All New Jersey schools provide a comprehensive STEAM education to all students in grades K-12 through the implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Design Thinking (NJSLS-DT) that were adopted in 2020. The NJSLS-DT support an inclusive STEAM education that integrates the knowledge, skills, and practices of the individual STEAM disciplines. High-quality STEAM instruction is inquiry-based and provides students with the ability to analyze and propose solutions to complex problems.

A comprehensive STEAM education prepares students not only to be literate in specific disciplines, but also to make connections between all content areas. Creating interdisciplinary connections is key for students to determine the appropriate application of discipline-specific skills and concepts when facing the challenges of a continually evolving society.