Through the efforts of National Center for Engineering and Technology Education (NCETE), three core engineering concepts within the realm of engineering design have emerged as crucial areas of need within secondary level technology education. These concepts are constraints, optimization, and predictive analysis (COPA). COPA appears to be at the core of the conceptual knowledge needed for students to understand and be able to do engineering design. Empirical knowledge is needed to better understand how to increase student learning of COPA. This study sought to provide that knowledge using a NCETE cohort of practicing and pre-service technology teachers who designed and developed a unit of instruction to deliver these three core engineering concepts to secondary level technology education students. Using a mixed method quasi experimental, pretest, post-test, no control group design, this study explored the extent to which students understood and were able to demonstrate an understanding of constraints, optimization, and predictive analysis. It is believed that through this strong conceptual base, a better understanding of engineering and engineering design can be achieved. (Contains 5 tables.)