Frequently Asked Questions

Our curriculum is developed by a talented team of professionals with extensive education and experience in the classroom and industry. Our team develops a cohesive instructional path for students that is informed by their personal classroom experiences as educators, current research, and ongoing collaboration with experts in academia and industry. This powerful combination allows us to create a comprehensive learning experience unlike any other that provides students with leading-edge knowledge and expertise, as well as transportable skills they can apply no matter how the career landscape evolves. Learn More

A PLTW program is a series of modules, units, or courses available for elementary, middle, and high schools, respectively. Our comprehensive programs also include in-depth professional development for teachers, live classroom support, and more. PLTW offers five programs: PLTW Launch, designed for grades K-5; PLTW Gateway, designed for grades 6-8; and PLTW Computer Science, PLTW Engineering, and PLTW Biomedical Science, each designed for grades 9-12. Learn More

Our interactive tool walks you through key financial outlays, which include teacher training, equipment and supplies, and the Participation Fee. Please note that implementing a PLTW program also takes buy-in and an investment of time. When individuals within the school, district, and community are actively involved, PLTW programs are more successful. Learn More

College-level recognition is available to students through a number of postsecondary institutions across the U.S. Check with individual colleges and universities for information on recognition opportunities they offer to PLTW students.

myPLTW is the access point for account and user management; student rostering; Courses, our curriculum delivery tool; and more.

Courses, Project Lead The Way’s curriculum delivery tool within myPLTW, delivers PLTW curriculum in an engaging way that enables teachers to make the content come to life for their students.

All requests for revisions to the PLTW Terms and Conditions must be made in writing and emailed to the PLTW Solution Center. If the PLTW legal counsel approves the requests, you will receive a revised document.

The Terms and Conditions can be scanned and emailed to PLTW Solution Center. If you need to mail your document, please send to the attention of "PLTW Terms and Conditions."

Each module is designed to be delivered in 10 hours of classroom instruction. We include recommendations for the length of time needed for lessons within each module, as well, but we encourage teachers to allocate instructional time in a way that best meets the needs of students.

All PLTW pathways address Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and English Language Arts and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). PLTW Launch modules provide full coverage of NGSS and intentionally connect to best practices in science education as outlined by the A Framework for K-12 Science Education. For complete details, download our standards alignment.

There is no requirement or prerequisite for PLTW Launch modules. Schools/districts can implement modules without having experienced previous modules.

We recommend teaching the first module in a paired set before teaching the second. The modules were written in pairs to provide students with the opportunity to engage in more in-depth explorations of concepts in the second module.

PLTW Launch is designed for flexible implementation, allowing districts and schools to teach any of the modules at the grade level that best meets the needs of their students.

Formative and summative assessment opportunities are embedded within all PreK-5 modules. Formative assessments include guidance for using discussions to uncover student learning and conclusion questions at the end of each activity, project, and problem. Summative assessment includes assessing student demonstrations of learning through their work on the problem and through Checks for Understanding in K-5 modules

We recommend reviewing the PLTW Implementation Guide to learn more about implementation options for PLTW Launch.

PLTW continuously works with philanthropic partners to support the growth of PLTW programs. Submit our rolling grant application today to be considered for upcoming grant opportunities.

The PLTW Investment Tool walks you through key financial outlays including teacher training, equipment and supplies, and the Participation Fee. Please note that implementing PLTW Launch also takes buy-in and an investment of time. When individuals within the school, district, and community are actively involved, PLTW programs are more successful.

Tablets are recommended at a maximum of four students per tablet. Schools will need to assess their current and future needs to determine the right ratio and tablet choice for their students.

We recommend ordering the PLTW VEX IQ Construction kits and PLTW VEX IQ Robot Design kits in the student-to-kit range of 2:1 to 4:1.

The Participation Fee includes access to all the program features for which a school has a trained teacher, including, but not limited to, access to curriculum through Courses - the Project Lead The Way curriculum delivery tool; Community – a tool that allows teachers to connect with one another, share ideas, and learn from their peers; assessments; unlimited required software licenses; teacher resources and learning opportunities; student recognition opportunities; reporting tools; and the PLTW Solution Center.

The Participation Fee does not cover teacher Core Training costs and related expenses, equipment and supplies, including annual consumables, unlimited print materials, and any outside services such as fees for industry certification.

