NMSI in the News - September 2011

LETTER FROM NMSI CEO, DR. MARY ANN RANKIN

Dear Friends:

 

Dr. Mary Ann RankinThis is my first "official" communication with you as CEO of the National Math and Science Initiative, and I must begin by saying how honored I am to now be working with you to improve math and science education in our country. Preparing our students for success in the future is one of the most important challenges facing our nation.

 

In this special issue of our e-newsletter, we are proud to highlight the outstanding third-year results from our Advanced Placement Training and Incentive Program (APTIP). As you will read below, NMSI is truly turning the tide in math and science education. This success is a tribute to our state AP organizations and their incredible corps of dedicated AP teachers as well as our hard-working APTIP team at NMSI.

 

We will present these results at a special Congressional briefing on Thursday, Sept. 22 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. in room 430 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. Members of Congress, administration representatives, private sector funders and general education thought leaders will be invited.

 

We are looking forward to a major expansion of our Initiative for Military Families (IMF) program. This initiative, which brings APTIP to high schools serving large percentages of students in military families, will expand from four to 28 schools this fall. First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden helped us announce this expansion as part of their Joining Forces initiative in April. We will celebrate the expansion of the IMF at a special event Friday, Sept. 30, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach, Va.

 

We are also expecting continued enrollment increases in our popular UTeach program and the addition of at least eight more campuses this fall and spring 2012, including University of West Georgia, Southern Polytechnic University, Columbus State University, a potential site in Massachusetts, and possibly the University of Texas at Brownsville and University of Texas at Pan Am.   Encouraging work is underway to add UTeach sites in Maryland, Florida, Alabama and Arkansas as well as at Boise State in Idaho in the near future.  We have the potential to add another 14-15 sites by fall 2012. 

 

As you can see we are moving forward rapidly to prepare more American students in the 21st century for college and careers that will demand a strong background in math and science. Please do all that you can to stay involved in this important mission. The partnerships that we forge as we work toward a common goal strengthen our ability to get this job done. I look forward very much to working with you.

 

Sincerely,

 

Dr. Mary Ann Rankin

 

 
 

THIRD YEAR APTIP RESULTS UNDERSCORE PROVEN FORMULA FOR SUCCESS

NMSI/MMSI APTIP Results 2011

With the release of third-year results from our Advanced Placement* Training and Incentive Program (APTIP), NMSI has proven that it has helped turned the tide in math and science education in our country. The proven formula for success - replicating a comprehensive, holistic program model - has led to continued success in substantially improving student achievement across the country in rigorous, college-level math and science coursework.

 

These advances mean greater access to college for more American students, which is critical to address the skills gap in today's workforce in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

 

Schools participating in the NMSI-supported AP program over the last three years have recorded triple-digit increases in the number of qualifying scores based on newly released College Board data:

Success in AP courses is critical: Research indicates that students passing college-level courses in high school are three times more likely to complete a college degree - and even those who do not pass benefit from the rigorous curriculum and are better prepared for college. These students are also among the few American students comparing favorably with their counterparts in other countries in educational rankings.

 

"In today's highly competitive, high-tech world, the next generation of leaders and innovators must have a mastery of science, technology, engineering and math," said Mary Ann Rankin, CEO of NMSI. "This program is equipping our students to better compete on the global stage, which is essential to the future of our country."

 

 

While the number of schools participating in NMSI's program represents only one percent of the total number of high schools in the U.S., the NMSI-supported programs account for nearly seven percent of the gains in passing AP math, science and English exams.

 

"There is no other formal program in the country that has produced these types of results this quickly. The continued gains in student achievement produced by APTIP underscore the power of replicating the program so more students across the country can benefit," said Gregg Fleisher, NMSI's National AP Training and Incentive Program Director.

 

Fleisher added that the program has proven effective for all students in all types of schools and has helped to close the achievement gap in math and science education among traditionally underrepresented students, such as minorities and young women. "We are transforming education in order to improve college and career opportunities for all students," he said.

