ABCTE Applauds President Bush’s Call for Effective Math and Science Teachers

WASHINGTON, DC (February 3, 2006)– The American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (www.abcte.org) today applauded President Bush’s call for trained math and science teachers for America’s schools.

Thanks to a grant from the U.S. Department of Education and funding provided by Congress, ABCTE is already certifying mathematics, biology, and general science teachers, and will begin certifying physics and chemistry teachers this fall.

As the president calls on the country to “give our nation’s children a firm grounding in math and science,” it is crucial to continue progress in the programs already launched with federal dollars. The investment in ABCTE’s programs will pay off now and in the future.

Since its creation in 2001, ABCTE has made a positive difference in education and communities with its premier national alternative route to the teaching profession. Dedicated to increasing the number of highly qualified teachers available to schools around the country, ABCTE offers Passport to Teaching^SM certification for new teachers, an alternative program that breaks down unnecessary barriers to teaching.

ABCTE not only certifies highly qualified teachers but also actively recruits teachers for high-need districts. Previously, the President and the Congress identified the importance of mitigating teacher shortages in math and science and provided necessary funding for ABCTE and its teacher recruitment initiatives.

Twenty-five percent of the ABCTE’s funding goes toward developing recruitment plans for partner school districts and states at no cost to states or local entities. Recruitment sessions have attracted attendees including engineers, physicians, and members of the military. In fact, ABCTE certified teachers currently in the classroom include a West Point graduate, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate, and a former Lockheed Martin engineer.

Here are the facts about Passport to Teaching:

There are over 300 candidates pursuing the mathematics certification.
There are nearly 100 candidates pursuing general science and nearly 100 pursuing biology.
The average age of candidates is 40 and 42% are male.
Since April 2005, approximately 1,600 individuals have attended 20 teacher certification information sessions in four states.

Congress can be proud that its investment in the American Board is already paying off with the recruitment and certification of math and science teachers in classrooms nationwide. ABCTE will continue to leverage that investment with the goal of providing 12,000 math and science teachers over the next five years.