With classrooms across the state and the nation facing a shortage of math and science teachers, a University of Maryland program has received a five-year, $1.1 million grant to support future STEM educators through scholarships, stipends and professional development.
Launched in 2014 to recruit and prepare highly qualified STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) educators, Terrapin Teachers provides a pathway to secondary-education teacher certification for undergraduate and graduate math and science students at UMD. The program is the result of a collaboration among the UMD Office of the Provost, the College of Education and the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences.
Funded by the National Science Foundation’s Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, the effort will prepare 30 new STEM educators to serve in high-need schools. The Noyce Scholars Program offers scholarships and stipends to increase enrollment in the Terrapin Teachers initiative. In addition, the grant aims to improve long-term teacher retention by supporting new teachers through mentorship and professional development opportunities. The Noyce grant is a partnership between Terrapin Teachers and Prince George’s County Public Schools.
“It’s vital that we are recruiting and preparing the next generation of talented, diverse STEM teachers for our future STEM students. We hope these Noyce funds can further assist with recruitment efforts,” said Dana Lynn Grosser-Clarkson, a faculty member for Terrapin Teachers.
The COVID-19 pandemic worsened teacher shortages nationwide, and STEM education was one of the most impacted areas, according to the U.S. Department of Education. The Maryland State Department of Education has identified STEM fields as some of the areas where teachers are most needed. Today, 80% of Terrapin Teachers’ 123 alums teach in U.S. classrooms, with 70% of those in Maryland.
Terrapin Teachers is enrolling the first of three cohorts of secondary STEM teacher candidates in the Noyce Scholars Program. Undergraduates in the program can receive scholarships of $11,500 during their junior and senior years, while students pursuing their master’s degree plus teacher certification are eligible for a $23,000 stipend. After graduation, Noyce Scholars will have access to several resources, including financial assistance for conferences, a new teacher bootcamp, virtual professional development opportunities, virtual professional development opportunities, teaching observations with feedback support, alum connections and support for teachers pursuing National Board Certification.
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