  

NMSI, a non-profit organization, launched APTIP during the 2008-2009 school year in 67 public high schools. This fall, the NMSI program will be implemented in a record 310 public schools in six states (Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Kentucky, Massachusetts and Virginia).

 

In addition, NMSI is expanding the AP program - through the Initiative for Military Families (IMF) - to 28 high schools located near military bases in 10 states. This expansion will ensure that children in military families have access to consistent, rigorous and high-quality AP math and science coursework.  

 

An on-line version of APTIP is also being implemented in South Dakota in partnership with the Learning Power non-profit education organization to serve students in largely rural areas. Learning Power has doubled the number of students taking and passing AP courses in participating schools.  

 

As of September 2011, NMSI will also have trained more than 8,000 teachers as part of the enhanced professional development that is at the core of APTIP, which also includes on-going support from master teachers for AP teachers in the classroom.

 
 

Clinton Global Initiative June 2011The NMSI leadership team has had a busy and productive summer, engaging in a series of major, high-profile presentations and events that have helped to further raise NMSI's visibility with potential supporters and opinion leaders.

 

NMSI participated in the Growth Philanthropy Network's "Social Impact Exchange" conference June 14-16 in New York.  The event was focused entirely on encouraging innovative methods to support scaling and replication of high-impact nonprofit programs.  NMSI was one of only six organizations selected to present as an exemplar of a "high-impact nonprofit" during the conference.

 

Mary Ann Rankin presented an overview of NMSI programs at the Naval STEM Forum, June 15-16, in Washington, D.C. The meeting highlighted the Navy's expanding commitment to STEM education and its need for a STEM-educated workforce.

 

On June 29, Tom Luce was asked to participate in the Clinton Global Initiative's first CGI America conference in Chicago.  NMSI was among 28 organizations making a commitment to help produce 100,000 highly qualified new STEM teachers in 10 years.

 
 

Sue Payne color headshotNMSI has added a seasoned executive, Sue Payne, to serve as Chief Operating Officer of the organization.

 

A loaned executive from ExxonMobil, Sue is no stranger to math and science-she graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics.  She joined Mobil in 1976 as a geoscientist in Dallas, and since then has held a variety of key positions with Mobil and then ExxonMobil: Planning Manager for ExxonMobil Exploration Company; U.S. Area Exploration Manager; Geoscience Operations Manager for ExxonMobil Production Company; Vice President for Mobil's Onshore U.S. Producing Business; Commercial and Negotiations Manager for Mobil New Business Development in Latin America; and an advisor at Mobil's corporate headquarters. 

 

Sue has held positions in Lagos, Nigeria; New Orleans, Louisiana; Fairfax, Virginia; Dallas and Houston. Before assuming her current position at NMSI, Sue's role as Geoscience Resource Manager encompassed managing the training, career development, and project deployment for more than 1,500 geoscientists in ExxonMobil's worldwide operations; and providing specialist geoscience technical support for ExxonMobil Upstream projects.  As you can see, Sue brings a world of experience to our NMSI mission.
 

In June, NMSI hosted the Young Leaders Program Capstone event in New York City - the culmination of a busy semester for 19 female college juniors and 22 successful businesswomen participating in the 2011 mentoring program. The Young Leaders Program was established to encourage more young women to pursue science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers by pairing them with some of the top businesswomen in the country working in STEM fields.

 

YLP 2011 group photoNMSI Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mary Ann Rankin is a firm believer in the value of sharing leadership skills with the next generation of women majoring in math and science. She said, "We must cultivate the interest and passion of these young people for the United States to remain competitive in today's high-tech, global marketplace."

 

Progress in preparing more young women for STEM careers is slow mainly due to the U.S. gender gap in math and science. For example, fewer than 10 percent of today's American engineers are women. And, even more alarming - 48 percent of the U.S. workforce is women, with only 24 percent of the female workforce with STEM jobs.

 

Program participants were encouraged to take advantage of opportunities and never give up on careers they want and for which they are qualified.

