October 18, 2017
Purdue program working to boost recruitment of teachers in science receives grant renewal from state
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University has received renewal on a state grant for three programs designed to boost the recruitment and retention of teachers in science.
The grant recently announced by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, was awarded through the STEM Teacher Recruitment Fund, which was created in 2013 by the state General Assembly.
The Purdue Research Foundation received $785,415 for three programs, with a majority of those funds — $531,789 — going to the STEM Teacher Retention Through Mentoring program. That program includes higher education institutions (University of Southern Indiana, Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne and Butler University) and 11 public school districts.
The new funding will allow the program to continue to support 90 current mentees statewide and add 10 new mentees who are in their first five years of classroom teaching. They will be supported by 59 mentor teachers.
“The program helps retention efforts by offering support to teachers in implementing STEM instructional practices in their classrooms,” said Jennifer Hicks, I-STEM science program manager. “The program provides an online platform that supports interaction and sharing of resources and ideas among teachers. We are grateful for the opportunity to keep the momentum of this program moving forward.”
Two additional Purdue programs received continued funding from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education:
*Strengthening Indiana’s Future through the 21st Century STEM Teachers received an additional $195,105 to continue expanding diversity among students pursuing careers in K-12 STEM teaching by creating a scholarship program.
*The Growing the Pipeline for Agricultural Education Teachers in Indiana program received $58,821 and will continue to expand on a 2013 STEM Teacher Recruitment Fund grant that launched an agricultural education program to recruit and retain teachers in collaboration with two Ivy Tech campuses and Vincennes University.
Media contact: Brian Peloza, 765-496-9711, bpeloza@purdue.edu
Source: Jennifer Hicks, hicks12@purdue.edu