The Participation Fee is assessed annually: $3,200 for PLTW Engineering, $2,200 for PLTW Biomedical Science and PLTW Computer Science, and $950 for PLTW Gateway and PLTW Launch. High schools can offer all three high school programs for a total Participation Fee of $5,400. Nonprofit post-secondary institutions offering PLTW to either secondary or post-secondary students will pay the same Participation Fee as secondary schools.

Schools will receive access to required software for courses they are offering and for which they have a trained teacher.

All school sites are invoiced in spring of the current school year with payments due by Aug. 31 of the upcoming school year.

Yes. The Participation Fee covers all modules, units, or courses in a program from July 1 to June 30.

The Participation Fee is assessed for each school site (based on NCES code) and will be invoiced to the entity that signed the PLTW Terms and Conditions. If there are several schools or sites from a district that offer PLTW Programs, the entity that signed the PLTW Terms and Conditions can request to receive one consolidated invoice.

Introduction to Computer Science (ICS), Computer Science Principles (CSP), and Computer Science Applications (CSA) are now available. Cybersecurity will be available for the 2018-19 school year. Learn More

Existing PLTW Engineering programs that wish to add CSP should have their teacher(s) register for CSP Core Training. For questions, please contact the PLTW Solution Center. For new PLTW Computer Science programs: After registration, your school will select one or more individuals to become PLTW Computer Science teachers. After completing Readiness Training, your teacher will engage in an in-depth two-week training that introduces them to the activity-, project -, problem- based (APB) pedagogy that is a cornerstone of all PLTW programs.

Computer Science Principles (CSP) is aligned to the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) 3B standards and is endorsed by the College Board®. Computer Science A (CSA) aligns to align to CSTA 3C standards, and the syllabus is approved by the College Board. Computer Science Essentials (CSE) aligns to CSTA 3A standards. For complete details, download our standards alignment.

In CSP, students will use computers (PC or Mac), as well as Android™ tablets. Computer and tablet specifications can be found here.

Your school or district likely has a firewall blocking certain external emails, such as "[email protected]" emails. Please work with your school or district IT team using this troubleshooting guide to solve the issue. Learn More

We suggest registering for our Core Training offerings delivered online if you are unable to attend a training in person. In addition, we provide interim instructional support and coaching through the Professional Development Plan (PDP). All PDP participants will incur an instructional support fee ($843 for PLTW Gateway courses / $1,265 for PLTW Biomedical Science and PLTW Engineering courses); attend 60-minute live online instructional meetings every other week; participate in weekly discussion assignments; and attend Core Training prior to the start of the next academic year. Please note that PDPs are not available for PLTW Launch. Contact us for more information.

Core Training participants will access Courses, PLTW's curriculum delivery tool within myPLTW, on Day 1 of training. To access to Courses log in to myPLTW and click the Courses icon located on the homepage app menu. Teachers will have access to both the teacher and student versions of any course in which they are credentialed.

PLTW teachers have a variety of backgrounds and experiences and share a few critical characteristics: They are excited to transform their classrooms, eager to learn and employ project-based learning, and passionate about preparing students with the skills to succeed in post-secondary education and beyond.

There are four roles in myPLTW: Program Coordinator, Site Coordinator, Teacher, and General User. Each role has different access within myPLTW. Below is an overview of each role: Program Coordinator – This role is responsible for overall account, site, and classroom management and serves as the primary point of contact for the account. This role is authorized to add/remove sites and programs, select Site Coordinators, manage users, and complete annual renewal forms and participation surveys. Each account is required to have two Program Coordinators. Site Coordinator – This role is responsible for day-to-day implementation and management of PLTW programs at a specific site. Each site is required to have at least one Site Coordinator and may have up to two. Teacher – This role is responsible for classroom management including managing student users, accessing and publishing course curriculum, administering End-of-Course (EoC) assessments, and accessing EoC results. General User – This user supports PLTW program operations such as IT staff, purchasing agents, grant managers, etc.

PLTW provides activity-, project-, problem-based curricula and teacher professional development. After adopting a PLTW program, teachers are trained in PLTW courses and receive access to course curricula. PLTW programs offer schools flexibility in implementation, as well as high levels of support. Learn More

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We're always here to help! PLTW provides districts and schools with unparalleled support, as well as comprehensive classroom resources that help teachers focus their time and attention on what they do best: engaging and inspiring students.

