About the UTEP Master Teacher Academies

The focus of the UTEP MSTTPA Cycle 3 Academies Program is on Master Teacher Programs and Master's of Education Programs. It leverages the courses in UTEP's existing, SBEC-approved Master Mathematics, Science, and Technology programs to provide 50 eligible experienced Texas certified teachers with the graduate coursework, STEM content and pedagogy, and additional resources needed to become fully certified Master Teachers (MTs). Over two years beginning in July 2009 the program will pay the tuition and fees for up to six graduate courses making up UTEP's MT certification sequences and 40 integrated mathematics, science, and technology Learning Academy Seminars, a mentoring component, and an online environment to fully prepare eligible teachers to perform effectively on the TExMaT certification tests and in their roles as Master Teachers in their districts beyond the completion of the project.

This program is funded by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The performance period was defined in the RFP as May 2009 - May, 2011, although we are exploring whether this will change due to the notice of award being received on July 21, 2009. Final activities must be completed by August 31, 2011. Dr Brian Giza (bhgiza@utep.edu) is the Program Director (PI - working with science and technology as well as over-all program leadership), and Dr. Carolyn Awalt (carolyn@utep.edu), the Co-PI who will be the secondary point of contact with the districts. The other two co-PIs are Dr. Olga Kosheleva (who will run the mathematics components of the program) and Dr. Michael Eastman (who will work with science content). There shall be a Coordinator to manage day-to-day program issues and we shall share that contact information here as soon as that person is in place.

The goals of the program are to:

• Goal 1. Increase the number of certified teachers who have advanced certification and degrees in the fields of mathematics, science; and/or technology.

• Goal 2: Increase the effectiveness of mathematics, science, and technology teachers in Texas by expanding and deepening the teacher preparation program.

• Goal 3: Increase Masters degrees held by Teachers in the El Paso region.

• Goal 4: To perform sustained and rigorous research on the effectiveness of the program, to use the research in a continual improvement cycle, and to disseminate the results.

Master Teacher graduate courses will count towards the Master of Arts in Education degrees for teachers who seek them. The MSSTPA Cycle 3 program will fund all of the (12-15) Master Teacher Program hours for participants and a significant portion of the Masters Degree hours in the Masters of Education Instructional Specialist Degree Program. UTEP's Colleges of Education and Science will collaborate to include a robust research and evaluation component and partner in the development and delivery of courses and academy workshops.

Canutillo ISD, Ysleta ISD, and El Paso ISD are the district partners and under the requirements of the grant, each district must assist the program in identifying teacher participants and provide support for the program in the amount of $1,000 of value yearly for each participant from their district. This $1,000 may be in the form of technology (e.g.: laptops for participating teachers), resources (e.g.: trainers provided by the district), or facilities for meetings or trainings. The value must be documented by an authorized representative of the district to meet the requirements of UTEP Contracts and Grants and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Eligibility to Participate

Eligible Participants: Teachers in the program MUST meet the following description to be eligible (defined in the RFP on pages 27-28): "A participant in an Academy program must be: (1) an experienced teacher who: (A) is recommended by a school district; and (B) has at least five TWO ^* years experience teaching mathematics, science, or technology in assignments for which the teacher met all certification requirements".

THECB Program Category. This program is designed to meet two of the Master Teacher Academy categories that the THECB has created - categories B & C. These are: Program B: Master Teacher Programs. Programs designed to strengthen the content knowledge and skills of experienced teachers by providing programs in which they will obtain their Master Teaching Certificate in mathematics, science or technology. Programs must include a curriculum that would enable Academy Participants to transition into a Master's of Education program upon completion. Program C: Master's of Education Programs. Programs designed to strengthen the content knowledge and skills of Master Teachers in mathematics, science, and/or technology by providing a program that enables them to obtain their Master's of Education Degree in mathematics, science or technology. Academy Participants must have their teacher certification in mathematics, science, and/or technology and have a minimum of five (5) years teaching experience, and be recommended by their school district.

The THECB sent an electronic Notice of Award to Dr. Giza on July 21, 2009. We have tried our best to get the largest proportion of the funds into the hands of the teacher participants who are the focus of this program. Specific yearly amounts allocated from program funds for direct support of participants include:

• PARTICIPANT TUITION AND FEES: Up to $2,400 yearly per participant for specific courses on the Master Teacher Degree Plan.

• PARTICIPANT STIPENDS (A small stipend is paid for workshop attendance...this is simply to alleviate the costs of attending the workshops for gas, etc.): $15 per workshop.

• PARTICIPANT TRAVEL (e.g.: for 6-8 persons to attend and present at CAST/CAMT).

• PARTICIPANT TECHNOLOGY: $400 yearly per participant in the form of probes and technology tools.

• PARTICIPANT BOOKS ($120 per participant)

In addition to the direct support for participants there is a set of STEM science workshop trainings. There will be a number of electronic environments that will help manage aspects of the program: A program website and WIKI for information purposes, an online instructional environment, an online mentoring environment, and a survey location that will be used to facilitate applications and data management.

^* On July 24th, 2009 the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board made us aware that the Texas Legislature had changed the five year eligibility requirement to two years.