STEM Designation
Home > Schools & Hubs > Schools > STEM Designation
How Does a School Become a STEM School?
Ohio law provides a specific pathway for schools to seek and receive designation as a STEM or STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) school. Designation recognizes a school as an effective place for STEM or STEAM learning.Â
Schools apply for designation from the Ohio STEM Committee, a committee of state and community leaders. The Ohio STEM Learning Network and Ohio Department of Education and Workforce support the designation process.Â
1) Attend a designation
Q&A session
2) Complete informal self-assessment of your school
Schools applying for the first time:
3a) Indicate interest and review timeline
The Intent to Apply Survey is now closed. If you are interested in applying for this year's cycle but missed the deadline for the Intent to Apply Survey, email [email protected] for information.
The schools should review the complete timeline for initial designation across the 2023-2024 school year.
Schools continuing designation:
3b) Review the re-designation timeline
According to law, applications for re-designation generally begin five years after initial designation. Special requirements are in place for schools designated before 2017 or in 2018-2021. Review the Quality Monitoring Schedule here. You will need to know your school's initial designation year to use the timeline. This information is published by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.
4) Apply for STEM or STEAM Designation
Review the Ohio STEM and STEAM Designation Rubric.
The Ohio STEM and STEAM Designation application is available through SlideRoom.
Please read and refer to the SlideRoom Information for STEM and STEAM Designation for details on accessing and completing the application.
5) Host a Site Visit
Current STEM and STEAM schools will participate in a site visit as part of the STEM and STEAM designation process.
Schools initially designated in 2018 will begin the quality monitoring process in June 2024. At that time, these schools will be contacted by OSLN to schedule their site visit.
For detailed information about the site visit please refer to the Site Visit Protocol for STEM and STEAM Designation.
Schools applying for initial STEM or STEAM designation need to meet the minimum requirements to participate in a site visit. These requirements can be found in the Site Visit Protocol for STEM and STEAM Designation.
6) Receive Notification
The Ohio STEM Learning Network will notify the school of the Network’s recommendation regarding the school’s designation status within four weeks of the site visit.
The final OSLN recommendation will be submitted to the Ohio STEM Committee for their approval.
The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce will share the final vote from Ohio STEM Committee.
Do you have questions or need more information?
For more information about designation or if you have any questions, please contact Sandra Wilder.