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PSP, Abell-Hanger invest $15.6M to launch STEM-based Midland school
The Harmony Public School system, which currently includes a STEM-focused elementary school in Odessa, will soon provide a new STEM-focused elementary school in Midland with help from a $15.6 million investment by the Permian Strategic Partnership and Abell-Hanger Foundation.
The investment will establish the Midland Harmony Science Academy, a Pre-K to 8th grade charter school that is expected to open in the Fall of 2024 in temporary classroom space while construction is underway. Construction is anticipated to be completed for a Fall 2025 grand opening, officials said.
Harmony Public Schools is a tuition-free system of 61 public charter schools in Texas with a focus on STEM, or science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The system “provides students from traditionally underserved communities the opportunity to excel through project-based learning, where they learn the skills necessary to become contributing global citizens,” officials said.
The Midland Harmony Science Academy will initially offer 200 seats for elementary students and expand enrollment to 1,500 Pre-K through 12th grade students over the next decade, according to Permian Strategic Partnership (PSP), a coalition of 20 energy companies formed in 2019 to invest in initiatives that improve quality of life in the Permian Basin. Enrollment for Pre-K to 2nd grade will open beginning Nov. 1. For additional information on enrollment, visit here.
A high-quality and rigorous curriculum is a “cornerstone of a thriving community,” said Tracee Bentley, president and CEO of the PSP.
“By continuing to invest in public education, whether through public charters or further bolstering our Independent School Districts, we are investing in the long-term prosperity of the Permian Basin,” Bentley said.
With world energy demands growing and the Permian Basin being a leading provider in global energy, access to top-notch STEM education in the region is a must in order to help grow the local workforce, officials said.
