Key Elements:

• Active recruitment by offering the first two courses free of charge
• A compact degree plan that allows students to graduate in four years with a degree in math or science and a teaching certification
• A focus on acquiring deep content knowledge in math and science as well as teaching skills
• Courses taught by faculty who are actively engaged in the teaching and learning of math and science
• Early and intensive field experiences from the first semester
• Personal attention and guidance from highly experienced master teachers, faculty, and successful public school teachers

The Impact:

The University of Texas at Austin now graduates more than 70 secondary math and science teachers each year, more than double the number before the program.

Fully 92 percent of those graduates immediately go on to teach math and science. Five years later, more than 70 percent are still in the classroom, compared with a 50 percent teacher retention rate nationally.

"UTeach has proven a very successful model for preparing our next generation of science and math teachers. We’re very excited to have the opportunity to replicate the program at universities across the Unites States. The more the program spreads, the more fine teachers we will be producing to inspire and educated our nation’s children to discover and create new science and technology for the future."
-Dr. Mary Ann Rankin, dean of the college of Natural Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin

NMSI, in conjunction with the UTeach Institute, plans to award grants of up to $2,400,000 to 10 non-profit institutions of higher education to start UTeach-type programs. The UTeach Institute, which was created to provide direction and assistance to institutions of higher education starting up UTeach programs, will be working hand-in-hand with NMSI to support grantees' efforts.

In late 2007, NMSI announced the first 12 winners of replication grants.