Indiana is doubling down on a Cambridge-fueled STEM push, reopening a grant program that could bring the University of Cambridge’s math and science curriculum to as many as 16 additional public and private schools. The latest application window runs through the spring and summer, with completed forms due July 17 and implementation set to begin July 1. Backed by roughly $500,000 in state funding, the effort also carries a $2,495 bonus for every student who earns an honors-enrollment seal through the Cambridge AICE Diploma. Districts already in the mix say the courses both support multilingual learners and give teens a taste of credit-bearing, college-level work.
State Opens New Grant Window
Schools can now seek money through the 2026–27 Cambridge Math and Science Grant, requesting up to $25,000 per school to cover program costs, teacher training and exam fees, according to the Indiana Department of Education. The state set the grant implementation cycle for July 1 through June 30, 2027, with completed applications due Friday, July 17. The memo notes that applicants may be reimbursed for qualifying expenses incurred before they submit their applications, giving districts some flexibility as they gear up.
Who Is Already In The Pilot
The first round of awards, announced in February, put six schools at the front of Indiana’s Cambridge experiment: Whiteland High School, North Central High School in MSD Washington Township, Terre Haute South, East Chicago Central, GEO Next Generation Academy and Al-Haqq Foundation Academy, as outlined by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. That initial cohort helped shape the guidance for this second round and showed how districts might use the dollars to launch Thinking Skills, computer science and STEM A level classes. State officials say additional schools could be brought on board in later cycles.
Why Some Districts Opted For Cambridge
Whiteland Community Schools turned to a Cambridge-backed curriculum in 2024 to better serve a rapidly growing multilingual student body. The district reports that about 14% of its students speak English as an additional language, representing 64 languages, and leaders say essay-based Cambridge assessments allow those students to show what they know while they are still building English proficiency. Assistant superintendent Cassandra Shipp told Chalkbeat, “We don’t want to limit our students who we know are bright.” District officials also stress that Cambridge offerings are meant to sit alongside existing Advanced Placement and dual-credit options, not replace them.
How Cambridge Ties Into Diplomas And College Access
Cambridge International describes its programs as globally benchmarked, used in schools across the United States and in roughly 160 countries. Indiana now counts the Cambridge AICE Diploma toward the state’s Honors Enrollment Plus seal, which guarantees automatic admission to Indiana’s public colleges and universities for students who earn it. The state will pay for up to three Cambridge exams per student and offers a $2,495 incentive tied to seal completion, according to Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Mark Cavone, Cambridge’s North America regional director for international education, has said the approach is designed to better connect high school coursework with what colleges and employers actually expect.
What Schools Need To Know Before Applying
Districts eyeing the grant are urged to review the application packet and submit completed materials by July 17, per guidance from the Indiana Department of Education. Local coverage from WISH-TV details how pilot schools staffed their new classes and used the first round of funding to launch Cambridge thinking-skills and STEM courses. Successful applicants can spend grant dollars on teacher professional development, exam fees and instructional materials as they prepare to roll out courses for the 2026–27 school year.
