Innovative Leaders Institute: Bridge to STEM
Leading change: The journey to STEM excellence
Innovative Leaders Institute: Bridge to STEM is designed for school and district leaders ready to launch their STEM or STEAM vision. Whether your school is just beginning its STEM journey or looking to deepen its existing culture, this yearlong cohort empowers leaders to transform their schools into vibrant, future ready STEM learning environments, and, for those interested, to prepare for Ohio’s official STE(A)M Designation.
Through engaging, practical learning experiences, participants strengthen their understanding of STEM education, STEM culture, and what it takes to lead meaningful change across a school community.
Grounded in the principles of transformational leadership and aligned to Ohio’s Quality Model for STEM and STEAM Education and the STEM and STEAM Designation Rubric, Bridge to STEM provides a practitioner-focused roadmap for whole school transformation. Leaders learn how to build a strong, shared STEM culture, ensure staff buy in, and support teachers in shifting classroom practices toward high-quality, inquiry-driven STEM instruction.
Participants explore how to build sustainable community partnerships, with businesses, industry, nonprofits, and higher education institutions, that enrich learning and strengthen long-term program success.
If your school is ready to grow, evolve, and become a model of STEM excellence, Bridge to STEM is your path forward.
Core topics
- STEM School Immersion:Â September 30, 2026
- STEM Culture and Identity: November 17, 2026
- Business, Community, and School Connections: January 14, 2027
- Student Experiences in STEM Schools: March 3, 2027
- Teachers in STEM Schools: April 29, 2027
Program details
Applications close May 15, 2026
Eligibility
This program is specifically designed to help participants explore best practices for STEM culture and education.Â
By program completion, participants will have gained a strong sense of what these best practices look like in a robust, real-world educational setting.Â
- Participants may be school or district leaders (principal, assistant principal, superintendent, assistant superintendent, etc.)
- Participants should represent either
- a school not currently STEM or STEAM designated or
- a school looking to ignite STEM practices and culture
- Additional team member(s) such as another school/district leader, instructional coach, curriculum specialist, or teacher leader is required to participate
Expectations
Thanks to Ohio’s generous support of the Ohio STEM Learning Network, the $2,750.00 program fee (per school) for the 2026-2027 ILI: Bridge to STEM is waived.
The program participants are expected to:
- Attend and actively participate in all program meetings (virtual and in-person)
- Complete asynchronous program tasks and activities
The Bridge to STEM cohort is limited to 12 school or district teams.
Maximum team size per school or district is 4 participants.
Deadline
Applications for the Institute will be accepted on a rolling basis. The applications will close May 15, 2026.
Breakfast and lunch will be provided for all participants during the in-person workshops.
Institute participants will receive a contact hours certificate at the conclusion of the program.
The Bridge to STEM experience
2026-2027 dates and locations
1) STEM School Immersion
Begin your leadership journey with a day of:
- Observing, experiencing, interacting, and reflecting on elements of culture and education in a STEM designated school
- Building understanding of differing experiences of teaching, learning, and leadership in STEM schools through conversations with teachers, students, and school leaders.
DATE: September 30, 2026
LOCATION: National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM Middle School, Akron Region OSLN Hub
2) STEM Culture and Identity
Learning ready-to-implement strategies for:
- Creating new or transforming current vision for learning anchored in STEM education and culture
- Collaboratively identifying school values and approaches for schoolwide implementation of the values
- Ensuring buy-in of all stakeholders in implementing STEM culture and education
DATE: November 17, 2026
LOCATION: Battelle, 505 King Ave., Columbus, OH 43201
3) Business, Community, and School Connections
Learning ready-to-implement leadership strategies for:
- Creating new partnerships with business, industry, and community organizations
- Creating new partnerships with higher education institutions
- Leveraging business, community, and higher education partnerships
- Building and leveraging STEM school advisory group
DATE: January 14, 2027
LOCATION: Virtual
4) STE(A)M Designation
In this experience, participants:
- Deepen their understanding of what it means to be STEM/STEAM designated by the Ohio STEM Committee
- Learn requirements for earning designation across the three domains of the Quality Model for STE(A)M Education.
- Become familiar with the STE(A)M Designation process managed by OSLN.
DATE: Asynchronous learning
LOCATION: Virtual
5) Student Experiences in STEM Schools
Learning ready-to-implement strategies for:
- Gaining an understanding of personalized learning
- Implementing and fostering classroom and school mastery learning model
- Supporting staff in providing dynamic assessment opportunities
DATE: March 3, 2027
LOCATION: Bio-Med Science Academy STEM School, Northeast Ohio OSLN Hub
6) Teachers in STEM Schools
Learning ready-to-implement leadership strategies for:
- Creating school structures that promote interdisciplinary collaboration
- Establishing schoolwide expectations for fostering STEM culture and values
- Gaining an understanding of spectrum of STEM instructional approaches
- Identifying and planning personalized STEM focused professional learning for teachers
- Ensuring high levels of collaboration among staff
DATE: April 29, 2027
LOCATION: Battelle, 505 King Ave., Columbus, OH 43201