PLTW recognizes districts and schools committed to helping students unlock their potential and own their education by increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in their PLTW programs.

To receive the PLTW Distinguished District or School Program designation, PLTW Program Coordinators or Site Coordinators will need to complete a form in myPLTW to validate their eligibility.

Eligibility forms for 2021-2022 awards are now open through March 31, 2023.

Following are the benefits of becoming a PLTW Distinguished School:

· Acknowledgement on the PLTW website as part of the PLTW Distinguished School listing

· Special PLTW Distinguished School designation brand logo to use on the school website and in print materials

· Sample press release for local promotion and media opportunities

· Sample social media posts for digital channel promotion

· Consideration for inclusion in PLTW communications

· Additional benefits may be added and communicated when we issue the recognition

The PLTW Distinguished District and School Program Recognition is a one-year designation that emphasizes your commitment to helping your K-12 students unlock their potential and own their education by increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in their PLTW programs.

Click here to learn more about the PLTW Distinguished Program Recognition and eligibility criteria.

To be eligible for the PLTW Distinguished Program Recognition, a PLTW Program Coordinator at the district or PLTW Site Coordinator at the school must submit all required information on the eligibility form in myPLTW by the deadline. You must complete a separate eligibility form for each school with data and information from the applicable school year. All information should be accurately and honestly provided. PLTW will review all submitted data and information against PLTW data, including but not limited to, PLTW rostering data, NCES data, active PLTW programs, etc.

Click here to learn more about the PLTW Distinguished Program Recognition and eligibility criteria.

Please contact the PLTW Solution Center at 877.335.7589 or [email protected] with any questions.

The PLTW Distinguished District and School Program Recognitions are one-year designations. Districts and schools can submit eligibility forms every year for consideration.

We encourage you to share the exciting news with your community and we give you all the tools you need to do this. One benefit of becoming a PLTW Distinguished District or School is that we provide a digital promotional toolkit with a sample press release and social media posts, for local communications and promotion, as well as a designation brand logo to use on your district’s website and social media accounts, and in print materials.

No! There are no fees associated with submitting the form or earning the PLTW Distinguished District and School Program Recognition.

The new EoC Assessment, available for the 2018-19 school year, is a first-of-its-kind summative assessment that measures both subject-matter knowledge and mastery of in-demand, transportable skills in an objective, standardized way that adheres to industry standards and best practices. In addition to course-specific subject-matter knowledge, the new EoC Assessment measures:

• Creativity
• Critical thinking
• Problem solving
• Collaboration
• Communication
• Ethical reasoning and mindset

The EoC Assessment is available for PLTW Computer Science, PLTW Engineering, and PLTW Biomedical Science high school courses.[1]

[1] This excludes capstone courses, which provide portfolio-based opportunities for assessments.

Experts on secondary education have expressed for years that the current narrow practice of only testing subject-matter knowledge has not captured many of the important aspects of students’ educational gains, nor has it given students, parents, or teachers information that has currency beyond a single moment or use.

For higher education institutions, these tests do not measure the types of skills that truly differentiate students among the pool of applicants who vie for admission each year. Additionally, they have failed to measure the in-demand skills that students need (and employers seek) as workplaces evolve. Employers say it has become increasingly difficult to find graduates who possess the skills necessary – including the ability to solve problems, think critically and creatively, collaborate, communicate, and demonstrate ethical reasoning – to be productive and successful employees.

While PLTW students have been developing these skills for years, their strengths have largely gone unmeasured. In recognizing the value of these skills as the real currency in the modern job market, PLTW developed the new EoC Assessment to measure what matters most to educators and employers, while creating value and currency for students beyond high school.

The new EoC Assessment will be available for the 2018-19 school year.

PLTW formed a coalition of secondary educators, higher education representatives, and industry experts to identify the course-specific knowledge and in-demand, transportable skills that should be measured by the new EoC Assessment.

