Leading the Way

Abstract: Like schools in most states, Dunlap Community Unit District 323 in Peoria, IL has moved to embrace the Common Core State Standards, which focus on teaching higher-ordered thinking skills—such as synthesis, analysis, evaluation, innovation and creativity, said Jay Marino, the district's superintendent who is also an international consultant on continuous improvement and K-12 Systems Chair for the ASQ Education Division. As the Dunlap school district becomes more rigorous in its focus on embracing 21st century learning standards, it has increased its focus on the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) because the two go hand-in-hand. To do this, the district has adopted courses from Project Lead the Way (PLTW), a provider of STEM education curricular programs used in middle and high schools across the United States.

Keywords: STEM - Science - Math - Engineering - Technology - Education Brief