The PLTW Network

The PLTW Network is a nationwide support system comprised of the following groups:

Corporate & Philanthropic Sponsors – Companies such as Chevron, 3M, and Lockheed Martin along with philanthropic organizations like the Kern Family Foundation, generously contribute financial support and provide classroom mentors and workplace experience to expose students to STEM fields.

Master Teachers – A Master Teacher is an educator who has taught a PLTW course for at least one complete year and has been approved to become a PLTW Core Training Instructor. Master Teachers train new teachers and also contribute to the writing and revising of the PLTW curriculum.

PLTW Staff - The PLTW National staff consists of more than 50 innovators who create, support, and update its rigorous curriculum.  Positioned across the country, these dedicated STEM professionals provide superior network support, funding and market development, and continue to be champions of STEM education. A portion of this staff consists of the finest curriculum writers nationwide who are passionately revolutionizing STEM education for America’s middle and high school students in urban, suburban, and rural schools.

PLTW Teachers – At the core of our mission are the teachers who ignite the imaginations of students in PLTW classrooms, aka Innovation Zones .They share best practices and classroom experiences, collaborate with other PLTW teachers, and are strong advocates for innovation and STEM education.

Partners – A variety of organizations such as Autodesk, Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), and VEX Robotics play an integral role in the delivery of PLTW’s engaging and dynamic curriculum. Partners provide PLTW students and teachers with state-of-the-art equipment, classroom resources, and software used by industry professionals.

Partnership Team – This team is comprised of teachers, counselors, administrators, post-secondary representatives, business and industry professionals, and other community members who support PLTW within a school. They actively promote the program, serve as mentors who share their real world experiences with students, and provide extra-curricular activities for students and teachers.

STEM Associations and Organizations – Groups like the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME) and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Education Foundation (SME-EF) partner with PLTW to provide grants and support for PLTW’s initiatives.

School Counselors – A member of the school staff, this person plays a key role in the recruitment of students into PLTW courses and guides them to pursue careers in STEM fields.  

School District Delegate –This district or school employee is the main contact between PLTW and all of its participating schools. The Delegate registers new schools, adds new programs, and is responsible for keeping school information up to date in the PLTW database. Typically, this individual is the CTE Director, Science Coordinator, or someone in an equivalent position.

State Leaders - State Leaders serve as the liaisons between PLTW, the State Leadership Team for PLTW, and the schools that have adopted or are considering adopting a PLTW program in their state. They are involved in new school recruitment and they provide support for existing schools within the PLTW Network. Ideally, each state has an individual designated to serve in this position. Usually this representative is an employee at the State Department of Education.

University Affiliate – A University Affiliate is a post-secondary institution that has an agreement with PLTW to facilitate the delivery and support of PLTW curriculum. They provide and/or coordinate activities such as Core Training sessions, counselor conferences, college level recognition for PLTW courses, school certification visits, and statewide/regional support of PLTW.