The UTeach Institute is Born

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

The college’s nationally recognized UTeach program has emerged as one of the most innovative and highly successful programs for training new K-12 science and math educators in the country.

Students enrolled in UTeach earn full teaching certification along with their math, science or computer science degree, and graduates of the program exhibit incredibly high retention rates. Around 75% are still teaching after four years. The program, which started in 1997 with 28 students, currently enrolls more than 450.

"We have created a program that attracts large numbers of strong math and science majors to teaching and prepares them for success," said Dean Mary Ann Rankin.

Now, through the efforts of the newly created UTeach Institute, the UTeach program is set to spread to universities across Texas and throughout the United States.

The institute, under the direction of Tracy Laquey Parker, will provide participating universities with, among many things, course materials, operations manuals, consultation, and training.
  
“As word about UTeach has spread, people from universities around the country are clamoring for information about the program,” said Parker. “We will provide them with what they need to create a successful replication of the program at their own institution.”

The Texas High School Project has provided funding for several pilot replications of UTeach around Texas, one of which is already running at the University of Houston. A web portal, made possible through funds provided by the ExxonMobil Foundation, will promote exchange among participants and serve as a clearinghouse for UTeach program information.

In recent news, the institute is partnering with the National Math and Science Initiative, which recently received a $125 million commitment from ExxonMobil, to expand UTeach nationally.    

Learn more about the UTeach Institute at http://www.uteach-institute.org.