p-tech-a-new-model-for-an-integrated-engineering-technology-education

P-TECH: A New Model for an Integrated Engineering Technology Education Authors: Rebecca K LaForest1, Iulian Gherasoiu2, Daniel White1, Harry Efstathaidis1 Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute College of Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute Abstract Within the past decade, the United States has seen an upswing in job opportunities in the industries supported by science, technology, engineering and mathematical (STEM) academic programs Nanotechnology, or the study of material properties at the nanoscale, has led this revolution which has created the steady wave of new jobs and investments, especially in New York State This relatively new field of study has concentrated and benefited from the advancements in numerous other fields including semiconductor manufacturing, medicine, and energy These innovations have also created a need for a highly skilled and adaptable workforce, yet industry is having a difficult time in their search for highly qualified US candidates From private firms to public officials and economic analysts to educators, many acknowledge the need to update training and education to better prepare our future workforce This work introduces a new educational model, Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH), as a tool to modernize traditional education and align the workforce development to meet the challenges introduced by nanotechnology-driven industries We will demonstrate through student proficiency data obtained that these programs retain more students in STEM fields and improve test results This work also provides a cost and payout analysis which shows that investing in the P-TECH model is economically advantageous for stakeholders Finally we identify local thriving nanotechnology higher education programs and highlight the need for a strong vertical structure to supply a pipeline of prepared and motivated students Introduction According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 2000 and 2010, STEM employment growth was 5.3% higher than non-STEM employment growth This difference is expected to be even larger, at 7.2%, between 2008 through 2018 [1] In New York State, the professional, scientific and technical services sector had the third largest employment increase between December 2014 and December 2015, behind education and construction [2] A significant factor in the growth of this sector was recent public and private investments across NYS In Governor Andrew Cuomo’s 2012 New York State of the State Address, he announced The Buffalo Billion, where the state would invest $1 billion dollars in the Buffalo area for infrastructure and equipment to attract private firms in the high-tech industry to the area The Buffalo Billion Investment Development Plan focused on three core sectors; advanced manufacturing, health and life sciences, and tourism, to be developed through three core strategies; workforce development, entrepreneurship, and Smart Growth [3] These initiatives point toward the future of the state’s economic development and underscore the organic relationship between growths in STEM related industries and the need to better prepare our workforce There are currently many positions available in the manufacturing industry, and most remain unfilled due to an untrained workforce Executives in this field report being concerned about recruiting, training, and keeping skilled employees [4] Employers state that technical, computer, problem solving, and mathematics skills are the most important missing skills in recruits They point out that basic employability skills such as consistent attendance also need improvement STEM Employment Growth 20.00% 17.0% 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% 0.00% 9.8% 7.9% 2.6% STEM employment Non-STEM employment 200-2010 growth 2008-2018 projected growth Figure 1: Growth of those employed in STEM fields was greater than non-STEM employment growth between 2000 and 2010 Furthermore, the projected growth expected for STEM employment is 7.2% greater than non-STEM employment growth [1] Nanotechnology and semiconductor manufacturing industries are undergoing an explosive expansion in New York State An example of this expansion was the recent growth of AMD/GlobalFoundries’ $4 billion-plus cutting edge semiconductor foundry facility in the city of Malta in upstate New York This facility is one of the most technologically advanced in the world and the leading semiconductor foundry in the US Approximately 1,465 permanent manufacturing jobs were created by the end of 2012 (including 390 engineers and 800 technicians) In addition, IBM has committed to investing $1.5 billion in establishing an advanced Integrated Circuit Packaging Research and Development Center in upstate New York Since 2010, IBM has recruited 475 engineers and 200 technicians Similar expansion is occurring in the advanced energy sectors, such as though General Electric’s advanced battery manufacturing center operating in Schenectady, New York since 2009 Solar City has also established a solar panel manufacturing facility in Buffalo, New York expected to begin production in the summer of 2017 In order to thoroughly prepare our future workforce, high school, middle school and primary school teachers must be aware of the developing industries and the multiple applications of their specific content (i.e mathematics, physics, chemistry, etc.) Deeper teacher knowledge predicts positive changes in the quality of lessons, but it is difficult to identify the specific knowledge connected to the greatest improvements in student performance [5] When the content is connected to real-world situations, students find the material more engaging It has been pointed that “improving performance in the STEM subjects and inspiring young people to consider careers in science, technology engineering and mathematics are complex goals that only can be achieved by a multifaceted, systematics and sustainable initiative [6].” The key to success is changing the school culture to one of collaboration with high expectations and continual reflection for growth We propose that given the right environment, schools can increase the quality of STEM instruction through an integrated and hands-on approach The PTECH 9-14 school