Math for America San Diego Awarded $1.5 Million NSF Noyce Fellowship Grant
Grant to Provide Funds for Regional Mathematics Teaching Program

(San Diego) August 25, 2009 – Through UC San Diego, Math for America San Diego has been awarded a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program to help meet the shortage of mathematics teachers in San Diego County. The grant will support Math for America San Diego’s mission to provide new highly skilled math teachers to some of the area’s highest-need public high schools over the next six years.

Now in its second year, Math for America San Diego (MƒA SD) is a consortium of California State University San Marcos, San Diego State University and the University of California, San Diego. “We have built a strong partnership of major stakeholders in the region, and we are ready to use these grant funds to develop a group of first rate math teachers who are committed to helping students understand and enjoy mathematics,” said Dr. Barbara Edwards, executive director of Math for America San Diego. The fellowship provides financial, educational and professional support to selected students (Fellows) planning to become career high school math teachers. MƒA SD Fellows receive a full tuition scholarship for credential coursework and Master’s degree at a partner university, $15,000 in stipends during each program year, individualized support from a mentor teacher and extensive professional development opportunities. Upon completion of the university credential program, MƒA SD Fellows receive job placement assistance from partner school districts and commit to four years of teaching in high need high schools in San Diego County.

By providing highly trained math teachers, MƒA SD expects to raise the level of mathematics achievement in local secondary schools. According to Dr. Guershon Harel, professor of mathematics at UCSD and principal investigator of the Noyce grant, “the quality of mathematics teaching required to meet this challenge depends on a deeper understanding of the mathematics currently taught in high schools. Through intensive engagement in mathematical topics, our Fellows come to understand that effective teaching is not a matter of gimmicks, entertainment or systems of reward and punishment. The best learning environment is created by fully engaging students’ inherent intellectual need to solve problems. We are pleased that the National Science Foundation supports our goals and objectives for improving secondary mathematics.”

Math for America San Diego currently has 16 Fellows pursuing their teaching credential or teaching in local high schools. The program plans to add 60 highly skilled mathematics teachers to area public high schools by 2015 when the grant ends.

About Math for America San Diego
Math for America San Diego is a non-profit organization founded to improve secondary mathematics education in San Diego County. Part of the national Math for America network, MƒA SD seeks to recruit, train and retain qualified mathematics teachers dedicated to transforming math learning and achievement in San Diego high schools. MƒA SD is a consortium of CSUSM, SDSU and UCSD and four local school districts - San Diego Unified School District, Grossmont Union High School District, Escondido Union High School District and Oceanside Unified High School District. Our partner universities and districts recognize the importance of Math for America San Diego in our region and work closely to address the critical need for effective mathematics teachers and improvement in students’ understanding of mathematics.

About Math for America
Founded in 2004 by Jim Simons and a group of mathematicians, business people and educators, Math for America is a private nonprofit organization with a mission to improve math education in secondary public schools in the US by recruiting, training and retaining outstanding mathematics teachers. With sites in New York City, Los Angeles, San Diego and Washington, DC, Math for America has two programs: MƒA Fellowship, where recent college graduates and mid-career professionals make a five-year commitment to teach math in public schools, and Master Teacher Fellowship, where exceptional public secondary school math teachers are rewarded with a four-year Fellowship. Both programs provide professional development training and generous stipends for a corps of highly qualified math teachers dedicated to improving student performance and achievement. For more information, visit www.mathforamerica.org.

Contact
Via email: sandiego@mathforamerica.org; or Phone: 858-822-6284; or for more information visit: www.mathforamerica.org/sandiego.