Texas Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Initiative February 2009

Why T-STEM? College Readiness Texas has lower percentages of students taking AP exams in Calculus, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics than the nation and lower percentages of students scoring a 3 or higher. Source: TEA presentation to TSELA (2007)

Why T-STEM? Student Performance High school students continue to pass the Mathematics and Science sections of the high school graduation test (TAKS) at lower rates than the ELA or Social Studies sections. Source: Texas Education Agency, AEIS (2008)

4 Why T-STEM? Economic Development & Competitiveness Of the 20 fastest-growing occupations projected through 2010, 15 of them require substantial mathematics or science preparation. On TIMSS 2007, U.S. 8 th graders scored lower than 5 countries located in Asia in mathematics and lower than 9 countries in Asia and Europe in science. Advanced Tech & Manufacturing Energy Aerospace & Defense Biotech & Life Sciences Information & Computer Tech Petroleum Refining & Chemical Products Source: The Next Frontier (2008) TAMEST and Highlights from TIMSS 2007 (2008) NCES

Why T-STEM Was Created? Opportunity Students of all income levels who take rigorous mathematics and science courses in high school are more likely to go to college. Taking advanced math has a direct impact on future earnings. All else being equal, inequities in advanced math courses account for one-quarter of the income gap between students from low income and middle-class families ten years after graduation from high school.. Source: Mathematics Equals Opportunity (1997)US Department of Education and Advanced Math: Closing the Equity Gap (2008) Math Works

T-STEM Academies - Transforming Teaching and Learning

T-STEM Academies - Prepare students for STEM post secondary study and careers Develop the capacity to design and/or replicate and sustain performance-driven school models. Transform instructional practice to model real world contexts for learning to improve student achievement for all students. Serve as demonstration sites to inform STEM teaching and learning statewide.

T-STEM Academies Panhandle New Deal ISD Harmony Science-Lubbock West Burnham Wood –Da Vinci – El Paso Harmony Science El Paso El Paso ISD/El Paso CC East Aldine ISD – Carver HS YES Prep SE Harmony School of Excellence KIPP Houston Harmony Science- Beaumont Harmony Science – Houston Longview ISD – Longview Global Fruitvale ISD Galveston ISD – Ball HS Harmony School of Science Energized for Excellence - HISD Central Waco ISD – AJ Moore Texas BioSci - Temple College Manor ISD Rapoport - Waco Harmony Science - Waco Harmony Science - Austin North Harmony Science-Fort Worth Waxahachie ISD – Waxahachie Global Dallas ISD - Conrad HS Harmony Science –Dallas Richardson ISD – Berkner HS Peak Academy-Williams Prep Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD - METSA Harmony School of Nature – Dallas Irving Academy Early Innovators 2006 Academies 2007 Academies 2008 Academies South Harmony Science –San Antonio North East ISD – Lee HS/Nimitz MS Corpus Christi ISD – Innovative Academy IDEA Academy – San Benito IDEA Academy -Mission La Sara ISD Valley View ISD School of Excellence – San Antonio Harmony Science – Laredo Harmony Science – Brownsville Pharr San-Juan Alamo/South Texas College

T-STEM Academies 39 Academies 22 Charter Academies 17 ISD Academies Configurations Grades 9-12 (14) Grades 6-12 (25) Including (3) T-STEM ECHS Projected Focus Areas Urban areas and Texas-Mexico border First-generation college students Economically disadvantaged students

Do all Academies Look Alike? Academies differ STEM specialty areas adopted Grade level configurations (9-12 or 6-12) School designation (school-within-a school or stand-alone) All Academies follow the T-STEM Design Blueprint and reflect the models non-negotiables.

T-STEM Academies: Who are we serving? Enrollment ( ) 9032 (39 schools) Economically Disadvantaged 54% receive free or reduced meals 13/22 Academies open in are designated Title I Schools Demographics ( ) 59% Hispanic 12% African American 25 % White 4% Other Source: Texas Education Agency (2008)

Student Success Indicators Academy Attendance Rate 96.7% vs. State Attendance Rate 95.5% 64% of Academies report 0 discipline incidents 98% of students on track to graduate in 4 years Source: Texas Education Agency and Self-reported (2008)

Academy Success Indicators 2008 Texas State Accountability RatingNumber of Academies Academically Exemplary 11 Academically Recognized 6 Academically Acceptable 5 TOTAL 22 Source: Texas Education Agency and Self-reported (2008)

T-STEM Academy Design What do our schools look like? Secondary schools Mix of public charter schools, traditional district schools Stand alone or school-within-a- school Small learning communities -100 students per grade Serve a population with a majority representation of high- need students Open enrollment, non- selective, admission by lottery Rigorous, STEM integrated curriculum utilizing the design process High quality, contextually- based teaching and learning Student advisory and extensive support systems

T-STEM Blueprint Design Benchmarks Mission-Driven Leadership Mission and Vision Leadership and Governance Program Review and Evaluation Leadership Development and Collaboration T-STEM Academy Culture and Design Personalization Culture Postsecondary Success Student Outreach, Access and Retention Recruitment Open Access Student Support and Retention Teacher Selection, Development, and Retention Highly Qualified Teachers Teacher Support and Development Teacher Retention Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Rigor STEM-focused Curriculum Instructional Practices STEM Education Integration Literacy Assessment Strategic Alliances Parent and/or Family Participation Business and School Community Institutions of Higher Education Communication with Alliance Members and Stakeholders Academy Advancement and Sustainability Strategic Planning Sustainability and Growth Continuous Improvement and Evaluation

Successful Implementation Critical components to the successful implementation of the T-STEM Academy model Strong College-going Culture Autonomy Leadership Teachers

Implementation and Fidelity to the Model Technical Assistance STEM Leadership Coaches T-STEM Centers Professional Development Site Visits T-STEM Tools Blueprint Progress Continuum and Self-assessment - used to monitor implementation and chart plan for support for schools Student and School Performance Data

Data Performance Data Student TAKS scores Graduation rates Results of College Readiness Assessments Student enrollment and successful completion of STEM cores courses and AP, IB, and dual credit courses Program Data Curriculum Instruction Strategies Student Support Rely on self-reporting from the Academies Working with partners to find more reliable and efficient ways to collect, manage, and use data

T-STEM Centers Panhandle Texas Tech T-STEM Texas Tech Lubbock ISD ESC Regions West El Paso T-STEM UT El Paso 12 El Paso area school districts Region 19 South El Centro del Futuro Region One (partnering w/) UT Pan Am 13 school districts, and the UT Dana Center East East Texas STEM UT Tyler TX A&M Texarkana ESC Regions 5-8 & 6 ISDs in NE Texas Southeast Regional STEM UT Medical Branch Rice Texas State NASA ESC Regions 3-5 Houston Museum of Natural Sci 9 ISDs (including Houston, Galveston, Cypress Fairbanks) Central Transformation 2013 Region 13 in Austin (partnering w/) ESC Region 20 in San Antonio UT Austin College of Engineering San Antonio ISD Taylor ISD Dana Center at UT Austin Providing support to centers and academies, as well as other schools across Texas North North Texas STEM Texas A&M Dallas ISD ESC Region 10 Design Physically located in universities and ESCs Serve the education needs of local areas Provide expertise across the state

20 T-STEM Initiative T-STEM Academies T-STEM Centers Leadership Network/Learning Community