Webinar - New York City STEM Programs and Challenges

At NextWaveSTEM®, each course includes 15+, 1-hour lessons with equipment kits aligned or supported by standards from CSTA, Common Core, ISTE, P21, and relevant state standards from Illinois, Florida, Texas, New York, California and more all available in English and Spanish!

Why Is Implementing STEM Programs Still Difficult for Many Schools?

STEM education is widely recognized as essential for preparing students for the modern workforce. Yet many schools still struggle to implement meaningful STEM programs.

During a recent discussion on standards-aligned STEM education in New York City, educators explored a key statistic: approximately 70% of schools surveyed reported having no consistent STEM curriculum.

Instead, many schools rely on occasional projects, short clubs, or isolated initiatives.

So what’s preventing broader STEM adoption?

According to Hope Thompson, Senior Manager of Curriculum and Instruction at NextWaveSTEM, several recurring barriers appear across districts nationwide.

What Are the Biggest Barriers to STEM Education in Schools?

Across districts and grade levels, four major challenges repeatedly surface:

1. Staffing and Expertise

Many schools want to offer robotics, coding, or emerging technology programs—but teachers may not have the time or training to lead them.

Teachers already manage heavy workloads, and asking them to become experts in new technologies like AI, drones, or 3D printing can be a significant lift.

2. Lack of Structured Curriculum

Even when schools have hardware such as robotics kits or 3D printers, they often lack a structured curriculum aligned to learning standards.

This leads to another problem: when a passionate teacher leaves the school, the STEM program disappears with them.

3. Limited Teacher Preparation Time

Developing meaningful STEM experiences requires planning, assessment design, and alignment to standards.

Without ready-to-use instructional resources, building a program from scratch can become unsustainable.

4. Funding and Access to Equipment

Emerging technologies—like robotics kits, drones, or hydroponic systems—require investment.

While many grants exist, navigating funding opportunities can be difficult for educators already managing full schedules.

What Does a Strong STEM Program Actually Look Like?

Hope Thompson describes effective STEM education as a combination of three core pillars:

1. The Engineering Design Process

Students learn to:

• Identify problems

• Design solutions

• Build prototypes

• Test and improve their ideas

This iterative process mirrors how real engineers and innovators work.

2. Emerging Technologies

Hands-on technologies help students connect abstract concepts to real-world applications.

Examples include:

• Robotics

• Drone programming

• Game design

• Artificial intelligence literacy

• 3D design and printing

These tools also increase student engagement.

As Thompson explains, many students are immediately excited by the opportunity to build a robot, design a game, or fly a drone.

3. Transferable Technical Skills

STEM instruction also builds discrete skills such as:

• Computational thinking

• Programming logic

• Data analysis

• Digital literacy

• Cybersecurity awareness

These skills form the foundation of many modern careers.

How Can STEM Fit Into a Busy School Schedule?

One common misconception is that schools need a dedicated STEM block to implement these programs.

In reality, schools typically take two different approaches.

Stand-Alone STEM Programs

Some schools create dedicated STEM time through:

• Weekly STEM classes

• Specials similar to art or music

• After-school clubs

• Saturday programs

These programs often introduce technologies like robotics or drone programming.

Integrated STEM in Core Subjects

Other schools embed STEM directly into existing subjects.

For example:

• Math classes may use drone simulators to practice coordinate planes.

• Science classes might study plant growth using hydroponic systems.

• English classes could build AI chatbots that represent literary characters.

This integrated approach allows schools to incorporate STEM without changing schedules.

What Does STEM Look Like in Real Classrooms?

During the session, NYC teacher Katya Goncalves from PS345 shared her experience running an after-school drone program.

The program included 4th and 5th grade students meeting once a week for a 15-lesson course.

Students began by exploring creative ways drones could be used in the real world.

Some proposed delivery systems similar to Amazon logistics.

Others imagined rescue missions—or even using drones to free animals from zoos.

The key takeaway: student engagement increased dramatically.

According to Goncalves:

“Students see me in the hallway and say they’re excited for Tuesday because that’s when the drone program happens.”

Even teachers without deep STEM backgrounds can successfully implement programs when structured lesson plans and instructional guides are available.

How Can STEM Connect to Real-World Careers?

As students progress through grade levels, STEM learning can evolve from simple exploration to career-connected projects.

For example, robotics courses may progress from:

• simple sequencing commands in early grades

• to block-based coding in elementary school

• to text-based programming (like Python or JavaScript) in high school.

High school students might also simulate real manufacturing systems, such as automated sorting lines using sensors and microcontrollers.

These experiences help students understand how classroom concepts translate into real industries.

Can One Technology Support Learning Across Multiple Grades?

One example discussed was hydroponics, the method of growing plants without soil.

A small classroom hydroponic system can support lessons across multiple grade levels.

Students might:

• observe plant growth and identify plant parts in early grades

• Conduct experiments and collect data in elementary school

• Explore photosynthesis and environmental impact in middle school

• Design agricultural business plans in high school

This type of technology allows STEM learning to scale across an entire school.

The Bigger Question: How Should Schools Prepare Students for the Future?

STEM education is no longer simply about teaching technology.

It’s about helping students move from technology consumers to technology creators.

Programs that combine hands-on tools, real-world problem solving, and standards-aligned instruction can give students the opportunity to build the skills needed for tomorrow’s careers.

But for many schools, the challenge remains the same:

How do you implement STEM sustainably, affordably, and in a way that works for teachers?

That’s the question educators across the country are still working to solve.