PBL + STEM Learning in Oregon

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learning objectives

Meet Statewide Educational Goals

To ensure a vibrant future workforce, the Oregon Department of Education has developed a robust four-year plan to expand Career and Technical Education (CTE) in Oregon schools. These courses are designed to integrate academic and technical knowledge and prepare students for life after high school, thus increasing their chances of employment in high-wage careers.

Incorporating 21st-century technology and culturally responsive instruction, CTE programs enable learners to explore potential career paths, identify new areas of interest, and discover skills that will propel them into successful adulthood. CTE courses currently offered in Oregon schools focus on six lucrative employment areas in the state: 

  • Agriculture, Food and Natural Resource Systems
  • Arts, Information and Communications 
  • Business and Management
  • Health Sciences
  • Human Resources
  • Industrial and Engineering Systems

By combining academic content with opportunities to build next-generation skills, SmartLab Learning Solutions align with Oregon’s CTE initiatives while providing a place in which all students can discover a lifelong love of learning.

smartlab learning in oregon

SmartLabs Go Beyond STEM

SmartLab Learning does more than check off the STEM box; SmartLab engagements are designed to get students thinking and talking about the issues that matter most to their futures. While doing so, they strengthen skills that will support their continued success both in and beyond the classroom.  

  • Meet STEM/STEAM objectives: SmartLab Learning can help educators fulfill their school’s STEM and STEAM objectives while igniting students’ curiosity. Learn More 
  • Integrate SEL: The SmartLab supports social-emotional learning through group projects, authentic self-assessments, and opportunities for learners to identify what matters to them. Learn More
  • Next-generation skills: Students learn to take initiative, delegate, solve problems collaboratively, and remain flexible while engaging with STEM/STEAM content. Learn More
  • College and career prep: SmartLab engagements introduce students to concepts and challenges that can inform their academic and professional futures. Learn More

Whether students’ interests lie in healthcare, broadcasting, or climate advocacy, SmartLab provides opportunities to connect academics to real-world applications.

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smartlab Standards alignment

Achieve Academic Success in the Beaver State

SmartLab Learning Solutions are in 70% or higher alignment with the following nationwide and state-specific standards: 

  • Oregon Mathematics Standards (Common Core): Learners apply mathematical concepts to solve problems they can see and feel. | Learn More
  • Oregon 2014 Science Standards (Next Generation Science Standards): Hands-on learning engagements bring core science concepts to three-dimensional life. | Learn More

International Society for Technology in Education Standards: Empowered with access to innovative tools—and the agency to explore their applications—students grow into their roles as digital citizens. | Learn More

Discover Your Funding Options

The Creative Learning Systems team has helped public, private, rural, urban, large, and small schools secure funding.

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ESSER for Public Schools

Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund

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EANS for Private Schools

Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools

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Private Donors

Discover organizations committed to equitable learning opportunities.

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Funding Through Grants

See Available Grants

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eBook

Maximize ESSER Funding to Engage Students

Learn what to prioritize when applying for ESSER funding.

Learn More About ESSER for Public Schools
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Connect

EANS Funding Can Support STEM Programs

Talk to a CLS Regional Sales Manager to learn how your private school can access the right funds.

Let’s Talk
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Our Partners

Equitable STEM Programming Made Possible

Meet the private donors working to make SmartLab Learning accessible to all.

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Grants

Explore Active Grant Opportunities

You don’t have to go it alone — the CLS team can help you with the grant search and application process.

Sarah Vannice

“The SmartLab provides students with the space and tools to come into their own thinking and develop a sense of who they are as learners—and what they are capable of accomplishing.”

Sarah Vannice
Innovation Facilitator, River Grove Elementary School
Russ Irwin

“We don’t even know what jobs the majority of students will be doing … because they haven’t been invented yet. Most of their jobs are going to be tech-related in some way, so it’s important that they’re used to tech-forward thinking and they’re able to adapt as technology does.”

Russ Irwin
SmartLab Facilitator, Lake Grove Elementary
Nicole Doran

“The skills that are developed in the SmartLab HQs create good citizens and good humans. It builds on foundational skills and creates the ideal attitudes you want to see in the classroom.”

Nicole Doran
SmartLab Facilitator, Hallinan Elementary School

Find Out More About
SmartLab Learning

Success Stories

Browse Client Case
Studies & Testimonials

Who We Help

SmartLab Learning
Benefits Everyone

Our Process

We Offer Comprehensive Solutions

Ready to start planning your own SmartLab? 

We’re excited to hear from you. Let’s change the way your students engage with math and science—in and outside the classroom.