Student Videos Prove Math and Science Can Be Fun

Feb. 12, 2008
Student videos show math and science are "cool"

Student Video Competition Promotes Math and Science Education Nationwide

Oct. 17, 2008

To illustrate a more effective way of taking worthy math and science programs to a national scale, the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) released a new guide entitled “Taking successful Programs to Scale.”

PRESS RELEASE

Aug. 25, 2008

DALLAS, Texas - Nearly 60 percent more students will be taking more challenging math and science courses at high schools in six states this fall, thanks to the National Math and Science Initiative, a nationwide effort to improve American achievement and competitiveness.

More than 13,000 students have enrolled in Advanced Placement* math, science and English courses in schools that have received support for AP training and incentives from NMSI, up dramatically from the 8,700 plus who enrolled last year.

"NMSI is working. We're proud that in just one year, this new national effort is already generating tremendous results,” said Tom Luce, CEO of NMSI.  "With even greater support for this critical initiative, we can ensure that America’s next generation is better prepared to thrive in the global economy.”

He added, “Eighty percent of the jobs in the future will require math and science skills -- so helping more students succeed in math and science classes must become an urgent priority.”

In its first year, NMSI is providing training for more than 600 AP teachers, 130 AP leader teachers, and almost 2,000 pre-AP teachers.  Prep sessions also are being provided for approximately 13,000 students taking AP math, science and English courses.

NMSI, an innovative new effort to improve math and science education in the United States, was launched by leaders in American business, education and science in 2007 to expand successful programs like Advanced Placement Training and Incentives across the nation.  The non-profit organization was created in response to the landmark National Academies report “The Gathering Storm,” which warned that the United States is losing pre-eminence in math and science, jeopardizing America’s ability to compete in the global marketplace.

Following a nationwide competition, NMSI selected six states out of 28 applicants for grants of $13.2 million last year to implement the Advanced Placement Training and Incentive Programs. Those vanguard states are Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Virginia.

At the end of five years, it is expected that almost 500 schools will be participating in APTIP programs in those six states, which means that in five years as many as 200,000 students will have enrolled in AP math, science and English programs. With additional support, NMSI hopes to expand the program to 20 states, which would make it possible to enroll 700,000 students in advanced math, science and English courses.

Advanced Placement courses allow motivated students to take college-level courses while still in high school. The program better prepares students to succeed in college by helping them master more rigorous coursework and acquire college credits early. Experience has shown that students passing AP exams are three times more likely to earn a college degree than students who do not pass. African-American and Hispanic students who pass an AP exam are four times more likely to earn a college degree than those who do not pass.

The National Math and Science Initiative’s mission is expanding programs with proven success in math and science education across the nation.  The initial focus is on replicating two programs that each have 10 years of data proving they work:  the AP Training and Incentive Program and UTeach, a program to recruit, prepare and retain qualified math, science and computer science teachers.

Major support for the national initiative is provided by the Exxon Mobil Corp., the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, with in-kind assistance provided by IBM and Perot Systems.

Contact: Rena Pederson, NMSI Communications Director (214) 665-2523 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Colby Walton, Cooksey Communications, (972) 580-0662 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

For more information, visit www.nationalmathandsccience.org

 *AP and Advanced Placement Program are registered trademarks of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 17, 2008

NMSI CEO TOM LUCE JOINS GOLFER PHIL MICKELSON IN CALLING ON CONGRESS TO BOOST MATH AND SCIENCE SUPPORT

DALLAS – Tom Luce, CEO of the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI), will testify before Congress on Tuesday, July 22, about the urgent need to provide more funding for math and science education in the United States.

April 29, 2008 -                                        

WASHINGTON, D.C. – American leaders in business and education voiced concern Tuesday that support for math and science is still urgently needed, more than two years after the blue-ribbon report “Rising above the Gathering Storm” warned that America is losing crucial ground in math and science skills.

MEDIA ADVISORY

May 16, 2008

Educators Gather at NMSI-UTeach Institute Conference

To Discuss Boosting Number of Science Teachers

AUSTIN, Texas – An outpouring of national interest will result in largest conference of educators interested in replicating the successful UTeach program for training math and science teachers May 20-24, 2008. The three-day NMSI-UTeach Institute Conference will kick off at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Thompson Conference Center on the University of Texas Campus.

DALLAS, TEXAS – May 2, 2008 –The National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) is phasing out the $13.2 million grant that was previously awarded to Vancouver-based Mentoring Advanced Programs for Students (MAPS) after Washington State schools were unable to agree to contract terms for the grant.