The Chattanooga Quantum Collaborative (CQC) has launched TN QuantumWorks, one of the United States’ first comprehensive K–12 quantum technology and career awareness education initiatives. Developed by workforce education innovators Dr. Dane and Sheila Boyington of Thinking Media, the curriculum will be introduced as an active pilot program within Hamilton County Schools before expanding statewide. Supported by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the program maps a complete public education-to-workforce pipeline designed to establish early digital literacy for the emerging quantum economy.

                         [ TN QuantumWorks Initiative Matrix ]
  Lead Organizer      ──► Chattanooga Quantum Collaborative (CQC).
  Curriculum Architect──► Thinking Media (Dr. Dane and Sheila Boyington).
  Initial Pilot Hub   ──► Hamilton County Schools (Franklin-Roberts Future Ready Center).
  Higher Ed Pathway   ──► University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC).
  Hardware Testbed    ──► EPB Quantum Center (IonQ Forte Enterprise interface accessibility).

A Multiphase Framework from Kindergarten Through Graduation

Rather than focusing exclusively on high-level mathematical physics, the TN QuantumWorks framework targets progressive technology familiarity across three distinct public school learning blocks:

  • Elementary School Foundation: Lower grade levels explore structural quantum ideas through hands-on discovery games, spatial reasoning exercises, and basic physical curiosity triggers to build early STEM confidence.
  • Middle School Concept Introduction: Intermediate students transition to foundational computational concepts, moving past traditional binary processing rules to investigate properties like qubits and quantum superposition.
  • High School Applied Integration: Upper-grade tracks focus on active quantum applications, advanced mathematical algorithms, and strategic career exploration. Advanced high school participants will have opportunities to actively write quantum programs and run test blocks on commercial hardware.

Leveraging Chattanooga’s Shared Infrastructure Core

The rollout integrates with Chattanooga’s expanding local infrastructure to expose students to commercial deep-tech operating assets. The region houses the EPB Quantum Center, the nation’s premier commercial quantum network infrastructure, which features an operational IonQ Forte Enterprise quantum processor. The pilot program links this infrastructure directly to local classrooms, enabling students to gain real-world exposure to operational quantum devices alongside regional educators who have completed specialized technical training loops through Sandia National Laboratories.

Furthermore, the K–12 program bridges directly into higher education and regional economic development networks. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) will absorb graduating cohorts into its dedicated undergraduate and graduate quantum certificate lines, while EPB and Vanderbilt University finalize plans for the joint Institute for Quantum Innovation research facility. By connecting public primary education, academic research tracks, and localized commercial networking assets, the collaborative model aims to cultivate a highly technical, regional workforce prepared for high-demand careers across cybersecurity, modern logistics, advanced manufacturing, and financial systems.

Review the official regional deployment briefing via Chattanooga Quantum Collaborative here.

July 17, 2026

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