Photo: Wayne State University Faculty and Administration Building

DETROIT – The National Science Foundation’s Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program granted Wayne State University $1.4 million to launch a new program that will prepare the next generation of mathematics teachers in Detroit.

The university stated the project, TeachDETROIT, will train elementary and middle school teachers in Detroit to help students become more proficient in mathematics skills, as they lag behind in the subject compared to their international peers.

“We are facing a critical challenge because proficiency in mathematics is essential for entry to college, access to employment and economic well-being,” said Jennifer Lewis, assistant professor of mathematics education at  WSU and principal investigator on the grant. “This grant has come at a very important time as student scores in mathematics on the National Assessment of Educational Progress have dropped to among the lowest in the country.”

Wayne State University will work with Henry Ford College, Detroit Public Schools and Wayne Westland Community Schools to train and recruit 56 new math teachers to Detroit schools. Scholarships and stipends to highly qualified candidates will be awarded for their participation in an urban teacher residency program for 15 months.

“This project will create a model to prepare new teachers to be successful, especially in high-poverty schools with children of color, and ultimately will contribute to educational research,” said Lewis.

She added that those participating in the project will receive training that will help them teach mathematics for understanding, design and carry out sophisticated assessments of student progress, develop skills to work with diverse students, analyze data, and adjust instruction as needed.

After graduating from TeachDETROIT, teachers will be kept in an ongoing conversation about the best practices in mathematics instruction for two years.