Ohio Revised Code
Chapter 3326 | Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics Schools
Section 3326.04 | Stem or Steam Program of Excellence Designation.

Effective: September 30, 2021
Latest Legislation: House Bill 110 - 134th General Assembly
(A) The STEM committee shall grant distinctions as STEM programs of excellence to STEM programs operated by joint vocational school districts, comprehensive career-technical education providers, compact career-technical education providers, and educational service centers in accordance with this section.
(B) A joint vocational school district, comprehensive career-technical education provider, compact career-technical education provider, or educational service center may submit a proposal to the STEM committee seeking distinction as a STEM program of excellence. The proposal shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the STEM committee that the program meets at least the following standards:
(1) Unless the program is designed to serve only students identified as gifted under Chapter 3324. of the Revised Code, the program will serve all students enrolled in the grades for which the program is designed.
(2) The program will provide students with the opportunity to innovate, develop an entrepreneurial spirit, engage in inquiry, and collaborate with individual accountability.
(3) The program will offer a rigorous, diverse, integrated, and problem- or project-based curriculum to students, with the goal to prepare students for post-secondary learning experiences, the workforce, and citizenship, and that does all of the following:
(a) Emphasizes and supports the role of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in promoting innovation and economic progress;
(b) Emphasizes the use of design thinking as a school-wide approach;
(c) Provides opportunities for students to engage in personalized learning;
(d) Includes the arts and humanities. If the proposal is for distinction as a STEAM program of excellence, it also shall include evidence that the curriculum will integrate arts and design into the study of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to foster creative thinking, problem-solving, and new approaches to scientific invention.
(4) The district, provider, or service center leadership supports the curriculum principles of division (B)(3) of this section.
(5) The program's leaders participate in regular STEM-focused professional development and share knowledge of best practices.
(6) The program has established partnerships with institutions of higher education and businesses. If the proposal is for distinction as a STEAM program of excellence, it also shall include evidence of established partnerships with one or more arts organizations.
(7) The program has received commitments of sustained and verifiable fiscal and in-kind support from regional education and business entities. If the proposal is for distinction as a STEAM program of excellence, the program also has received commitments of sustained and verifiable fiscal and in-kind support from arts organizations;
(8) The program's curriculum was developed using the principles described in division (B)(3) of this section and approved by a team in accordance with section 3326.09 of the Revised Code.
(C)(1) If a joint vocational school district, comprehensive career-technical education provider, compact career-technical education provider, or educational service center receives a distinction as a STEM program of excellence under this section, it shall maintain that distinction for five years unless the STEM committee revokes the distinction during that five-year period under division (E) of this section. At the end of that five-year period, the district, provider, or service center shall reapply to the STEM committee in order to maintain that distinction. The committee shall authorize the continuation of the district's, provider's, or service center's distinction as a STEM program of excellence if the committee finds that the district, provider, or service center is in compliance with this chapter and the provisions of its proposal and any subsequent amendments to that proposal.
If a joint vocational school district, comprehensive career-technical education provider, compact career-technical education provider, or educational service center chooses not to reapply for a distinction for a STEM program of excellence under division (C)(1) of this section, the committee shall revoke the district's, provider's, or service center's distinction at the end of its five-year period of distinction.
(2) If a joint vocational school district, comprehensive career-technical education provider, compact career-technical education provider, or educational service center reapplies for distinction as a STEM program of excellence under division (C)(1) of this section and the committee has reason to believe that it is not in compliance with this chapter or the provisions of its proposal and any subsequent amendments to that proposal, the committee shall require the district, provider, or service center, in collaboration with the department of education and the Ohio STEM learning network or its successor, to develop a corrective action plan. The district, provider, or service center shall implement the corrective action plan and demonstrate exemplary STEM pedagogy and practices within one year of the plan's development. If the district, provider, or service center fails to implement the corrective action plan to the satisfaction of the committee at the end of that year, the committee shall revoke the district's, provider's, or service center's distinction.
(3) The department shall maintain records of the application status and designation renewal deadlines for each joint vocational school district, comprehensive career-technical education provider, compact career-technical education provider, or educational service center that has received a distinction as a STEM program of excellence under this section.
(D) If the STEM committee has reason to believe that a joint vocational school district, comprehensive career-technical education provider, compact career-technical education provider, or educational service center that has received a distinction as a STEM program of excellence under this section is not in compliance with this chapter or the provisions of its proposal and any subsequent amendments to that proposal, it may review the district's, provider's, or service center's distinction prior to the end of the five-year period during which that distinction is effective. If the committee reviews a district's, provider's, or service center's distinction under this division, it must require the district, provider, or service center to develop a corrective action plan in the same manner as specified in division (C)(2) of this section and implement that plan and demonstrate exemplary STEM pedagogy and practices within one year of the plan's development. If the district, provider, or service center fails to implement the corrective action plan to the satisfaction of the committee at the end of that year, the committee shall revoke the district's, provider's, or service center's distinction.
(E) If a joint vocational school district, comprehensive career-technical education provider, compact career-technical education provider, or educational service center that has received distinction for a STEM program of excellence instead wishes to receive a distinction for a STEAM program of excellence, it may change its existing proposal to include the items required under divisions (B)(3)(d), (B)(6), and (B)(7) of this section and submit the revised proposal to the STEM committee for approval.
Last updated October 4, 2021 at 12:44 PM

