PROPOSAL TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF USDA PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONALS (PD-STEP) (STEP INTO THE STEM FIELD)PROJECT DURATION: JANUARY 1, 2018 - DECEMBER 31, 2020WHO ARE THE COLLABORATORS?-WEBB CISD, ZAPATA ISD, JIM HOGG ISD, COTULLA ISP, FREER ISDFACILITATOR TO PARTICIPANT RATIO: NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS PER YEAR: 4 FACILITATORS: 15 TEACHER PARTICIPANTS PER YEARGOAL: THE STEM FIELD GOAL IS TO DEVELOP AND PROVIDE TO A CADRE OF MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE, AND CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION (CATE) RURAL HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER TEAMS (STEM FIELD TEAMS), AN INNOVATIVE AGRICULTURAL-BASED HYBRID PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY.TAMIU BELIEVES TEACHERS NEED ONGOING PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES PROVIDED BY NATIONAL, STATE, AND DISTRICT INITIATIVES TO ENHANCE KNOWLEDGE AND INSTRUCTION, WHICH IN TURN IMPROVES K-12 STUDENTS' CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AND BETTER PREPARES THEM TO MEET THE CHALLENGING DEMANDS OF THE WORKPLACE.TAMIU HAS DEVELOPED SIX GOALSIN ITS STRATEGIC MISSION, WHICH INCLUDES THE ASPIRATION TO ADVANCE CHANGE AND CONNECTIONS ACROSS THE REGION, STATE, COUNTRY, AND WORLD THROUGH STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF. PROJECT STEM FIELD ALIGNS PERFECTLY WITH THIS GOAL IN MAKING CHANGE AT THE LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND STATE LEVEL. FURTHERMORE, STUDENTS WHO HAVE TEACHERS PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROJECT WILL HAVE ACCESS TO FACULTY AT TAMIU, WHICH MAY ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO CONSIDER ATTENDING COLLEGE AFTER GRADUATION. STUDENTS AND TEACHER-PARTICIPANTS LIVING AND WORKING IN THE FIVE RURAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH FACULTY AND STAFF AT TAMIU. THIS ALIGNS WITH ANOTHER GOAL OF TAMIU: TO CREATE A TRANSDISCIPLINARY AND COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT THAT WILL FOSTER DISCOVERY AND PREPARE A COMMUNITY OF CRITICAL THINKERS FOR LEADERSHIP ROLES BY PROVIDING A STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEM. THESE GOALS ENHANCE K-14 EDUCATION, AND WILL ENRICH TEACHER-PARTICIPANTS' CONTENT KNOWLEDGE AND PEDAGOGY, AND ALSO PREPARE THEM FOR POTENTIAL NEW ROLES ASSOCIATED WITH CURRICULUM CHANGES. THE PROPOSED MODEL WILL PROVIDE LABORATORY AND FIELD RESEARCH EXPERIENCES FOR STEM FIELD TEAMS, SUPERVISED AND MENTORED BY TAMIU FACULTY AND OIT EMPLOYEES. IT WILL ALSO HELP THEM TAKE PART IN ACTIVITIES THAT ENHANCE TEACHING AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF AGRICULTURAL FIELD WITH STEM, SPECIFICALLY MATHEMATICS, AND DEVELOP LESSONS TO ENHANCE 9-12 STUDENTS' UNDERSTANDING AND APPLICATION OF MATHEMATICS IN AGRICULTURAL CONTEXTS.