Curriculum Video

Planes, Drones, and Mathematics: How One Aviation Curriculum Is Opening Doors for Students

By Jaclyn Borowski — May 3, 2022 6:05
Sophomore Byron Barksdale, left, and classmates from Magruder High School’s aviation program examine the inside of a charter plane at the Montgomery County Airpark in Gaithersburg, Md., on April 6, 2022.

A free and relatively new curriculum designed by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Foundation helps students learn critical problem-solving skills by teaching them how to fly airplanes and drones, and it prepares them for a variety of careers in the aviation industry. The curriculum—now used in more than 320 schools in at least 44 states—is addressing massive shortages of pilots, air traffic controllers, aviation mechanics, and other jobs in the industry. Here is a look at how the program works at Magruder High School in Rockville, Md.

Jaclyn Borowski is the Director of Photography and Videography for Education Week.

Coverage of STEM, problem solving, and entrepreneurial thinking is supported in part by a grant from The Lemelson Foundation, at www.lemelson.org. Education Week retains sole editorial control over the content of this coverage.

Video

Student Well-Being & Movement Video How This District Is Shrinking Students’ Screen Time—After the School Day Ends
Engagement navigators in this district help students take advantage of the many available extracurriculars.
Natalie Marshall chats with a North Central High School student athlete on a field trip to Glover Middle School on Dec. 4, 2025.
Natalie Marshall chats with a North Central High School student athlete on a field trip to Glover Middle School on Dec. 4, 2025.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Artificial Intelligence Video Is the ‘AI Glow’ Starting to Wear Off? What to Expect in 2026
Artificial intelligence is now integrated into a wide variety of products and services that K-12 schools use, making it almost inescapable.
1 min read
English teacher Casey Cuny reads in his classroom as a screen displays guidelines for using artificial intelligence at Valencia High School in Santa Clarita, Calif., on Aug. 27, 2025.
English teacher Casey Cuny reads in his classroom as a screen displays guidelines for using artificial intelligence at Valencia High School in Santa Clarita, Calif., on Aug. 27, 2025.
Jae C. Hong/AP
Education Funding Video School Funding: The 3 Big Questions to Watch in 2026
2025 was a disruptive year for school funding, here's what we're anticipating in the year ahead.
Illustration in blue of huge hands holding money as silhouette people run towards it.
iStock/Getty
Reading & Literacy Video How Reading Instruction Evolved in 2025, and What’s Ahead
Throughout 2025, Education Week has covered how states and districts are continuing to incorporate new instructional methods and materials.
Anjanette McNeely teaches a reading block with her kindergarten students at Windridge Elementary School in Kaysville, Utah, on Dec. 4, 2025.
Anjanette McNeely teaches a reading block with her kindergarten students at Windridge Elementary School in Kaysville, Utah, on Dec. 4, 2025.
Niki Chan Wylie for Education Week