Project Lead The Way (PLTW) is an American nonprofit organization that develops STEM curricula for use by US elementary, middle, and high schools.
Description
PLTW Engineering - Designed for high school students, PLTW Engineering is more than just another high school engineering program. It is about applying engineering, science, math, and technology to solve complex,...
PLTW's mission is to prepare students for the global economy by providing K-12 STEM programs to public, private, and charter schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in rural, urban, and suburban districts. The program offers a problem-based curriculum combined with a teacher professional development.
AP + PLTW
In 2015, College Board partnered with Project Lead The Way in an effort to encourage STEM majors. Students who have successfully passed at least three exams (one AP exam, one PLTW exam, and another AP or PLTW exam) are eligible to receive the AP + PLTW Student Recognition for one or more of the following: Engineering, Biomedical Sciences, and Computer Science.
Payment and distribution
Schools that register with PLTW pay a flat participation fee that includes the curriculum, all required course software, access to school and technical support, and access to PLTW's learning management system. Teachers who instruct the Project Lead The Way curriculum are required to take part in PLTW's three-phase professional development program.
Financial support for PLTW
Governments of several states, including New York, Indiana, Iowa, and South Carolina, have provided funding to PLTW to support future development.
The Kern Family Foundation of Wisconsin provides financial support for the program in the states of Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota. Kern first became involved with PLTW in Wisconsin in 2004 as one of several programs it funds in an attempt to enhance U.S. economic competitiveness by trying to qualify more students for engineering and technology careers. The foundation's expenditures in support of the funding of PLTW total more than $23 million. Other foundations funding PLTW include the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and the Conrad Foundation.
References
External links
- PLTW official website
