McKenzie Snow, Director of Iowa Department of Education | Iowa Department Of Education
The Iowa Department of Education has announced a new statewide partnership with National Math Stars, aimed at supporting mathematically gifted students. This initiative identifies third graders who scored in the top 2% on the mathematics Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, encompassing all student groups.
“Following the enactment of Governor Reynolds’ comprehensive Math Counts Act, we are proud to be the first state in the nation to provide mathematically extraordinary students the opportunity to receive these transformational supports,” stated McKenzie Snow, Director of the Iowa Department of Education. She highlighted that through this partnership, selected students will benefit from a fully funded program tailored to their strengths and interests from fourth grade through twelfth grade.
The support offered includes a dedicated family advisor, weekly math mentoring at no cost, advanced technology and educational resources, pathway exploration and counseling, STEM summer experiences, and various family and community events. Each participant will have access to individualized support that may exceed $100,000 in philanthropic contributions.
"We're thrilled to partner with the Iowa Department of Education to recognize and support the state's extraordinary young mathematicians,” said Ilana Walder-Biesanz, Founder and CEO of National Math Stars. She noted that while they have previously worked at the school district level in other regions, Iowa's decision for a statewide collaboration ensures no high-scoring third-grader is overlooked.
Collaboration between the Department and school districts as well as accredited nonpublic schools identified 764 eligible students. Of these students, 709 attend public schools while 55 are enrolled in accredited nonpublic schools across Iowa. These students were invited to apply for participation in National Math Stars' support program.
By June 15th's deadline, over 56% of eligible families applied for this enrichment opportunity. The applicants come from 295 different elementary schools throughout Iowa. National Math Stars plans to notify families and publicly announce all selected participants on August 15th.
For more information about National Math Stars and its mission since its founding in 2023 to aid mathematically talented students across communities, visit www.nationalmathstars.org.
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