Desoto independent school district

The DeSoto Independent School District School Board unanimously approved the district's acceptance of a $240,000 grant to support Science, Technology, Engineering and Math-based learning through Project Lead the Way during the February 21, 2025, school board meeting. 

Background & Purpose of PLTW in DeSoto ISD

The Project Lead The Way (PLTW) grant was secured to help expand STEM opportunities for DeSoto ISD students across elementary, middle, and high school levels. The program is designed to provide hands-on, project-based STEM learning experiences that align with college and career pathways.

Why This Grant Matters

Additional support and funding like that provided by the PLTW grant, expands access to high-quality STEM education; strengthens workforce readiness by aligning education with industry demands; trains teachers in specialized STEM curriculum to enhance instruction; provides students with career and technical training in engineering and computer science.

“We understand that in order to close gaps for our scholars among their peers in the educational landscape, we have to approach it from both the reading and literacy perspectives and the STEM-learning perspective,” said DeSoto ISD Chief Academic Officer Stephanie McCLoud. “As STEM is fast becoming the foundation of workforce development and future industries, we want to give our scholars the exposure and ability to compete by providing these foundational skills through deeply-embedded, interactive, interdisciplinary learning experiences.”

Funding was allocated to schools based on their readiness to implement or expand PLTW programs. The selection process prioritized schools with existing STEM initiatives that could be expanded; high-need campuses that lacked sufficient STEM exposure; equitable access across elementary, middle, and high school levels.

Each school received allocated funding based on program type and implementation capacity.

Sustainability Beyond the Grant

The curricular enhancements offered by the PLTW partnership are designed to segue into a long-term and sustainable component of DeSoto ISD’s academic offerings that will align with the district’s overarching STEM-focused learning initiatives and curriculum.

With the additional funding from this grant, DeSoto ISD plans to extend the life of the PLTW  support beyond the grant by integrating the program into the STEM curriculum, not just as an elective; additional funding sources, including corporate sponsors, external grants, and state funding, will be pursued to extend and support a continuation of this effort; the district commitment to long-term financial support ensures the program's longevity; and partnerships with businesses and colleges will provide mentorship, internships, and hands-on experiences to scholars in DeSoto ISD.

“Strategic partnerships like these are key and critical to bridging the gap for our scholars,” said DeSoto ISD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Usamah Rodgers. “As an educational institution, we understand that more and more education is in the world around us and we want to engage partners and industries that will invite our students and educators to engage with them and expand learning opportunities that will yield success in higher education, military and career.”

Expected Impact & Success Measures

As the district has adopted a culture of progress and data monitoring, PLTW will drive measurable improvements in STEM learning and workforce readiness through increased STEM engagement by encouraging and incentivizing greater student participation in hands-on STEM activities; support higher college and career readiness by increasing scholars’ pursuit of STEM-related degrees and careers; and recruiting, retaining and developing more  STEM-trained teachers expanding teacher expertise in engineering and computer science.

The district will also work to develop Industry connections to support STEM fields and STEM exposure by partnering with local businesses for real-world learning opportunities.

Compliance & Reporting

To ensure grant compliance, schools must maintain active PLTW participation and implement the approved curriculum; submit annual reports via the PLTW My Grants platform; collect student and teacher surveys for program improvement; and meet financial oversight requirements managed by DeSoto ISD’s Grant Compliance Team.

“The PLTW program and grant align with DeSoto ISD’s workforce readiness goals, ensuring students are equipped with real-world STEM skills,” said McCloud.

For more information about DeSoto ISD and its initiatives, visit www.DeSotoISD.org.