SUNY Cortland Seeks Qualified STEM Teachers

03/22/2016 

All outstanding math and science teachers from the Central New York region are encouraged to apply for the expanded New York State Master Teacher Program housed at SUNY Cortland. This is especially true of professional educators who feel that neither language issues nor special needs should be barriers for students interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

With 68 Master Teachers in training, the College currently serves as one of the largest regional hubs of the incentivized professional development program. The statewide effort, which launched in 2013 and currently includes a network of 623 high-performing teachers, rewards talented STEM educators and attempts to keep them in the classroom to share their expertise with peers and pre-service teachers.

Applications will be accepted through Saturday, May 14.

And starting in the fall, SUNY Cortland will host a new pilot extension to the program, one that encourages participation from STEM teachers who specialize in working with English-language-learners and students in special education programs. 

“There’s a need to provide additional support in STEM-focused courses for this diverse population of students,” said Dominick Fantacone M.A.T. ’12, the Central New York region coordinator and the chief campus coordinator for the program statewide. “We’re still recruiting purely STEM teachers and now also those who have these additional certifications.”

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo last week announced additional funding to expand the Master Teacher Program. SUNY Cortland, which runs the largest accredited teacher education program in the Northeast, serves as one of the nine campus partners representing the state’s economic development regions. The Central New York region covers Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego counties.

Collectively, Master Teachers represent nearly 300 school districts statewide. They possess an average of 14 years in the classroom, teaching a wide range of STEM courses at the middle and high school levels. 

The program requires a four-year commitment to mentoring other secondary school teachers and helping both prospective educators and new teachers. Master Teachers also engage in peer mentoring and intensive content-oriented professional development opportunities throughout the school year. Selection comes with a $60,000 stipend awarded annually in $15,000 increments for four years.

Master Teachers are chosen for their classroom effectiveness in science or math. They meet routinely as a group for mini-courses and workshops and pursue individualized development plans in their content areas. They then share what they’ve learned with other working educators and pre-service teachers.

To be eligible for the Master Teacher Program, applicants must be certified New York State public school teachers in grades six through 12. Teachers also must have a minimum of four years of experience teaching STEM subjects and must spend at least 60 percent of their time in the classroom teaching those subjects.

Individuals who meet the eligibility requirements and the following criteria are encouraged to apply for the pilot program being launched at SUNY Cortland, on Long Island and in the Western New York region: 

• Hold an extension certificate in bilingual education, or
• Hold certification in English as a Second Language, or
• Hold a dual certification in a content area and special education.

Visit suny.edu/masterteacher for additional information about the Master Teacher Program, the application requirements and the process associated with it.