model aims to create an environment that is different from traditional educational models to positively affect student achievement and increase skills and readiness for the jobs of the 21st century P-TECH Overview There are over 28 million middle skill level jobs requiring a two-year degree or vocational training that go unfilled every year due to the lack of qualified workers It is estimated that by 2018, there will be an additional 14 million middle level jobs vacant, with a majority of the higher paying jobs in the STEM fields [7] To address this deficit, researchers have acknowledged the need to change the way we are educating our students Public educators and private industries have come together to develop a new school model called Pathways in Technology Early College High School or P-TECH PTECH offers students an alternate high school experience with a free associates level college degree and a pathway to local jobs in critical industries for US development Unique School Design Program Elements Benefits for Student Benefits for Community Focus on Careers Skills Mapping; scaffolded Work Based Learning First in line job guarantee Robust local talent pipeline Focus on College year integrated scope & sequence; college culture Cost-free AA/AAS degree Proven programs of study Focus on Students Multiple pathways to include students across academic levels Foundation for future options Aligned education, workforce & support service systems Figure 2: NYS is a leader of the P-TECH School Model, and the above Theory of Action displays the program elements and benefits for the students and community as related to the three main focuses of the school; career, college and the student [8] The NYS P-TECH model focuses on students, college, and career, which are addressed by specific program elements and hold the promise of benefits for the students and the community The program covers grades – 12 plus two years of college (considered grades 9-14) The school model focuses on smoothing the transitions between high school, college, and career Cohorts of students make a six year commitment to complete high school, receive a two-year degree then are first in line for industry jobs The project based learning (PBL) program provides engaging opportunities that connect the required academics to meaningful workplace skills needed by employers The P-TECH model is advantageous for all students, but it is strategically aimed at those who are underrepresented in college, including those who are economically disadvantaged, members of a minority group and those who would be the first in their family to attend college [7] New York State is a leader in the P-TECH school model The program aimed to change the traditional education system was launched in 2011 in Brooklyn, NY through collaboration between the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE), the City University of New York (CUNY) and IBM There are now more than 40 P-TECH programs in the United States, with over 30 across NYS [7] P-TECH in the Classroom P-TECH is an alternative to the typical high school model and includes elements that are aimed at better preparing students for future careers Each school implements the model in a slightly different way based on local needs and corporate partners yet there are some common key components P-TECH is generally a six year commitment that begins with an application mid-way through the 8th grade year The application includes extended written responses from the student, a letter of recommendation from a teacher and income and demographics information from the family After interviews, the selected cohorts of students begin a program the summer before their 9th grade year called the “Bridge.” In this summer program students build comradery though team building activities and hand-on projects For many, this is the first experience with project-based learning and it is a necessary introduction before the school year starts During this time academic committees meet to review and update the scope of the curriculum and element sequences Faculty also prepares basic skills and workplace learning inventories for the students [8] During the year, teachers collaborate in much project-based learning (PBL) PBL is designed to reinforce meaningful connections between the class content, college applications, as well as career applications The first and second years of the program are focused on fluency of basic skills, which are necessary for more rigorous upper level courses By the 10th grade, students begin to visit and participate in college activities and some even begin taking college level courses In every course at every grade level the college and career focus is apparent The staff meets regularly and conducts formal reviews to determine the best opportunities and/or supplemental courses for each student Although this is a redesigned high school experience, students still need to meet the core academic requirements and pass all necessary exams for graduation Since there are no prerequisite requirements or tests necessary to be accepted into this program, reinforcement of basic skills is critical for student success pertaining to both the classroom activities and the standardized assessments The P-TECH career commitment requires each school to have at least one industry partner This partnership asks those working in local industries to speak at the school often and host regular worksite visits Each student is paired with an industry partner and many schools build project days into their calendar for students and mentors to participate in hands-on learning activities together By the time students enter year four of the program, many are offered paid internships either through their mentor or other industry related connections Collaborative planning between industry, college, and high school partners is an essential component of success This model is different from a traditional high school model because of these industry collaborations Grade-level teams, content teams, high school, college, and industry teams all meet regularly to ensure and reinforce connections This relationship with the college and industry partners is crucial as it guides curriculum for the teachers and acts as a motivator for the students There are also new and different staffing challenges in the schools