Generally, we define STEM-PCC schools as those that span grades 9-14 and target specific degrees in the applied sciences that have direct connections to entry-level jobs that connect directly to a career ladder. No guidebook can provide all the answers or foresee every situation one is likely to encounter in the process of creating such a school. But, in this document, we map out some of the most critical decision points that we encountered while developing the initialdesign for the first such school — the Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) in Brooklyn, New York.

P-TECH is a collaboration among the New York City Department of Education, The City University of New York (CUNY), New York City College of Technology (City Tech), and the IBM Corporation. When the collaborators began planning P-TECH in September 2010, the goal was never to create a single school. Rather, the express intent was to create an innovative, replicable model for education — one that united the expertise of the public and private sectors to provide new opportunities for young people, and addressed the need to strengthen the continuum from school to college and careers.

To learn more about establishing STEM-PCC Schools, please click here: STEM Pathways to College and Careers Guide