California State University

CSU Math and Science Teacher Initiative:The Fundamental Role of

Collaboration and Partnerships

Beverly Young, Ph.D.Assistant Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs

California State University

California’s Continuing Shortage of Math and Science Teachers

Projected need for mathematics and science teachers over the next ten years exceeds 33,000

More than 10% of California’s high school math and science teachers are teaching out-of-field or are under-prepared

Urban schools serving minority students have disproportionately large numbers of out-of-field and under-prepared teachers

Governor and Legislature have allocated $2.713 million annually for the CSU Math and Science Teacher Initiative

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CSU Math and Science Teacher Initiative Results:Significant Growth Since 2005

Significant overall gains across entire CSU system– Almost 80% increase in CSU math and science teachers

(768 to 1,367) Major gains in mathematics - 773

– Foundational - 321– Regular Mathematics - 452

Annual gains in all four science areas - 587– Chemistry - 129– Geosciences - 73– Physics - 42– Biology - 343

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CSU Math and Science Teacher Effort:Partnerships for Doubling Math & Science Teachers

Collaboration and Institutional Commitment– Mutually supportive leadership between CSU Chancellor and

Presidents, Provosts, Deans, Department Chairs, Faculty– Partnerships between Colleges of Science and Mathematics and

Colleges of Education

Collaboration among 22 CSU campuses– Cooperative effort developing comprehensive online Math and

Science Teacher Recruitment Toolkit– Sharing effective strategies and learning from one another (SDSU

community college strategies replicated by CSU East Bay)

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CSU Math and Science Teacher Effort:Partnerships for Doubling Math & Science Teachers

Partnerships with Federal Agencies in Scholarships, Fellowships, Residencies

– National Science Foundation Noyce Scholarships and Fellowships

– U.S. Department of Education Teacher Quality Partnership Grants

Partnerships with Federal Science Agencies in Research Opportunities

– U.S. Department of Energy Labs: Lawrence Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore, Sandia California, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center

– NASA Research Centers: Ames, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Dryden

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Financial Support for New Math and Science Teachers:All CSU Campuses Offer Noyce Scholarships

NSF Noyce Scholarships provide up to $30,000 for each qualified CSU math/science student pursuing a teaching career

Additionally, there is up to $50,000 in fellowship support for students pursuing a Credential/Master’s degree, and then serve as California beginning teachers

New NSF funding awarded to CSU campuses in the current academic year was over $17,000,000.

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Focus on Closing the Achievement Gap:CSU Math & Science Teachers Serve High Need Schools

42% teach in urban schools 34% teach in schools that have not yet met their annual API 49% teach in schools with more than half of the students in poverty

and 70% in schools with one-quarter in poverty 84% teach in schools without a fully credentialed teaching staff

CSU’s new teachers are contributing significantly to overcoming inequities in the distribution of math and science teachers.

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The National Context: CSU MSTI Recognition

The CSU’s Math/Science Teacher Initiative has been recognized as a national model by:

US Department of EnergyNational Science Foundation American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education National Association of System Heads Association of Public and Land Grant UniversitiesCalifornia Council on Science and Technology

And, MSTI partnerships are cited as “Models of Success “ at the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST)-October 2009.

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