to support students in PTECH programs Such challenges include the establishment of study groups and a tutoring/writing center, academic advisory programs, and required office hours Larger schools may also feel the need to hire a full-time college liaison since by year five the cohort has completed all high school requirements and are enrolled in college full-time With a normal study pace, by the end of year six all of the cohort has completed high school, their associates’ degree and are amongst the first in line for industry jobs [9] P-TECH is an innovative combination of hands-on learning and collaboration to provide an alternative for the development of an adaptive workforce When the key components of P-TECH are addressed by either the local high school, college or industry professionals, all participants stand to benefit P-TECH Results The P-TECH school model was designed to develop the workforce by offering pathways to college degrees which are needed by the local industries In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the approach we analyze data from the Brooklyn and Riverfront P-TECH programs The Brooklyn P-TECH School currently has its first cohort in their first year of college As of a 2014 report, the school had a total of 438 students, 70% male and 30% female with 96% Hispanic or African American The school has an 11 to student to staff ratio, which is much lower than most NYC classes which have a ratio of 20+ to Of the original 103 students admitted into the P-TECH program seven students left the program, resulting in a 93% retention rate [10] This is a significant improvement compared to the 2015 all-time high NYC graduation rate of 70% [11] The Brooklyn P-TECH School has a 90% average attendance rate, which is similar to the rest of NYC, as is the percentage of students with disability (16%) and those receiving free or reduced lunch, yet 60% of these students had already earned college credits with nearly 15% having more than 30 credits As of this 2014 report, 80% of the first cohort had qualified for paid internships and because of their dedication, 5% were on track to graduate with an associate’ degree after four years of high school [10] Index Total Students in grade level 504 Plan in place Special Education Poverty Free Lunch Reduced Lunch Riverfront P-TECH, 2014 Cohort Riverfront P-TECH, 2015 Cohort 31 13% 6% 65% 55% 10% 30 10% 7% 60% 57% 3% Troy High School, 2014 Cohort Troy High School, 2015 Cohort 421 5% 15% 54% 50% 5% 398 5% 12% 57% 53% 4% Table 1: The table shows the number of students in the Riverfront P-TECH along with special education and student financial indicators for the 2014 and 2015 cohorts and the same information for the corresponding high school classes The Riverfront P-TECH program in Troy, NY had its freshman class of 31 students entering in the 2014 school year This was ~7% of the freshman class, yet if this P-TECH program maintains the NYC P-TECH retention rate of 93% and state graduation rate of 78%, these 31 students could represent up to 10% of the graduating class The total number of students receiving special education services in the Riverfront P-TECH program is not significantly different from the high school, but the number of students in poverty and/or receiving free/reduced lunch is higher The student demographics of P-TECH and Troy high school are shown in figure Troy High School, 2014 Cohort Demographics Riverfront P-TECH, 2014 Cohort Demographics Other, 8% Black 29% White 48% White 52% White/ Hispanic 19% Riverfront P-TECH, 2015 Cohort Demographics Other, 10% Black/ Hispanic 1% Black 34% White/ Hispanic 9% Troy High School, 2015 Cohort Demorgraphics Other, 8% Black 23% Black/ Hispanic 2% Black 34% White 57% White/ Hispanic 10% White 48% White/ Hispanic 8% Figure 3: The four graphs compare the P-TECH demographics to that of the high school for each cohort Since the Riverfront P-TECH program is relatively new, there are only three New York State standardized assessments to compare: Integrated Algebra, Common Core Algebra I and Living Environment The average score on both mathematics exams for the P-TECH students was within one point of the corresponding high school cohort’s average Yet, the standard deviation of P-TECH was considerable lower than that of the high school, meaning that more students scored closer to that average While math results were similar, the 2014 cohort of P-TECH students performed significantly better on the Living Environment/Biology Regents Exam than their high school classmates This exam is especially relevant for the Riverfront P-TECH cohorts because GE Healthcare and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals are their industry partners These firms focus on biology thus every collaborative project supports the curriculum of the Living Environment Regents It is noted that the high school cohort of 2015 also averaged the same score at P-TECH 2014 Since students traditionally take the Regents at the end of their 9th grade year, it is our assumption this average is based on honors students taking advance courses When the entire grade level takes the exam we expect the results to reflect a trend similar to the previous cohort Index Regents: Integrated Algebra Average score Standard Deviation: Integrated Algebra Regents: Common Core Algebra I Average score Standard Deviation: Common Core Algebra I Regents: Living Environment Average score Standard Deviation: Living Environment Riverfront P-TECH, 2014 Cohort 83% 4.35 67% 7.14 80% 7.96 Riverfront P-TECH, 2015 Cohort n/a n/a 70% 1.21 n/a n/a Troy High School, 2014 Cohort 83% 18.18 66% 68% 7.43 Troy High School, 2015 Cohort 85% 2.88 71% 14.35 80% 9.87 Table 2: A comparison of the Regents scores between the P-TECH cohorts and corresponding high school classes Attendance and timeliness are soft skills that are often over looked, but are critical to employers A review of P-TECH attendance data shows that while first marking period attendance is similar to that of the high school, the second quarter P-TECH students had 3-4% better attendance than the traditional high school This not only trains for improved attendance, but we assume it also suggests that students are more motivated to come to school because they are enjoying their learning Attendance Rates 100% 80% 60% 85% 85% 79% 87% 84% 81% 80% 84% Riverfront