Fortifying STEM Education

"The President has consistently called for improvements in STEM education to move America’s students to the top of the pack by enabling all students to learn deeply and think critically in science and math; expanding STEM education opportunities for students from all backgrounds; and building partnerships among educators, businesses and community partners to support advances in STEM education. This Administration has promoted several successful STEM initiatives, including prioritizing STEM education in Race to the Top and the Investing in Innovation Fund; improving the coordination of STEM education initiatives between the Department of Education and NSF; and promoting over 100 industry partners in their efforts to boost STEM learning through Change the Equation.

We have focused our STEM agenda further in 2012 to address the following two goals:

1. Excellent teachers, with content knowledge, mastery of how to teach that content, and ability to motivate students in STEM subjects and careers; and

2. Improving undergraduate STEM teaching, setting a trajectory of producing one million additional STEM degrees over the next decade, as recently recommended by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology..

The President has issued a national challenge to prepare 100,000 effective STEM teachers and has requested $80 million for a competition by the Department of Education to support effective STEM teaching preparation programs.

Also in advancement of this goal, the President has proposed the creation of a new, national Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Master Teacher Corps comprised of some of the nation’s finest educators in STEM subjects. The STEM Master Teacher Corps will begin with 50 exceptional STEM teachers established in 50 sites and will be expanded over 4 years to reach 10,000 Master Teachers. These selected teachers will make a multi-year commitment to the Corps and, in exchange for their expertise, leadership and service, will receive an annual stipend of up to $20,000 on top of their base salary. The Administration will launch this Teacher Corps with the $1 billion from the President’s 2013 budget request currently before Congress."

SOURCE: Fortifying STEM Education