Structure Ohio Revised Code

Ohio Revised Code

Title 33 | Education-Libraries

Chapter 3326 | Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics Schools

Section 3326.01 | Stem and Steam Defined.

Section 3326.02 | Stem Committee Established.

Section 3326.03 | Stem School Proposals.

Section 3326.031 | Single Governing Body May Direct Group of Multiple Stem Schools.

Section 3326.032 | Stem School Equivalent Designation.

Section 3326.04 | Stem or Steam Program of Excellence Designation.

Section 3326.06 | Nonprofit Enterprise to Support Coordination of Efforts.

Section 3326.07 | Schools Part of State Program - Dissolution.

Section 3326.08 | Stem School Administration and Oversight.

Section 3326.081 | Suspension of Employee Pending Criminal Action.

Section 3326.082 | Computer Science and Technology Fund.

Section 3326.09 | Team Responsible for Curriculum Development.

Section 3326.10 | Admission Procedures.

Section 3326.101 | Tuition for Nonresidents.

Section 3326.11 | Statutory Compliance Requirements.

Section 3326.112 | Compliance With Standards for Financial Reporting.

Section 3326.12 | Schools to Comply With Rc Chapter 3323.

Section 3326.13 | Qualifications and Licensure of Teachers.

Section 3326.14 | State Assessment Requirements.

Section 3326.15 | High School Credit.

Section 3326.16 | Schools to Comply With Health and Safety Provisions.

Section 3326.17 | Annual Report Card for Each School.

Section 3326.18 | Employees May Organize and Bargain Collectively.

Section 3326.19 | Rc Chapter 124 Inapplicable to Nonteaching Employees.

Section 3326.20 | Transportation for Native Students.

Section 3326.21 | School Treasurer - Financial Records.

Section 3326.211 | Unauditable Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics School.

Section 3326.22 | Enforcement of Truancy Laws.

Section 3326.23 | Annual Assurances of Schools to Department.

Section 3326.24 | Report of Employee Conviction or Alternative Disposition.

Section 3326.241 | Employee Investigation Report Kept in Personnel File.

Section 3326.242 | Application of Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Section 3326.243 | False Report of Employee Misconduct Prohibited.

Section 3326.25 | Criminal Records Check of Private Contract Employee.

Section 3326.26 | Body Mass Index and Weight Status Category Screening.

Section 3326.27 | Liability for Damages Due to Concussions.

Section 3326.271 | Stem School Employees; Liability.

Section 3326.28 | Procurement of Epinephrine Autoinjectors for Stem Schools.

Section 3326.29 | Liability Related to Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

Section 3326.30 | Procurement of Inhalers by Stem School.

Section 3326.31 | Stem School Funding Definitions.

Section 3326.32 | Report of Information Required by Department.

Section 3326.34 | Costs in Excess of Threshold Catastrophic Costs.

Section 3326.35 | Payment Adjustment for Students Enrolled Only Part of the Year.

Section 3326.36 | Payment Adjustment for Students Participating in College Credit Plus Program.

Section 3326.37 | Exclusions From Department Payments to Schools or Governing Bodies.

Section 3326.38 | Permitted Applications by Schools.

Section 3326.39 | Expenditures of Career-Technical Education Funding.

Section 3326.40 | Expenditure of Disadvantaged Pupil Impact Aid.

Section 3326.44 | Stem School Spending for English Learners.

Section 3326.45 | Stem School May Contract for Provision of Services.

Section 3326.49 | Schools May Not Levy Taxes or Issue Tax-Secured Bonds.

Section 3326.50 | Schools Shall Not Charge Tuition.

Section 3326.51 | Government of Stem School by District.

Section 3326.52 | Policies for Use of Credit Card Accounts.

Section 3326.60 | Procurement of Glucagon, Qualified Immunity.

Section 3326.90 | Stem School Employees; Liability.

Section 3326.99 | Penalty.