Before It's Too Late : The Report to the Nation by the National Commission
on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century
(Glenn Commission Report - cont.)
GOAL 2: Increase significantly the number of mathematics and science
teachers and improve the quality of their preparation.
An estimated 240,000 middle and high school math and science teachers will
be needed over the next 10 years. Of this total, nearly 70 percent will be
newcomers to the profession. The Commission calls for an aggressive
recruitment program to attract new teachers, accompanied by an aggressive,
and simultaneous, effort to improve teacher preparation.
Exemplary programs: Exemplary programs of teacher preparation around the
country would be identified, and other institutions would be encouraged to
replicate these programs. Exemplary programs would keep their status for
five years, then undergo a new review. The Commission recommends that the
exemplary status be required before two- and four year schools could qualify
for federal scholarships that the Commission suggests be established for
high school seniors (see below).
Teacher Recruitment: Incentive-based strategies would be used to attract
individuals from three targeted groups to teaching.
Recent college graduates and persons at mid career with baccalaureate or
higher degrees will be invited to compete for 3,000 prestigious, one-year
paid fellowships that lead to certification as math and science teachers
(see Mathematics and Science Teaching Academies). Fellows agree to teach for
five years in district(s) with math and science teacher shortages.
Federal loans (based on financial need) would be forgiven for college
students considering math and science teaching as a career who agree to
teach for five years in districts with math and science teacher shortages.
The Commission recommends approximately 6,000 loans as the appropriate
amount to address the current shortages of qualified teachers.
1,500 high school seniors will be competitively chosen to attend one of the
exemplary preparation institutions on a full-tuition scholarship. These
students must agree to teach for five years in areas with teacher shortages.
Mathematics and Science Teaching Academies: A new kind of research- and
school-based preparation would be created to provide a year of teacher
education for those with scientific and mathematical content knowledge.
Fifteen Mathematics and Science Teaching Academies would be competitive
selected in each of the 10 federal regions, with 5 more strategically
located. Each academy will build on existing institutions and comprise an
consortium of at least one higher education institution, neighboring school
districts, business partners, members of the Eisenhower consortium, and
others. The 3,000 competitively selected academy fellows (see above) will
receive a one-year intensive course in effective teaching methods; training
includes school-based internships that involve supervised teaching. Each
fellow will receive a $30,000 stipend for the year.
A $10,000 federal grant will be available to the districts that hire these
fellows, with two provisos: The funds must be locally matched, and a
districtwide induction program must be created for new math and science
teachers.
[Next time: Goal 3 - the last goal.]
Teachers are encouraged to download the full text of "Before It's Too Late:
The Report to the Nation from The National Commission on Mathematics and
Science Teaching for the 21st Century" from www.ed.gov/americacounts/glenn.
Jane Jackson, Co-Director, Modeling Instruction Program
Box 871504, Dept.of Physics & Astronomy,ASU,Tempe,AZ 85287
480-965-8438/fax:965-7331. http://modeling.la.asu.edu