Burmaster announces science equivalency options for Project Lead the Way and technology and engineering courses

State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster announced that some technology education and Project Lead the Way (PLTW) courses taken by high school students can be considered as science courses and be counted as science credits required for graduation.

The Department of Public Instruction has been working with University of Wisconsin institutions, technical colleges, and other campuses in the state to ensure that the equivalency credits will be widely accepted for the purposes of admission to colleges and technical institutions.

"We need our students to graduate and be world ready, and this means they must have a strong foundation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics," said Burmaster. "These are essential skills and concepts that are vital to the future of Wisconsin, and it is important that we recognize the rigorous science instruction our students are already receiving in other subjects, so they may leverage that learning for a wider range of future career options."

The new technology education and PLTW - Science Equivalent Credit Option leads Wisconsin school districts through a standardized method, or "crosswalk," for evaluating the rigor of the science content of these courses. Once local educators complete the crosswalk, the district may apply for official science credit equivalency from the DPI. Earlier this year, the department announced an agriculture-science equivalency process for districts.

"These equivalency options are part of our ongoing efforts to increase rigor and relevance throughout the curriculum, and to provide additional educational options for students," added Burmaster. "This also helps our schools better prepare our students for improved transitions between PK-12 education, postsecondary studies, and their careers."

The DPI will continue efforts to broaden its equivalency options in science, and will follow a similar process to assess courses for mathematics equivalency. Details about the technology, engineering, and PLTW course equivalencies are available at http://dpi.wi.gov/te/terp.html.

Last updated on 9/11/2008 9:49:10 AM