ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), the largest professional organization in the world promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning, announced today the launch of a $43 million, five-year effort to create a national Center for Science Education (CSE). CSE initiatives will promote science literacy, produce the next generation of science education standards, and create a state-of-the-art facility that will allow science educators nationwide to engage in leadership and content-based learning opportunities.
Senator John Glenn, former NASA astronaut and a lifelong champion of science education, will chair the $23 million external fundraising campaign. To date, more than $12 million has been pledged for the campaign highlighted by lead gifts from Agilent Technologies, Amgen Foundation, Bayer Corporation, Bechtel Jr. Foundation, Discovery Channel, GE Foundation, and the Toyota Corporation. In addition, NSTA has committed to finance up to $20 million, nearly half of the funds needed, in support of this initiative.
Inspired by the Glenn Commission's visionary report Before It's Too Late, the CSE campaign will focus on many of the report's recommendations and feature as its cornerstone a new $30 million, high-tech, LEED-certified facility located just minutes from Washington, D.C. The new facility will serve as a launch pad to advocate for quality science education and as both a virtual and concrete learning center to develop science education leaders and provide content-driven training for teachers.
"The Glenn Commission laid out a highly-detailed plan for improving the performance of American students and reinvigorating science and math teaching and now is the time to take action and implement some of the commission's ideas," said Gerry Wheeler, executive director, NSTA. "The Center for Science Education is NSTA's vision for improving science education and elevating quality teaching in the U.S."
The campaign will also fund CSE programs including:
-- The NSTA New Science Teacher Academy, designed to address science teacher attrition by providing professional development and mentoring support for early early-career teachers;
-- The NSTA Learning Center, an internet portal created to provide science teachers with in-depth, science-content help, short courses, and quality face-to-face web seminars and meetings; and
-- The CSE Leadership Institute, offering workshops, seminars, and other high visible initiatives, including Science Matters, a public awareness and engagement campaign designed to rekindle a national sense of urgency about science education; and Science Anchors, a forward-thinking effort to identify core science concepts that will reflect a consensus on essential science skills and knowledge necessary for twenty-first century learning.
NSTA will be celebrating the launch of the campaign next month during the NSTA National Conference on Science Education in Boston on March 29.
About NSTA
The Arlington, VA-based National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) is the largest professional organization in the world promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all. NSTA's current membership includes more than 57,000 science teachers, science supervisors, administrators, scientists, business and industry representatives, and others involved in science education.
National Science Teachers Association
