McAllen ISD to open STEM Academy at Travis Middle School with Project Lead The Way, offers accelerated middle‑school pathway

McAllen Independent School District trustees on April 28 heard details of a STEM Academy the district will open at Travis Middle School for incoming sixth graders in the 2026–27 school year. Associate Superintendent Rosalba de Hoyos said the program will combine a middle‑school core with Project Lead The Way courses and allow students to earn up to three high‑school credits, including Algebra I and biology.

"The vision for the STEM Academy at Travis Middle School is to empower students to explore, innovate, and lead through science, technology, and engineering," Associate Superintendent Rosalba de Hoyos said. She told trustees the district recently received a grant that will pay for the Project Lead The Way curriculum and teacher training.

Students in the proposed sequence would take grade‑level reading/language arts, math, science and social studies alongside Project Lead The Way modules such as design and modeling, automation and robotics, and medical detectives. De Hoyos said the program is intended to boost problem‑solving, teamwork and critical thinking and to provide early exposure to engineering and health‑science pathways.

Apprentice and program participant Tim Dionis, one of the students introduced at the meeting, described the experience as "life changing," saying the program allowed him to work in classrooms while pursuing a bachelor’s degree. "For us, it's during this process we collaborate with teachers. We learn how to make lesson plans," Dionis said.

District presenters said outreach has included in‑person presentations at elementary schools, open houses and a virtual parent meeting. Recruitment materials and an interactive flyer have been posted online; district staff reported about 27–28 students already enrolled for the initial cohort. The district plans a STEM Academy Saturday event on May 23 for enrolled students and families to meet teachers and participate in hands‑on activities.

De Hoyos clarified the program will be application‑based rather than an admissions test: district staff will review attendance, behavior and grades to determine placement so students can succeed in an accelerated schedule that replaces usual course blocks with Project Lead The Way coursework.

Trustees and staff said trained, high‑performing teachers will deliver the curriculum; the district plans teacher training this summer and will write the detailed course curriculum ahead of rollout. Staff also noted that while students will begin at Travis, they may choose any high school later; the district plans to ensure high schools can accept the earned credits.

The board received the item as an information presentation and discussed logistics including teacher selection, recruitment strategies for nearby neighborhoods, and how the model could be adopted by other campuses if successful. The district will return with final implementation details and timelines as preparations continue this spring and summer.