The Vision

It is the vision of the partnership that the gaps in BCPS student achievement correlated to race/ethnicity and poverty will be closed. Knowledge, skills and dispositions of STEM educators will be enhanced, and UMBC STEM faculty will have a greater understanding of how to prepare these educators.

The Partnership
University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS)collaborate to provide both preservice and inservice teachers with ongoing professional education to develop knowledge, skills and dispositions in the STEM areas.

The Model
Based on research that cooperative organized cultures make a difference in student performance, preservice graduate level interns take content and pedagogical courses while working full-time in the classroom alongside an expert (mentor) teacher. Target schools (7 Academies) serve as communities of excellence including differentiated pay for principals and mentor teachers. UMBC and site-based liaisons assist the staff in developing their STEM focus and supporting the interns in their course of study and work. Professional development is provided to inservice teachers through a Master of Arts in Education (MAE) program as well as site-based experiences to meet school needs.

The Results
Over 4 years, at least 115 interns with expertise in STEM areas will become teachers in BCPS high needs schools. In that same period over one hundred inservice teachers will earn an MAE in one of several STEM areas. At least ten UMBC professors in Math, Science, Technology and Engineering will be actively involved in working with BCPS teachers and students.

The Goals
The project team has identified four goals which drive all planning and activities. The BCPS-UMBC STEM Project will enhance the capacity of BCPS and UMBC to:

Goal 1: Increase BCPS student achievement in math and science, and reduce the poverty and race achievement gaps through professional development that focuses on differentiating research –based promising practices in mathematics, science, and technology education to meet the needs of diverse learners.

Goal 2: Implement changes at UMBC in initial and advanced teacher preparation programs to better equip teachers with knowledge, skills, dispositions and techniques to meet the learning needs of diverse student populations.

Goal 3: Conduct ongoing assessment of project outcomes and targets and contribute to the development of national capacity to introduce and sustain successful math and science education reform including hosting and presenting at conferences.

Goal 4: Integrate BCPS UMBC STEM initiatives into BCPS and UMBC to promote institutional change at BCPS and UMBC to sustain the project beyond Year 5.