The Prince George's County Public Schools, the 15th largest district in the country, will collaborate with the Prince George's County Economic Development Corporation, Capitol College, and the Prince George's Chamber of Commerce to form a Science, Mathematics, and Technology Network. This network will carry out a two-year program for elementary and middle school teachers designed to improve their knowledge and understanding of current science and mathematics applications and to increase their creativity in teaching these subjects. In this district with a 70% minority student population, the long term goal is to motivate more minority and female students to pursue science and mathematics careers. The first phase will consist of four components: (1) a one-week Summer Science and Technology Institute, (2) a fall semester Science and Technology Institute Applications course, (3) a spring semester Shadowing/Visiting Scientists-in-the-Classroom program, and (4) a summer internship in business or industry. Each teacher successfully completing Phase One will move into a second phase with two components: (1) networking and (2) an alliance. In Phase Two, Phase One participants will train colleagues and coordinate the development for more stimulating and motivating approaches to science and mathematics. By the end of two years this effort will have forged an interdisciplinary alliance of 400 teachers dedicated to strengthening the teaching of science and motivating student interest. Cost sharing by the partners will total more than 100% of the NSF funding.
