Texas STEM Education Toolkit: Planning Tools

Purpose of the tool:

The STEM Needs Assessment is step 2 completed after reviewing the STEM Framework. It is designed to help a district or campus identify needs and gaps that exists within local STEM programming that potentially could prevent the program from meeting its desired goals. This assessment should be used at the beginning of the planning process and could be repeated at the end of the programming year as a tool to drive refinement. The results of the needs assessment will guide subsequent decisions including design, implementation, and evaluation of STEM programming.

• STEM Needs Assessment (PDF)

Purpose of the Tool:

The High-Quality STEM Model Identification Guide is one of the four tools designed to help leadership plan their STEM program with the indicators of a high-quality. The High-Quality STEM Model Identification Guide will assist districts in identifying the STEM model that best aligns with their current STEM programming and to set goals toward their targeted STEM model of implementation. After completing the rubric, districts will complete the scorecard and identify their strengths in STEM and opportunities for growth. This tool can be used to gather baseline data for a campus, and the districts can use this tool yearly to reevaluate their progress toward their targeted model.

• STEM Model Identification Guide (PDF)

Purpose of the Tool:

The PK-20 STEM Education Program Planning Guide is one of the four tools designed to help schools plan their STEM program with the indicators of a high-quality STEM program. The planning document will help leadership break down each indicator, by providing guiding questions to help facilitate discussions with the district/campus design team and assists with setting goals for the program. The planning document could be filled out by an individual in the district or as a campus group including your STEM stakeholders. The Program Planning Guide can be used to develop a new program or growing an existing program.

• STEM Education Program Planning Guide (PDF)

Purpose of the Tool:

Organizational leadership is an important aspect of implementing STEM Education programming. A variety of roles and responsibilities can be delegated to provide a strong framework and support structure to stakeholders. Leadership can come in many shapes and forms. Therefore, this tool provides an overview of common STEM leadership roles and examples of responsibilities related to development and implementation. The tool can assist a district and/or school in identifying appropriate human capital assets and/or needs. There may be a need for additional roles and responsibilities based on the context of your school district or school.

• STEM Leadership Roles and Responsibilities (PDF)

Purpose of the Tool:

Funding is an important aspect of STEM programming development, implementation, and sustainability. Therefore, this tool is designed to assist STEM leaders, educators, partners, and advocates in aligning STEM education implementation needs with appropriate federal/state funding sources. District and school leaders have the potential to access a variety of funds allocated by the federal government and distributed through the state. Districts/schools can align local programming needs with potential funding sources using the chart provided.

• STEM Funding Tool May 2021 (PDF)

Purpose of the Tool:

The ability to sustain a program over a period of time is an important aspect of STEM Education programming development and implementation. It is important to have structures in place at the beginning of an initiative to ensure that the initiative can be sustained after the initial implementation or as keystone people transition in and out of the organization. Therefore, this template provides a framework of structural components needed for program sustainability. The STEM Sustainability Assessment Tool can assist a school and/or district in identifying appropriate sustainability component assets and/or needs.

• STEM Sustainability Tool (PDF)