Improving Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry Teaching (IMPaCT) is designed to support talented, low-income, secondary school mathematics and physics teachers during their credential year, consisting of an "extern" semester spent observing exemplary master teachers followed by a semester of student teaching. Each year, the program awards stipends to 10 students who have earned a Bachelor's degree in mathematics, physics, or chemistry and intend to earn a secondary teaching credential, with 40 preservice students participating in the program over the duration of the project. IMPaCT is operating within the current Secondary Credential program at California State University, Fullerton, the largest teacher credential program in Orange County, to actively recruit and fund minority, especially female Hispanic, candidates to enter the fields of mathematics and physics teaching. In turn, these teachers serve as role models to the large minority population in the Orange County public high schools and encourage more of them to attend college and eventually enter the teaching field.
The IMPaCT program is coordinated with the school district partners within an ongoing NSF Mathematics and Science Partnership (MSP) program at CSU Fullerton called TASEL-M (Teachers Assisting Students to Excel in Learning Mathematics). As a result, candidates awarded stipends are placed in schools where a strong working relationship exists between the CSUF mathematics and physics faculty members and the mathematics and science teachers in the participating schools. The prospective teachers receive professional development in mathematics and science content as well as pedagogy alongside practicing teachers in the TASEL-M project in the summer and during the academic year. Progress of stipend awardees is being followed over a six year period to determine the effect of the program on new teachers and to assess their impact as role models in the schools where they are employed.