With insights from the coalition, PLTW created a design plan for the new assessment, identifying which knowledge and skills would have value across education and industry sectors, and create student currency in the classroom, college, and beyond. In addition to course-specific subject-matter knowledge, the new EoC Assessment measures:

• Creativity
• Critical thinking
• Problem solving
• Collaboration
• Communication
• Ethical reasoning and mindset

Innovative items provide the foundation for measuring students’ transportable skills. Through the use of simulations, video stimuli, situational judgment items, and more, the new EoC Assessment measures a broader range of knowledge, skills, and cognitive abilities that have traditionally been difficult to measure through a standardized, objective assessment.

Beginning in the 2018-19 school year, students who take the EoC Assessment will receive a detailed score report that highlights their subject-matter knowledge and mastery of in-demand, transportable skills. Students can use their test results to bolster college applications or resumes or can send their score report directly to higher education institutions and employers, who may use it for admissions, scholarships, dual credit opportunities, campus experiences, internships, apprenticeships, industry certifications, and more.

It was designed following the principles of high-quality testing set forth in established industry standards and best practices, including:

• “Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing” (American Educational Research Association, the American Psychological Association, and the National Council on Measurement in Education, 2014);
• The “CCSSO Criteria for Acquiring and Developing High-Quality Assessments” (2016); and
• The “Code of Professional Responsibilities in Educational Measurement” (NCME, 2016).

The International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) is a nonprofit association dedicated to quality continuing education and training programs. IACET accredits education providers that meet strict continuing education guidelines originally created in 1968 and recently updated by the IACET Council for Standards Development. IACET accreditation is the standard learners seek for quality when they choose a provider. IACET's standard is the core of thousands of educational programs worldwide.

The IACET Accredited Provider status means that an organization adheres to IACET's internationally recognized ANSI/IACET Standard for Continuing Education and Training. Only Accredited Providers, who have approval from the IACET Commission, can award IACET CEUs.

In order to achieve Accredited Provider status, PLTW completed a rigorous application process, including a review by an IACET site visitor, and successfully demonstrated adherence to the 10 categories of the ANSI/IACET 1-2013 Standard addressing the design, development, administration, and evaluation of our programs. As a result, IACET awarded PLTW the Accredited Provider status in May 2017.

With IACET Accredited Provider status, PLTW joins over 600 organizations around the world to have our programs vetted by third-party experts in continuing education and training to ensure that we meet the highest possible standards.

Creation of the Continuing Education Unit, or CEU, occurred in 1970 after IACET and the U.S. Department of Education task force studied the measurement of non-credit continuing education activities. The CEU was designed to:

• Provide a standard unit of measurement for continuing education and training;
• Quantify continuing education and training activities; and
• Accommodate for the diversity of providers, activities, and purposes in adult education.

The primary purpose of the CEU is to provide a permanent record of the educational accomplishments of an individual who has completed one or more significant non-credit educational experiences.

While the term "CEU" is used widely by education-related organizations, not all organizations have an equal commitment to quality in awarding CEUs. The IACET CEU ensures that a standard of learning is in place. It demonstrates that a program pays attention to elements like developing clear learning outcomes, assessing learner needs, and conducting thorough evaluation to ensure continuous improvement. The IACET Commission only allows approved Accredited Providers to award IACET CEUs.

As an IACET Accredited Provider, PLTW Professional Development adheres to the ANSI/IACET Standard for Continuing Education and Training. Our continuing education and training program's policies and processes meet all 10 elements of the ANSI/IACET Standard. The IACET CEU assures educational leaders, credentialing associations, licensing bodies, and others, that educators complete a quality training program which meets the national standard for continuing education and training.

PLTW is not updating task due dates at this time. However, schools will not be penalized for not completing reporting tasks by the stated due dates during this time.

You may find the updated schedule in the same place we’d typically post the PLTW Core Training

Schedule. Please navigate to the PLTW Core Training page under Professional Development on the PLTW website.

The schedule now lists all online options for summer 2021. We’ll add new PLTW Core Training offerings based on network demand.

All summer 2021 courses are Online with a set number of hours correlating to the days spent attending live sessions via Zoom. As with all our PLTW Core Training schedules, we developed the overall summer schedule based on many key factors, including but participant feedback, projected program growth, past registration data, and behavioral patterns of existing PLTW programs. For more details on PLTW Core Training Schedule options for summer 2021, please click here.

Absolutely. The tool is designed to facilitate multiple purposes, and teachers can use it to design different types of assessments, including as a final summative exam, and as an instructional/curricular activity. The PLTW Solution Center and PLTW Assessment Team recently hosted a live webinar about how to use the Informative Assessment Tool. You can view a recording of that webinar here.

