April 27, 2015

TO:
FR:
RE:

Tracy Plouse & Barbara Peterson

Dr. Robert W. Manahan
Grant Request

Dear Barbara and Tracy:

I am writing this letter to outline a request for support with our expanded implementation of our STEM
program for 2015-16 school year. As you know, a focus on STEM curriculum and programs is grounded in
research that such programs help to support our students with the skills and knowledge to access a variety of
career and college opportunities. As we have examined options for implementing STEM, we are convinced
that Project Lead The Way is a curriculum and program that will meet the needs of our students and easily
be adopted and supported in the Lake Chelan School District.
Over the last several years, numerous academic institutions have released reports highlighting Project Lead
The Ways success in engaging students through STEM education. Among other things, the reports find that
PLTW students are outperforming their peers in school and that they are more focused on attending college
than non-PLTW students. The studies are all unique in how they were conducted some of them cover
PLTW programs in certain regions, some in specific school districts, while others take a look at how PLTW
alumni are performing in college.
Every report is different, yet the results say the same thing: PLTW is igniting the imagination and innovation
of students through learning. Here are just some of the highlights from the most recent reports that have
been conducted:
PLTW Students Outperform Non-PLTW Students:
o A control group study in 16 states that compared PLTW student results on the 2008 High
Schools That Work Assessment test with the results of students in other pre-engineering
programs and Career Technical Education (CTE) programs finds that:
Significantly more Project Lead The Way students met the readiness goals on the
2008 High Schools That Work (HSTW) Assessment tests in reading, mathematics
and science compared with HSTW students in similar career/technical fields and
HSTW students in all career/technical fields. (2009 Southern Region Educational
Board Report)

o A 2010 study of schools in 10 states that compared PTLW student results on Measures of
Academic Progress (a test that measures students academic growth over time in reading,
mathematics and the sciences) finds that:
PLTW students exceeded the average academic growth rate over one year of the
virtual control group in science concepts and processes and mathematics. PLTW
students also exceeded the average academic growth rate over one year of nonPLTW students in science concepts and processes and mathematics.
PLTW Closes the Achievement Gap:
o A recent report on a control group study that evaluated the impact of PLTW on largely
Latino-populated middle schools in Wisconsin finds that:
All of the PLTW students in this study begin middle school (6th grade) at lower
proficiency in math, reading and science and with lower attendance rates than the
control group of non-PLTW students. The study shows that by 8th grade, those gaps
had been eliminated. (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Report December
2009)
o A three-year study of PLTW high schools in Wisconsin finds that both academic achievement
and student engagement are enhanced through PLTW:
PLTW can raise mathematics achievement and increase school attendance.
University of Wisconsin-Madison Center on Education and Work Report June
2009
o PLTW seniors were significantly more likely to achieve both a higher ACT composite score
and higher ACT math and science scores.

In addition, Project Lead the Way has been an effective program during the past three years at narrowing the
achievement gap for Hispanic/Latino students in all four core areas. (Analysis of Student Achievement and
Programs 2007, Galt Joint Union High School District) As our Hispanic population is over 50% in the Lake
Chelan School District, this data is compelling for us as we look towards ways that can support our
Hispanic/Latino students. Other reports show the following:
For the third year in a row, students participating in PLTW scored higher than non-PLTW students at
Galt High School in all five subject areas on the 2006 California Standards Tests (CSTs): English
Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, History/Social Science, and Life Science.
For the third year in a row, Hispanic/Latino students in PLTW scored higher than other
Hispanic/Latino students at Galt High and higher than the total student scores for all students in all
five subject areas of the 2006 CSTs.
A national demographic analysis of PLTW students finds that:
PLTW programs are distributed across the entire economic spectrum including the least affluent
schools; the vast majority of PLTW programs need to add or subtract only one or two students from
any race/ethnic group to achieve proportional representation; the biomedical sciences curriculum
enrolls about 70% female students; the percentage of female students in the Biomedical Engineering
course is 38% (True Outcomes 2009); and females make up nearly 24% of all PLTW students
(PLTW 2010 Assessment Data).

