Supporting Career Changers to Become Mathematics and Science Teachers in Missouri

The goal of this project is to recruit more highly qualified individuals into careers in mathematics and science teaching. In particular, the program recruits individuals having undergraduate degrees (or higher) in mathematics or science and who are planning to change career paths into the field of teaching. The goal is to triple the number of grades 5-12 mathematics and science teachers prepared at the University of Missouri-Columbia (MU). The Robert Noyce scholarships facilitate reaching that target through recruitment of highly qualified individuals into the post-baccalaureate alternative certification programs.

The intellectual merit of this project rests on the commitment of partners to advance knowledge concerning recruiting, preparing, and retaining more highly qualified science and mathematics teachers. The broader impact of the project is the increase in highly qualified teachers of mathematics and science teachers for Missouri schools, as well as the potential of the program to build new models and strategies for meeting the teacher shortage that will inform other states experiencing similar problems.