Project Lead the Way

Project Lead the Way is a nationally acclaimed non-profit organization focused on introducing and preparing middle and high school students for engineering and technical careers of the future. PLTW forms partnerships with public and private schools, institutions of higher education, government agencies, and the private sector to increase opportunities for students in engineering and technical fields.

In particular, PLTW provides a high rigor, project-based curriculum meeting national science and math standards, professional development for teachers and guidance counselors and a comprehensive national support network. PLTW courses are accessible to college-bound engineering students as well as students who may not have thought of college and a career in a technical field. The courses aim to instill problem-solving, teamwork, communication and leadership skills in students as well as help them build the math, science and technology skills to prepare for and succeed in tomorrow’s careers.

First introduced in the 1997-98 school year in 12 upstate New York high schools, PLTW’s network has grown to more than 3,500 middle and high schools in 50 states, reaching over 300,000 students.

The Kern Family Foundation has a competitive grant process that provides start-up funding to public and private schools in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota to implement the PLTW program.

For more information about Project Lead the Way, please see the national website.