The project "Teaching Pathways Opening Doors to STEM (TPOD STEM)" at Montgomery College is a project to build the college's capacity for preparing highly qualified secondary teachers in STEM disciplines. Collaborating with the Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools and the major universities to which these community-college students transfer, the departments of mathematics, science, engineering, and education are engaged in a two-year planning process to recruit, prepare, and support students, both undergraduates in the Associate of Arts in Teaching program and career-changing STEM professionals seeking alternative certification. The capacity of the existing secondary school alternative certification program is being expanded. A new middle-school mathematics/science alternative certification program is being designed and approved by the state. A recruiting model for both levels of future teachers is under development, along with support networks (both physical and virtual) to ensure their success, an important feature of this three-campus institution. With the solid grounding in STEM courses provided by the AAT program, students are well positioned to transfer to STEM majors at baccalaureate institutions while continuing their teacher preparation. Mechanisms for their ongoing support as Noyce Scholars are planned. It is expected that this model can be emulated by other community colleges across the country.
