NEW DATE September 29 - October 3, 2025
NCCAT at Ocracoke, NC
Renewing or almost ready to submit?
Date TBA!
The NC STEM Schools of Distinction (SSoD) program was developed to identify and recognize exemplary STEM schools and STEM programs in North Carolina. The application process rubric is built around NCDPI’s STEM Attributes, which describe the characteristics of a high-quality STEM school. STEM schools provide students at all grade levels with consistent opportunities to develop the knowledge and skills aligned with the needs of our current and emerging regional workforce.
Schools are recognized as meeting the Prepared or Model Level of Achievement. Regardless of status, schools exemplify outstanding leadership and learning, which empower keen creative thinking, reasoning and teamwork – the underpinnings of 21st-century skills. Schools recognized under Model Level of Achievement go even further by systemically interweaving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics into complementary coursework in the arts, career and technical education, English language arts, healthful living, and world history.
The STEM Schools of Distinction recognition program provides a standard definition of quality STEM implementation using the STEM School Progress Rubric as the framework of the application process for implementing the 5 Overarching STEM Principles. Schools submit an application providing narrative and artifactual evidence of their schools' approaches to leading and learning. The rubric serves as a guide for whole school improvement as it invites all members of the school community to become involved and contribute. Start by downloading the STEM Schools of Distinction progress rubric and reading it thoroughly with your school community.
The Recognition Program and application process was developed by leadership within North Carolina schools, business and industry, post-secondary institutions, and NCDPI to identify and recognize outstanding STEM schools and STEM programs. As a STEM School of Distinction, your school will join a network of the very best in STEM education across North Carolina that have demonstrated their ability to implement the quality characteristics rooted within the Five Overarching STEM Principles. Most importantly your school will demonstrate the characteristics of an educational community that actively and collaboratively works on behalf of students to prepare them for STEM-based careers.
North Carolina public elementary, middle, and high schools who are interested in learning more about and pursuing the STEM School of Distinction (SSoD) designation are invited to send a team of teachers and administrators to the planning workshop.
Leaders from schools that have already received the SSoD designation and are up for renewal should contact Akua Carraway for opportunities more appropriate for their school.
During a planning workshop, facilitators lead conversations around school change, STEM education and community engagement. This will include a deep dive into the STEM School Progress Rubric as a guide for whole school adoption of STEM-based instruction. Facilitators model instructional strategies to share with teachers at your home school to help build a pathway for better understanding of STEM-based instruction. Most importantly each school team will have ample planning time to design a framework for engaging their school and community around STEM education.
Schools that apply for and are accepted for the SSoD planning workshop will have their onsite expenses - room and board - covered by NCCAT, our partner and host.. Each school team will need to use school, district or other sources of funding to cover travel and/or substitutes if needed.
Your team should consist of three to five key school personnel that are familiar with the NC STEM Schools of Distinction Program and the STEM School Progress Rubric. Team members should be representative of school leadership and include a school administrator (required), a teacher, and an instructional support person (such as a STEM facilitator, instructional coach, or media specialist). The members should come prepared to design a framework for engaging their school staff and community to develop and implement their plan to become a STEM School of Distinction. This will be a whole school and community effort led by the planning team.
Yes! The workshop is designed to provide information and guidance by using the same information found in the progress rubric but is not a required part of the process. During the workshop you will have the benefit of speaking with school leaders that have engaged with their educational community to be recognized as a STEM School of Distinction while you work alongside other school teams that are pursuing this same goal. Most importantly you will have planning time to take a deep dive into the major tenets of the progress rubric so you can create an action plan for when you return to your school. Attending a planning workshop does not in itself add value to an application for STEM School of Distinction recognition, it only provides the time and resources for you to create and add value to your application.
If you are interested in knowing more and/or attending one of the SSoD Workshop at NCCAT please fill out the survey below. We will contact you directly for an overview call with your team. Registration does not necessarily guarantee acceptance as workshop space is limited. If full you will be informed and added to a waiting list. Of course, you can always contact any of the workshop sponsors directly if you have any questions or concerns!
