The University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR), in partnership with the Little Rock School District, Pulaski County Special School District, North Little Rock School District, and Benton School District, is preparing 32 Noyce Scholars by awarding 24 two-year undergraduate scholarships and 8 one-year stipends to non-licensed STEM professionals. Superintendents and mathematics/science curriculum specialists in the Little Rock regional schools attest to the difficulty of recruiting and retaining well-qualified science and mathematics teachers. The concentration of poverty in central Arkansas contributes significantly to this difficulty. The Little Rock area school districts and UALR have a long and productive history of working together to enhance the quality of K-12 education in central Arkansas, and are implementing a program in which junior and senior mathematics and science majors will receive Noyce Scholarships and mentoring support as they complete the requirements for the secondary education minor that leads to licensure. The Noyce Scholarship Program also awards stipends to STEM professionals and engages them in a program of study and mentoring support that leads to licensure to teach mathematics or science at the secondary level.
The project recruits highly qualified science and mathematics students and dedicated STEM professionals who are motivated to accomplish a career change into high quality teacher licensure programs in secondary education. Noyce Scholars participate in a teacher preparation program that includes instruction on pedagogy, adolescent development, and curriculum issues, and requires internships mentored by master teachers. The science and mathematics programs in which the students participate also provide opportunities for scientific research.
