INDIANAPOLIS (April 22, 2015) - The University of Delaware has joined PLTW as an affiliate partner, becoming the first university in the state to offer high-quality professional development and support opportunities to PLTW schools in Delaware. The partnership is a testament to the university’s commitment to supporting high-quality STEM education in the state. UD joins approximately 60 other colleges, universities, and research institutions providing teacher training and support to PLTW’s network of more than 6,500 schools in the United States.
“We are excited to welcome the University of Delaware as an affiliate partner,” said PLTW President and CEO Dr. Vince Bertram. “Providing access to high-quality STEM learning experiences is of great importance to Delaware and our nation, and this collaboration is essential in preparing our students for the global economy.”
The University of Delaware’s role as a PLTW affiliate university comes at a time when the Delaware Department of Education has named PLTW Engineering as a state-sponsored CTE program of study and recently awarded seven high schools grants to implement new PLTW Engineering programs or expand existing programs. [View Delaware Department of Education announcement.]
“We believe that integrating PLTW programs into our education curriculum will create a pipeline of talented young adults, eager and prepared to pursue STEM-related postsecondary education and careers,” said Amy Trauth-Nare, Associate Director, Science Education at the University of Delaware.
As an affiliate partner, UD is an integral part of the PLTW experience. The university will host required summer training programs for teachers who instruct PLTW courses, and will also participate in annual conferences for school administrators and counselors, as well as provide ongoing support to PLTW schools.
About PLTW
Project Lead The Way (PLTW) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the nation’s leading provider of K-12 science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs. PLTW’s world-class, activity-, project-, and problem-based curriculum and high-quality teacher professional development model, combined with an engaged network of educators and corporate partners, help students develop the skills needed to succeed in our global economy. More than 6,500 elementary, middle, and high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia currently offer PLTW courses to their students. For more information, visit www.pltw.org.
About the University of Delaware
Tracing its heritage back to 1743, the University of Delaware (UD) is a state-assisted, privately controlled institution with an enrollment of more than 17,000 undergraduates and 3,500 graduate students. The University offers degrees in a broad range of disciplines across seven colleges, and is a land-grant, sea-grant and space-grant institution. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifies UD as a research university with very high research activity -- a designation accorded fewer than 3 percent of U.S. colleges and universities.