Benchmark 3: Strategic Alliances

Purpose of Strategic Alliances

Strategic partnerships with business and industry partners and Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) are formally articulated in writing and clearly define a variety of STEM careers.

Design Elements

All T-STEM academies must implement and meet the following requirements:

1. The T-STEM academy shall develop, sign, and execute a Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with IHE partner(s) to include (at a minimum):
   1. Courses of study, which enable a student to combine high school courses and college-level courses toward credentials and certifications including associate and/or bachelor’s degree
   2. Policy for advising students on the transferability of all industry certifications and college credit offered and earned
   3. Policy to ensure the IHE transcripts college credit earned through dual credit in the same semester that credit is earned
   4. Policy regarding advising students as to the transferability and applicability to baccalaureate degree plans for all college credit offered and earned (college credits earned during high school should allow students to progress from an associate degree to a bachelor's degree and beyond in their chosen field)
   5. Policies regarding eligibility of T-STEM students for financial assistance from the higher education partner(s), specifically, waivers for tuition and fees
   6. Data sharing agreement that includes provisions for:
      • Teacher data such as qualifications
      • Student level data such as credit hours and industry certifications taken and earned; GPA, formative data to assess if student is on track to be successful in college level courses
   7. Administration of statewide instruments under TEC Subchapter B, Chapter 39
   8. Transportation costs and fees
   9. Grading periods and policies
   10. Instructional materials
   11. Instructional calendar including location of each course that will be offered
   12. Student enrollment and attendance policies
2. The T-STEM academy shall develop, sign, and execute a MOU that clearly define the roles and responsibilities of a strong partnership with business and/or industry partners to provide:
   1. A detailed plan for work-based learning experiences for students appropriate to each grade level, such as facility visits, guest speakers, presentations, career information, job shadowing, internships, externships, and apprenticeships
   2. Clear roles and responsibilities for worksite supervisors, mentors, teachers, support personnel, and other partners
   3. Career mentoring
   4. Support for students’ activities, such as clubs, Career and Technical Student Organizations, competitions, and special initiatives
   5. Course path and program monitoring
   6. T-STEM students access to business and industry partners and work-based learning facilities, services, and resources
3. The T-STEM Academy shall establish an Advisory Board who meets regularly and includes representatives from a variety of stakeholders such as; school board, community, higher education, business and industry to provide support and guidance to the T-STEM academy in resource acquisition, curriculum development, work-based learning and student/community outreach to ensure a successful academic and career pipeline

Activities

1. All products shall be published on the T-STEM academy website and be made available to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) upon request.
2. All products shall be maintained in accordance with local retention policy.
3. Annual review of business/industry and IHE MOU.

Products

1. Meeting agendas and minutes, with action items and decision logs
2. Final, signed, and executed MOU with IHE (Campuses must submit their final signed MOU to TEA when initially applying for designation or are provisionally designated)
3. Final, signed, and executed MOU with business/industry partner (Campuses must submit their final signed MOU to TEA when initially applying for designation or are provisionally designated)
4. A list of strategic partners with each member’s organization, title and role in providing work-based learning for students by grade level