Building Capacity to Address STEM Educator Shortages in Rural South Dakota

Black Hills State University, Spearfish SD

Investigators

Abstract

This project aims to serve the national need for preparing high quality STEM teachers in rural low-income areas. More specifically, the project team will help address the STEM teacher shortage in rural South Dakota by exploring factors that inspire students to pursue STEM teaching. At the same time the project also aims to strengthen partnerships with high-need rural and tribal schools within the region. The project will survey and interview teachers and administrators at rural schools and districts, as well as recent alumni, K-12 and university students, and personnel from other Noyce-funded STEM educator preparation programs. Results will bring light upon the needs of potential partner schools in recruiting, retaining and supporting STEM educators, particularly early career teachers with backgrounds similar to the students they serve. Findings will also inform the structure of secondary STEM teacher preparation programs and will provide direction in creating a recruitment and support plan geared toward students from rural and low-income backgrounds. This project at Black Hills State University includes partnerships with the Center for the Advancement of Mathematics and Science Education (CAMSE), the Center for American Indian Studies (CAIS), and up to 10 regional school districts. Project activities include conducting two needs assessments. One will center on high needs-schools and districts with a focus on rural and tribal schools within a 150-mile radius of BHSU. The goal is to establish formal partnerships that address the identified needs. The other needs assessment will center on high school students, university students, and teacher education graduates, and will focus on the needs of rural and tribal communities. The outcomes of these assessments are intended to support the development of a recruitment plan for a future Track 1 Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program proposal. The project also aims to review the structure of STEM majors at BHSU and evaluate the feasibility of restructuring the academic programs to align with other teacher preparation programs, particularly those in rural areas. Results may inform recruitment, retention, and early career support strategies of STEM teacher preparation programs at other small, rural, primarily undergraduate institutions. This Capacity Building project is supported through the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Noyce). The Noyce program supports talented STEM undergraduate majors and professionals to become effective K-12 STEM teachers and experienced, exemplary K-12 teachers to become STEM master teachers in high-need school districts. It also supports research on the effectiveness and retention of K-12 STEM 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.