P-TECH, 2014 Cohort Riverfront P-TECH, 2015 Cohort Troy High School, 2014 Cohort Troy High School, 2015 Cohort Attendance Average, 1st Marking Period Attendance Average, 2nd Marking Period Figure 4: Attendance rates for the first and second marking period from the 2015-2016 school year, comparing the Riverfront P-TECH attendance values to that of the corresponding high school classes While more data are necessary to draw a definitive conclusion, student proficiency data suggest that P-TECH could provide educational gains for the students The P-TECH school model attempts to change our methods of educating and has suggested the possibility for improved results The STEM integrated educational approach is diverse enough to incorporate every content area This approach allows students to see the interconnectedness of their learning with the workplace requirements and enables them to retain and apply their knowledge With the right set of educators who are willing to collaborate and well enough versed in the industry applications, P-TECH schools will have a positive impact on the students and on our society P-TECH Investment STEM careers are lacking qualified workers although they have the highest projected growth [1, 4] Better preparing students for these jobs will increase their chances of employment and increase their future income The P-TECH program not only could better prepare students, but it also could increase the number of individuals with associates’ degrees According to figure 5, higher education increases weekly earnings and reduces the likelihood of unemployment A society with higher income also provides more tax revenue for the government Figure 5: This graphic shows unemployment decreases and earning increase as educational attainment increases [12] STEM jobs in the renewable energy sector have proven to be good for the environment, but also positively affect employment [13] This amplifies when policies are put in place to support the local and sustainable energy technologies Furthermore, regional and state policy makers should closely monitor the types of jobs opening as it will impact the training needed to keep the jobs local In New York State, investments in sustainable energy technologies are one of the many the state has made Recently, large companies, such as AMD/Global Foundries and Solar City have relocated to New York due to the state investments and policy changes [14] The Capital Region of NYS is an area where there is a higher than average projected job growth in STEM related fields, and school districts are beginning to look at their curriculum to reflect the needs of their local community Although many schools see the need for change, the funding is rarely readily available P-TECH is primarily funded through the local school district and it can be an overwhelming upfront investment To supplement the cost of developing and running a P-TECH school, districts are allowed to reallocate funds to best meet their needs For example, schools may receive Title funding for low-income students and additional funds for students with disabilities, these monies may be used by the district to alleviate much of the costs of maintaining a P-TECH school Perkins funds are also available, which support Career and Technical Education [15] NYS has recently offered grants to support school districts in the development of a new P-TECH program Ten school districts were awarded grants totaling $28 million to off-set much of the costs associated with starting a P-TECH school The grants require a seven year commitment; one year to develop the program and six years to support the program and see the first cohort graduate with an associates’ degree [16] The Enlarged City School District of Troy, NY was one of the school district that reevaluated their offerings and was able to add a P-TECH option for students with the help of the $2.8 million grant from NYS [16] The grant is now in the 3rd year out of seven and Troy currently has their second cohort of 9th grade students enrolled in the program The school hopes to increase the incoming freshman class from 30 to 60 students Sixty students would be about 15% of the approximately 400 students in the next cohort The Riverfront P-TECH program guarantees students graduate with an associates’ degree and have the option of pursuing further education afterwards Index Income per capita Median household income Median household income owner occupied Median household income renter occupied Median earnings male Median earnings female Unemployment rate Poverty level Troy $21,589 $38,122 $67,988 $26,329 $24,145 $23,580 7.0% 25.9% New York $32,104 $57,683 $79,384 $36,665 $39,239 $29,798 5.6% 14.9% National $28,051 $53,046 $67,062 $$35,771 $35,771 $25,299 6.0% 14.9% Table 3: The above table shows Troy Employment data The trend is that Troy has lower income rates and higher unemployment and poverty levels [17] According to table 3, Troy currently has an income per capita $10,000 less than the state average, with a higher unemployment rate and more individuals below the poverty level There is a 7.0% unemployment rate with 25.9% at or below the poverty level Both numbers exceed the state average The unemployment value of 7% accurately corresponds to figure 5, as more than 50% of Troy’s population has less than an associate’s degree education level (figure 6) The following analysis shows that P-TECH is not only beneficial for the students’ education and future income, but it is also economically advantageous for the government We predict that increasing the number of those with an associates’ degree in the community will reduce unemployment and increase local tax revenue Education Level Achieved In Troy, NY 100.00% 80.00% 60.00% 40.00% 77% 81% 81% 52% 58% 58% 20.00% 0.00% Troy 34% 41% 36% Completed High Completed some Compelted School college associate degree 23% 33% 29% Completed bachelors 14% 10% 11% Completed masters New York 3% 4% 3% Completed professional degree 2% 1% 1% National Completed doctorate Figure 6: The chart shows that Troy has a higher number of people with lower education and lower number of people with higher education compared to New York averages [18] P-TECH Return on Investment The Federal and State government collect taxes on each working individual The following analysis determines an individual’s