HJ651: Project Lead the Way (PLTW) program; school divisions to launch in division's high schools.


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 651
Requesting the school divisions of the Commonwealth to consider launching a Project Lead the Way program in the division's high schools. Report.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 26, 2009
Agreed to by the Senate, February 24, 2009

 

WHEREAS, Project Lead the Way (PLTW) is a not-for-profit organization that promotes hands-on pre-engineering courses for high school students by forming partnerships with public schools, higher education institutions, and the private sector to increase the quantity and quality of engineers and engineering technologists graduating from the educational system; and

WHEREAS, PLTW programs are currently offered in over 1,300 schools in 45 states and the District of Columbia; including high schools in 14 of 132 school divisions in the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, in an effort to raise awareness about the program, the Department of Education announced in July 2008 the availability of matching state funds in the amount of $50,000 per site for four grants to establish a Project Lead the Way program for the 2009-2010 school year; and

WHEREAS, the six courses offered in the high school pre-engineering program include introduction to engineering design, principles of engineering, digital electronics, computer integrated manufacturing, civil engineering and architecture, and engineering design and development and such courses will serve to allow students to apply and reinforce their study of math and science; and

WHEREAS, one of PLTW's stated goals is to work with four- and two-year engineering and engineering technology programs to reduce the future college engineering program attrition rate, which currently exceeds 50 percent nationally; and

WHEREAS, the Joint Subcommittee to Study Science, Math, and Technology Education in the Commonwealth at the Elementary, Secondary, and Undergraduate Levels (House Joint Resolution No. 90, 2008) heard extensive testimony regarding the necessity for innovative instruction in math, science, engineering, and engineering technology; and

WHEREAS, the joint subcommittee made recommendations at the final meeting of the 2008 interim to: (i) endorse the Project Lead the Way Program and (ii) encourage local school divisions that have not yet launched Project Lead the Way, to do so; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the school divisions of the Commonwealth be requested to consider launching a Project Lead the Way program in the division's high schools.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary and report of the progress of the school divisions in meeting the request of this resolution no later than the first day of the 2010 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary and report shall be submitted for publication as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 651
AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by the Senate Committee on Rules
on February 20, 2009)
(Patron Prior to Substitute--Delegate Cosgrove)
Requesting the school divisions of the Commonwealth to consider launching a Project Lead the Way program in the division's high schools. Report.

WHEREAS, Project Lead the Way (PLTW) is a not-for-profit organization that promotes hands-on pre-engineering courses for high school students by forming partnerships with public schools, higher education institutions, and the private sector to increase the quantity and quality of engineers and engineering technologists graduating from the educational system; and

WHEREAS, PLTW programs are currently offered in over 1,300 schools in 45 states and the District of Columbia; including high schools in 14 of 132 school divisions in the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, in an effort to raise awareness about the program, the Department of Education announced in July 2008 the availability of matching state funds in the amount of $50,000 per site for four grants to establish a Project Lead the Way program for the 2009-2010 school year; and

WHEREAS, the six courses offered in the high school pre-engineering program include introduction to engineering design, principles of engineering, digital electronics, computer integrated manufacturing, civil engineering and architecture, and engineering design and development and such courses will serve to allow students to apply and reinforce their study of math and science; and

WHEREAS, one of PLTW's stated goals is to work with four- and two-year engineering and engineering technology programs to reduce the future college engineering program attrition rate, which currently exceeds 50 percent nationally; and

WHEREAS, the Joint Subcommittee to Study Science, Math, and Technology Education in the Commonwealth at the Elementary, Secondary, and Undergraduate Levels (HJR 90, 2008) heard extensive testimony regarding the necessity for innovative instruction in math, science, engineering, and engineering technology; and

WHEREAS, the joint subcommittee made recommendations at the final meeting of the 2008 interim to: (i) endorse the Project Lead the Way Program and (ii) encourage local school divisions that have not yet launched Project Lead the Way, to do so; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the school divisions of the Commonwealth be requested to consider launching a Project Lead the Way program in the division's high schools.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary and report of the progress of the school divisions in meeting the request of this resolution no later than the first day of the 2010 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary and report shall be submitted for publication as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 651
Offered January 14, 2009
Prefiled December 30, 2008
Encouraging the school divisions of the Commonwealth to consider launching a Project Lead the Way program in the division's high schools.
Patron-- Cosgrove

Committee Referral Pending

WHEREAS, Project Lead the Way (PLTW) is a not-for-profit organization that promotes hands-on pre-engineering courses for high school students by forming partnerships with public schools, higher education institutions, and the private sector to increase the quantity and quality of engineers and engineering technologists graduating from the educational system; and

WHEREAS, PLTW programs are currently offered in over 1,300 schools in 45 states and the District of Columbia; including high schools in 14 of 132 school divisions in the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, in an effort to raise awareness about the program, the Department of Education announced in July 2008 the availability of matching state funds in the amount of $50,000 per site for four grants to establish a Project Lead the Way Program for the 2009-2010 school year; and

WHEREAS, the six courses offered in the high school pre-engineering program include introduction to engineering design, principals of engineering, digital electronics, computer integrated manufacturing, civil engineering and architecture, and engineering design and development and such courses will serve to allow students to apply and reinforce their study of math and science; and

WHEREAS, one of PLTW's stated goals is to work with four- and two-year engineering and engineering technology programs to reduce the future college engineering program attrition rate, which currently exceeds 50 percent nationally; and

WHEREAS, the Joint Subcommittee to Study Science, Math, and Technology Education in the Commonwealth at the Elementary, Secondary, and Undergraduate Levels (HJR 90, 2008) heard extensive testimony regarding the necessity for innovative instruction in math, science, engineering, and engineering technology; and

WHEREAS, the joint subcommittee made final recommendations at the final meeting of the 2008 interim to: (i) endorse the Project Lead the Way Program and (ii) encourage local school divisions that have not yet launched Project Lead the Way, to do so; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the school divisions of the Commonwealth be encouraged to consider launching a Project Lead the Way program in the division's high schools; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates transmit a copy of this resolution to the Superintendent of Public Instruction of Virginia, requesting that the Superintendent further disseminate copies of this resolution to all local school boards so that they may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia in this matter.