While students took a break this summer, many agriculture educators were hard at work, investing in their professional growth. Through a variety of both in-person and virtual options, CASE delivered more than 60 industry-leading professional development events to teachers so they can enhance the agricultural education experience for their students. Participants had the opportunity to engage in both BriefCASEs and CASE Institutes, depending on their curricular needs.

This summer, over 400 teachers participated in CASE Institutes that covered curriculum varying between 8 different full-year courses. While professional development equips teachers with flexible, ready-to-execute curriculum for their students, the connections made with fellow educators nationwide made the experience one that most will never forget.

In addition to traditional professional development, a select group of individuals were awarded the opportunity to participate in curricular project field tests. CASE launched two field tests this summer for curriculum projects, Investigating Agricultural Biotechnology (IAB) and Agricultural Robotics and Automation Technologies (ARA).

The Investigating Agricultural Biotechnology (IAB) curriculum project is geared towards preparing students for careers in plant biotechnology. The first module, which focuses on technical skills, was field-tested this summer in Allentown, New Jersey. The second module, which focuses on plant applications, is set to be field-tested in 2026. With the use of a modular structure, IAB can be implemented as a semester-long course on its own or integrated into other courses.

The Agricultural Robotics and Automation Technologies (ARA) curriculum project was made possible by a 3-year National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Grant, led by a partnership between CASE, AgCentric, Minnesota State Colleges, and industry partners. 31 teachers and 2 Lead Teachers were selected to field test this curriculum project between 2 different sections at the end of July.

ARA's goal is to introduce students to automation and robotics within three systems: animal, plant, and food. The first unit will introduce the core concepts of automation and robotics, while the last unit will result in students completing an open-ended design project. Teachers will be able to use these units separately or together, depending on what their program needs.