National Math + Science Initiative, UTeach Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Announce Expansion of UTeach Program to Five Additional Universities

NMSI-UTeach Partnership to Produce 8,300 Math and Science Teachers by 2020

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National Math and Science Initiative

Dec 02, 2014, 10:15 ET

DALLAS, Dec. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) announced today that five additional research universities have been selected to join a national network of universities in the expansion of the UTeach science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) teacher preparation program, made possible by a $22.5 million grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). Beginning in the fall of 2015, the UTeach program will be offered to students at George Washington University; Louisiana Tech University; the University of Massachusetts Boston; the University of Nevada, Reno; and West Virginia University. As part of the grant, each university will receive $1.45 million over a five-year grant period to support implementation costs of the program.

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The HHMI grant was awarded to NMSI in 2013 to support expansion of the UTeach program to 10 research universities. The first five of those schools—Drexel University, Florida International University, Oklahoma State University, University of Alabama at Birmingham and University of Maryland, College Park—were announced in early 2014. With the five newly selected schools announced today, the UTeach program will be implemented in 44 universities across 21 states and the District of Columbia. Collectively, the UTeach programs at these universities are expected to produce an estimated 8,300 secondary math and science teachers who will teach a projected 4.8 million students by 2020.

"NMSI is committed to building a pipeline of skilled students and teachers to meet the nation's need for a STEM-capable citizenry and workforce," said Sara Martinez Tucker, CEO of NMSI. "The UTeach Expansion Program is a proven way to ensure teachers are equipped with the STEM content knowledge and instructional expertise needed to be effective in the classroom."

The UTeach Expansion Program was created in 2007 in partnership with the UTeach Institute at The University of Texas at Austin to address the pressing need for a greater number of highly qualified STEM teachers. The program recruits college students studying STEM subjects into secondary teaching careers by enabling them to receive both a degree in their major and teaching certification without additional time or cost, preparing them with a field-intensive curriculum, and promoting retention through induction support and ongoing professional development.

"In the United States today, there's a shortage of good science and math teachers in classrooms," said HHMI president Robert Tjian. "We must continue to take steps toward change to replenish this country's star teachers—teachers who can move students to explore and love math and science."

HHMI has long been committed to catalyzing change in science education. Since 1988, the Institute has awarded more than $935 million to 280 colleges and universities to support science education. HHMI support has enabled more than 92,000 students nationwide to work in research labs and has developed programs that have helped more than 109,000 K-12 teachers learn how to teach science more effectively.

Universities were selected to participate in the UTeach program through a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process. Eligibility was limited to schools classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as having "high" or "very high" research activity.

"With each new university joining UTeach, our community of scientists, mathematicians, science and math educators, and former and future teachers grows stronger," said Michael Marder, executive director of the UTeach Science Program at The University of Texas at Austin. "We are very grateful that our collaboration with NMSI and HHMI is making this new expansion possible."

The UTeach program was created in 1997 at The University of Texas at Austin to attract bright science and math majors into secondary teaching careers. Created as a collaborative effort between the Colleges of Natural Sciences and Education, the program addresses both the shortage of qualified secondary STEM teachers as well as the quality of those entering the teaching field.

NMSI is committed to bringing proven programs to scale to raise the level of academic rigor in America's classrooms and to improve teacher effectiveness and student achievement, particularly in math and science. In addition to NMSI's UTeach Expansion Program, NMSI's College Readiness Program and Laying the Foundation Program provide content-rich training for both new and experienced teachers, to engage students to develop strong interests in STEM fields and help transform schools into centers of college readiness.

About National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI): NMSI, a non-profit organization, was launched in 2007 by top leaders in business, education, and science to transform education in the United States. NMSI has received national recognition for training grade 3–12 teachers and improving student performance through the rapid expansion of highly successful programs: NMSI's College Readiness Program, NMSI's Laying the Foundation Teacher Training Program and NMSI's UTeach Expansion Program. Inaugural funding for NMSI was provided by ExxonMobil, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. For more information, visit www.nms.org

About UTeach Institute: Established in 2006 at UT Austin, The UTeach Institute assists universities with implementation of the UTeach program and supports a growing, national network of K-12 educators and university-based research and clinical faculty collaborating to strengthen STEM education in the United States. This work is supported through a variety of strategic partnerships at the national, state, and local levels. For more information, visit www.uteach-institute.org.

About the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI): HHMI plays an influential role in advancing scientific research and education in the United States. Its scientists, located across the United States and around the world, have made important discoveries that advance both human health and our fundamental understanding of biology. The Institute also aims to transform science education into a creative, interdisciplinary endeavor that reflects the excitement of real research. For more information, visit www.hhmi.org

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