PLTW and Project Easier Concerns
March 2, 2008This message is regarding Project Easier and Project Easier CTE Plus. Each secondary district is required to identify the courses that make up all of their High School CTE programs, this includes PLTW. This message does on apply to the middle school Gateway to Technology program.
I have reviewed some of the information that is being input into Project Easier CTE plus and have noticed that some district are inputting courses that are not PLTW courses. It is very important that everyone input only "PLTW courses" under the program Engineering Related-PLTW - CIP # 15.15000000.
Although the math, related design, and science courses, I see listed in Project Easier CTE plus, are relevant courses for students who aspire to careers related to PLTW, it will cause great problems in our data system that is in place for PLTW. Only PLTW courses can be listed within CTE Plus in order to maintain reliable and valid data. These data will allow us to report to the legislature and our business partners on the growth and success of the PLTW program in Iowa.
ACTION REQUIRED!!
1. Each of you need to verify that the courses listed in CTE Plus for engineering Related-PLTW - CIP # 15.15000000 are only PLTW courses.
2. Remove all non PLTW courses from the course sequence within Engineering Related-PLTW-CIP# 15.15000000.
3. Because many of Iowa district are in the early implementation phases of PLTW the are not teaching the required three units of instruction for a CTE program. If this pertains to your district, you will need to do the following
A. CTE Plus allows you to manually enter courses. You will need to manually enter the PLTW courses that you are going to implement in the following two years. This should be identified in your PLTW implementation plans. You will receive a "yellow" message that indicates that no student data will be generated for the course. This is OK, data will be generated on the portion of the program you are currently offering.
NOTE: If you want to use PLTW courses in other CTE programs as courses within a sequence, you can do that under another CIP number.
If anyone has questions on this please call Ken Maguire at ken.maguire@iowa.gov
PLTW in the News!
January 25, 2008Project Lead the Way in Sioux City was in the news for the student interest in PLTW. Check out the news article: Local Program 'Leading the Way' to Train Future Engineers
Presentations from Counselor's Conference Posted
November 25, 2007By popular request, a number of presentations from the 2007 Counselor's Conference are available on the PLTW Iowa website. Take a look!
US Inventor discusses need for engineers
July 10, 2007The Milwaukee Sentinel recently ran a great article featuring Bob Kern, a Midwest entrepreneur and engineer who realizes the growing need in the US for engineers. Check the article out!
First lady encourages students in engineering
September 16, 2006CEDAR RAPIDS - Christie Vilsack visits C.R. school to bolster Project Lead the Way.
Ross Hanneman used to take cars for granted. If the engine revved up when he turned the ignition key, he didn’t ponder things further.
Then Hanneman, 17, a Jefferson High School junior, started taking engineering based courses, and his mind started working differently. It occurred to him one day that "someone thought up how it should be made," Hanneman said Thursday.
"Now I think, what can I do to benefit mankind?" He was chatting with Iowa first lady Christie Vilsack at Jefferson High School, along with six other high school students taking Project Lead the Way courses.
For Vilsack, the Cedar Rapids stop was the last of her one-day, three-city tour, highlighting programs linking today’s students with tomorrow’s careers. Project Lead the Way’s Engineering Technology Academy is a national program that is newer to Iowa. Kirkwood’s Career Edge Academy is a partner in offering Project Lead the Way to area schools. Also involved are the University of Iowa and Iowa State University. Rockwell Collins is a major sponsor.
Project Lead the Way has programs at Prairie and Kennedy high schools and four middle schools in the Cedar Rapids school district.
It embodies recommendations from Gov. Tom Vilsack’s Iowa Learns Council. Recommendations include:
- More community colleges should offer courses to high school students.
- High schools and posthigh school educators should discuss curriculum more often.
- Communication should be fostered between education and business and industry leaders.
Christie Vilsack asked students how they found the engineering-based courses.
"Around seventh grade, I found out I liked actual hands-on things and to fool around with stuff and build things," said Justin Derby, 15, a sophomore at Jefferson.
Brittany Richardson, 17, a senior at Prairie, said she was one of three girls in Project Lead the Way programs there last year and the only one in her section. She originally wanted to be a dancer, then an architect.
Vilsack said she hopes the program grows and draws in more people who wouldn’t traditionally choose engineering. "You guys are pioneers in education," Vilsack told the group.
Before Kennedy, Vilsack visited students taking classes at North Iowa Area Community College that count toward high school and college credit. She began the day meeting students in a new biosciences and renewable fuels program at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge.
Rockwell Collins 'Leads the Way'
July 12, 2006CEDAR RAPIDS(The Gazette) - A $200,000 gift from Rockwell Collins will boost engineering academy programs in Cedar Rapids area schools.
The Cedar Rapids company has given a grant to support and expand Project Lead the Way, a technical career academy program in place at several area high schools.
The money will provide hands-on learning experiences, job-shadowing and internships, plus opportunities to earn college credits in science, math and other subjects for students while still in high school.
Kirkwood Community College and Rockwell Collins officials were joined by area school leaders and representatives of the Iowa Department of Education for the June 28 gift announcement.
The Project Lead the Way Engineering Technology Academy is part of the Career Edge Academy program, a partnership between Kirkwood Community College and dozens of high schools throughout Kirkwood's seven-county service area.
The Eastern Iowa program is part of a nationwide effort to build rigorous, relevant coursework in high school science, mathematics and technology curricula. More than 1,500 area students participated in the various career academy programs in the past year.
The PLTW Project Showcase was a great success!
May 15, 2006Check out the Showcase Page to see what all the excitement was about, and to find out who went home with an engineering scholarship to Iowa State University or University of Iowa.