The new K-12 Science TEKS and K-8 Technology Applications TEKS incorporate key components of the Texas STEM Education Framework. Educators using these TEKS are helping to prepare ALL students for future career opportunities!
Did you know?
From 2020 to 2030...
Texas will add over 620,000 STEM occupations
Of the 20 STEM occupations projected to add the most jobs,
17 require no more than a Bachelor’s degree, and
11 pay more than $100,000 a year for experienced employees. (Source)
Starting in 2024-2025…
All students K-8 are expected to, as part of the new Technology Applications TEKS:
explore computational thinking concepts, including decomposition, abstraction, pattern recognition and algorithms.
use innovative design processes to solve authentic problems.
All students K-12 are expected to, as part of the new Science TEKS:
use engineering practices to design solutions to problems.
investigate STEM careers.
use recurring themes and concepts to make connections across disciplines (K-8).
Come learn from the STEM educators who are already doing and supporting this work in classrooms, camps, libraries, and museums across Region 13 and beyond. Walk away with free resources, rich hands-on experiences and valuable contacts that support both the new TEKS and TEA's Texas STEM Education Framework.
Do your part to help prepare ALL students for future career opportunities by making Texas a 'State of STEM'!
Sport your enthusiasm for STEM
Wear one of our State of STEM t-shirts to the Convening for extra raffle tickets at check-in!"
Explore our STEM-inspired merchandise at our Product Store and gear up in style: Shop Now
Paul Andersen is an educational consultant and YouTube creator living in Bozeman, MT. Paul is an experienced educator, having taught science in Montana for 20 years. Paul was the 2011 Montana Teacher of the Year, and was also one of four finalists for the 2011 National Teacher of the Year. In addition to teaching Paul has created hundreds of YouTube science tutorials that have been viewed millions of times by students around the world. Paul has provided training for thousands of students, teachers, and administrators around the world. Paul enjoys providing meaningful professional development that can be applied immediately in the classroom.
As the Director of Computer Science Education Strategy at EPIC, Allen leads and manages rapidly expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and represents EPIC programs at a state and national level. Before joining UT, Allen worked in various positions in the educational field. As Associate Director of Mathematics and Computer Science of the Rice Office of STEM Engagement (R-STEM), Allen provided mathematics and computer science support specializing in providing lesson ideas, professional development, and teacher mentoring in STEM subjects. As an interventionist in Orleans Parish Schools, he worked with elementary students to improve their literacy and numeracy levels. As a middle school teacher in Alief ISD, he taught 8th-grade mathematics and Algebra I. Allen currently holds a B.S. in Computer Engineering from Xavier University of Louisiana and an M.Ed. in Teacher Leadership from Lamar University.
Dr. Koshi Dhingra has dedicated her career to STEM education and is passionate about having every child live up to their potential. Seeing a lack of girls and other underrepresented youth in STEM programs, she founded talkSTEM in 2015 to address the imbalance. She has a doctorate in science education from Teachers College, Columbia University, has years of experience teaching in graduate and undergraduate programs, and has held leadership roles in universities. She advises and collaborates with a broad range of educational institutions globally. Dr. Dhingra began her career teaching science in middle and high school in New York. She lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband, three children, and two dogs.
Dr. Carol Fletcher is Director of EPIC (Expanding Pathways in Computing) at UT Austin's Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) where she oversees research and professional development projects in STEM and CS education such as the nationally recognized WeTeach_CS program. She is PI for two NSF projects focused on broadening participation in computing (BPC), the Expanding Computing Education Pathways (ECEP) Alliance and Accelerating Women's Success and Mastery in CS (AWSM in CS). Her research interests include BPC and measuring large scale professional development in STEM.
Carol is a former middle school teacher and an elected Pflugerville ISD School Board Trustee from 2001 to 2019. Her experiences as a teacher, policymaker, and researcher bridge the gap between education, workforce, and policy. Additional leadership roles include Chair of the Texas Computer Science Task Force, CS4TX Steering Committee, the TEA's STEM Educator Standards & IT Industry Advisory Committees, and numerous NSF funded STEM education grant advisory boards.
Michelle Sedberry is the Statewide STEM Coordinator at the Texas Education Agency and the STEM Lead for the Texas EcosySTEM. She has a graduate certificate in Multidisciplinary Science focused on bilingual math and science and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Michelle has been an educator for over 23 years as a classroom science teacher, district administrator, education service center science specialist, and science professor at Texas Tech University. She is the author of Creating Future Engineers through Elementary Engineering Professional Development and has four published science curriculum guides for Hank the Cowdog Ranch Life Series.
Schedule - April 5-6, 2024
About the Region 13 STEM Ecosystem
The Region 13 STEM Ecosystem is a Hub of the Texas EcosySTEM, which is housed at the Texas Education Agency. The Texas EcosySTEM is a member of the STEM Learning Ecosystems Community of Practice, an international network of STEM ecosystems. Fostering STEM ecosystems is a primary objective of the national STEM Education Strategic Plan produced by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC).
Exhibitors
Do you provide products, services, or experiences that help engage students in high-quality STEM learning aligned to the Texas STEM Education Framework or the STEM elements in the new Science or Technology Applications TEKS?
If so, we invite you to exhibit with us and help make Texas a ‘State of STEM’!
Region 13 Engineers Week Challenge: We Have a Winner!
Winner: Kristen Holub, Schulenburg Elementary
Kristen is the GT Coordinator for Schulenburg ISD. She is based at Schulenburg Elementary, managing the Makerspace lab and teaching STEM to pre-K through Grade 5. She used the Paper Mars Helicopter with her Grades 3 - 5 students.
Thank you to Thales for sponsoring this event registration for Kristen!
2024 Challenge Details:
Celebrate Engineers Week! Win a free registration! Preview some of the engineering practices embedded in the upcoming Science TEKS and celebrate Engineers Week by doing some engineering design with your students in February!
Who?
Anyone who educates K-12 students, including those who teach in a school, at home, in a library, or at a community center.
What?
Implement a lesson from our list with your students. Then, record a video reflection and submit our media consent form by Friday, March 1, 2024. Everyone who completes the challenge will receive a 20% discount on registration to the Region 13 STEM Ecosystem Convening (April 5 & 6, 2024). One submission chosen at random will receive a full conference registration for FREE (up to $225 value). The winner will be announced Wednesday, March 6, 2024.
Engineers Week is February 18 - 24, 2024. Implement one of our suggested engineering lessons with your students anytime between now and the end of February. Just be sure you submit supporting documentation by Friday, March 1, 2024.
Why?
Engaging in the engineering design process gives students the opportunity to develop and practice STEM Fluency Skills, such as collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking, and resilience. Engineering practices are included in the K-12 Science TEKS starting with the 2024-2025 school year and are a key feature of the Texas Education Agency’s STEM Education Framework.
How?
You’ll submit your video reflection through Microsoft’s Flip platform and complete a Google Form with your contact information and media consent. See full instructions!
About Engineers Week
Founded by the National Society of Professional Engineers in 1951, Engineers Week is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers.
Today, EWeek is a formal coalition of more than 70 engineering, education, and cultural societies, and more than 50 corporations and government agencies. Dedicated to raising public awareness of engineers' positive contributions to quality of life, EWeek promotes recognition among parents, teachers, and students of the importance of a technical education and a high level of math, science, and technology literacy, and motivates youth, to pursue engineering careers in order to provide a diverse and vigorous engineering workforce. Each year, EWeek reaches thousands of schools, businesses, and community groups across the U.S.
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Connect your PreK-12 students to real-world learning experiences!