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
Passing Rates Grade 11 TAKS Spring 2008
100
95
91
80
81
80
60
40
ELA
Math
Social Studies
Science
 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)
Why T-STEM?
Economic Development & Competitivenes
 Of the 20 fastest-growing
occupations projected through
2010, 15 of them require
substantial mathematics or
science preparation.
 On TIMSS 2007, U.S. 8th
graders scored lower than 5
countries located in Asia in
mathematics and lower than 9
countries in Asia and Europe in
science.
Energy
Aerospace &
Defense
Biotech & Life
Sciences
Information &
Computer Tech
Advanced Tech &
Manufacturing
Petroleum Refining
& Chemical
Products
Source: The Next Frontier (2008) TAMEST
and Highlights from TIMSS 2007 (2008) 4
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
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
West
Central
Burnham Wood –Da Vinci – El Paso
Harmony Science El Paso
El Paso ISD/El Paso CC
Waco ISD – AJ Moore
Texas BioSci - Temple College
Manor ISD
Rapoport - Waco
Harmony Science - Waco
Harmony Science - Austin
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
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
Early Innovators
2006 Academies
2007 Academies
2008 Academies
T-STEM Academies
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Configurations
 Grades 9-12 (14)
 Grades 6-12 (25)
 Including (3) T-STEM
ECHS
Focus Areas
2009-2010
45
2008-2009
38
2007-2008
22
Projected
39 Academies
 22 Charter Academies
 17 ISD Academies
2006-2007
7
Annual Growth
 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 model’s non-negotiables.
T-STEM Academies: Who are we serving?
Enrollment (2008-2009)
 9032 (39 schools)
Economically Disadvantaged
 54% receive free or reduced
meals
 13/22 Academies open in
2007-2008 are designated
Title I Schools
Demographics (2008-2009)
 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 Rating
Number 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



selective, admission by lottery

Rigorous, STEM integrated
Stand alone or school-within-a-
curriculum utilizing the design
school
process
Small learning communities -100

students per grade

Open enrollment, non-
Serve a population with a
majority representation of highneed students
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
Design
North
North Texas STEM
 Texas A&M
 Dallas ISD
 ESC Region 10
Panhandle
Texas Tech T-STEM
 Texas Tech
 Lubbock ISD
 ESC Regions 14 -18

 

West
El Paso T-STEM
 UT El Paso
 12 El Paso area school districts
 Region 19


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

South
El Centro del Futuro
• Region One (partnering w/)
• UT Pan Am
• 13 school districts, and the
• UT Dana Center

Physically located in universities and ESCs

Serve the education needs of local areas

Provide expertise across the state
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)
T-STEM Initiative
 T-STEM Academies
 T-STEM Centers
 Leadership
 Network/Learning Community
20
http://www.thsp.org