To create a final, i.e. summative, exam, we recommend that teachers choose multiple blocks of items – no fewer than 6 to ensure at least 30 items. We recommend that 40-50 minutes be allotted for 5 blocks and that about 100 minutes should be allowed for students to complete a full 10 blocks of items.

PLTW’s distance learning support will consist of multiple tools that you can use to best meet the individual needs of each community. These tools will include, but are not limited to, webinars, PLTW network-created resources, and embedded distance learning alternatives directly within the curriculum.

We began releasing PLTW’s distance learning support in fall 2020, which includes resources such as webinars, PLTW network-created resources, increased teacher guidance, and embedded distance learning enhancements to our curriculum.

All PLTW distance learning support resources are still available to use based on the individual needs of each community. We are continuously monitoring the educational landscape and will update and add resources if necessary.

A full suite of tools is available for teachers to help them adapt their PLTW classroom to a distance learning environment. These resources include:

• Webinars
• Distance Learning Guides
• Distance Learning Curriculum Enhancements Embedded in myPLTW Courses
• Training
• PLTW Network-Created Resources
• Increased Community Access
• Blog Post Series
• And More!

As many caregivers are assisting to facilitate a student’s learning for the first time, we will be providing several resources that give them the confidence to take on this new role. These resources will include additional tips and information through how-to-videos, distance learning guides, and a blog post series.

We will continue serving students and teachers wherever learning takes place, and we will currently support access to our distance learning support to all active PLTW programs.

We've worked to making accessing PLTW’s distance learning support as simple as possible for both educators and students. Currently, the suite of resources is available to all active PLTW programs through their annual participation fee.

PLTW’s embedded distance learning support integrates within the existing course and delivery platform, myPLTW. Teachers and students can access the embedded curriculum enhancements through their myPLTW accounts where they currently access their existing course materials.

We've designed our distance learning enhancements to continue the hands-on experience with materials that are already part of the program kits, and are safe and feasible to transport and use at home. Our goal is to enable transitions so that students can get the in-classroom experience when possible and then pivot to distance learning when needed.

Schools should ensure they have all supplies listed in the Store in myPLTW as they have in past years. There are no additional materials required to support the PLTW distance learning enhancements.

PLTW will continue to offer equipment and supplies for purchase in the Store in myPLTW to active PLTW programs. Students, parents, or other organizations will not be able to place orders directly through the Store in myPLTW and should work with their school to ensure students have access to the required curriculum-specific equipment and supplies.

PLTW will continue to offer all the existing equipment and supplies needed for coursework, including kits, in the Store in myPLTW. Distance learning activities that use equipment and supplies will only require items needed in original course activities and listed in the Store in myPLTW. You will not need to purchase any new kits or products.

If students cannot access course content due to no internet, you can use the print icon to print a static version of the current page.

The Courses print utility is compatible with the following browsers: Chrome, Safari, Edge, and Explorer.

Yes. In the event that the digital nature of our course content poses an accessibility problem, you can use the print icon to print a static version of the current page.

The Courses print utility is compatible with the following browsers: Chrome, Safari, Edge, and Explorer.

Important: Print media diminishes the PLTW student experience because of the lack of interactivity and loss of embedded media content. PLTW does not endorse the use of printed versions of the content except in cases like:

• Technology issues
• Students who require a text or print version
• Another circumstance in which student access to digital course content is not feasible or possible

PLTW encourages educators to utilize Community in myPLTW to share and collaborate with teachers across the U.S. to create solutions for the unique challenges of each student. Community is an exclusive forum for PLTW credentialed teachers to collaborate and share knowledge among thousands of PLTW teachers and Master Teachers.

Equipment and supplies should be distributed in same method that other distance learning materials are distributed at your school/district.

Regardless of where learning takes place, students will continue to develop the knowledge, skills, and objectives whether they are using our existing curriculum or PLTW’s new distance learning enhancements.

The PLTW End-of-Course Assessment will be available for all PLTW High School courses with a corresponding assessment. While we did not require students to take assessments in 2020-21, they must complete the assessments in the 2021-22 school year. We do have distance administration options available. Please review the PLTW Assessment Administration Manual for more information.

