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

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

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P-TECH: A New Model for an Integrated Engineering Technology Education

Authors: Rebecca K LaForest1, Iulian Gherasoiu2, Daniel White1, Harry Efstathaidis1

1Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute

2College 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

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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

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

7.9%

17.0%

2.6%

9.8%

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

200-2010 growth 2008-2018 projected

growth

STEM Employment Growth

STEM employment Non-STEM employment

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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 P-TECH 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 TECH P-TECH 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

scaffolded Work Based Learning

First in line job guarantee Robust local talent pipeline

scope & sequence;

college culture

Cost-free AA/AAS degree Proven programs of study

to include students across academic levels

Foundation for future

options workforce & support Aligned education,

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

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The program covers grades 9 – 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

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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 P-TECH 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 1 student to staff ratio, which is much lower than most NYC classes which have a ratio of 20+ to 1 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

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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]

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 3

Figure 3: The four graphs compare the P-TECH demographics to that of the high school for each cohort

Black 29%

White/

Hispanic 19%

White 52%

Riverfront P-TECH,

2014 Cohort Demographics

Black/

Hispanic 1%

Black 34%

White/

Hispanic 9%

White 48%

Other, 8%

Troy High School,

2014 Cohort Demographics

Black 23%

White/

Hispanic 10%

White 57%

Other, 10%

Riverfront P-TECH,

2015 Cohort Demographics

Black/

Hispanic 2%

Black 34%

White/

Hispanic 8%

White 48%

Other, 8%

Troy High School,

2015 Cohort Demorgraphics

Index Riverfront P-TECH, 2014 Cohort Riverfront P-TECH, 2015 Cohort Troy High School, 2014 Cohort Troy High School, 2015 Cohort

Total Students in

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

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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

Riverfront P-TECH,

2014 Cohort

Riverfront P-TECH,

2015 Cohort

Troy High School,

2014 Cohort

Troy High School, 2015 Cohort Regents: Integrated Algebra Average score 83% n/a 83% 85% Standard Deviation: Integrated Algebra 4.35 n/a 18.18 2.88 Regents: Common Core Algebra I Average score 67% 70% 66% 71% Standard Deviation: Common Core Algebra I 7.14 1.21 9 14.35 Regents: Living Environment Average score 80% n/a 68% 80% Standard Deviation: Living Environment 7.96 n/a 7.43 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

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

85% 85% 79% 87% 84% 81% 80% 84%

60%

80%

100%

Riverfront P-TECH,

2014 Cohort Riverfront P-TECH,2015 Cohort Troy High School,2014 Cohort Troy High School,2015 Cohort

Attendance Rates

Attendance Average, 1st Marking Period Attendance Average, 2nd Marking Period

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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

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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 1 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

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

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increasing the number of those with an associates’ degree in the community will reduce

unemployment and increase local tax revenue

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

The annual salaries and unemployment rates used are from figure 5 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 1 the following tax return values by education level were calculated:

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 1 the following tax return values by occupation were calculated:

77%

52%

34%

23%

10%

81%

58%

81%

58%

36%

0.00%

20.00%

40.00%

60.00%

80.00%

100.00%

Completed High

School Completed somecollege associate degreeCompelted Completedbachelors Completedmasters professionalCompleted

degree

Completed doctorate

Education Level Achieved In Troy, NY

Troy New York National

𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 1: 𝑇𝑇𝐹𝐹𝑇𝑇 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 𝑉𝑉𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑅𝑅𝑒𝑒𝐹𝐹𝑒𝑒𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅𝑒𝑒𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅𝑙𝑙𝑅𝑅𝐹𝐹

= �𝐴𝐴𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 𝑆𝑆𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝑏𝑏 ∗ 𝑃𝑃𝑅𝑅𝐹𝐹𝑒𝑒𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 𝐸𝐸𝐹𝐹𝐸𝐸𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝑏𝑏𝑅𝑅𝑒𝑒 ∗ 25% 𝑅𝑅𝐹𝐹𝑇𝑇𝑅𝑅𝑡𝑡�

−(𝑃𝑃𝑅𝑅𝐹𝐹𝑒𝑒𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 𝑈𝑈𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝐹𝐹𝐸𝐸𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝑏𝑏𝑅𝑅𝑒𝑒 ∗ 𝐴𝐴𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 𝑈𝑈𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝐹𝐹𝐸𝐸𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝑏𝑏𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 𝑆𝑆𝐹𝐹𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅)