National stem teacher corps pilot program: mississippi stem education alliance

The National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Undergraduate Education, awarded The University of Mississippi a $4,993,005 Cooperative Agreement on October 1, 2025, under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to implement the National STEM Teacher Corps Pilot Program: Mississippi STEM Education Alliance. The project, which extends through September 30, 2030, recognizes and supports 16 outstanding STEM educators in high-need secondary schools across Mississippi while providing professional development, mentorship, and support to an additional 100 mathematics teachers. The University of Mississippi will partner with the Mississippi Department of Education and local school districts across the state to establish professional development institutes, design a statistics and data literacy course for high school students, and train Teacher Corps members to serve as facilitators who help teachers obtain supplemental teaching endorsements in mathematics content shortage areas.

The primary deliverables include the identification and recognition of exemplary mathematics teachers who will serve as models for in-service and pre-service educators; comprehensive professional development programming targeting mathematics instruction in secondary schools; and credentialing support aimed at endorsing an estimated 100 additional teachers in middle school mathematics, algebra, and geometry within the five-year performance period. Special emphasis is placed on supporting rural mathematics teachers in gaining the content knowledge and certifications needed for effective secondary instruction, thereby advancing educational excellence in mathematics across the Southeast region.

Abstract

The national stem teacher corps pilot program regional alliance project aims to recognize outstanding stem educators in high-need schools that advance educational excellence in the southeast region. This project will support 16 stem teacher corps members by recognizing and rewarding their accomplishments and effort to enhance mathematics teaching and learning in secondary schools. The project will also provide professional development, mentorship and support to 100 other teachers of mathematics by supporting the mississippi stem education alliance (mesa). This alliance will work to recognize exemplary mathematics teachers and collaborate with them to design and facilitate professional development opportunities for mathematics teachers across the state. Teacher corps members will also share their experiences with other teachers and support teachers in rural communities to gain the content knowledge and certifications needed to effectively teach secondary mathematics. These national stem teacher corps members will gain recognition as models to which in-service and pre-service teachers can aspire. This project at the university of mississippi includes partnerships with the mississippi department of education and local school districts in each congressional district across the state. The goals of the project aim to support teachers who will serve as facilitators, working with alliance partners to create professional development institutes and design a statistics and data literacy course for mississippi high school students. The national stem teacher corps members will be trained to serve as professional development facilitators who will impact other teachers and help them obtain supplemental teaching endorsements in critical content shortage areas. This program aims to endorse an estimated 100 additional teachers in middle school mathematics, algebra, and geometry within five years, ensuring that students have access to robust learning opportunities. The program will collect pre- and post-assessment data to measure the impact on teacher content knowledge. Additionally, the mississippi stem education alliance will establish an online hub that will consolidate information related to professional development and student opportunities. This online information hub will be available to all mississippi stem teachers and will be used to connect the stem learning efforts of all mississippi stem education alliance partners. The NSF national stem teacher corps pilot program supports outstanding stem educators in high-need schools that advance educational excellence in our nation?s prek-12 classrooms. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are planned for this award.