National Science Foundation Awards Adelphi 5-Year Grant

More diverse teaching force = Enhanced Math Education

Grant amount awarded: $895,000 over five years

Awarded to Professor Robert Bradley, department of Mathematics and Computer Science, College of Arts and Sciences; Assistant Professor Danté Tawfeeq, department of Curriculum and Instruction, Ruth S. Ammon School of Education; and Adelphi Math and Science Coordinator Gary Schechter from National Science Foundation (NSF)

When it comes to teaching and studying mathematics and science, particularly at the secondary and post-secondary levels, African Americans and Latinos are sorely underrepresented. The demand for qualified minority math and science teachers is especially acute in high needs school districts. To address these gaps, Dr. Bradley, Dr. Tawfeeq, and Mr. Schechter designed and submitted a funding proposal to support the five-year Teachers of Mathematics Scholarship Program (TOMS). The program will provide academic support and partial funding to mathematics majors who are pursuing a secondary teaching credential. Sixteen students will be partially supported in their junior, senior, and master’s years of study. “These students will acquire the knowledge and skills to instruct mathematics in middle and high school classes in high needs schools,” says Dr. Tawfeeq.

The program is open to currently enrolled students, and Adelphi will recruit students from community colleges. “While all qualified and interested students should apply, we encourage African American and Latino students who are interested to apply for this opportunity,” Dr. Tawfeeq says.

One of the requirements of the NSF grant is to encourage participants to take jobs in high needs schools while enrolled in the TOMS project. Consequently, the program offers specialized courses, including “Issues of Learning Mathematics in High Needs Schools: Race, Gender, Equity, and Social Justice” and “Measurement and Evaluation of School-Based Mathematics Learning Programs.”