APS Foundation ASAP Fellowship is sponsored by APS Foundation, Arizona Department of Education. A 10-month fellowship for K-12 STEM educators statewide in Arizona, with priority for rural and tribal communities. Prepares teachers to deliver high-quality, hands-on STEM activities through professional development and a supportive statewide teacher community.

Home | Arizona STEM Acceleration Project (ASAP) Reimagining the STEM Education Ecosystem The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project (ASAP) is an initiative that provides direct support, resources, and funding to Arizona’s K-12 educators as they deliver high-quality, hands-on STEM education to our state’s future leaders.

Supported by the AZ Department of Education and the APS Foundation , ASAP is a grassroots effort to enhance and accelerate STEM activities in schools across Arizona. It provides vital funding and guidance to schools and professional development organizations, increasing their ability to foster engagement, update curricula, and acquire materials needed to improve STEM education for Arizona’s youth and young adults.

Learn More About the Program Arizona currently ranks last in almost every major education category. We rank 48th in PreK-12 education, and 49th for the lowest graduation rate. Along with other educational deficiencies, there is a serious lack of STEM Education across the state.

In the 2021-2022 school year, Arizona had 1 high school physics teacher for every 2,158 students, and statistics show that Arizona high school students enroll in upper-level science classes at only half the national average. ASAP has sought to change that. Having impacted over 247,000 students over just two years of our program, and provided millions in funding to STEM teachers across the state, AZ STEM has begun to flourish.

By providing support to teachers, the keystone species in a STEM education ecosystem, schools, communities, and students have been widely impacted. Over 2,000 STEM Lessons have been created through our program, as well as nearly 900 STEM projects hosted by our Fellows, who together have attended nearly 35,000 hours of Professional Development. STEM Education is changing for the better - but it needs our continued support.

Throughout the history of the ASAP Program we continue to be recognized as a leader in accelerating STEM Education opportunities across Arizona, and have received a number of recognitions to date! Our program has... Received the 2024 ASU's President's Medal for Social Embeddedness for demonstrating excellence and continued commitment to embedding Arizona State University in its community.

Spoken as an honored guest at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on the state of STEM Education in Arizona and the impact of our project. Received the Arizona Tech Council's Judges Award for the Governor's Award of Technology and Innovation for our strides in revolutionizing the methods in which direct support, funds, and guidance can be provided to teachers directly, rather than a top-down model.

Received the APS Foundation Grant , for enhancing academic achievement across Arizona in all major categories of STEM. From every county in Arizona, over the past several years ASAP Fellows had paved the way in STEM education. They have had access to a broad range of professional development opportunities and continue to contribute to an ever-growing Lesson Plan Database.

Learn More About Our Fellows There are currently a number of opportunities available to either fund , support , or provide professional development to Arizona Educators! Listed below are a number of them, many of which are provided by our PD Partners!

APS Foundation ASAP Fellowship (Priority Deadline: June 21 | Final Deadline: August 15) We are pleased to announce that the Arizona STEM Acceleration Project has received a new round of funding to support 100 STEM Fellows across the state! Applications will open on May 28 . We will be selecting the first 75 fellows from applications received by June 21 , so please apply early - first-round fellows will be notified in early July .

A second round will be made from applications received by August 15 ; if not selected in the first round, you do not need to reapply. Final notifications will be sent in early September . The APS Foundation ASAP Fellowship is a 10-month fellowship (July 31, 2026 – May 1, 2027) open to all current K–12 STEM educators statewide, with priority for rural and tribal communities.

ASAP prepares teachers to deliver high-quality, hands-on STEM activities through professional development and a supportive statewide teacher community.

$1,000 stipend paid directly to you Opportunity to apply for funding for classroom materials to support your STEM project Engagement with professional development organizations statewide Support from the ASAP community and partners An official certificate and fellowship pin A chance to engage with STEM leaders across Arizona Attend online fellowship meetings (welcome meeting, office hours, and closing celebration) Attend 10 hours of approved professional development (minimum 4 hours in-person) Create one transdisciplinary STEM lesson plan to share on the ASAP website Implement a student-facing STEM project for your school or community Complete PD surveys and a final report Must be a US citizen or permanent resident Priority application deadline — 75 seats : June 21, 2026 Late registration deadline — final 25 seats : August 15, 2026 Apply for ASAP Fellowship!

APS Foundation ASAP Fellowship Information Webinar Have questions about the APS Foundation ASAP Fellowship? Join us for a live information session to learn more about the fellowship, application process, requirements, benefits, and timeline.

Date: Monday, June 8, 2026 Time: 4:00 PM (Arizona Time) During the webinar, we'll discuss: Fellowship benefits and expectations Professional development requirements STEM project implementation Application timeline and selection process Questions from prospective applicants https://asu. zoom. us/j/81266147773?

pwd=c44QpSmOos7cSq8naAH9yUjU3HyfL3. 1 Meeting ID: 812 6614 7773 Apply for ASAP Fellowship! The Arizona Department Of Education wants to help teachers ‘Get Set For STEM!

’ This scholarship program offers Arizona Educators $2,000 per year for up to three years to pursue coursework or programs that will prepare them to add a STEM area (calculus, physics, biology, etc) or a CTE Certificate, along with bolster their STEM teaching knowledge and skills. Any Arizona certified teachers with a current contract at an Arizona public school are eligible and encouraged to apply!

