Math and Science Education Initiative (STEM)
American students lag far behind their international peers in science, technology, engineering, and math. According to a McKinsey & Co. study from 2009, the United States ranked 25th in math and 24th in science among developed nations. In low-income communities, the achievement gap in math and science is even more pronounced.
To help change this, Teach For America started the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) initiative which places experts in science, technology, engineering, and math as teachers in low-income middle schools and high schools across America.
Today, more than 2,900 first- and second-year STEM corps members are teaching middle- and high-school math and science, making Teach For America the largest provider of math and science teachers in the country. And with the training and support they receive before, during, and after their two-year commitment, the research shows these corps members are having an outstanding impact on student achievement.
To increase this impact, by 2015 we plan to double the size of our incoming math and science corps.
Our People
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Olayinka AkinsuyiGreater Newark Corps 2010“Focusing on math and science will make American students internationally competitive.” -
Preston SmithBay Area Corps 2001“Education is crucial to maintain a thriving democracy and for us to be competitive in the world.” -
Samir PaulD.C. Region Corps 2010“TFA alums and corps members come from an ever-widening swath of America's rich cultural mélange.” -
Regan Gruber MoffittHouston Corps 1999“Every child has potential. We are responsible for ensuring they have the education to unleash it.” -
Joel RoseHouston Corps 1992“My proudest memory was seeing my students graduate high school - hardest was visiting one in jail.” -
Natalie Wyszynski-TurkSouth Louisiana Corps 2009“I knew teaching would be hard, but I did not know it would completely change my life.” -
Sheila KannappanEastern North Carolina Corps 1991“Join the corps if you want to see the worst and best of yourself.” -
David MeyrowitzBay Area Corps 2009“Join the corps for tangible results for a vital natural resource - America's future leaders.” -
Katherine MerrillCharlotte Corps 2010“A corps member is nothing short of a world-changer. It’s the most important thing you can do.” -
Joey WilsonPhoenix Corps 2007“STEM teachers provide expertise in high-need subjects and teach with gusto students haven’t seen.” -
Jean Lim TerraAmgen Foundation“TFA is an essential part of our efforts to advance math and science education in the country.”
Teach For America was named one of Fortune magazine's top 100 employers to work for.
Teach For America was named one of America's top 100 Ideal Employers in Universum's 2011 American Student Survey.