Educator Development
Investing in Teachers and Expanding Opportunity: The Impact of STEM Teach and Teach Dual Credit Indiana
MAKE! Creation through Imagination conference
When educators have access to meaningful learning opportunities, the impact extends well beyond the classroom—elevating instruction, deepening student engagement, and expanding educational opportunities for students.
For 25 years, the Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning (CELL) at the University of Indianapolis has teamed up with state agencies, school districts, organizations, and universities to improve teaching and learning in Indiana. Two teacher-focused initiatives, STEM Teach and Teach Dual Credit Indiana, demonstrated a long-term commitment to developing educator expertise, increasing access to rigorous learning and advanced coursework, and strengthening classroom practices statewide.
STEM Teach and Teach Dual Credit Indiana were established in response to a growing statewide need to expand the pool of educators qualified to teach dual credit courses. Many schools faced the risk of scaling back or losing dual credit offerings altogether if teachers were unable to meet credentialing requirements. These initiatives removed financial barriers for teachers by covering the cost of required graduate coursework, while simultaneously providing meaningful tuition support to Indiana’s postsecondary institutions. By investing in graduate courses aligned with Higher Learning Commission (HLC) requirements, the programs helped schools build sustainable pipelines of credentialed educators and expand access to the Indiana College Core (ICC), strengthening college and career pathways for students across the state.
Together, these programs invested in teachers across various grade levels and subjects and created lasting benefits for schools, communities, and students throughout Indiana.
Thanks to Teach Dual Credit Indiana, I can truly say I am a better teacher, and my students benefit from it every day!" - Andy, history teacher and Teach Dual Credit Indiana participant
STEM Teach: A Statewide Investment in STEM Education
Launched in 2013, STEM Teach developed into a 12-year partnership between CELL, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE), and Independent Colleges of Indiana. This partnership aimed to improve STEM instruction in K–12 classrooms.
While supporting dual credit credentialing for high school teachers was one important goal, STEM Teach was meant to reach a wider group. Elementary and middle school educators, who play a key role in fostering students’ early interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, also benefited from advanced training, professional learning, and classroom resources.
STEM Teach provided funding for graduate and undergraduate coursework in STEM content areas, as well as graduate certificates and master’s degrees. In addition, it provided funding for teachers to attend conferences and statewide professional development. STEM Teach also benefited teachers by providing hands-on classroom kits and project-based resources.
The program’s impact was significant:
- More than 2,000 educators participated and advanced their skills and STEM content knowledge.
- Teachers completed more than 4,400 graduate courses in STEM content areas.
- More than 200 undergraduate course enrollments were funded.
- Over 300 workshop enrollments were sponsored throughout Indiana.
- A total of 175 scholarships for conferences and classroom project kits were awarded.
- Partnerships were established with 29 postsecondary institutions.
For many educators, these opportunities removed financial barriers that limited their access to professional growth. This led to stronger instruction, more engaging classroom experiences, more teachers credentialed to teach dual credit classes, and increased student exposure to enhanced STEM learning across Indiana. Austin, a participating science teacher, shared, “At zero financial cost to myself, STEM Teach has provided a platform to gain credentials to teach dual credit courses in several STEM content areas.”
STEM Teach hosted MAKE! Creation through Imagination, a dynamic conference designed to equip school teams with hands-on STEM activities, ready-to-implement lesson plans, innovative project ideas, and a fully equipped Makerspace cart—empowering educators to spark curiosity, creativity, and a lasting love of STEM learning in their students.
Over time, STEM Teach helped create a statewide network of educators ready to fuel curiosity, build foundational skills, and prepare students for future college and career paths in STEM-related fields.
Teach Dual Credit Indiana: Supporting Opportunities for College Credit
Building on this support for educators, Teach Dual Credit Indiana was launched in 2021 in partnership with ICHE and funded by INvestEd. It was specifically designed to address a growing need: helping high school teachers meet the HLC requirements for teaching dual credit courses in liberal arts content areas.
The program provided funding for tuition and textbooks, offered flexible online course options, and included personalized advising. This enabled educators throughout the state to complete the required graduate coursework to teach dual credit classes.
The program delivered meaningful results:
- Teachers from 233 school corporations across 80 counties participated.
- A total of 3,004 graduate courses were funded.
- 307 teachers completed 18 graduate credits toward a dual credit credential.
- 85 teachers earned full master’s degrees.
- Partnerships were established with 11 Indiana postsecondary institutions.
By helping teachers meet credentialing requirements, Teach Dual Credit Indiana enabled high schools to offer and maintain college-level classes. These classes allow students to earn college credit while still in high school, reducing the cost of higher education, shortening time to degree, and building confidence for future postsecondary success. “Thanks to Teach Dual Credit Indiana, I can truly say I am a better teacher, and my students benefit from it every day!” said Andy, a history teacher.
A Lasting Impact for Educators and Students
Together, STEM Teach and Teach Dual Credit Indiana represented a major investment in Indiana’s educators. By lowering financial barriers and increasing access to quality professional learning, these programs helped teachers improve their expertise and content knowledge, enhance teaching practices, and create new opportunities for students.
The impact reaches throughout the education system—from elementary classrooms where students first explore STEM concepts to high school courses that give them a head start on college credits. Across the state, educators in 80 counties developed professionally while bringing new knowledge, strategies, and resources back to their schools.
This effort shows CELL’s role in convening collaborators and driving change across Indiana, uniting K–12 schools, organizations, ICHE, higher education institutions, and state leaders to support innovative solutions that strengthen Indiana’s education system.
Looking Ahead
Grant funding concluded in 2025 for both initiatives, bringing the projects to a close. However, the demand for accessible, high-quality professional learning for educators remains strong. The effectiveness of this investment is evident in the measurable growth in credentialed teachers and expanded student access to dual credit coursework that reduces cost barriers and accelerates postsecondary pathways.
The success of STEM Teach and Teach Dual Credit Indiana demonstrates the lasting impact of investing in teachers and underscores the important role that continued partnerships and funding play in expanding opportunities for Indiana students. If funding renewal options become available, CELL stands ready to build on this momentum and continue advancing opportunities for schools across Indiana.
