The Austin Independent School District is giving more North Austin students an opportunity to take science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) courses. AISD unveiled Tuesday the Applied Technology Center at Anderson High School, and high school students from across North Austin will have access to the facility.
The new center has different rooms where students can take engineering, manufacturing and computer science classes.
They can also participate in Anderson’s nationally recognized robotics program. Austin School Board member Julie Cowan represents Northwest Austin.
“This is not a dilapidated building filled with drill-and-kill worksheets. This facility and learning that has already begun to take place in it illustrate cutting-edge instructional facilities filled with state-of-the-art equipment that some private companies only dream of," Cowan says.
High school students from across North and East Austin public schools can take classes here. Under new graduation requirements set by the state, AISD must offer courses that allow students to fulfill one of five endorsements – including STEM. Instead of offering those courses at all schools, Austin ISD will bus students from their local school to Anderson for these courses.
John Sperry teaches at the technology center. He says that when it comes to learning math and science, students can no longer just use books and tests to learn. They need "hands-on application, using real tools and taking on important challenges," he says.
The district has a similar technology center at Akins High School in South Austin.
