PROJECT LEAD THE WAY
BEGAN IN 1997 AND HAS
BECOME AMERICA’S
LEADING PROVIDER OF
IN-SCHOOL CURRICULUM
FOR SCIENCE,TECHNOLOGY,
ENGINEERING, AND
MATHEMATICS.
OUR MISSION IS TO PREPARE
STUDENTS FOR THE GLOBAL
ECONOMY.
The Problem
AN INCREASINGLY GLOBAL AND
TECHNOLOGY-BASED ECONOMY
HAS DRAMATICALLY INCREASED
DEMAND FOR A HIGHLY-SKILLED
WORKFORCE.
We must solve this problem.
WE DO THIS THROUGH…
 WORLD-CLASS CURRICULUM
 HIGH-QUALITY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
 AN ENGAGED NETWORK
The Solution
WORLD-CLASS CURRICULUM
PROJECT LEAD THE WAY
PROVIDES RIGOROUS AND
RELEVANT SCIENCE,
TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING,
AND MATHEMATICS
CURRICULUM. PLTW COURSES
ARE PROJECT- AND ACTIVITY
BASED AND FOCUS ON
DEVELOPING CRITICAL
THINKING, PROBLEM-SOLVING,
COLLABORATIVE, AND
TECHNICAL SKILLS.
The Solution
HIGH-QUALITY PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
OVER 3,000 PROJECT LEAD
THE WAY TEACHERS ARE
TRAINED ANNUALLY USING
OUR RIGOROUS APPROACH.
The Solution
ENGAGED NETWORK
AN ENGAGED NETWORK OF COMMUNITY LEADERS,
UNIVERSITY AFFILIATES, STATE DEPARTMENTS OF
EDUCATION, AND INDUSTRY PARTNERS HAVE HELPED
POSITION PLTW AS AN ESSENTIAL REGIONAL, STATEWIDE,
AND NATIONAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SOLUTION.
PLTW Schools by School Year
PLTW Programs by School Year
PLTW National Regions
Project Lead The Way engages student
learning through three programs in
schools across the nation.
Pathway To Engineering (PTE)
High School Students…
 Explore the engineering design
process
 Link STEM principles to relevant
problem-solving activities
Pathway To Engineering
High School Courses
 Introduction to Engineering Design
 Principles of Engineering
 Digital Electronics
 Aerospace Engineering
 Biotechnical Engineering
 Civil Engineering & Architecture
 Computer Integrated Manufacturing
 Engineering Design & Development
Computer Science and Software Engineering Course
for Pathway To Engineering (PTE)
 The ninth course for PTE will
address the need for computational
thinking across all career paths and
the need for more skilled
professionals in computer science.
 The course is currently in
development and will be field
tested in fall 2013.
 If you would like to provide
input, please email
engineeringcurriculum@pltw.org
Biomedical Sciences Program (BMS)
High School Students Explore…
• Human medicine
• Bioinformatics
• Cell biology
• Genetics
• Disease
• And other biomedical topics
Biomedical Sciences
High School Courses
 Principles of the
Biomedical Sciences
 Human Body Systems
 Medical Interventions
 Biomedical Innovation
Gateway To Technology (GTT)
Middle School
• Independent, nine-week units
• Students Explore:
• Aerospace
• Energy
• The Environment
• Modeling
• Robotics
• Technology
• And other STEM-related topics
Gateway To Technology
Middle School Courses
 Design and Modeling
 Automation and
Robotics
 Energy and the
Environment
 Flight and Space
 Green Architecture
 Science of Technology
 Magic of Electrons
Biomedical Sciences Unit for Gateway To Technology
(GTT)
 The eighth unit for GTT will be themed
to capture student interest in topics
associated with the Biomedical
Sciences Program.
 The unit will be created and field tested
during the 2012-2013 school year.
 If you would like to provide
input, please email
biomedicalsciencescurriculum@pltw.org
Transforming Students
THE CLASSROOM
A innovation zone filled with the latest
design software, advanced materials,
and cutting-edge equipment.
