areas of the organization.

Following the Summit, selected teams and mentors will be expected to participate in a virtual professional development a few months after they begin implementing their logic models. This series of workshops will focus on accessibility and other topics relevant to expanding STEM opportunities for students with disabilities.

Travel and accommodations provided by the Smithsonian.

For questions, contact: Sherrell Lewis, LewisSM@si.edu.

The deadline to apply as a team or mentor is Friday, May 27, 2022 at 5 pm.