Finally, in regard to College and Career readiness, PLTW High School Graduates Are College and Career
Ready:
A survey of PLTW seniors at the end of their senior year finds that:
92% intend to pursue a four-year degree or higher, 51% intend to pursue a graduate degree, and
70% intend to study engineering, technology, or computer science. By comparison, 67% of all
beginning postsecondary students intended to pursue a bachelors degree or higher as reported by
the National Center for Education Statistics
(http://www.nces.ed.gov/dasolv2/tables/mainPage.asp#varLine689).These results are consistent
with results and conclusions for the past two years. (True Outcomes 2009)
About 90% of PLTW students who were surveyed at the end of their senior year said they had a
clear and confident sense of the types of college majors and jobs they intended to pursue. Those
students also said that their PLTW experiences were very significant in developing this selfknowledge and their PLTW experiences significantly increased their ability to succeed in
postsecondary education. (True Outcomes 2009)
A national analysis of 200 college transcripts of PLTW students finds that:
Analysis of college transcripts of PLTW students who graduated in 2007 or 2008 showed 31% of
PLTW all first-time freshmen in baccalaureate institutions or 5% of all postsecondary students.
PLTW students are four times more likely to study engineering or engineering technology in
college compared to first-time freshmen at four-year institutions. (True Outcomes 2009)
A report released by one of the leading undergraduate engineering programs in the country finds that:
The average freshman GPA total for Milwaukee School of Engineering in 2007 was 2.85; the
average GPA for PLTW freshmen students in 2007 was 3.03. (Milwaukee School of Engineering
2008 Report)
In 2006-2007, first-year retention (freshmen to sophomore) was 76% (76% stayed with their
declared major). 100% of Milwaukee Schools of Engineerings PLTW students remained in their
declared major. (Milwaukee School of Engineering 2008 Report)
As we examine the success rate of our students, we have identified our Hispanic/Latino Learners as high
need students in the area of mathematics and science as well as overall attendance and engagement. The
following test scores highlight this concern:
(Chelan High School is 45% Hispanic)
10th Grade Mathematics:
10th grade SCIENCE:
Year
White /Hispanic
Year White /Hispanic
2007-08 WASL 55.2% 11.1%
2008-09 WASL 64.4% 22.4%
2009-10 HSPE 55.7% 9.3%
2010-11 HSPE 70.9% 18.4%

(Chelan Middle School is 48% Hispanic)

8 Grade Mathematics:
8th Grade Science:
Year
White/Hispanic
Year
White/Hispanic
th

2006-07 WASL 62.5% 25.0%

2007-08 WASL 55.4% 11.5%
2008-09 WASL 57.4% 21.4%
2009-10 MSP

51.0% 33.3%

2010-11 MSP

60.0% 31.5%

2011-12 MSP

77.3% 23.3%

The above charts show the percentage of students who passed their respective math and science courses
with the passage rates broken out by ethnicity. (Due to reporting, pilot testing etc., these are the most
current scores) As noted, the gap between white students and Hispanic students is substantial. The
research identified earlier indicates a higher level of engagement, skill development and assessment scores
for students of Hispanic culture. We are excited to bring Project Lead The Way STEM courses to our
schools and support all of our students in developing the necessary skills and knowledge to be successful
in future STEM Career and College opportunities.
As I am sure you are aware, the district has also made a significant investment in STEM in that we just
completed our STEM/CTE building that houses are programs in Medical Science, Research and Design,
Culinary Arts and a classroom dedicated to the PLTW Bio-Medical Science course as well as the Human
Body Systems course (Thank you to GEAR UP/CWU for their generous support!). We have also
implemented our Robotics course at the Middle School (Thank you AGAIN, to GEAR UP/CWU for their
generous support!) We are now focusing on Computer Science Programing and Coding through the PLTW
course in Computer Sciences.
The program itself requires a number of equipment start-up costs some consumable and some one-time
only costs, training and participation fees. Each instructor for the class offered will need to attend a PLTW
training this summer. These fees include the training as well as lodging and some meals. Additional costs
would include teacher stipends for their work during the summer. Equipment is dependent on what we
may currently have, but we anticipate the need for additional Laptops powerful enough to run the
Computer Science programs. The participation fee is an additional cost pertaining to PLTW courses.
BUDGET:
PLTW Computer Science: One elective course with the vision of expanding the number of
offerings as interest grows:
Computer SciencesParticipation Fee
Equipment Costs
Teacher Training for one teacher

=$2,000.00
=$23,000.00

Course Tuition
Teacher Stipend
Mileage
TOTAL COST TO IMPLEMENT FOUR CLASSES WITH TEACHER
TRAINING, PARTICIPATION FEES & REQUIRED EQUIPMENT

=$2,500.00
=$2,500.00
=$500.00

=$30.500.00

Other Sources of Funding:

Lake Chelan School District has currently budgeted $10,000.00 for equipment and other start-up
and ongoing needs.
We are seeking the cost for the training of $20,500.00.
I appreciate the opportunity to partner with Gear Up and CWU in this exciting pathway for our students
and particularly those students from the Hispanic culture within our district.
If there are further questions or any clarification I can provide, I am more than happy to meet in person or
via phone whichever may work best.
Thank you again for all of the work you currently do for our students in the Lake Chelan School District
and the work you have done in the past. Gear Up and CWU are wonderful partners that continue to help
our students meet their greatest potential and access relevant and meaningful College and Career
opportunities.
Respectfully,

Dr. Robert W. Manahan