What is K12 Summer Institute?

The K-12 Summer Institute (SI) is an annual, 3-4 day professional development conference where Texas teachers are introduced to and trained to implement innovative, classroom-ready, STEM-based educational materials. Elementary, middle and high school workshops are offered each day, so teachers are encouraged to attend all 4 days, although this is not required. Each workshop provides free integrated curricular materials and hands-on learning activities. The SI is accredited by the State of Texas to provide continuing education (CPE) credits (7 hours per workshop).

What are our goals?

The goals of the Summer Institute are the following:

Goal I
: Train teachers and disseminate environmental health and science materials through professional development.
Goal II: Advance education through improved instruction and integration of environmental health and science materials across subjects, including science, mathematics, theater, reading, writing and social studies.

As teacher input is highly valued, SI attendees are asked to complete online surveys to evaluate workshop organization, quality of curricular materials and instruction, and usefulness and applicability of workshop materials for K-12 education.

To evaluate long-term impact of the SI, a summative Implementation Survey is sent to all attendees in the spring of the school year following their participation. In this way, the teachers can report on the use and impact of the training and materials received.

What's in it for summer attendees?

  1. Receive award-winning integrated curricular materials.
  2. Discuss environmental health issues that directly impact our lives.
  3. Participate in hands-on learning activities.
  4. Share ideas with scientists and professionals in the science field.
  5. Discuss environmental health issues that directly impact our lives, participate in hands-on, classroom-ready learning activities, share ideas with scientists and professionals in the science field, and discover how curricular materials address and will help students excel at STAAR and End of Course (EOC) Assessments.

Earn hours for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) approved professional development activities (Summer Institute is recognized and approved by the State Board of Education as a CPE Provider).