The State University of New York at Fredonia is providing scholarships to undergraduate science and mathematics majors to increase the number of students who enter and complete rigorous programs leading to initial certification in Biology/Adolescence Education (grades 7-12), Chemistry/Adolescence Certification, Earth Science/Adolescence Education, Physics/Adolescence Education, Mathematics/Adolescence Education, and Mathematics/Middle Childhood Education (grades 5-9), who then teach in high-need schools. Fourteen scholarships are awarded annually. The project focuses specifically on high-need schools in smaller urban and rural districts. The overall objectives of the SUNY Fredonia Robert Noyce Scholarship Program are to: 1) Increase the number of students graduating with initial certification in STEM fields by 50%; 2) Increase the number of STEM certification graduates who teach in high-need schools; 3) Promote greater diversity among STEM certification majors; 4) Provide more systematic mentoring for STEM certification majors; 5) Provide better support and professional development for STEM certification graduates during their induction period, i.e., during the critical first few years of their teaching careers; and 6) Use results from the program to advance knowledge of best practices for recruiting, developing, supporting, and retaining teachers for high-need schools.
