Initial commitments to 100Kin10 will increase supply, retain excellence, build the movement.

In an effort to increase the supply of new math and science teachers and retain excellent teachers currently in the classroom, a group of 28 educational and corporate partners today announced 100Kin10, a movement aimed toward preparing 100,000 new, excellent math and science teachers over the next 10 years. The movement is a response to an urgent public call for change made most visibly in President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address to prepare our country’s students to address the most pressing national and global challenges and to ensure that all children have the basic science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) literacy necessary to be full participants in our economy and our democracy.  Initial commitments by partners, including Carnegie Corporation of New York, Opportunity Equation, NewSchools Venture Fund, and the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation are responding to this need. Watch the video (100Kin10 segment begins at 1:30 into video).

Current partners have committed to expanding the movement and creating a funding base of $20 million that will support as many as 100 innovative programs to develop and retain outstanding math and science teachers. 100Kin10 is calling for applications from non-profits, foundations, corporations, school districts and other organizations interested in contributing to the expansion of the nation’s science and math teaching force.  More information can be found at www.100Kin10.org.

“The 28 partners are tackling the President’s challenge from three directions: by increasing the supply of excellent STEM teachers; by developing and supporting STEM teachers so that our schools retain excellent talent, thereby reducing the need for new teachers; and by building the movement so that the quest for 100,000 excellent STEM teachers can succeed,” said Michele Cahill, Co-Chair of the Opportunity Equation and Vice President for National Programs, Carnegie Corporation of New York, which is coordinating the funders’ collaborative.  “But these efforts alone, though significant, are not equal to the challenge.  We need others with the demonstrated ability to develop outstanding teachers and to build this movement to join us.”

100Kin10 was announced at the Education in America: Regaining Our Edge session of the Clinton Global Initiative America Meeting in Chicago and included comments by President Bill Clinton as well as the introduction of several of the 100Kin10 partners.

President Bill Clinton said about 100Kin10, “The overwhelming focus of this conference is on getting people into the workforce over the next two years. If we don’t address this looming shortage of STEM teachers… everything done in the next two years will be undone.”

President Clinton continued by urging corporations, foundations of all types and other interested organizations to take a look at the 100K in 10 movement.

“100Kin10 is possible, and our students deserve it,” said Phillip Griffiths, professor emeritus of Mathematics and past director at the Institute for Advanced Study and Co-Chair, Opportunity Equation.  “As we outlined in our 2009 Opportunity Equation report, we know how to recruit, train and retain excellent STEM teachers.  If this country’s museums, schools, corporations, education organizations and other potential partners come forward and commit to action, we will meet our goal.”

The initial phase of the project is focused on the movement’s first three years and first 20,000 teachers.  Carnegie Corporation, NewSchools Venture Fund, and the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation have thus far committed a total of $8.5 million in funding, and 100kin10 will continue to work to secure funding commitments from new sources. Additionally, Carnegie Corporation is working with the US Department of Education to leverage and maximize public dollars to support the goals of 100Kin10.

“100Kin10 represents a unique opportunity to address the STEM teacher crisis facing this nation,” said Lauren B. Dachs, President, S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation.  “This initiative is a partnership of innovative funders with the ability to make strategic investments to enhance student learning and engagement in STEM. We are facing tough economic times with limited federal and state funding, but in an increasingly global market, the U.S. needs to remain competitive. We must bring along the next generation of students, and that means having more excellent and inspiring teachers.”

100Kin10 partners range from organizations that can increase the supply of science and math teachers, such as The New Teacher Project and the National Math and Science Initiative; retain excellent science and math teachers, such as Google and The Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT; and build momentum for the campaign, such as Ashoka’s Changemakers and Creative Commons.  The list of current partners and their commitments can be found at www.100Kin10.org.

“The organizations behind 100Kin10 bring an incredible amount of expertise and innovative-thinking to the challenge of recruiting, preparing and supporting STEM educators with the skills needed to propel our students to success,” stated Ted Mitchell, President and CEO at NewSchools Venture Fund. “Every highly-effective STEM teacher we bring into the classroom brings us closer to our goal.”

100Kin10 has already begun working with innovative partners in other sectors. The Campaign will use criteria established in conjunction with the University of Chicago’s Urban Education Institute to appoint and staff a national board to recommend STEM programs for inclusion in the movement; undertake rigorous reviews of all applicants’ capacity; and provide feedback on implementation and share best practices to drive improvements across all participating groups.  GOOD Corps is designing a social media-driven communications portal for organizations working to reach the 100Kin10 goal and interested in joining the network.  The design firm IDEO facilitated the initial 100Kin10 brainstorming session to bring creativity and design thinking to bear at the outset.

The complete list of current partners includes: American Museum of Natural History, Ashoka’s Changemakers, Baltimore City Public Schools, The Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Citizen Schools, Creative Commons, DSST Public Schools, EnCorps, Good Corps, Google, IDEA Public Schools, KIPP Houston, Los Angeles Unified School District, National Math and Science Initiative, National Science Foundation, New Teacher Center, New York Hall of Science, NewSchools Venture Fund, Opportunity Equation, Relay School of Education, S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, Teach For America, The New Teacher Project, University of Chicago Urban Education Institute, University of Washington College of Education, USC Rossier School of Education, and Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation.

Carnegie Corporation of New York

Carnegie Corporation of New York is a philanthropic foundation created by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 to do “real and permanent good in this world.” In education, the Corporation works to create pathways to opportunity for many more students by promoting systemic change and innovation in secondary and higher education. www.carnegie.org

Opportunity Equation

The Opportunity Equation initiative promotes equity and excellence in mathematics and science education. A partnership between the Institute for Advanced Study and Carnegie Corporation of New York, Opportunity Equation engages national and local decision makers and thought leaders to carry out the recommendations of the Carnegie Corporation of New York-Institute for Advanced Study Commission on Mathematics and Science Education in its 2009 report, The Opportunity Equation: Transforming Mathematics and Science Education for Citizenship and the Global Economy. www.OpportunityEquation.org.

Contact:
George Soule, 212-207-6344, [email protected]
Sara Appleyard Adams, 212-260-3401, [email protected]