For All K-12 Educators & Leaders

Residential Professional Development Camps

Are you a K-12 educator wanting to build your skills as a dynamic educator? 

Then the Tapia Professional Development Camps are for you. Complete a project as a student, attend camps on a variety of topics, and build your network of fellow educators.

I've spent 23 years in this profession and have attended many trainings ... I am impressed with [the Tapia Center programs]!

- Secondary Teacher - McAllen ISD

Summer 2025 Professional Development Camps

The Tapia Center’s Professional Development programs are a one-of-a-kind experience for educators of all backgrounds. Participants will reside at Rice University for a 6-day/5-night experience that allows them to focus on honing their craft, building empathy for students, and creating a community of fellow educators. They will learn from distinguished K-12 educators and university faculty. The PD curriculum is inspired by project based learning. Each participant will complete a project as if they were a student, will learn about what makes projects and lessons engaging to students, and will build a project or lesson for their classroom or school.

Summer 2025 Tapia PD Camp - July 20 - 25, Sunday - Friday

  • $1,700 before March 1, 2025
  • $1,850 until May 1, 2025

This price covers all meals, housing, facilitated sessions, and all other camp activities.

Are you interested in making Tapia PD Camps available to your educators? Please email us at tapiacenter@rice.edu to schedule a meeting.

Tapia Educators stand in front of Lovett Hall as a group.

Where does the camp take place?

Tapia Professional Development Camps take place on the Rice University campus in Houston, TX. Educators live in the dormitories and spend their instruction time in the buildings on campus.

Dr. Tapia and Tapia Educators in a lecture hall.

Educators hear first-hand from National Medal of Science recipient, Professor Richard Tapia. Internationally renowned for his research and outreach, Professor Tapia inspires educators to strive for educational excellence.

3 educators sit around a table discussing their projects

All educators are welcome!

Past attendees have included first year teachers, 20+ year teachers, PK-12 teachers, librarians, and all-level administrators.

The Tapia residential PD camps let educators create PBL projects for their unique classroom environments. Curious to what PBL looks like for online classrooms? Click here to see online lessons developed from groups of educators in 2020!

Tapia Professional Development Camps FAQ

Are the camps in-person or virtual?

Tapia Professional Development Camps are in-person. The program requires educators to live in Rice University dorms.

What is the living situation like?

Participants will live in the Rice University dorms in single rooms equipped with private bathrooms.

Can an educator commute to Rice University instead of staying in the dorms?

Educators are required to live on campus for the duration of the program. Staying in the dorms with the rest of their group helps to immerse participants in the experience.

Are there different schedules/programs for different educational/subject groups?

All educators are welcome at the Tapia PD Camps! Our program allows for educators to apply what they learn about PBL to their own subjects. Past attendees have included first-year teachers, 20+ year teachers, PK-12 teachers, librarians, and all-level administrators.

Does the camps provide Continuing Professional Education (CPE) hours?

Yes, educators that complete the camp will earn 37 CPE hours. The Tapia Center is certified by the Texas Education Agency under CPE #101-513.

What topics are covered?

Educators complete a PBL project as a student, learn the foundations of PBL, and create a PBL project for their classroom! The workshop also includes topics like; PBL Launch; Public Products; Evaluation and Assessment in PBL; Standards and PBL.


During the workshop, participants will complete the Tapia College Admissions Project as students. They will also have sessions on:

  • Principles of PBL
  • Creating engaging projects
  • Giving effective feedback
  • Developing responsive lessons
  • Teaching special populations
What is the cost of the camp?

The program is $1,700 per participant before February 1, 2025 for the entire 6-day/5-night camps. They will then price increase to $1,850 until registration closes on May 1, 2025. This price includes meals, materials, and housing.

What is your cancellation/refund policy?
  • Cancellations before May 1, 2025 will receive a full tuition refund minus a $100 cancellation fee.
  • Cancellations between May 1 – 15, 2025 will receive a refund of 50% of the tuition minus a $100 cancellation fee.
  • There will be no refunds on or after May 16, 2025.

Have more questions about the camps or looking for how to register a group? Email us at tapiacenter@rice.edu or call (713) 348-5182.