As the Gulf Coast faces increasingly "wicked problems" from coastal erosion to ecosystem preservation, educators are turning to place-based, integrated STEM to prepare future problem solvers. However, while these programs effectively immerse students in nature, traditional assessments often fail to capture the holistic growth that occurs in "messy," authentic learning environments. To prove the value of learning in nature, we need data collection tools that look beyond basic content knowledge.

This presentation introduces ISOL-S³ (Integrated STEM Outcomes & Learning), a flexible measurement toolkit designed to assess three critical dimensions of student growth: S¹ (STEM Skills), S² (Systems Thinking), and S³ (Sustainability).

Participants will explore how ISOL-S³ operationalizes data collection for place-based programs through adaptable instruments. We will examine:

• The "Bayou Breeze" Performance Task: A scenario-based assessment specifically modeled for the Gulf Coast, where students address local issues like king-tide flooding and oyster bed preservation. This tool measures how students identify stakeholders, analyze trade-offs, and spot unintended consequences in a local system.
• Process-Based Rubrics: How to use ISOL-S³ Engineering Design Cycle Rubric (EDC Rubric) to evaluate student artifacts and behaviors, moving from "Emerging" to "Thriving" in sustainability impact and design thinking.
• Rapid Formative Assessment: The use of the "Is it a System?" visual check (Purpose, Parts, Connections) to capture daily growth in systems reasoning during fieldwork.

ISOL-S³ offers a rigorous yet accessible framework for synthesizing data on student self-efficacy, systems reasoning, and United Nations Sustainable Development Goal alignment. By adopting these metrics, Gulf Coast educators can quantitatively and qualitatively demonstrate how place-based education cultivates a generation who cares. The ISOL-S³ framework provides a fast, fair, and SDG-aligned way to show student growth in STEM skills, systems thinking, and sustainability, moving beyond anecdotal evidence.