The goal of the Pipeline for Excellent Rural Teachers (PERT) project at North Dakota State University (NDSU) is to extend and secure a pipeline to increase the quality and quantity of highly-trained secondary mathematics and science teachers in rural North Dakota. The rural nature of the state, coupled with vast distances between urban centers, presents a major obstacle to recruiting STEM professionals into degree programs leading to certification. College of Science and Mathematics and College of Human Development and Education faculties have created a one-year master's of education program (residential and online) resulting in teacher certification. The project is recruiting 15 talented STEM professionals as PERT Teaching Fellows. A partnership with Sitting Bull College, one of six tribally-controlled colleges in the region, provides both science coursework and extensive mentorship to PERT Teaching Fellows in tribal communities.
The intellectual merit of PERT is the transformative model for addressing a persistent teacher shortage in rural, high-needs school districts. Successful elements of the program are informing future induction programs for rural and tribal districts. The broader impacts of PERT include its capacity to enhance the quantity and quality of secondary science and mathematics teachers outside of North Dakota's six urban centers, particularly in tribal communities. The transformation of STEM professionals into Master teachers will improve student achievement throughout the state, increasing the likelihood for successful matriculation of students into STEM programs at the baccalaureate level.
