ABOUT US
HELPING CHILDREN MAKE SENSE OF THE WORLD
Who We Are
What started as a vision of a 35-year veteran teacher and principal, has now developed into a global organization that brings together partners in a wide range of fields and industries to reimagine STEM.
Our founder, Jan Morrison, understood that education can only progress by integrating the engineering design process to create, test and develop STEM. It is her vision and passion for providing access to all learners that is at the core of TIES.
TIES is a 100 percent woman-owned business that is deeply committed to equity in STEM.
“It matters that kids know how to learn. They need to understand how to solve problems. Teachers won’t always be there for a child.
Our Work Is About Transforming Education for All Learners
Every project we work on has an eye toward ensuring that all young people complete their secondary and postsecondary education “STEM-ready,” and that a broad and deep range of students will choose STEM careers — powering the 21st century economy. This vision is intentionally inclusive of all students and reflects the inequity of access to learning.
When designing STEM learning, we focus not only on the issue of student academic preparation to pursue STEM careers, but also interest levels in pursuing these careers, which remains unacceptably low today, especially for underrepresented student populations.
TIES defines success not on whether students choose to pursue post-secondary STEM opportunities, but that they have been provided high-value, relevant education that allows them to graduate with the skills and knowledge to make informed choices.
Explore Our Work to learn more about what we do and how we can work together
Celebrating The Past 20 ... Creating A New Picture For The Next 20
The name may have changed over the years, but what has not is our core mission to TIES partners
who are committed to providing access to high-value education for all learners.
TIES IS AT LEAST STEM
STEM now encompasses science, technology, engineering and mathematics in schools and out-of-school, and is inextricably linked to workforce needs of communities as they determine their economic development future. It is demanding of robust competencies in design and computational thinking and literacies. A great STEM education of the early century has given way to one that is far more cross-cutting and vital to the U.S. and global markets.
Uniting Partners. Transforming Learning.
Our name, TIES (Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM), speaks to our belief in partnering and connecting. We work across sectors to unite stakeholders and affect educational change throughout the world. While every project is customized, we adhere to the tenets of engineering design and support our clients through the phases of design, implementation and sustainable planning.
After 20 years in business it’s still about connecting the people and building the field
We partner with communities globally to create STEM Learning Ecosystems that provide the architecture for cross-sector learning. This offers all young people access to STEM-rich learning environments so they can develop important skills and engagement in science, technology, engineering and math.
We collaborate with the private sector, including corporate and private foundations, to optimize their vision for investments in STEM education, workforce pathways as well as systems change. In doing so we provide the blueprint for change and often assist with the execution.
We guide school districts, assisting them in realizing dreams for their students as they face a changing STEM landscape that includes jobs that are not currently envisioned. Through the use of the design process, TIES sets the pathways for action that support the building of great STEM schools.