From left to right: Tammy Richards, PISD Board of Trustees President; Gray Mayes, TI Director of Government Relations, PISD Superintendent Doug Otto; Arturo Sanchez, TI Director of Education and Workforce Development

TI has committed $5 million to help launch a new Plano Independent School District (PISD) academy focused on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education.

Plano in Collin County, Texas is the site of one of TI's primary North Texas locations, and the city that more than 1,500 TI employees with school age children call home.

"TI takes to heart its responsibility to the communities around the world in which we do business," said Arturo Sanchez, TI director of education and workforce development. "It's very exciting for us to partner with the district to create a new learning environment focused on STEM education that will help students succeed."

As the founding corporate partner, TI's involvement will enable PISD to move ahead with plans for the new innovative high school as recommended by the district's Academy Visioning Committee in April this year. The committee, appointed by the Plano ISD board, was made up of parents, students, central office and campus staff members, higher education representatives, business leaders and community members.

The district's collaborative approach to research and planning yielded a proposal for an academy that combines project-based learning with rigorous coursework and adds technical arts to a (STEM) curriculum. TI will work closely with the district on the STEM curriculum and technology integration for replication in other schools.

The academy, which will be located in an existing building, is expected to open in the fall of 2013, starting with 9th and 10th grades.

Plano School Board President Tammy Richards said, "This is a great step for Plano ISD to be able to offer parents and students a choice for pursuing an area of academic interest. Much appreciation is extended to TI for partnering with us in continuing to offer education in innovative and creative ways in our school district."

Both TI and the TI Foundation have had a strong, collaborative partnership with the district and the Plano Education Foundation for many years. Among the many initiatives, TI's Education Technology business has worked with PISD for more than 11 years, and the TI Foundation has supported the Innovation in STEM Teaching awards annually for five years.

Working together, PISD and TI will create, expand and maintain a variety of programs to support and broaden educational curriculum and resources for students. TI's education technology products include graphing hardware and software, formative assessment systems, digital curriculum and professional development and 3D projectors may be used in the academy's classrooms. The school could also have access to TI's latest developmental products as a "beta site".

TI Director of Education and Workforce Development Arturo Sanchez announced TI's sponsorship at a recent PISD Board of Trustees meeting.

"The academy will help Plano students succeed and build a strong technical workforce which is critical to the entire region's future economic vitality. We applaud the work of the Plano ISD Board of Trustees and the Visioning Committee and look forward to working closely with the district as detailed plans for the school are finalized," Sanchez said.

"The TI Foundation has been a longtime STEM partner in making possible the annual Innovation in STEM Teaching Awards offered each spring to two outstanding Plano ISD secondary teachers. With this donation to the Plano ISD academy, we once again have an opportunity to thank TI for being such a visionary corporate citizen," said Lisa Raskin, president of the Plano ISD Education Foundation.

"Maintaining a competitive edge and remaining responsive to the profile of today's learner, Plano ISD continues to seek opportunities to innovate and find new ways to educate students," said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Doug Otto. "Plano ISD is known for being on the leading edge of education and takes seriously its responsibility to students and to the future of public education in Texas. This partnership with TI will help us remain relevant and forward-thinking."

TI's Plano academy sponsorship aligns with the national focus on improving STEM education and education initiatives in its communities worldwide. TI also recently announced a "Power of STEM Education" initiative in four new communities that TI joined when it acquired National Semiconductor in September.

Over the past five years, TI and the Texas Instruments Foundation have invested more than $150 million in education, about $30 million for kindergarten to 12th grade (K-12) STEM education. TI's support of education dates back to the company's founders and the company has done business in education technology for more than 40 years.