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In the spirit of the season, we've come up with a few STEM-Ed items that we'd like to see happen in 2013. Some are state initiatives, some federal, some private, some public, and they're listed in no particular order:

1.) Strong implementation of national standards

Over the next year, many states will be more fully incorporating Common Core State Standards into their curricula, with an eye toward full implementation in 2013-2014. Adopting the new standards will mean new textbooks, new materials, new assessments, and new technology. All of these may, without proper funding, face significant barriers. 

To complement Common Core, the Next Generation Science Standards (Next Gen) are also coming down the pike. They'll be in the final stages of review early next year. Both sets of standards get students, teachers, and schools across the country on the same page when it comes to math and science skills, and have incredible potential. But the devil's in the details, and it's important to get those right, too. 

2.) Continued innovations in STEM education 

The latest round of Investing in Innovation grants put a strong emphasis on STEM programs, whether it's

Saying "DARPA" might conjure up some sci-fi or high-tech images. But DARPA -- the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, or the research arm of the Department of Defense -- invests far and wide in tech (one of their earlier investments was in a little thing called the Internet). And one of their most recent investments can help high schoolers get involved in tech research, with potentially huge implications. 

As reported by NPR, DARPA  has committed $10 million to "hackerspaces" -- or equipped, democratic workspaces designed to tech creation and innovation -- in high schools. These freewheeling spaces

A Kansas superintendent's doctoral research further confirms a trend CTEq's Vital Signs saw earlier this year: Time for science, particularly in elementary school, is declining dramatically. 

George Griffiths, the super of a western Kansas district, polled 900 teachers across five Midwestern states, and found that, on average, teachers have cut between 30 and 60 minutes of science instruction weekly. In fact, one in five teachers reported

Today Change the Equation is proud to announce the launch of iONFuture, our new STEM-focused online learning games.

Can schools use hip hop to teach science?

Earlier this week the Department of Education announced their winners for the Investing in Innovation (i3) grants, and STEM came out

Besides President Barack Obama, there was another winner last night. 

Math. 

Yes, math. While statistical strategy and projection has long been a part of politics -- the Gallup Organization was founded in 1935, when FDR was president, and Kennedy may have lost the popular vote but won electorally in 1960 -- this perhaps was the year that data and numbers moved from an art to a science.

Change the Equation just announced that eight more first-rate programs have made it into STEMworks, our s

As recovery efforts continue in New York, New Jersey, and other areas seriously affected by Hurricane Sandy last week, many are already turning their eyes toward rebuilding efforts. And when rebuilding, STEM can -- and should -- play a key role in building smarter and stronger structures, in preparation for the next storm. 

Sandy already will likely be one of the five costliest storms in history, and so far, more than 100 people have lost their lives. A week later

Last month, an equal pay question in the second presidential debate surprised, and angered, some. But a report released last week by the American Association of University Women shows why the question still has merit.

It's well cited that overall, women earn 77 cents for every dollar that men make. But AAUW toke the analysis a step further, controlling for most factors cited in the wage gap -- children, career field, experience level -- by looking only at men and women one year out of college, and comparing within fields. What they found was that