Wake NC State University STEMEarly College High School

Preparing Tomorrow’s Problem Solvers

Overview

• STEM ECHS is a collaboration between the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) and NC State University (NC State) as part of the NC Early College High School initiative

• Students attend for five years and graduate with a NC high school diploma (21 credits) and up to two years of course credit from NC State

Overview

Mission Statement

The mission of the Wake NC State University STEM Early College High School is to provide a highly supportive and academically challenging learning environment for students underserved in a traditional high school setting and underrepresented in the STEM disciplines, including first generation college going students, who will graduate prepared to compete globally in careers related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Innovative Education Initiatives Act (IEIA)

• Passed by the NC General Assembly in 2003• Encourage cooperative efforts between

secondary schools and institutes of higher education (IHE) to reduce dropout rates, increase graduation rates, decrease need for remediation in IHE, and raise IHE completion rates

• Act also created Cooperative Innovative High School Programs, which led to the creation of Early College High Schools (ECHS)

North Carolina New Schools Project (NCNSP)

• Provided direction and advice through participation on the Leadership Team

• Established by Governor and NC Education Cabinet in 2003 with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

• Partners with colleges/universities, state/local governments, and funding sectors to establish innovative high schools that graduate students ready for college and 21st Century life

Planning for the STEM ECHS

• Aug. 2008—letter of intent to support planning and application for planning grant

• Oct. 2008—series of meetings by the WCPSS and NC State representatives to develop school mission statement, preliminary curriculum, and organizational principles

• Formation of Leadership Team and three subcommittees—Curriculum, Organization/Logistics, and Student Support Issues

Joining Our Business and Schools (JOBS) Commission

• Established in 2009 as an extension of the IEIA in 2003

• Charged with studying the issues related to economic development in NC

• Instructional programming frameworks that reflect high academic standards required for students to be successful and prepared for 21st Century jobs

JOBS Commission and STEM

• January, 2010. Dr. Louis Martin-Vega, Dean of the College of Engineering presented the how the Grand Challenges relate to STEM education

• March, 2010. Pam Townsend, Vice-President of AECOM, Inc. and President of the Professional Engineers of NC, discussed the goal of creating an ECHS around the theme of the Grand Challenges

• March, 2010. Dr. Betsy Brown, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs at NC State, discussed the creation of the STEM ECHS

Funding

• Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between UNC institutions and NC school districts

• IHE responsible for facility and some staffing costs

• School districts responsible for personnel and operating costs

• School districts receive extra funding for IHE-related costs such as tuition, fees, and textbooks

• Planning funding provided by JOBS Commission

Targeted Students

• Underserved students—those who do not maximize their potential in traditional, comprehensive high schools

• Under-represented students—those who are not represented in the STEM disciplines (by gender, ethnicity, etc.)

• First-time college going students in a family• Willing to accept the challenges of an

accelerated high school and college education

Application, Selection, and Demographics • 312 students applied. 302 “screened” in through

paper application due in January—EOG scores, course grades, two essays, three recommendations

• Online application in February• Pool of 302 students forwarded to the WCPSS

Magnet School Office. Standard magnet selection process in March

• 55 students selected• 43% first-time college goers, 50:50 male/female

ratio, over 70% non-white

Academic and Vocational Goals• Completion of NC Future Ready Core curriculum that

leads to a high school diploma• Completion of up to two years of NC State course

credit• Students prepared for educational activities beyond

the first two years of college• Students prepared to function as productive and

effective citizens• Students ready for the world of work

Pedagogy

• The STEM ECHS will serve as an “anchor” school to help the NCNSP continue to create and develop innovative high schools in NC

• Need for “common pedagogy”• The STEM ECHS will adopt and use the NCNSP

Common Instructional Framework—Every student reads, writes, thinks and talks in every classroom every day.

Pedagogy—Principles

Student success requires • That all graduates will be Ready for College• Powerful Teaching and Learning• Personalization of early college experiences within the

school community• Redefining Professionalism for the staff and

administration• Purposeful Design of “teaching and learning”• That collaborative Leadership is developed,

implemented and enhanced

Pedagogy

• Project-based learning• Technology—appropriate and meaningful use• Socratic seminar and Paideia Principles

(“upbringing of the child”)• Use of NC State faculty, students and resources• Focus on the new NC Teacher Evaluation

Process instrument, which emphasizes 21st Century teaching

Curriculum—Year One

• Based on the National Academy of Engineering’s Grand Challenges (http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/)

• Use of the five “sustainability” challenges as the framework or “backbone” for the first year (access to clean water; carbon dioxide sequestration; nitrogen cycle; making solar energy economical; fusion energy)

Curriculum—Year One

• Earth Science/Engineering Design—Yearlong, “A/B” flexible schedule, two credits

• Integrated Math I/II or II/III—Block schedule, two credits

• English I/Geography—Yearlong, “A/B” flexible schedule, two credits, students learn how to apply Socratic seminar techniques to the economic, ethical, legal, political, social, and sustainability issues related to the Grand Challenges

Curriculum—Year One

• Seminar with two major foci• ”Whole child” to explore issues related to

adolescent development, college environment, university resources, career exploration, etc.

• Learning how to participate in thoughtful and democratic discussion through Socratic seminar

21st Century Learning Outcomes

• Mastery of 21st Century interdisciplinary core content and themes

• Mastery of learning and innovation skills related to creativity and innovation; critical thinking and problem-solving; and communication and collaboration

• Mastery of information, media, and technology skills

21st Century Learning Outcomes

• Development of life and career skills such as flexibility and adaptability; initiative and self-direction; social and cross-cultural skills; productivity and accountability; and leadership and responsibility

Assessment and Evaluation Methods

• Business/college internship assessment• Formative assessment• Formulating essential questions• High school diploma• NC State course assessment• NC State transcript• Project-based learning and portfolio of

artifacts

Assessment and Evaluation Methods

• PSAT, SAT, ACT and other standardized testing• Socratic seminar• Student, teacher, parent surveys• Summative assessment such as written/oral

activities, End-of-Course exams, etc.

Relevance to NC State

• Consistent with NC State focus on innovation for K-16 and graduate school education

• Enhances development and dissemination of STEM discipline excellence

• Opportunity to work in a sustained way with a new high school on innovative issues related to STEM teaching/learning

Relevance to NC State

• Provides an opportunity to conduct educational research related to STEM teaching/learning

• Offers recruitment of under-represented students to STEM-related departments

• Allows NC State to contribute to statewide goal of using university knowledge and expertise to help address challenges and issues related to STEM disciplines with respect to improvements in public education, workforce development, and public awareness

Research Partnership Opportunities

• Angie Wright, Ed.D. WCPSS• http://www.wcpss.net/eval-research/external

_research/index.html• Dr. Heather Davis, NC State. Assessing

Attitudes, Behaviors, and Achievement related to STEM education

• Measuring Impact of STEM Outreach (MISO). Grant from NSF to NC State. See Logic Model handout

Contact Information

Rob MathesonPrincipal, Wake NC State University STEM Early College High SchoolC/O Centennial Middle School1900 Main Campus DriveRaleigh, NC 27606852-3376rmatheson@wcpss.net