Boundary Crossing Teams in Support of Math and Science Excellence in Our School Systems

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Rochester Institute of Technology, the third largest private technical institute of higher education in the United States, Nazareth College, a liberal arts college with a highly regarded school of education, and Rush-Henrietta School District, a large local school district, are all engaged in a new collaborative project. The MSP-Start project is working toward developing a pipeline of highly qualified middle and high school teachers that are both content and pedagogical experts in the fields of mathematics and science. At the heart of this project are three boundary-crossing teams of faculty, students, and teachers. These teams are crossing boundaries between STEM disciplines, grade levels, types of institutions, pedagogy and science, and student education and careers. In order to accomplish the project goals, the teams are conducting needs assessments, cataloging the challenges of working across boundaries, and carrying out a pilot project to deliver enhanced STEM education in the classroom as made possible by the established partnering relationships. Thus, they are seeking the development of an evidence-based approach to the production and support of high performing science and mathematics teachers through partnerships of technical universities, education schools, and school districts. The project's first goal is the development of sustainable strategies that assist school systems in overcoming the difficulty of recruiting and retaining STEM-savvy teachers. Secondly, the partnership works toward an effective mechanism for local middle and high school science and math teachers to stay current with rapidly evolving research discoveries and career directions that are increasingly available to the students they teach.