A New Coalition Is Tackling the STEM Teacher Shortage

There's been plenty of hand-wringing over America's need for more science, technology, engineering, and math teachers to ensure students are well-prepared for jobs of the future. Now, a new coalition is working to do something about it.

100Kin10 is a collaboration led by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Opportunity Equation with the goal of training 100,000 high-quality STEM teachers over the next decade. Google hosted the first-ever gathering of partners—including museums, nonprofits, tech companies, school districts, and universities—Tuesday at their Washington D.C. offices, and more than 100 shared their plans for tackling the teacher shortage.

The plans include improved efforts at everything from recruiting and hiring to training and retaining the next generation of STEM teachers. The 23-campus California State University system, for example, committed to to preparing 1,500 new math and science teachers every year through 2015. CSU administrators also plan to ensure that half of those teachers fill jobs in high-need schools and stay on the job for at least three years. Google is working to develop a recognition program that will turn the spotlight on the accomplishments of the top 5 percent of STEM teachers nationwide.

Preparing the next generation of STEM innovators has been a key focus of the Obama Administration. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan applauded the 100Kin10 gathering, noting that boosting the number of STEM teachers is key to "creating a new generation of diverse STEM leaders."

GOOD/Corps, the strategic creative consulting division of GOOD, is among the 100Kin10 partners, and over the next year, GOOD Education will report on the work of the other stakeholders. We can't wait to see how they're planning to tackle this critical need and create a better future for America's students.

Photo via (cc) Flickr user Amy Loves Yah