Posted: March 24, 2009 |(0) Comments

Elmbrook high school students have another way to get a head start on college after the University of Wisconsin System's decision to consider two Project Lead the Way courses as high school science units for admission purposes.

The first course, Principles of Engineering, is planned for introduction in Elmbrook next school year. The second, Biotechnical Engineering, is planned for the 2013-14 school year.

Melanie Stewart, director of assessment and student learning, said students can also earn credits for Marquette University, Milwaukee School of Engineering and Waukesha County Technical College.

Soon, students could even take Project Lead the Way courses in place of more traditional science classes, Stewart said.

"This (would) allow districts to have a technology teacher, like our applied technologies and engineering teachers, to teach the course and we would give science equivalency," Stewart said.

Students would still probably need core sciences for most universities, though.

Science equivalency for Project Lead the Way courses still has a long way to go, Stewart said. The recommendation would need to make its way through a few committees before getting School Board consideration.

This includes a recently created Project Lead the Way Advisory Committee, made up of area business people, parents, guidance counselors and science teachers.

Focus on science, math

Project Lead the Way is a nonprofit engineering education program focusing on science, technology, engineering and math that is currently in place at 3,000 schools nationwide. In Wisconsin, 163 middle and high schools participate in the initiative, a 37 percent increase from the 2007-08 school year, according to statistics from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

Elmbrook has one Project Lead the Way course, Introduction to Engineering Design, which was added this school year.

In October, district officials approved a time line to implement one new engineering course per year through the 2013-14 school year.

Stewart said the plan is on schedule.

"We're on track, and we will be continuing along our time line," she said.

The courses, in order of their planned implementation, are Principles of Engineering, Digital Electronics, Engineering Design and Development, Civil Engineering and Biotechnical Engineering.

The total initial cost of these courses is estimated at about $120,000, plus additional funds for development and consumable materials. District officials have said grants will likely fund a majority of the program's costs.

State supports with funding

As a show of support for Project Lead the Way in Wisconsin, Gov. Jim Doyle included in his 2007-09 biennial budget a small appropriation to help fund the program at high schools. Brookfield East and Central high schools will each receive about $2,500, Stewart said.

In a March 17 news release about the funding, State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster expressed the importance of Project Lead the Way in helping students get a head start on their educations and careers.

"The program allows students to explore a possible career path and prepares them for continued success if they choose to pursue a two- or four-year degree in engineering or engineering technology after graduating high school," Burmaster said.

 

Isral DeBruin can be reached at (262) 446-6608.

BY THE NUMBERS

15,241

Wisconsin students enrolled in Project Lead the Way classes in 2007

20,213

Wisconsin students enrolled in Project Lead the Way classes in 2008

32.6 percent

increase in students in Wisconsin in program from 2007 to 2008

FOR MORE INFO

For more information about Project Lead the Way programs, visit the initiative's national Web site at www.pltw.org or the state Web site at www.pltw-wi.org.