STEM PUSH publishes its evidence-based tools and stories of improvement to support pre-college STEM leaders, guidance counselors, college admissions professionals, and more. These resources are based on research, best practices from the field, and findings from our Networked Improvement Community (NIC). The NIC is our learning engine where almost 40 pre-college STEM programs are testing ideas to strengthen their capacity to support Black, Latine and Indigenous students on a pathway to STEM undergraduate study. 

Through learning and adaptation from use with STEM PUSH pre-college STEM programs within the NIC, STEM PUSH presents an evidence-based and equity-centered self-study tool designed for use in out-of-school time spaces and organizations that share common goals around broadening participation in STEM.

The self-study  offers programs a chance to reflectf-reflect on the STEM PUSH evidence-based Quality Standards that center equity throughout. The standards align to the following six dimensions: Program Goals; Student Recruitment; Program Design and Implementation; Student Services; Assessment and Evidence of Performance; and College Pathways. 

Using the tool can help to scaffold and justify future program improvements based on your program’s self-evaluations and reflections. Some improvements might happen through small programmatic changes, while others may require a longer-term strategic planning process or improvement plan. The linked Resources document (found in the SUMMARY Quality Standards tab) connects resources used or developed by STEM PUSH that align with various quality standards to further support this work.