NebraskaMATH Omaha Noyce Partnership

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In a partnership between the Omaha Public Schools (OPS) and the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), this Noyce Scholarship Track Phase I program will address the national need for more underrepresented STEM talent who pursue careers in teaching. The initiative is building upon momentum from ongoing STEM Education initiatives at both institutions. The Omaha Noyce Partnership represents a new UNO initiative that aligns with NebraskaMATH, a statewide partnership that works to improve achievement in mathematics for all students and to narrow the STEM achievement gaps of at-risk populations. The Omaha Noyce Partnership will recruit a diverse pool of new teachers and provide much needed funding to support economically disadvantaged students. The partnership will strengthen and expand the pipeline for preparing mathematics teachers at UNO to better meet the high demand for teachers in local school districts, particularly in districts with high-need schools. The Omaha Noyce Partnership scholarship program is designed to develop highly skilled secondary mathematics teachers who are committed to teaching in high-need schools by providing targeted support for students enrolled in and graduating from UNO's Bachelor of Science in Mathematics/Teacher Preparation program. The program includes new coursework and complements existing pathways that were developed by the UNO mathematics and education faculty in collaboration with school district partners. The project's evaluation activities will inform and advance ongoing collaborative research initiatives related to the effectiveness of inquiry-based learning in teaching mathematical concepts and in preparing students to be effective secondary mathematics teachers. All of the students supported by the Omaha Noyce Partnership will be enrolled in this new program and will receive focused training and extensive fieldwork in the Omaha Public Schools to prepare them for teaching careers in high need schools, including instruction in inquiry-based learning and other culturally responsive pedagogies.