Next Generation of STEM Educators

High school students deserve the best opportunity for a bright future. Help prepare the next generation of qualified math and science teachers by supporting the Department of Science and Mathematics Education (SME) at UT Dallas.  

We have met our match goal of $10,000 and are grateful to the Mike Myers Foundation for matching our donors' gifts! We are also grateful to our individual donors! But, we are not stopping here!  Our effort to invest in our next generation of educators will continue through December 31st. So we hope we can count on you!

What does STEM stand for?

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math    

Why is STEM important for our students?

With available positions set to increase by 17% through 2024, STEM jobs are growing faster than any other field and are critical to the competitiveness of the U.S. economy. These fields offer great job prospects and high paying roles, with STEM careers out earning others by 30%. Yet many STEM positions remain vacant. In 2018, 2.4 million STEM jobs were unfilled due to a shortage of qualified applicants.

How is the shortage of STEM teachers affecting education in Texas?

Students in Texas are falling behind in crucial STEM subjects, threatening our nation’s supply of future scientists and engineers. The issue reached alarming proportions, with new certified teachers in Texas declining 3% annually; 3,000 fewer teachers are in classrooms today than in 2009 despite growth in student enrollment. School districts have attempted to bridge the widening gap by hiring teachers from alternative certification programs, or, in some cases, requiring no certification at all. In North Texas, approximately one-third of high school math students and two-thirds of physical science students are taught by teachers with no degree in the subjects they are teaching.

How is UT Dallas helping this challenge?

SME is strategically targeting these issues via its cornerstone programs, including: UTeach Dallas, that recruits, trains and mentors scientists on their journey to becoming secondary STEM teachers; Master of Arts in Teaching, designed to help teachers deepen their content in effective approaches, as well as a range of community-based activities.