Please review the PLTW Assessment Administration Manual for details about distance administration options.

We understand that adapting your course to a new blended model or completely distance learning environment can be overwhelming. As part of our distance learning support, we provide teachers ongoing resources in various ways, including webinars, PLTW network-created resources, and distance learning guides, in an effort to help you answer this question to match your students' needs.

College Board and PLTW committed to a five-year program to provide more opportunities for students to become college and career-ready in STEM. We’re proud of the 15,000 students that earned the AP + PLTW Achievement during this time and were able to demonstrate their mastery in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science colleges, universities and potential employers. Both PLTW and the College Board will continue their efforts to help students with career exploration.

No. PLTW is an Endorsed Provider of both AP CSA and AP CSP.

AP Computer Science Principles

• PLTW is an Endorsed Provider of AP Computer Science Principles (CSP) resources and teachers that implement PLTW’s CSP curriculum are automatically approved in the AP Course Audit and can use the AP denomination in their CSP course.

AP Computer Science A

• PLTW is an Endorsed Provider of AP Computer Science Principles A (CSA) resources and teachers that implement PLTW’s CSA curriculum are automatically approved in the AP Course Audit and can use the AP denomination in their CSA course.

Students will receive she AP + PLTW Achievement for the last time in Q1 2021.

Students must have registered and applied at www.apandpltw.org by June 30, 2020

Students only need to complete the application once during their high school years. Once registered, College Board and PLTW cross reference students’ AP and PLTW scores every fall to determine if students qualify for the recognition.

Students who completed their application at any point in time before June 30, 2020 will receive consideration for the AP + PLTW Achievement.

If a student earned the AP + PLTW Achievement and opted to send their AP scores to any higher education institution, College Board will notify the selected institution that the student earned the AP+PLTW award in early 2021.

Students that already earned the AP + PLTW Achievement are still able to include their credential in their college or internship applications to demonstrate mastery in the field; and submit their AP scores for college credit and/or advance placement.

Students are welcome to contact the PLTW solution center if they have concerns about the accuracy of their recognition status. However, due to limited resources, it may take up to eight weeks for the results.

Students who took AP and PLTW courses within one or more pathways benefit from the opportunity to engage with both rigorous, college-level AP courses and PLTW courses that focus on applied learning. They also have the opportunity to earn college credit if they earn qualifying AP scores.

PLTW and College Board will email counselors from schools with both AP and PLTW programs to inform them that we will no longer be awarding the AP + PLTW Achievement past the 2019-20 school year.

College Board will email higher education institutions receiving AP + PLTW Achievement results to let them know that we will award the AP + PLTW Achievement.

Students, teachers and school administrators can email [email protected] or [email protected], or by calling 877.335.7589.

PLTW’s recognition program celebrates districts and schools committed to helping students unlock their potential and own their education by increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in their PLTW programs. Click here to learn more about the PLTW Distinguished Program Recognition.

There are two categories for PLTW Distinguished Program Recognition: PLTW Distinguished District and PLTW Distinguished School, respectively.

For the purpose of this recognition, we define “district” as all K-12 schools in a school system comprised of two or more individual schools.

Schools may earn the school-level designation for programs based on grade bands: PLTW Launch (K-5), PLTW Gateway (6-8), and high school (9-12). It is possible for stand-alone, private, or charter schools not associated with a district according to NCES data to qualify for some or all school-level recognition.

Please Note: We designate a district or school as public or private based on the National Center of Education Statistics (NCES) classification.

Benefits of becoming a PLTW Distinguished District include:

• Acknowledgement on pltw.org in the PLTW Distinguished Districts and Schools section.
• PLTW Distinguished District badge added to your district’s listing in the School Locator on pltw.org.
• PLTW Distinguished District designation brand logo to use on your district’s website and social media accounts, and in print materials.
• Sample press release for local promotion and media opportunities.
• Sample posts to use on your district’s social media accounts
• Consideration for inclusion in PLTW communications.
• Framed certificate with your district’s name and PLTW Distinguished District recognition year signed by the PLTW President and CEO.

We may add additional benefits and, if so, we will communicate those when we award the recognition.

