Design Principles

As a guide in our common effort, the partners of our initiative crafted the following design principles:

STEM embraces a comprehensive education philosophy, based on student inquiry and experience.

STEM schools thrive in a connected P-16 education continuum, where students cultivate a passion for mathematics and science in the early grades and earn college credit and work experiences in the later grades.

STEM schools educate the “whole” child, incorporating the arts, languages and humanities into student curricula.

STEM schools reflect an interdisciplinary approach, offering students the opportunity to make sense of the world around them, rather than learn isolated bits and pieces of subjects in separate forums.

STEM schools engage students in the “technological design process,” using technology to meet the challenges of life.

STEM schools are collaborative and innovative, built on strong partnerships among K-12 education, higher education and business. They might be co-located on a college campus or a corporate center.

STEM schools employ a specific set of design principles that distinguish them from other schools.