P-TECH Founder Seeks to Expand Free Four-Year STEM Degree Pathway

Rashid Davis, founder of P-TECH, has dedicated his career to proving that opportunity, not talent, is the missing ingredient in American education.

P-TECH stands for Pathways in Technology Early College High School, a tuition-free model combining high school, college, and industry. The goal is to give students first-in-line job opportunities after earning a free two-year STEM degree.

The model was launched in 2011 with IBM as its founding industry partner, New York City College of Technology as its college partner, and New York City Public Schools as the entity behind it.

No academic screening, admissions test, or remediation were required for students to participate. Davis' philosophy is that 'talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not.'

A study by MDRC found significant results in seven P-TECH schools in New York City: students had better internship access, stronger college enrollment, and higher rates of successful college coursework by their fourth year.