tax return value from the government’s perspective Incorporating adjusted salaries and unemployment values based on education from figure 5, we use an original formula to quantify the amount the government is getting back from each individual 𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 1: 𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 = �𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆 ∗ 𝑃𝑃𝑒𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 ∗ 25% 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡� −(𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃 𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈 ∗ 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈 𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆) The annual salaries and unemployment rates used are from figure Taxes have been approximated as 25% for this scenario The government expenditures such as unemployment, Medicare, Medicaid, child care and food assistance as needed for those who are not working, have been approximated as $21,840 per individual per year Using these values and Formula the following tax return values by education level were calculated: • • • High School Education $6,850 Associates Degree $8,850 Bachelor’s Degree $13,050 Taking a closer look at certain occupations, we can input annual salaries and unemployment rate of those specific occupations to compare them This analysis could be useful for the government when considering what to fund and how much Some opportunities in the STEM related fields, which could also be attained through the Riverfront P-TECH program, are electrical engineer technician, mechanical engineering technician and medical imagining technician The annual salaries and unemployment rates are $59,800, $53,500, $49,300 and 2%, 1.5%, 0.4% respectively [19, 20] Using this information and Formula the following tax return values by occupation were calculated: 10 • • • Electrical Engineer Technician $14,214 Mechanical Engineer Technician $12,847 Medical Imagining Technician $11,402 For reference, we have determined the average tax return value of an individual from a generalized graduating class This formula factors in those not pursing college and those going to a two or four year college We know that across NYS, 68.4% of high school graduates enroll directly into college, and two out of every three enroll further in a four year college [21] Using this information, displayed numerically in Formula 2, and the tax return values by education level previously determined, it is calculated that the average tax return values of an individual from a generalized graduating class is $10,133 𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 2: 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 𝑎𝑎 𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔 𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 = �31.6% ∗ 𝐻𝐻𝐻𝐻𝐻𝐻ℎ 𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸� + [68.4% ∗ � ∗ 𝐵𝐵𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 + ∗ 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸�] 3 These values provide the government their approximate tax return values from each individual, based on education, occupation or a more generalized value If we input educational attainment data of specific cities, we can compare those specific cities with that of an individual from a generalized graduating class Troy’s data, seen in figure 6, highlights the below average educational attainment trends: 23% of Troy’s population has a high school education or less, about 39% have either some college or up to an associates’ degree and 38% have a bachelors’ education or higher Using these values with the tax return values by education levels, the average tax return value of an individual graduating Troy high school is calculated to be $9,986 Figure identified approximately 40% of Troy’s population has less than an associate’s degree The P-TECH program specifically aims to reach communities who are historically underrepresented in college, and this program could not only increase the number of people with an associates’ degree, but could also raise the income per capita and reduce unemployment in the city The Riverfront P-TECH program is expecting 60 students to be enrolled in their next cohort This is 15% of the 400 in the incoming freshman class guaranteed to graduate with an associates’ degree with the option of pursuing further education afterwards Using the New York State graduation rate of 78.8%, this would translate to 47 students graduating at the end of the program The average of the previously determined tax return values of the P-TECH occupations would be $12,821 This is $2,688 higher than the average tax return value of an individual from a generalized graduating class and nearly $2,834 higher than the average tax return value of an individual graduating Troy High School The $2,834 difference in additional tax return value for the city of Troy times the 47 P-TECH students would mean approximately $126,336 added tax return value for that graduating class every year This money could be put back into the 11 education system, creating a cycle of increased educational attainment and increased income in the city of Troy There is a higher tax return value for the careers that are the focus of the P-TECH programs thus state and local officials should consider the benefits of investing in these school models versus the cost required to implement the model Using the $2,688 difference between the average of the tax return values of the P-TECH careers and the average tax return value of an individual from a generalized graduating class, we then expand this model to that of the entire state Table shows that 21.4% of NYS population is under 18 years of age Maintaining the 78.8% state graduation rate, we have approximately 197,000 NYS high school graduates each year If even 10% of these graduates were P-TECH trained, there could be an increase in tax revenue by about $53 million each year Since the initial state investment was $28 million, this still leaves $25 million surplus This money could then be reinvested in our schools to continually develop a stronger workforce People Quick Facts Population (2014 estimate) Population (2010 estimate) Population, Percent Change (2010 to 2014) Persons under years, percent, 