Texas STEM Education Toolkit: External Stakeholder Engagement

The goal of this section is to foster interactions that build awareness in communities by connecting stakeholders within the Texas EcosySTEM. TEA has developed tools to help stakeholders engage with each other through science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. These tools support interactions between districts, non-profits, institutes of higher education, business and industry, and families.

External Stakeholder Engagement Tools and Resources

Tools and resources designed to foster external stakeholder engagement, providing comprehensive support for family involvement and community collaboration in STEM education.

The Family Companion Guide (PDF) and Guía familiar para el proveedor de cuidados (PDF) serve as valuable resources for caregivers, parental figures, and advocates for the bright future of young minds. The guides aim to demystify STEM, tackle prevalent questions and misconceptions, and offer guidance through the educational journey from elementary school to STEM careers.

These STEM one-pagers and briefs support an understanding of key concepts. These resources can be used for communicating with students, educators, and the community:

General STEM Resources

STEM Misconceptions (PDF)
Project/Problem-Based Learning and STEM Connections (PDF)
Design Thinking (PDF)
Technical Reading and Writing in STEM (PDF)
District/Campus STEM Overview for Stakeholders Cover Page (PDF)

STEM Resources that Support the 2021 Science Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

Engineering Design Process (EDP) (PDF)
Engineering Design Components & Evaluation Process (PDF)
Recurring Themes and Concepts (PDF)
Claims-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) (PDF)

STEM Resources that Support the 2022 Technology Application TEKS

Computational Thinking (CT) (PDF)
Digital Citizenship in STEM (PDF)
Practical Technology Applications in STEM Education (PDF)
Coding in STEM Education (PDF)
Data Literacy in STEM (PDF)

The Sample PK–20 STEM Experience Continuum (PDF) functions as a strategic framework for aligning a district’s initiatives. The continuum illustrates potential experiences at various educational stages. It encompasses an ecosystem model that integrates both informal and formal learning opportunities, events centered around STEM for families, and engages a broad spectrum of contributors, such as non-profit organizations, businesses, military programs, and higher education institutions.

The Family Engagement Ideas (PDF) tool equips districts with essential considerations for organizing or hosting STEM gatherings for families. Additionally, it offers creative strategies to involve families that can be pursued outside the school environment.

Students gain immensely from the genuine expertise and experiences offered by PK-12 STEM teachers, school leaders, families, informal educational groups, collegiate allies, and business stakeholders. The Texas E cosySTEM Engagement Checklist (PDF) suggestions present ways in which members of the Texas EcosySTEM can collaborate as a unified community, aiming to build and fortify the STEM educational pathway.

The STEM Event Planning Guide (PDF) aides in orchestrating and executing events across diverse environments. It outlines key factors to contemplate during the planning process. It requires customization to align with the unique requirements of events and their respective formats.