Release of Florida RFP Spurs Conversations About UTeach and STEM Teacher Preparation

November 30, 2011

Release of an RFP to support UTeach replication at up to 4 universities in Florida encourages conversations about STEM shortages and teacher preparation, in general.

In a recent Orlando Sentinel op-ed piece by Dr. Paul Cottle, Research Methods instructor for FSU-Teach, Professor of Physics at Florida State University, and vice chair of the American Physical Society Forum on Education, argues the importance of math literacy not just for students who elect to attend college, but also for those entering the workplace immediately after high school.

With a widening proficiency gap in mathematics among Florida eighth graders on the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress, Cottle argues that recruiting stronger mathematicians into middle-school teaching is paramount: “With the importance of strong middle-school math teachers being so clear, it is alarming that Florida — and much of the nation — continues to experience a nagging shortage of highly qualified math teachers. Figuring out how to recruit more teachers with strong math skills is critical to addressing the eighth-grade math-achievement problem in our state.”

In response to Dr. Cottle’s piece, National Math and Science Initiative CEO and former Dean of the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Mary Ann Rankin, called for increased emphasis on preparing secondary teachers of mathematics and science who hold both degrees and certification in these areas.

With UTeach-based programs established at Florida State University (FSU-Teach) and University of Florida (UFTeach) and a competitive request for proposal to support UTeach replication at up to four more institutions in Florida, Florida is poised to lead this effort and significantly increase the pipeline of qualified math and science teachers in the state.

Additional features on the Florida RFP are available in other stories at the Orlando Sentinel and on the Bridge to Tomorrow blog.