2014 Persons under 18 years, percent 2014 Persons 65 and over, percent, 2014 Female persons, percent, 2014 New York 19,746,227 19,378,112 1.9% 6.0% 21.4% 14.7% 51.5% National 318,857,056 308,758,105 3.3% 6.2% 23.1% 14.5% 50.8% Table 4: Based on the census data, we estimate additional tax revenue available to the government from P-TECH students once they are in the workforce [22] P-TECH Vertical Alignment Studies point out that student’s interest, experience of autonomy and competence are gained when they are able to model independent word problems that can have multiple solutions [23] This theory compares to the underlying philosophy of project-based learning which is used as a teaching method in P-TECH The P-TECH model is based on the assumption that a vertically integrated educational approach is more beneficial than focusing on grade-level skills alone This is why each P-TECH program is developed to match one school district, with one college and one industry partner The relationships become the motivator and bridge for students as they transition from high school to college and on to their careers In the Capital Region, where New York State has made major investments in advanced technologies and manufacturing, area colleges have adjusted to the recent changes There is a variety of certificate programs, and/or associates, bachelors, masters and doctoral degree options These opportunities available may meet the needs of anyone; from the recent high school graduate to those retraining for new opportunities in the developing industries These local colleges have proven to be an integral component; connecting local high schools to workforce through two and four year educational institutions 12 Hudson Valley Community College, HVCC, is a local community college which has proven to be significant in the local workforce development pipeline Table lists recently developed pathways from HVCC and Schenectady Community College, SCCC, which reflect local demand [24, 25] Graduates of these programs are first in line for local jobs in the recently developed but thriving industries Hudson Valley Community College Certificate Programs: -Wind Technician -Semiconductor Technology -Photovoltaic Installation Schenectady County Community College Associates Degree: - Nanoscale Materials Technology -Science with a Nanoscale science concentration Associates Degree: -Mechatronics -Advance Manufacturing Technology* -Electronical technology for semiconductor Manufacturing* -Clean energy management (new Fall 2016) *denotes available to P-TECH students, along with mechanical engineering, biotechnology or engineering science associates degrees Table 5: Offerings at community colleges in the Capital Region of New York [24, 25] These two year schools also collaborate with local four year schools Some students chose to continue their education to pursue a Bachelor’s degree or higher SUNY Polytechnic Institutes’ Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are two local universities that have similar STEM career focused programs The community colleges collaborate with the four year schools to warrant that the curriculum is rigorous and aligned to ensure that students are thoroughly prepared to go from the community college into the Bachelors program The vertical alignment demonstrated through the collaboration of the community colleges and four year institutions needs to reach further down into the K-12 education system Tours and guest speakers are a good start, but students and teachers need hands-on experience with industry specific technologies This will give context and authenticity for the students when learning the needed basic skills With the help of funding from a National Science Foundation grant, HVCC and SUNY Polytechnic have initiated NEATEC, the Northeast Advanced Technological Education Center The center serves as a resource for teachers to introduce and ignite interest in nanoscience and to facilitate learning that incorporates the theories being applied by the local workforce NEATEC has designed kits that contain lesson plans, activity sheets and all needed supplies for easy implementation Some items are consumables, which are used during the lesson and discarded when finished while other items are non-consumables, which are returned in the kit There are a variety of lessons for different grade levels and all are free of change Teachers simply need to go through training and then are allowed to sign out a kit NEATEC’s program is very similar to the ‘lending library’ in western NY through Cornell College CLASSE, or the Cornell Laboratory for Accelerator-based Science and Education has been training secondary teachers 13 and providing outreach events for many years, even before the recent investments in the sciences The vertical alignment of connecting teachers to industry specific technologies is critical to ensure students are exposed to this industry-related knowledge early The colleges’ participation in P-TECH is vital to that program, but likewise, their other efforts prove just as fruitful These local colleges are providing authentic content in their classrooms by partnering with local businesses Through the guidance of the local businesses, the community colleges train and retrain students for the new jobs The colleges are proficiently training to address the needs of the employers, but they are also helping to extend this authenticity into the K-12 educational setting These community colleges have become the key link for connecting local people to local workforce Discussion Many post-secondary educational institutions have already revised their offerings and practices to address the advancements in industry and the need for a highly skilled workforce Unfortunately, K-12 education often does not properly prepare graduates college and career ready The Federal Government has attempted to push for more STEM learning in K-12 education One step in that direction was the implementation of the national Common Core Learning Standards; an attempt to inspire a more interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning while reinforcing fluency in reading, writing and arithmetic STEM-driven curricula have been the answer for many school districts to address these new standards There are numerous programs and initiatives available that offer STEM