We realize there are unique circumstances involving the structure of some participating PLTW schools/districts. Eligibility criteria and data was evaluated on a case by case basis by the PLTW Distinguished Program Recognition Team and such unique circumstances were considered. If we have any questions or concerns regarding eligibility of a specific school/district, we will contact an administrator at the school/district to clarify prior to determining recognition status.

If your school/or district only enrolls part of the specific program grades, you can still qualify for Distinguished Program Recognition if you meet the criteria for the grades you do offer. In most cases, the numbers in your eligibility form are prepopulated so, for example, if your school doesn't enroll students in 6th grade you will see a "0" for that grade in the form. Eligibility will be determined only based on enrollment in 7th and 8th grades.

If your eligibility form information is not prepopulated, you can input a “0” for 6th grade and the correct enrollment numbers for 7th and 8th grade. A text box will appear where you can explain that your school only offers 7th and 8th grade.

Please Note: Enrollment is the total number of students in the district or school regardless of whether or not those students participate in PLTW programs.

We've found that many PLTW districts or schools do not offer PreK and their enrollment begins at Kindergarten. We don't want to discourage districts and schools from applying by including PreK in the criteria. In addition, PreK modules have only been part of the PLTW Launch program since the 2019-20 school year. We believe it's unrealistic to expect all PLTW Launch districts and schools to implement the curriculum so soon after it's release, and that it's unfair to penalize districts or schools that have not yet been able to implement PreK modules.

We’ve limited the ability to submit the eligibility form for two main reasons. The first reason is to avoid duplicate submissions. The second is that we’ve found, in many cases, the PLTW Program Coordinator and Site Coordinator have access to the data required to complete the form. Since we only accept complete submissions, and you are unable to start the form and return, it’s important to have access to the necessary information.

You can contact the PLTW Solution Center at 877.335.7589 or [email protected] for assistance.

You may not be able to access the form for a few reasons. First, only PLTW Program Coordinators can submit forms for their district and schools, and only PLTW Site Coordinators can submit for their school. If you have a different role, you will not have the ability to submit the form. Additionally, there may already be a form completed for your district/school. To avoid duplicate submissions, only one person can submit the form per program per school.

To make it easier for schools and districts to complete the eligibility form, we prepopulated school enrollment and PLTW participation information in the form. School enrollment numbers are based on the most recent year of data available from the National Center for Education Statistics’ (NCES) Common Core of Data. Information on modules, units, or courses offered and PLTW student participation is based on rostering information in myPLTW for the applicable year. Please confirm the prepopulated information and then submit the eligibility form.

You cannot edit the prepopulated numbers directly in the eligibility form. If your numbers differ substantially from the prepopulated numbers, there is a text box below the prepopulated fields where you can indicate which fields are incorrect and provide the correct numbers along with a brief description of the difference. Our PLTW Distinguished Program Recognition Team will review the information included in your form when determining eligibility.

To be considered for PLTW Distinguished Program Recognition, your district Program Coordinator or school Site Coordinator must complete and submit the eligibility form online through myPLTW. Because you cannot save information in the online form and return later, you may download a pdf version of the eligibility form, which you can use to gather the information needed before completing the online form. To access the pdf version, select the “Download Blank Form” button on the top left corner of the eligibility form.

When your eligibility form is submitted, your district Program Coordinator or school Site Coordinator will receive a notification in myPLTW, as well as an email confirming submission.

We're committed to making PLTW experiences inclusive and equitable for all. Therefore, we want to recognize schools for their efforts to ensure that students who participate in PLTW are representative of their student body as a whole. The PLTW Distinguished Program Recognition Team will use a rubric to assess whether responses meet eligibility requirements for the Distinguished Program designation. The rubric evaluates whether schools describe specific strategies for ensuring proportional representation in at least one of the following areas: ensuring all students are aware of PLTW opportunities; addressing barriers to equal access to PLTW; using data to monitor equity gaps in PLTW access and/or success; ensuring students feel represented in the PLTW curriculum; and other strategies that promote equity in student access to or success in PLTW.

For example, strategies to support proportional representation in PLTW programs could include: targeted outreach by counselors to recruit underrepresented students into PLTW; adding flexibility to admissions requirements to allow all students to access PLTW; using data on PLTW enrollment to identify gaps in representation and implementing strategies to address those gaps; inviting STEM professionals from diverse backgrounds to speak with PLTW classes; or providing students with additional academic supports to ensure they succeed in PLTW classes.