Transforming Students
ACHIEVEMENTS
PLTW students achieve significantly
higher scores in reading, mathematics,
and science and, have the opportunity to
receive college credit.
Standards Alignment
 All PLTW courses are aligned to Common Core State
Standards for Mathematics and English Language Arts.
 Alignments will be available at alignment.pltw.org.
 Support resources, including answers to general questions and
a video tutorial, are also available at alignment.pltw.org.
 Alignment to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) will
be completed and available soon after they are released.
Alignments to the NGSS are currently in development.
PLTW Assessment Overview
PLTW requires summative End of Course Assessments for 10 of
12 high school courses
No assessments for EDD, BI, or Gateway To Technology courses
Two Assessment Cycles
• Fall/Winter: December 3, 2012 – March 8, 2013
• Spring: April 22, 2013 – June 21, 2013
All students are required to take the End of Course Assessments
“PLTW did not find us, we found them!
PLTW is the premier STEM program in the
U.S. to me for two main reasons. Students
are engaged EVERY DAY in problem
solving activities and work EVERY DAY in
teams! We also know that PLTW maintains
its up-to-date curriculum, provides a unique
and rigorous teacher professional
development model, their schools are
certified for quality, and they don’t
compromise their certification. We very
actively recruit PLTW students.”
Dennis D. Parker, A.M.
North American Production Support Center
Toyota, Inc.
Georgetown, KY
“PLTW is a promising program that
is both changing the lives of middle
and high school students nationwide
and helping to build a workforce that
meets the needs of the 21st century.”
– Hillary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State
PLTW is one of the "great models
of the new CTE succeeding all across
the country.”
- Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education
TRANSFORMING STUDENTS
PLTW’s curriculum creates a
classroom experience unlike
any other.
Transforming Students
PLTW ALUMNI
PLTW alumni are studying engineering
and technology in greater numbers than
the national average, with a higher
retention rate in college engineering,
science, and related programs than
non-PLTW students.
Improvements to the Assessment Program
 Student rostering via upload of a .csv file at the school level
 One assessment per course (40-50 Items)
 All assessments delivered online
 Tests can be broken into two segments for short class periods
 Increased security protocol to ensure fair testing
 Data reporting system at my.pltw.org for teachers and
administrators
Reporting of Student Data on my.pltw.org
 Principals and District Delegates can submit student roster
files for all students at the school level.
 Principals and teachers can access current and historic
student level data.
 State leaders and affiliate directors will receive non-identifiable
reports at the class level.
 Scores will be reported as norm-referenced End of Course
scores based on a stanine scale (percent correct will not be
reported).
 Additional reporting features such as unit sub-scores are being
developed.
PLTW Programs
Common Core
Alignment
and Continuous
Improvement
Annual Course Revision Cycle
 PLTW is transitioning to a continuous improvement model
for all programs.
 Teachers can expect to see improvements each year.
Biomedical Sciences Unit for Gateway To Technology
(GTT)
 The eighth unit for GTT will be
themed
to capture student interest in topics
associated with the Biomedical
Sciences Program.
 The unit will be created and field
tested during the 2012-2013 school
year.
 If you would like to provide
input, please email
biomedicalsciencescurriculum@pltw.o
rg
Elementary STEM and Engineering
 Activities to support elementary
student STEM and engineering
learning are in development.
 If you would like to provide
input, please email
elementarycurriculum@pltw.org
Continue the Conversation
Becoming Part of the Solution
HOW CAN I HELP?
WE’RE GLAD YOU ASKED!
 Mentor PLTW students
 Join a school partnership team
 Financially support PLTW program implementations in your area
or throughout the country
 Voice your endorsement of Project Lead The Way
TOGETHER – WE ARE THE SOLUTION.
For more information visit pltw.org
or contact school support at
SchoolRelations@pltw.org