STEPHENVILLE — Tarleton State University has been awarded $731,322 of a nearly $5 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to design professional learning opportunities and recruit K-8 science instructors as part of the National STEM Teacher Corps Pilot Program. The grant is one of seven awarded across the country.
Dr. Gwinn North, Assistant Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, along with department colleague and Associate Professor Dr. Ricardo Lumbreras Jr. and engineering technology Associate Professor Dr. Billy Gray, will collaborate with faculty at Southern Methodist University on the program. Additional alliance partners include the Texas Region 10 Education Service Center, Teach for America, the Charles Butt Foundation and the Stephenville, Huckabay, Glen Rose and Dallas independent school districts.
Dr. North explained that although science education standards have shifted in the United States toward the integration of engineering across all grade levels, elementary and middle school teachers rarely receive formal preparation in engineering and science integration. Texas just began implementing new science education standards that integrate engineering in the 2024-25 academic year.
“With these new standards, there is a critical need for professional learning for Texas teachers of grades K-8 to support their effective integration of engineering in inquiry-based science instruction, particularly within rural and high-need schools,” Dr. North said.
The proposed program will immediately benefit approximately 100 K-8 science teachers and 12,000 students, with countless additional students benefitting in the coming years, she said. The five-year project will address three goals:
- Enhance the quality of science and engineering integration among K-8 teachers in Texas.
- Elevate Texas STEM Teacher Corps members professionally.
- Advance knowledge related to science and engineering integration, STEM teacher leadership and STEM teacher retention.
“This project is aligned with my commitment to help increase STEM access for all K-8 students, with an emphasis on students in rural schools,” Dr. North said. “It will include longitudinal research studies to advance knowledge related to science and engineering pedagogical content knowledge, STEM teacher leadership and STEM teacher retention.”
Dr. Rupa Iyer, Tarleton State’s Vice President for Research, Innovation and Economic Development, lauded the collaboration between Tarleton State faculty and external partners that resulted in the grant award.
“By leveraging our collective expertise, this highly competitive grant by NSF is poised to deliver and implement much needed professional learning opportunities for our K-8 science teachers,” she said.
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