BALTIMORE, Maryland (June 23, 2026). How Public Utilities Work, a new K–12 STEM curriculum that teaches students how electricity, natural gas, and water systems operate, has earned STEM.org's Best in STEM™ designation for 2026–2027 and the STEM.org Reviewed™ Trustmark, placing it among the top five percent of evaluated educational programs nationwide.
The recognition comes as most students still graduate without learning how the systems behind their daily lives function, how power reaches their homes, how to interpret utility bills, or how to prepare for and respond safely during outages and emergencies.
Designed for grades 5 through 12, the 34-lesson curriculum brings real-world infrastructure and terminology into the classroom, helping students apply STEM concepts to the systems and services they rely on every day.
Although utility systems, regulations, and service territories vary from state to state, the curriculum was intentionally designed around foundational concepts they share. Lessons focus on universal principles of utility operations, safety, infrastructure, consumer awareness, and emergency preparedness, so educators can use the full curriculum in classrooms nationwide.
“Students interact with utility systems every day, yet most graduate without ever learning how those systems operate," said Odogwu Linton, Esq. "This curriculum is designed to close that gap in a practical, accessible way.”
Through the curriculum, students learn to understand and explain a household utility bill, recognize electrical and natural gas safety risks, prepare for outages and severe weather, and apply systems thinking to real-world infrastructure challenges. The knowledge extends beyond the classroom, equipping students with practical skills that can support their families and communities.
The curriculum is organized into five core areas covering how utility systems operate across electricity, natural gas, and water; how energy is used and conserved at home; how to prepare for and respond to emergencies; how utility rates are set and consumer protections work; and how infrastructure systems are evolving. Six lessons focus specifically on safety topics, including electrical hazards, natural gas emergencies, downed power lines, contact voltage, the national 811 dig-safe system, and storm and wildfire preparedness.
Content is differentiated across three grade bands, grades 5–6, 7–9, and 10–12, making it adaptable for a wide range of classrooms and learning levels.
The curriculum was independently evaluated through a multi-factor review process assessing educational quality, alignment, and classroom usability.
The Best in STEM™ designation is awarded independently of STEM.org accreditation and recognizes organizations implementing innovative STEM and STEAM education initiatives.
In addition to receiving curriculum-level recognition, Utility Campus, LLC has also earned STEM.org Accredited™ status, an organizational designation that extends to future publications.
Although designed for general education, the curriculum also introduces students to career pathways connected to infrastructure and public service, fields that require skilled professionals to build, operate, maintain, and respond to the systems communities rely on every day.
How Public Utilities Work is available in two formats: an Instructor Edition with lesson plans, answer keys, and teaching guidance, and a companion Student Edition formatted as a consumable workbook. Individual copies are available on Amazon, and schools, districts, libraries, and booksellers can order both editions through IngramSpark, including bulk and purchase orders.
A free sample lesson and ordering information are available at utilitycampus.com/hpuw.
About STEM.org
STEM.org Educational Research™ is the longest continually operating privately held STEM education research and credentialing organization in America. Through collaboration with educators, researchers, schools, and organizations worldwide, STEM.org provides independent evaluation and credentialing for educational programs, products, and publishers.
About Utility Campus, LLC
Utility Campus, LLC is a Maryland-based educational publisher focused on translating complex infrastructure and policy concepts into practical, classroom-ready curriculum. How Public Utilities Work is its inaugural publication.
