Supporting Excellence, Effectiveness, and Diversity in STEM Teacher Education

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With support from the NSF Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, this Track 1 Scholarships and Stipends project aims to address the national shortage of highly qualified mathematics and science teachers. The project intends to recruit academically successful mathematics and science majors in their senior year of college, as well as post-baccalaureate STEM professionals, to complete a teacher credential program. These preservice teachers will receive mentoring and other supports to enable them to become highly effective teachers in high-need, urban middle and high schools. The project plans to produce approximately 50 highly-qualified new teachers with STEM degrees over five years. The project will use a cohort approach for the teacher candidates, which resulted in a 96-97% success rate in a previous NSF-supported mathematics and science credential program. Noyce Scholars with computer science coursework will be able to add a Computer Science Authorization to their credential and thus be certified to teach Computer Science.In this project, the College of Education and Allied Studies and the College of Science at California State University, East Bay (CSUEB) are collaborating with the Alameda County Office of Education, Contra Costa County Office of Education, and Hayward, San Lorenzo, and West Contra Costa school districts. The project intends to: a) increase the number and ethnic and socio-economic diversity of STEM majors who enter the teaching profession; b) strengthen the preparation, professional development, and mentoring that these teachers receive, especially to support teaching in diverse schools; and c) provide a network of interpersonal and professional support that sustains their commitment to a teaching career. The RT Fisher Educational Enterprises will assist the project in implementing culturally/linguistically relevant and responsive professional development programming. With the availability of Noyce scholarships and the work of the newly formed Teacher Recruitment Task Force at CSUEB, this project aims to increase the number of mathematics and science teacher credentials earned at the University by 10% each year of the project. Regarding post-baccalaureate STEM professionals, the project intends to use a creative recruitment strategy that includes a partnership with EnCorps STEM Teachers Program. This non-profit organization focuses on recruiting existing industry professionals into teaching and guides them through the career change process. Recruitment strategies for undergraduate STEM majors at the University will involve STEM department chairs, several STEM- or teacher-focused campus affiliates, and outreach to local community colleges. Dissemination of project strategies, outcomes, and findings through presentations at conferences and publications have the potential to inform local, statewide, and national efforts to recruit, support, and retain increased numbers of STEM teachers who are equipped to provide successful learning experiences in mathematics and science to students in high-need school districts. The Noyce program supports talented STEM undergraduate majors and professionals to become effective K-12 STEM teachers in high-need school districts and experienced, exemplary K-12 STEM teachers to become STEM master teachers. It also supports research on the persistence, retention, and effectiveness of K-12 teachers in high-need school districts.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.