Blog author: Julia Estelle Cotton
Content Marketing Associate
Empowering Futures: Transformative STEM Education for Southern Dallas County
February 13, 2024
Educate Texas, Lancaster ISD, and the Texas Instruments (TI) Foundation came together to build a districtwide model for STEM education that has created a solid learning foundation for students that will have a lasting impact on the predominantly African American community of Southern Dallas County.
Since 2011, Educate Texas and the TI Foundation have partnered to transform southern Dallas County school districts into STEM learning communities. The TI Foundation provided $7 million over five years to implement problem-based learning in STEM disciplines, with Educate Texas as the technical advisor.
Lancaster ISD recently hosted a STEM showcase and presentation for board members of the TI Foundation where students demonstrated some of the programs of study offered at Lancaster STEM High School. Executive Director of College Career Military Readiness and Enrichment, Latasha Murray, outlined LISD’s interpretation of the Engineering Design Process, TIGERS, “First you have to Think. Then you have to Imagine. Then you Generate, Execute, Refine, and Share.” Reviewing the LISD districtwide STEM model through their TIGERS process sheds light on its development and assured success.
Think.
LISD administrators aimed to address a key question, “How can we positively impact the southern sector of Dallas County, creating jobs and improving the economy?”
After researching industry and market studies, the school district identified five key educational areas: engineering, global art and communication, health science, information technology, and entrepreneurship.
The TI Foundation’s commitment to building thriving communities lead to their $7 million donation to the school district and surrounding areas. “Making sure that we’re investing in students today, to prepare them to be the folks who are working in industry tomorrow is critical if we want to have a strong community that can thrive economically,” said TI Foundation Executive Director, Andy Smith.
Imagine.
College and Career Readiness programs ensure students are equipped for success in diverse post-graduation paths, especially in a rapidly changing, technologically advanced society, which is further emphasized in STEM education. Twelve years ago, topics like cybersecurity and eSports weren’t prominent, indicating ongoing technological advancements. LISD aims to equip students to shape the future. Deputy Superintendent of Teaching & Learning Dr. Cassandra Barker noted, “We are preparing students for jobs that don’t exist – jobs that the students themselves will create.”
Generate.
LISD began its “STEM For All” mission in 2012, intending for students to develop soft skills such as collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity. The structure was composed of specific practices at each grade band emphasizing elementary awareness, sixth-grade exposure, middle school engagement, and high school experience. They eventually expanded from STEM to STEAM to include Art and then took the definition a step further.
“STEAM also refers to Service, Teaching, Entrepreneurship, Athletics, and Manufacturing,” explains Murray. “All students participate in STEAM experiences through various activities and benchmarks, indicating their readiness to progress to the next level.”
The effort is to ensure that all stakeholders understand that the skills necessary to succeed in STEM fields can and should be developed throughout all disciplines.
Execute.
During the site visit, junior students Sarayah Stearn, De’Ario Wilkerson, and Shirlee McGhee demonstrated the basic principles of electrical circuits as part of the AC/DC Electrical Learning program. Senior Collin Oliver Woods, who already considered himself an expert in drone flying, operated a visual aviation simulator.
“Right now, we are doing the drone certification to get comfortable before we get to the hard stuff next semester,” said Woods referring to the AutoCAD software used for engineering design.
The students pointed out how the hands-on learning opportunity keeps them engaged in learning and excited about their future careers, regardless of what field they decide to pursue. Junior, Cedric Hudspeth said, “It pushes me to be productive and succeed in any environment. I would have never thought that within an engineering class, I could learn skills that work in real estate or at Toyota.”
Hudspeth plans to go to Jackson State University to study Environmental Engineering.
Refine.
In previous similar ventures, the district focused heavily on ensuring that teachers were prepared to lead STEM programs, only to find that students were not signing up to participate. Dr. Barker said that one lesson learned on the journey to the current STEAM program was to “listen to the learners” to better understand what learning looks like to students. There is also a concerted effort to have open communication with parents, teachers, and the outside community. Through these conversations, the district recognizes the importance of ensuring students have pathways to experiences that contribute to community impact, not just focusing on college, careers, or the military. This includes providing hands-on experiences in classrooms and local businesses to cultivate a skilled local workforce and promote civic responsibility.
Share.
Due to the mobile nature of area residents (students tend to change schools due to moves within the southern sector), creating a cohesive multi-district system was imperative. Lancaster ISD led the charge of expanding STEM in southern Dallas County and was soon followed by both DeSoto and Cedar Hill school districts. As Lancaster ISD continues to refine and share its STEM for All mission, it sets a precedent for educational excellence and transformative change in Dallas County’s southern sector and beyond.
Establishing this districtwide model for STEM education addresses the longstanding disparities in access to quality education and opportunities for advancement within predominantly African American communities. The collaborative effort empowers students with essential skills while fostering long-term economic empowerment and community development.
Educate Texas is an initiative of Communities Foundation of Texas serving as the trusted change agent in education, providing solutions through programs and practices, instilling change through policy, and convening the right partnerships and networks for action.
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