This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
The University of South Alabama (USA) College Of Education is collaborating with the College of Arts and Sciences and the Mobile County Public School System (MCPSS) to prepare 24 science teachers over a five year period who are highly qualified to teach chemistry, physics, biology, or general science. The Pathways to Science (PTS) project recruits senior science majors to participate in a semester-long internship to inform their career decision about entering the education profession. Up to 40 internships are being provided over the five year period of the grant. During the internship, the students work with a master science teacher in a high needs school district, with science specialists, and university science professors to design curriculum. If they still want to become teachers after they graduate, the students are recruited into graduate science education through a content rich alternative certification curriculum that culminates in a master's degree in secondary science education. As part of this program, students are required to intern and participate in three sets of field experiences; middle school, high school, and a student teaching experience at the level of their choice. After obtaining their degree, the new teachers are hired by the partnering school district. Induction support includes a one year membership to the Alabama Science Teachers Association, the National Science Teachers Association, and mentoring for two years by a master science teacher in the school district. Many of these master teachers are graduates of the teacher training program at USA.
