Why STEM Designation? A Schoolwide Promise of Rigorous, Real-World Learning
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Ask learners in a STEM school to describe their experience in one word and you’ll hear opportunity, community, collaborative, integration, complex. Or, in the case of one young student, muddy boots. That image captures what schoolwide STEM looks like: integrated, hands-on experiences that motivate students to dig into their learning and discover new understandings and creative (if messy) approaches to solving problems.
Why Designation?
Ohio’s STEM and STEAM designation, a recognition awarded by the Ohio STEM Committee, is a public promise of quality. It tells families, educators, and employers that a school’s culture, instruction, and career‑connected learning meet a rigorous, statewide standard. Students in these schools will develop durable skills and a mindset to thrive now and in the future. STEM is not a single class or robotics program – it is the primary way through which learning happens across the curriculum. Designation affirms a schoolwide approach to integrated, inquiry-driven learning.
Ask learners in a STEM school to describe their experience in one word and you’ll hear opportunity, community, collaborative, integration, complex. Or, in the case of one young student, muddy boots. That image captures what schoolwide STEM looks like: integrated, hands-on experiences that motivate students to dig into their learning and discover new understandings and creative (if messy) approaches to solving problems.
Benefits of STEM and STEAM Designation
For Students: Durable Skills, Real Problems
When STEM is the way learning happens, students engage deeply and achievement rises. They develop valuable workplace skills while applying content knowledge. Students practice collaboration and communication through presentations and team projects, strengthen creative problem-solving by tackling authentic challenges, and build confidence, responsibility, and time management. These skills and mindsets prepare learners to be adaptive to the needs of the future workforce.
For Teachers: Creativity, Autonomy, and Impact
Teachers in STEM and STEAM designated schools are empowered to design authentic, integrated learning experiences intentionally aligned to rigorous content. Real-world problem solving with students connects educators to meaningful work beyond test scores. Creativity and flexible thinking are encouraged as they design personalized learning pathways. Teaching in a STEM community also provides opportunities to share best practices and learn from peers. Increased collaboration and shared expectations about the impact of STEM teaching and learning results in reinvigorated practice and clearer evidence of learning through student work and performance.
For Leaders: Culture, Alignment, and Accountability
Leaders use the designation rubric and the Ohio Quality Model for STEM and STEAM Education to build a coherent, schoolwide approach across three practice areas: Culture for Learning, Teaching & Learning, and Pathways to Success in Careers. Site-visit feedback and the five-year redesignation cycle provide a structured mechanism for continuous improvement, while the public recognition signals quality to families and partners.
For Communities and Employers: A Stronger Talent Pipeline
Partnerships with business, industry, and higher education power authentic learning and career exploration. Students design solutions that address real community needs, cultivating belonging and purpose while developing workplace skills. Students see themselves as problem-solvers, collaborators, and valuable members of the community. In addition, students provide creative solutions and fresh perspectives, inspiring a culture of innovation within partner organizations while strengthening the regional talent pipeline.
The Spirit of STEM
As the STEM Education Specialist at the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, I have had the opportunity to observe firsthand the impact of STEM teaching and learning in our schools. I have chatted with students who light up describing how they wrote bios for adoptable shelter dogs, solved pick-up line and parking lot logistics challenges, and designed enrichment activities for local zoo animals. I have felt the energy of a group of young people collaborating, believing they can make an impact on their classroom, school, and community. I have talked with leaders and teachers who passionately believe that STEM education is what’s best for kids – for the real world, now and in the future. I am inspired and encouraged by every conversation and every visit.
Ready to Start?
Designation by the Ohio STEM Committee recognizes schools that exemplify innovative, real-world learning aligned with the Ohio Quality Model for STEM and STEAM Education and Section 3326 of Ohio law. The Ohio STEM Learning Network (OSLN) supports the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce throughout the designation process, providing technical assistance to schools. For more information about STEM education and designation, visit the OSLN Designation Support Hub.
This guest post was contributed by Dr. Sarah Redick, STEM Education Specialist at the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. Sarah works closely with Ohio schools engaging in STEM and STEAM education and supports statewide efforts related to STEM and STEAM school designation.
STEM Education Specialist
Ohio Department of Education and Workforce
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