Bridging University and School Communities to Recruit, Prepare, and Support Science and Mathematics Teachers in High-Need School Districts

College Of William And Mary, Williamsburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

The project aims to serve the national need to prepare effective science and mathematics teachers for high-need school districts. To address this national need, the project aims to recruit science and mathematics majors to careers in secondary STEM teaching. Recruitment efforts will target STEM majors who participate in campus organizations focused on STEM diversity and local outreach, as well as local community college students pursuing STEM majors. The project aims to provide opportunities for undergraduate STEM majors to engage in teaching in afterschool programs and summer school sessions. Further, the project aspires to foster community among aspiring and practicing STEM teachers in professional development activities. The project will provide professional support to STEM majors recruited to pursue secondary STEM teaching careers during both their undergraduate years and their early years of teaching. This project at the College of William & Mary will be conducted in partnership with Virginia Peninsula Community College and with local high-need school districts such as Newport News Public Schools and Hampton City Schools. The project aims to recruit, prepare, and support 25 science and mathematics majors to teach in high-need school districts. Partnerships with the William & Mary Office of Community Engagement and student-led STEM diversity organizations are designed to support the development of prospective STEM teachers by providing valuable teaching experiences with historically marginalized students, including English learners and students with disabilities. The project aims to establish mentoring networks among aspiring secondary STEM teachers and William & Mary alumni who are currently teaching STEM in high-need school districts. Professional development opportunities that bridge theoretical aspects of STEM teacher preparation with classroom practice will be facilitated by partners in local high-need school districts and members of the project team. Additionally, the project aspires to facilitate induction activities through a virtual community of practice that includes prospective STEM teachers and mentor STEM teachers. The project has plans to assess how these recruitment, preparation, and induction strategies may influence the preparation and retention of STEM teachers. Project evaluation findings will be disseminated widely to high-need school district partners and STEM teacher education stakeholders. This Track 1: Scholarships and Stipends 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.