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2026 Calendar of STEM Professional Development Opportunities 

Breakout 1:

Leveling Up Learning: Using Math Games with Literacy to Build Confidence and Mathematical Thinking (K-8, Greg Gierhart)

Math games are powerful tools for engagement—but without intentional structure, they can miss opportunities for deeper learning. This session explores how combining math games with literacy enhances student confidence, reasoning, and communication. 

Three Moves to Engage and Support Math Students (K-14, Janet Moore)

Do you want to increase engagement in your math class? Are you looking for more powerful ways to support students who struggle with math? In this session, we will outline and demonstrate three high-powered teacher moves that can transform your math classroom. Along the way, we just might change the way you and your students "see" numbers forever!

Overview of ACT Test Preparation Activities for Teachers and Students (9-12, Doninic Iannone, Director with ACT Customer Services)

In this session, you will learn about ACT resources and activities that can be used by teachers to help students prepare for PreACT/ACT testing. We will highlight ACT PD and ACT Instructional Mastery (AIM) courses for teachers. Additionally, we will provide ACT resources teachers can use in working with students to prepare for the ACT testing experience. Resources include free ACT web locations/resources, test descriptions, and free online practice tests. We will also introduce ACT paid test prep resources, including the ACT Online Prep (AOP) powered by MasteryPrep.

Access and using ACT Assessment Data for School/District Improvement (9-12, George Schlott, ACT Senior Account Executive for Northern Illinois)

This session will introduce participants to the features in the ACT Online Reporting System ( https://success.act.org ). We will demonstrate how system users can access individual student data/reports, summary reports, state test data/reports, etc. We will also discuss some of the ways participants can use the data from the Online Reporting System to inform the school/district curriculum and instructional programs.

IAR and Assessment: Year-long Steps to Improving Student Achievement (3-8, Kathy Felt)

High-stakes testing is over for this year, but efforts to ensure a strong performance next year are just beginning! This session focuses on tools and strategies to build student confidence and achieve maximum growth on the IAR. Valuable educator resources will be shared that will improve data utilization, student learning, preparation, and achievement throughout the year , eliminating the need for last-minute cramming.

Breakout 2:

Math Fluency: What Does It Really Look Like in the K–8 Classroom? (K-8,  Greg Gierhart)

Math fluency is often misunderstood as quick recall alone. However, true fluency involves accuracy, flexibility, and efficiency grounded in conceptual understanding. This session explores what math fluency looks like across grade levels K–8 and how teachers can intentionally develop it in ways that build confidence and competence. 

Overview of the ACT/PreACT Math Test (9-12, Scott Johanningmeier – Principal Content Specialist, Math, ACT Education Corp.)

This session will present information about the ACT and PreACT Math section including recent changes for the Enhanced ACT and PreACT. We will present information about the assessment design process and content blueprints of the test. We will also present findings from cognitive labs about processes that students utilize when answering test questions.

Mr. Johanningmeier taught all levels of high school math before working at ACT. At ACT he started as an item writer, item reviewer, and form builder for the ACT test. He has worked on the development of all of ACT’s past math assessments, including end-of-course assessments in Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, and Precalculus, and on the Aspire, EXPLORE, and PLAN math tests. Mr. Johanningmeier designed the PreACT math test and has spent the past few years working on the enhancements and updated test design of the ACT math test. He has over 24 years of experience in the math education and assessment field.

Overview of the ACT/PreACT Science Test (9-12, Jay Thomas – Principal Content Specialist, Science, ACT Education Corp.)

This session will present information about the ACT and PreACT Science section including recent changes for the Enhanced ACT and PreACT. We will present information about the assessment design process and content blueprints of the test. We will also present findings from cognitive labs about processes that students utilize when answering test questions.

Jay Thomas taught high school for 20 years serving as Science Department chair and Data Analyst for the Freshman transition team in addition to his teaching duties. Mr. Thomas came to ACT in 2013 where he is currently the Principal Content Specialist for Science. His work includes contributing to assessment design and validation, alignment studies, performance level descriptors (PLDs), construct validation research, cognitive lab research, and the National Curriculum Survey.

Closing Talk

Transforming My Students, My Classroom, and Myself  (K-14, Janet Moore)

As educators demand change in the world of education, it is important to set a vision for what that change might look like and what its ultimate goals might be. Establishing a coherent vision requires deep reflection about our students, our classrooms, and ourselves as teachers. In this presentation, we will attempt to define the types of transformation we want to see in our students, and we will grapple with the type of transformation that will be necessary in ourselves and our classrooms in order to achieve that vision.

Archived links

 

The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, authorized under the National Science Foundation responds to the critical need for K-12 teachers of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by encouraging talented STEM students and professionals to pursue teaching careers in elementary and secondary schools. This material is based upon the work through the National Science Foundation under Award No. 2243323