curricula One trend noted has been that “as teachers grew to better understand how many aspects of science, technology engineering and math still fit within their content, their apprehension went away very quickly [26].” This shows that some teachers are anxious when newly presented with the curriculum, but with a little time the teachers grew to be enthusiastic about the new material It is also true that students are increasingly more excited to learn when encountering a hands-on, realworld curriculum The need for a fuller, more meaningful collaboration between the technical and social sciences has been suggested by Sovacool [13] She states that “researchers often promote technological solutions to energy problems while ignoring the social process that determine their acceptance and use.” Similarly, we are creating standard-based solutions to educational problems while ignoring the social process that determine their acceptance and use; i.e the teachers’ knowledge of and attitude towards the new information to present There is a positive correlation between a teacher’s experience, knowledge, content knowledge, and preparation of pedagogical practices that has an effect on student outcome Teacher knowledge and preparation has the greatest impact [27] Teachers are aware of this, and try their best to stay current and informed, yet no one knows the industry better than those working in it Teachers often enter the profession optimistic about inspiring students into greatness More often than not, teachers themselves are moved by the students and pushed to try new things to truly 14 affect their students and their futures Content knowledge and pedagogical strategies are cultivated through teacher education programs Continuing education and professional development choices are up to the teacher to support them in engaging more learners in their classroom When this continuing teacher education involves relevant, local and current topics, it becomes more appealing for the students as it is infused into the lessons and conversations For the students, the first author wanted to better understand the larger applications of the math content covered in her classroom, and needed to better understand the future opportunities for her students within the STEM fields With this, her second career was launched as she took an entry level position in a research and development cleanroom for semiconductor manufacturing while pursuing her second master’s degree in Nanoscale engineering It has already been established that if a teacher has more knowledge and experience, the lessons and student performance will benefit The entry level job provided a window in to advanced manufacturing; seeing and experiencing firsthand the different roles and skill sets necessary for proper production The advance level courses provided applications of the more abstract concepts taught in the earlier grades Despite not being in the classroom, the first author was continually connecting everything she was learning to the K-12 curriculum and content learning standards Ironically, a new STEM program with a ‘nano’ focus was initiating at this same time which allowed the opportunity for the first author to bring the new found knowledge back into the classroom An integrated STEM curriculum is available for teachers, but only if they are able to connect it with local community colleges and higher education institutions is the work is more meaningful to the students Collaboration brings opportunities that extend the potential of students [28] NYSUT President Karen Magee has said “all of us who work with students know how important it is to deliver multiple, well-coordinated messages simultaneously.” She continues that “momentum is essential to long team success,” and that we need to continue the “work necessary to transform public education [29].” From the Federal government to local school districts, stakeholders are getting behind STEM Transforming public education is necessary to help move us forward, but collaborations are key It is the authors’ perspective that a locally focused PTECH program is most ideal in preparing students for the careers of the 21st century Conclusions To meet the new and ever changing needs of our society; what we produce, what we consume, how we get our energy, our workforce needs to be differentiated and ready for anything We have shown the employment landscape is changing to a more STEM focused environment, especially in New York State It is vital that schools address these changes, and P-TECH is one school model that focuses on the college and career readiness of the students These school models build relationships with college and industry partners These partnerships motivate the students to succeed, and also positively impact the local businesses and communities by providing additional skilled employees to the local workforce This relationship also guides curriculum for the teachers, which helps students’ better understand and be prepared for the workforce The increase of science test scores and attendance rates prove 15 P-TECH is beneficial for the students To develop the program, P-TECH may require a large upfront cost, but the return on investment will be greater in the long run By our method of quantifying government tax return values by education level and occupations, we see that PTECH will positively contribute to the economics of the area; higher education, higher pay, more taxes collected and less expenses because there are less unemployed Even though the P-TECH model is fairly new, numerous school districts across New York have already adopted the program and have seen a positive trend in the results Collaboration and multiple pathways to the workforce reflecting local needs will address the current deficits PTECH is the program that it is capable of these connections and has proven through student proficiency data and through an economic lens that it is advantageous for the students and for our society, thus we must continue to invest in this program and the future of our students Acknowledgements We would like to thank the Troy City School District, especially Mr Brian Dunn, Principal of Troy Middle School and Mr Tarek Abdallah, Data Liaison, for supporting P-TECH within the district and supplying us with the data Thank you very much 16 References [1] Langdon, D., McKittrick, G., Beede, D., Khan, B., & Domsz, M (2011, July) STEM: Good Jobs Now and for the Future Retrieved October, 2015, from http://www.esa.doc.gov/sites/default/files/stemfinalyjuly14_1.pdf [2] NYS Economy Adds 13,200 Private Sector Jobs in December 2015, Reaching New Record High (2016, January 21) Retrieved January 30, 2016, from http://labor.ny.gov/stats/pressreleases/pruistat.shtm [3] New York State, Western New York Regional Economic Development Council (2016, January 7) Buffalo Billion Process and Implementation [Press release] Retrieved January 25, 2016, from http://buffalobillion.ny.gov/sites/default/files/images/sites/all/defau lt/files/documents/Buffalo Billion Process and Implementation.pdf [4] Giffi, C., Dollar, B., Drew, M., McNelly, J., Carrick, G., & Gangula, B (2011, October 13) The skills gap in U.S manufacturing 2015 and beyond (Rep.) Retrieved August 08, 2015, from The Manufacturing Institute website: http://www.themanufacturinginstitute.org/~/media/827DBC76533 942679A15EF7067A704CD.ashx [5] Copur-Gencturk, Y (2015) The Effects of Changes in Mathematical Knowledge on Teaching: A Longitudinal Study of Teachers' Knowledge and Instruction.Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 46(3), 280-330 Retrieved August 15, 2015, from http://www.nctm.org/Publications/Journal-forResearch-in-Mathematics-Education/2015/Vol46/Issue3/TheEffects-of-Changes-in-Mathematical-Knowledge-on-Teaching_-ALongitudinal-Study-of-Teachers_-Knowledge-and-Instruction/ [13] Sovacool, B K., Ryan, S E., Stern, P C., Janda, K., Rochlin, G., Spreng, D., Lutzenhiser, L (2015) Integrating social science in energy research Energy Research & Social Science, 6, 95-99 Retrieved January 4, 2016, from www.elsevier.com/locate/erss [14] Robinson, D (2015, October 2) SolarCity says the panels it will make here are world’s most efficient The Buffalo News Retrieved November 8, 2015, from http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/riverbend/solarcity-saysthe-panels-it-will-make-here-are-worlds-most-efficient-20151002 [15] Supporting and Funding P-TECH Schools (2015) Retrieved January 9, 2016, from http://www.ptech.org/model/supportingand-funding-ptech-schools [16] Enlarged City School District of Tory, Superintendent of Schools (2013, September 5) The Troy School District is thrilled to announce that we are the recipient of a $2.8 million NYS Pathways in Technology Early College High School (NYS PTECH) grant [Press release] Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://www.troycsd.org/schools/ths/ptech_docs/P-Tech Grant Press Release 9-5-13.pdf [17] Troy, NY Employment (2015) Retrieved November 3, 2015, from http://www.areavibes.com/troy-ny/employment/ [18] Troy, NY Education (2015) Retrieved November 3, 2015, from http://www.areavibes.com/troy-ny/education/ [19] Home : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (2015, December 17) Retrieved January 28, 2016, from http://www.bls.gov/ooh [6] Duke, D L (2014) Energizing Quality STEM Education: JASON Learning in the Greater Houston Area Mystic, CT: JASON Learning [20] Kent, A (2015, January 16) Unemployment by Occupation 2014 Retrieved January 16, 2016, from http://247wallst.com/investing/2015/01/16/unemployment-byoccupation-2014/ [7] Why Develop a P-TECH School? (2015) Retrieved January 9, 2016, from http://www.ptech.org/model/why-develop-a-ptechschool [21] National Center for Educational Statistics: Fast Facts (2015) Retrieved October 27, 2015, from http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=372 [8] NYS P-TECH Innovation for Student and Economic Success A Grade 9-14 Model (2014) Retrieved January 5, 2016, from http://www.ptech.org/docs/tools/NYS-PTECH-Overview.pdf [22] New York QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau (2015, December 1) Retrieved January 20, 2016, from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/36000.html [9] P-TECH 9-14 MODEL TOOL (2014) Retrieved January 9, 2016, from http://www.ptech.org/docs/tools/Supporting-StudentsCollege-Classes.pdf [23] Schukajlow, S., & Krug, A (2014) Do Multiple Solutions Matter? Prompting Multiple Solutions, Interest, Competence, and Autonomy Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 45(4), 497-533 Retrieved June 18, 2015, from http://www.nctm.org/Publications/journal-for-research-inmathematics-education/2014/Vol45/Issue4/Do-Multiple-SolutionsMatter_-Prompting-Multiple-Solutions,-Interest,-Competence,and-Autonomy/ [10] [P-TECH 9-14 MODEL: IMPACT TO DATE] (2014, October) Unpublished raw data http:/www.ptech.org/docs/tools/PTECH-9-14-Model-Impact.pdf [11] Harris, E A (2016, January 11) New York City’s High School Graduation Rate Tops 70% The New York Times Retrieved January 25, 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/12/nyregion/new-york-cityshigh-school-graduation-rate-tops-70.html?_r=2 [12] Earnings and unemployment rates by educational attainment (2015, September 5) Retrieved October 11, 2015, from http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm [24] Academic Degree and Certificate Program Offerings at HVCC (2016) Retrieved February 1, 2016, from https://hvcc.edu/programs/index.html [25] Schenectady County Community College Programs of Study (2011) Retrieved February 1, 2016, from http://www.sunysccc.edu/academic/academic.htm [26] Defined STEM: Cross-curricular, cost-effective, cutting-edge [Web log review] (2015, February 19) Retrieved March 24, 2015, 17 from http://www.definedstem.com/blog/case-studies/defined-stemphoenixville-area-school-district-case-study/ [27] Campbell, P F., Nishio, M., Smith, T M., Clark, L M., Conant, D L., Rust, A H., Choi, Y (2014) The Relationship Between Teachers' Mathematical Content and Pedagogical Knowledge, Teachers' Perceptions, and Student Achievement Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 45(4), 419-459 Retrieved August 20, 2015, from http://www.nctm.org/Publications/journal-for-research-inmathematics-education/2014/Vol45/Issue4/The-RelationshipBetween-Teachers_-Mathematical-Content-and-PedagogicalKnowledge,-Teachers_-Perceptions,-and-Student-Achievement/ [28] Gherasoiu I, Jones DK, Das D, Abdallah M, and Efstathiadis H, ASEE St Lawrence Section, “Nanotechnology Education at SUNY Poly,” Syracuse, April 2015 [29] Magee, K E (2016, February) Progress inspires our activism agenda NYSUT UNITED, 18