Coursework must be taken through a regionally or nationally accredited secondary-education institution in Arizona, such as ASU, UA, NAU, GCU, or an Arizona Community College. In addition, scholarship recipients agree to teach in Arizona public schools for three years after completing their coursework or program.

In partnership with Phoenix Suns/Phoenix Mercury Foundation , APS' STEM Teacher Grants help bring learning to life with awards of up to $2,500 for K-12, public and charter school teachers who lead innovative, hands-on activities that introduce STEM concepts to the classroom. A total of $50,000 is available each year. This funding will be awarded for classroom projects from January through May!

Applications for this opportunity are generally open during the month of September, and this year will be available until September 30th, 2024 ! In addition all project funds must be spent on designated budget items within the school year in which they are approved. To learn more and apply for this exciting opportunity, click below!

Our Professional Development Partners have a plethora of free or low-cost opportunities available to educators year-round! These workshops are hosted across every Arizona county, and there are plenty of in-person and virtual opportunities!

To visit the websites and professional development calendars of our partners, please feel free to click on any of the icons on the ' Our Partners ' page, and there's sure to be workshops available for your grade level and subject area! I have grown more in the last two years than I ever have. Much more willing to take risks and step way outside my comfort zone!

Dare mighty things indeed! Our online library of teacher-sourced STEM lesson plans provides one-stop access for K-12 educators. With lessons from every K-12 STEM subject, this free resource is sure to have something for your classroom!

My students and I want to thank you for this life changing opportunity. We will cherish all we have been able to achieve due to the ASAP program. Explore a collection of previously offered STEM programs , workshops , and educator grants that have supported Arizona teachers in the past.

They highlight the exciting partnerships and professional learning experiences made available through our STEM network! AEF STEM Workshop: Information Dominance & Sensors - Lake Havasu - May 30th For K–12 educators of all experience levels.

Join the Arizona Educational Foundation for a hands-on STEM workshop focused on Information Dominance & Sensors — exploring how electronic sensors gather and visualize data, and how communication technologies Naval S&T Focus Areas covered: C5ISR/Naval Space | Artificial Intelligence | Ocean, Atmosphere & Space Questions? Email: Jonathan@azedfoundation.

org AEF STEM Workshop: Maritime Robotics & Logistics (April 25) For 4th–12th grade educators of all experience levels. Join the Arizona Educational Foundation in the Cox Innovation Lab for an exciting, hands-on training in classroom 'maritime' robotics & logistics. Using LEGO Spike Prime Robots, participants will explore effective ways to integrate robotics into their curriculum.

The training covers essential engineering and coding skills across Science, Computer Science, Educational Technology, Literacy, and Math. This day is designed to be platform-independent and the framework is directly transferable to VEX IQ, Edison, Sphero, or any block-based robotics system. 📅 Saturday, April 25 | 8:30am–3:30pm 📍 Cox Innovation Lab, Arizona Educational Foundation 326 E.

Coronado Rd. , Ste. 207, Phoenix, AZ 85004 Questions?

Email: Jonathan@azedfoundation. org Biofuels Workshop - Phoenix Event (April 25) For 4th–12th grade educators. Join Canyon Professional Development for a hands-on, full-day workshop focused on Human & Biological Systems — Biofuels .

Teachers will work with industry-level equipment, develop classroom-ready lesson plans, and explore how to bring Naval Science & Technology concepts into their STEM instruction. 📅 Saturday, April 25 | 📍 Paradise Valley, Phoenix ✅ Classroom-ready materials provided Facilitated by Marni Landry, Grand Canyon University NAU Workshop: Teaching Weather, Oceans & Space (April 25) For K–12 educators in the Tuba City region.

Northern Arizona University invites educators to a full-day professional development session introducing Model-Based Inquiry (MBI) as a framework for teaching complex Earth system phenomena related to weather, ocean systems, and space. Participants will explore how students engage in scientific practices to develop, test, and refine models explaining atmospheric circulation, ocean currents, and Earth–space interactions.

Using phenomena such as extreme weather events and ocean–atmosphere interactions, educators will leave with practical strategies for engaging students in modeling complex systems and incorporating real-world data into instruction. 📅 Saturday, April 25📍 Tuba City, AZ Questions? Email: ron.

gray@nau. edu Cybersecurity Workshop - Phoenix Event (May 2) For 4th–12th grade educators. Join Canyon Professional Development for a full-day workshop focused on Cybersecurity & C5ISR Technology — Hacking Simulations .

Teachers will gain hands-on experience with cybersecurity concepts, work alongside experts to build lesson plans, and connect students to real-world technology and defense career pathways.

📅 Saturday, May 2 | 📍 GCU Campus, Phoenix ✅ Classroom-ready materials provided Facilitated by Marni Landry, Grand Canyon University MicroSpark – Tucson Event (May 7) MicroSpark is a hands-on professional development workshop introducing teachers to microelectronics and semiconductor technologies — one of Arizona's fastest-growing industries.

Participants will gain classroom-ready lesson ideas, hear from industry and university speakers, and explore how to connect students to real-world STEM career pathways.

📅 Thursday, May 7 | 9am–3pm 📍 Pima JTED Bridges Campus, 3300 S Park Ave, Tucson, AZ 85713 ✅ PD Certificates provided For anyone who may be interested in partnering or contributing funding to ASAP to support future STEM Fellowships and advance education across our state- we would love for you to reach out!