STEM Partnership for Rural Texas Communities Hosts Initial Training

Research shows that rural districts in Texas are less likely to offer STEM courses than their urban and suburban counterparts. According to the Texas CS Education Data Dashboard, 24 percent of rural high schools across the state offer STEM/computer science classes, compared to the statewide average of 46 percent. The national average is 60 percent.

To tackle this shortage of opportunities, the WeTeach_CS team launched the Project ROCS (Rural Opportunities in Computer Science) Initiative, a new professional development offering to recruit and support educators to grow their CS knowledge and skills.

In March, eight teachers gathered at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) with WeTeach_CS and FarmBeats for Students as part of the Project ROCS Trainer of Trainers program. The teachers received training on data science and AI applications in agriculture in a workshop designed to equip educators to lead technology-enhanced lessons while fostering STEM, data literacy, and sustainability skills in their students. WeTeach_CS—a division of Expanding Pathways in Computing (EPIC)—has helped more than 640 Texas educators earn a CS teaching certificate since its inception.

EPIC Partnership Coordinator Sheryl Roehl lauds this method of STEM educator training because teachers receive tangible tools like classroom lessons and learning materials.

“In rural communities, jobs are evolving due to technological advancements, so it’s important for rural teachers to learn hands-on STEM/CS pedagogy because this approach nurtures entrepreneurial thinking and shows students how technology can be used to solve local problems,” Roehl said. “Through FarmBeats for Students, participants learn how AI and data analytics apply to real-world agriculture scenarios like preventing world hunger and can teach those lessons to their classrooms.”

“We want to help teachers build and support capacity through constructive, hands-on pedagogy,” said Derek Tangredi of Fair Chance Learning, who led the training. “This train-the-trainer professional development program equips teachers with hands-on experience in sensor technology, data analysis, and AI-powered insights to engage students in real-world agricultural challenges. We must empower educators to bring STEM applications and hardware to students who otherwise might not have access to such resources.”

Training curriculum featured Microsoft FarmBeats for Students, which combines an affordable micro:bit-based hardware kit with free curated curriculum and activities designed to give students experience in precision agriculture. The learning progression is designed to enable students to see the impact of modern tools and opportunities available to them in agriculture. Attendees also toured the TACC data center, which is home to the Frontera supercomputer, the fastest academic supercomputer in the United States.

At Microsoft, we believe that every student deserves access to the tools and skills that will shape the future—no matter where they live."

“At Microsoft, we believe that every student deserves access to the tools and skills that will shape the future—no matter where they live,” said Cheri Bortleson, Program Manager at Microsoft. “FarmBeats for Students bridges classroom learning with real-world impact by helping educators bring data science, AI, and technology into local agricultural challenges. We’re proud to support educators across rural Texas who are empowering the next generation of innovators.”

Participating school districts included representatives from Education Service Centers (ESC) in Regions 5, 8, 15, and 20. Callie Burris of Region 8 ESC in Pittsburg, Texas, hopes to show local teachers they can make a difference.

“We serve lots of rural schools, so I want to use this training to inspire educators to teach students these great skills and spark student creativity and imagination in the classroom,” Burriss said.

Anna Olguin of ESC Region 20 echoed these sentiments.

“Rural teachers are hungry to bring project-based learning to their students,” Olguin said. “Thanks to the knowledge and skills I received via this training, I want to institute a cohort model that trains educators to teach coding to their students.”

Rural schools face issues like fewer students and lower teacher pay, which creates more urgency for educators. The percentage of uncertified teachers in Texas varies from 4 percent to 21 percent from region to region, with the highest percentages being in rural areas, according to Issuu.