Mutually Beneficial School-Industry Partnerships in STEM Education

Abstract

The case of Mid-America STEM High School showcases a partnership between one high school and a local STEM business. The partnership leverages the assets of both organizations to transform the quality of the high school STEM learning experience. As a result, learners regularly experience authentic learning opportunities which increases their odds of persisting in STEM-related postsecondary pathways. Cross-sector partnerships are often cited as a strategy to improve STEM education. The case demonstrates how one community overcame common collaboration barriers and suggests design principles that may be useful when developing new partnerships. The rich description of Mid-America STEM High School's partnership is derived from stakeholder interviews. Success can be attributed to intentional trust-building, a willingness to accommodate partner organizations' needs, and symbolic investments from organizational leaders. Other communities beginning new partnerships can learn from this case to build their own mutually beneficial school-STEM industry partnerships.