Information for Principals and School Administrators
Expand Your Course Offerings
Through our professional development programs, we offer teachers essential scaffolding to deliver STEM courses that prepare students for college and careers. Each program comes with distinct advantages, specific costs, eligibility criteria, and requires commitments at the school or district level.
Code.org Professional Training Program
The Gordon A. Cain Center and the Capital Area STEM Network are the Code.org® Regional Partners in Louisiana. We are excited to offer a Computer Science Professional Development Program that will prepare K-12 Louisiana teachers to effectively implement the nationally recognized computer science courses listed below:
- CS Fundamentals K-5
- CS Discoveries 6-10
- CS Principles 9-12
- Computer Science A 10-12
College Credit Opportunities for Grades 9-12
The Pre-DE program provides teachers with quality course material and training in traditional high school Mathematics (Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra II) and English (English I, II, and III). It prepares students for success in college-level coursework during their later years of high school.
Students enroll at LSU and attend courses conducted at their local high schools. LSU faculty develop, manage, and monitor the content, while trained teachers facilitate the courses. This model is well-suited to teachers with a strong subject-matter background.
Students deserve the opportunity to take advanced courses, regardless of their readiness or access to college-level classes. The Choice Model enables students to enroll in LSU courses, giving them the autonomy to decide whether to transcribe the credit upon receiving their final grade. Teachers are equipped with training to guide students throughout their college-level course experience.
STEM Pathways equip students with high school credit courses in five STEM disciplines, preparing them for post-secondary STEM degrees or high-demand industry credentials. Successful completion of each course earns students LSU certificates, leading to state-recognized Silver or Gold STEM endorsements. This model empowers students to earn college credit during their high school years, propelling them towards post-secondary education.
Computer Science Workshop Training PK-6
Capital Area STEM will offer 3 and 5 day CS elementary workshops that support developing fundamental concepts and skills in computer science and provide instruction in how to teach CS and best practices in SY2024-2025.
- Block-based programming
- Microbits/Robots
- Scratch/Scratch Jr
- Cybersecurity Machine Learning
- More to Come!
DE Teacher Master's and Graduate Certification Program
The Dual Enrollment aligned graduate certificates and/or master’s programs provide English, History, and Math high school teachers with 18 graduate hours of content coursework required to meet the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS COC) credentialing guidelines for DE instructors.
RENAISSANCE STEM Pathway Training Institute
The STEM Pathways Summer Institute offers training for 9-12 grade courses with embedded Industry Based Credentials such as:
- IT Specialist: Python
- CompTia Tech+/Fundamentals
- CIW Data Analyst
- CIW Javascript Specialist
Other courses that do not have credentials but that prepare students in Computer Science topics (such as robotics) are also available!
K-8 STEM courses and modules include:
- Scratch and Scratch Jr
- Godot
- Microbits
- Robotics using block
- programming and Python
STEM Enrichment
Elementary and middle schools often struggle to offer stand alone STEM courses. Although our STEM modules can be use in stand alone STEM courses, they can also be incorporated into traditional classrooms or used in after- and before- school programs. Implementation is flexible. These modules support vertical STEM skill alignment, learning life skills, and creating STEM identity and career awareness early in the educational pipeline.
LSU is the Code.org Regional Partner and K–12 computer science hub for Louisiana. In partnership with Code.org, we will drive new awareness and expansion of computer science education across the state for flexible classroom implementation. Anyone can teach CS—you don't have to be a software developer.
Visit Our Code.org Regional Partner Website for more information
The Quality Science and Mathematics (QSM) Grant Program awards up to $2,000 to Louisiana PK-12 public school teachers for purchasing non-consumable materials and equipment for standards-based, effective, and innovative math, science, and STEM instruction. Applicants must demonstrate how materials improve instruction for traditional students during the school day.
Visit the Quality Science and Math Grant Website for more information
As the LaSTEM Region 2 Network Center, Capital Area STEM plays a vital role in promoting STEM awareness, participation, achievement, and career opportunities. Operating under the LSU Gordon A. Cain Center for STEM Literacy, Capital Area STEM fosters STEM engagement through partnerships with educators, business leaders, professionals, and the community. Their goal is to enhance access to quality STEM education and contribute to a more inclusive and equitable STEM workforce. Capital Area STEM facilitates communication and engagement through its monthly newsletter, event calendar, and blog.
Visit Capital Area STEM Network Center website for more information
STEM Pathways Courses for Grades 6–12
The LSU STEM Pathways offer exciting hands-on training in STEM subjects—Computing and Cybersecurity, Digital Design and Emergent Media, Environmental Protection and Sustainability, Pre-Engineering, and Pre-Healthcare and Pre-Veterinary. Partnering with schools statewide, LSU prepares teachers for the program’s STEM curricula. The courses are tailored for high school with preparatory classes and/or modules for middle and elementary school, serving 10,000+ students and their teachers.
First-year LSU students with a 3.5 high school GPA who have completed four of eight LSU STEM Pathway courses can apply for one of 20 Silver Seal Scholarships ($750) or one of 10 Gold Seal Scholarships ($1,500).
STEM Pathways prepare students for post-secondary STEM degrees or high-demand industry credentials by offering high school credit courses in five STEM disciplines. Upon successfully completing each course, students earn LSU certificates, leading to state-recognized Silver or Gold STEM endorsements.
Middle school students can earn high school credit by taking 8th grade Survey of Computer Science or 7th or 8th grade Introduction to STEM Pathways and Careers. These courses offer a jump-start on STEM pathways and contribute to fulfilling graduation requirements.
Early exposure to project-based STEM courses is crucial in fostering student interest in STEM during high school. These fully developed middle school elective courses, although they do not offer high school credit, play a significant role in building a successful pathway for students in STEM education.