Published: 12-06-07
DALLAS – Gov. Perry today participated in the presentation of a $2.4 million grant over a five year period from the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) to the University of Texas (UT) at Dallas to replicate the UTeach program which will certify UT Dallas undergraduates to become high school math and science teachers. UT Dallas is one of 12 sites nationally to be awarded a replication grant.“Texas is once again leading the nation with winning ideas such as the UTeach program which will help us close the math and science gap in today’s schools before it becomes a salary gap in tomorrow’s workplace and an opportunity gap for Texas families.”
UTeach is a smart successful teacher preparation program at the University of Texas at Austin that recruits and prepares math science and computer science majors to become high school teachers. Since its inception the number of mathematics and science majors being certified at the university has doubled.
The UTeach Institute was created to replicate the UTeach program at universities across the nation and to provide direction and leadership. The primary goal of replicating UTeach is to increase the quantity and quality of math science and computer science teachers in schools. The UTeach Institute is partnering nationally with NMSI and also in Texas with the Texas High School Project (THSP) to select universities who are eligible to receive replication grants.
NMSI is a non-profit organization created to replicate programs proven to positively impact math and science education in the U.S. NMSI aims to assist more than 50 campuses in adopting UTeach-type programs nationwide. According to NMSI by 2020 more than 10000 graduates of these programs will have impacted more than 3 million students.
THSP is a public-private initiative committed to increasing graduation and college enrollment rates in every Texas community. THSP provided funding to the original UTeach program to assist in creating a replication model so that the program could be successfully expanded to other locations.
“I look forward to the day when students pursuing degrees in science engineering and math can leave UT Dallas in four years with their diploma and a certificate to teach in our public high schools” Perry said.
THSP is a public-private initiative committed to increasing graduation and college enrollment rates in every Texas community. THSP provided funding to the original UTeach program to assist in creating a replication model so that the program could be successfully expanded to other locations.
“I look forward to the day when students pursuing degrees in science engineering and math can leave UT Dallas in four years with their diploma and a certificate to teach in our public high schools” Perry said.
