National STEM Teacher Corps Pilot Program: Elevating Elementary Teachers as the Frontier of STEM Education

About This Grant

The National STEM Teacher Corps Pilot Program Regional Alliance project "Elevating Elementary Teachers as the Frontier of STEM Education" aims to recognize outstanding STEM educators in high-need schools that advance educational excellence in the Mid-Atlantic Region. This project intends to support 27 STEM Teacher Corps members by recognizing and rewarding their accomplishments and efforts to enhance STEM teaching and learning in K-5 classrooms. To elevate these teachers and their work, Teacher Corps members will receive annual stipends, specialized professional development in STEM curriculum and educational leadership, and classroom materials and travel support to regional workshops and science teacher conferences. The project will also provide significant professional development, mentorship, and support to hundreds of other STEM teachers within the region through activities led by the Teacher Corps members. The proposed project components will enable exemplary and innovative STEM teachers to participate in state and national science education conferences, lead workshops for K-5 teachers who are not Corps members, and build an important network of support for K-5 STEM education in the region. This project at Penn State University includes partnerships with West Virginia University, The College of New Jersey, K-12 schools and school districts, award winning teachers in the region, state-level STEM education networks, science teachers' associations, and key local education agencies from each state. Project goals include empowering K-5 teachers to become agents of change in STEM education through engaging students in scientific and engineering practices. By providing targeted professional development and fostering peer leadership, the project intends to improve student outcomes and create a network of educators equipped to lead a regional transformation. This project will recruit and train a group of dedicated K-5 teachers who will participate in summer workshops to enhance their knowledge and leadership abilities. These teachers will then support their peers to create engaging STEM learning environments for young students. Evaluation of the project is iterative and guided by the questions: Did the project's efforts elevate the STEM teacher profession and Teacher Corps members in the region by promoting STEM teaching and learning opportunities in elementary schools? Did sustained STEM-focused professional development and the efforts of the Communities of Practice enhance elementary teachers' STEM knowledge, confidence, and leadership skills? Evaluation will include formative assessments to guide program improvements and measure the project's effectiveness. The project team will also engage regional and national organizations to disseminate project outcomes and share best practices. This Regional Alliance project is supported through the National STEM Teacher Corps Pilot Program. The NSF National STEM Teacher Corps Pilot Program supports outstanding STEM educators in high-needs schools that advance educational excellence in our Nation’s preK-12 classrooms. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.