There is an established need for well-qualified teachers in high-need school districts, which are often located in urban communities. New York City, in particular, has a need for teachers of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) who are competent with a diverse and international student population. Working to address this need with funding from the National Science Foundation's Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program, and in partnership with Bronx Community College (BCC), New York City (NYC) public schools within the New Visions network, and East Harlem community-based youth organizations, the The Hunter Noyce Science Scholar Program (HC-NSSP) Phase 2 will recruit individuals with strong STEM backgrounds and prepare them to become secondary science teachers. Building on a successful Phase 1 project, this Phase 2 project will support 15 new undergraduate STEM majors, each receiving 2 or 3 years of funding, plus 11 new STEM professionals (recent graduates), each receiving 1 year of funding. Thus, the project will produce 25 new biology, chemistry, earth science, and physics middle grades and high school teachers. The NYC middle and high schools in which Hunter College Noyce Scholars will teach serve thousands of students from underrepresented minority populations who live in high-poverty communities across the city.
The HC-NSSP Phase 2 project will prepare and support Noyce Scholars to teach in high-need schools through professional learning communities for Noyce Scholars and Teachers, extensive and intensive clinical field experiences prior to student teaching, and a comprehensive induction program that will provide science teachers with coaches, faculty mentors, and "near peer" mentors (second year Noyce Teachers who will mentor first year Noyce Teachers). HC-NSSP Phase 2 research and evaluation studies will advance understanding of the distinguishing factors related to urban STEM teacher recruitment, retention, and career satisfaction by examining the contextual and attitudinal factors of Noyce Phase 1 and 2 teachers. The longitudinal study will investigate questions such as: What factors of the school environment, including the presence of teacher support and induction as reported by the teacher, are related to their decisions to continue teaching at high-need schools? How do these factors relate to any changes in school assignments or the decision to leave teaching? What was the nature of in-school support for novice, inservice Noyce teachers? Data to address these questions will come from such sources as surveys and interviews as well as instruments such as a self-efficacy to teach instrument.