 

For more information, please click here.

 
 

Thanks to modern technology (and in a nod to the importance of math and science education!), there are now two new, on-line ways to support the work of NMSI.

 

NMSI has established a profile via the AOL Impact website, which was created to connect the public with "the greater good," making it easy to learn about and support charitable organizations around the country. Click here to view the NMSI profile.

 

Also, with the redesign of NMSI's website this spring, the organization now established a "How You Can Help" page through which you can make financial donations or contribute to our mission in other ways.

 

Whichever method you chooses, your support is gratefully appreciated and will make a difference: No gift is too small or too big when it comes to improving math and science education in the United States.

 
 

Laura CasdorphLaura Casdorph, one of the two Science Directors for Virginia Advanced Study Strategies (VASS), which administers NMSI's Advanced Placement Training and Incentive Program (APTIP) in Virginia, has been appointed a member of the Committee on Women in Physics of the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT). 

The three-year term from 2012 to 2015 will give her the opportunity to serve as a resource for the prestigious professional group. Established in 1930, AAPT is dedicated to the understanding and appreciation of physics through teaching. The association has more than 10,000 members in 30 countries around the world.

 

As a science director at VASS, Casdorph is responsible for training and mentoring AP chemistry and physics teachers at 65 schools participating in APTIP in Virginia. She also trains pre-AP teachers using the Laying the Foundation curriculum.

 

Prior to joining VASS in 2010, Casdorph taught chemistry and physics at Douglas Freeman High School in Richmond, Va. She also has served as a consultant for ACT chemistry and physics end of course assessments. She has been honored as Teacher of the Year at Douglas Freeman High School and Henrico County Public Schools.

 

Casdorph earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in chemistry, Master of Teaching certification and Master of Arts degree in physics education from the University of Virginia.

 
 

The Department of Education has announced that the NMSI affiliates in three states that are implementing the AP Training and Incentive Program (APTIP) will receive funding as part of the federal Advanced Placement Incentives grant program to help low-income students have greater access to and succeed in advanced placement courses.

 

The three-year grants included $1.35 million for A-Plus College Ready in Alabama; $1.6 million for Project Opening Doors in Connecticut; and $1.8 million for South Dakota, where the Learning Power organization is implementing an on-line version of APTIP.

 

"The awarding of these grants to our NMSI partners is a clear indication that the NMSI mission of dramatically increasing participation and success in rigorous courses of study, particularly increasing the success of traditionally underrepresented students, is bringing about valuable educational reform across the country," said Dale Fleury, NMSI Regional APTIP Director.

 

The Education Department is presenting $6.6 million this year for 12 new grants to states and school districts. The competitive grants will help increase student access to courses in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM).

 

"Research shows that students who take challenging classes are more likely to earn a college degree," Education Secretary Arne Duncan said. "This program will help give more low-income students the opportunity to take advanced course and prepare them to succeed in college and careers."

 

Schools can use the grants for activities to support their Advanced Placement programs such as teacher training, course development, books and supplies, and development and participation in on-line AP courses.
 

Sept. 20-22 - "Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Development of Regional Innovation Environments," in Madison, Wis.; Tom Luce will speak on "The Foundation of Innovation: K-12 STEM Education."

 

Sept. 22 - U.S Congressional briefing on APTIP results, "Beating Expectations: Increasing Achievement in Math and Science for All Students," in Washington, D.C.; NMSI staff participating in panel, along with APTIP students

 

Sept. 27 - U.S. News & World Report summit, "Making Science Cool: Solving the Shortage of Math and Science Students," in Washington, D.C.; Tom Luce is a featured speaker

 

Sept. 30 - Back-to-school kickoff of Initiative for Military Families (IMF) program at Green Run High School, in Virginia Beach, Va.

 

Oct. 24-25 - UTeach Open House and Replication Funding Meeting at The University of Texas at Austin

 

 

Click here to subscribe to NMSI's newsletter.