Master Teacher Program

The New York State Master Teacher Program at SUNY Cortland seeks to identify, reward, and support master teachers in the Central New York Region.  Teachers from school districts located in the counties of Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga, and Oswego will be included in the Central Region.

The role of master teachers as professional mentors and content experts is key to developing the current cadre of outstanding educators as well as developing skilled future teachers. Adequately documented is the shortage of STEM teachers in the k-12 system, and by engaging directly with those teaching math and science in grades 6-12 today, New York State can ensure that students will be college and career ready for the jobs of tomorrow.

Modeled after the successful Math for America (MfA) program currently operating in New York City and other sites nationwide, SUNY Cortland’s Master Teachers will:

• Engage in peer mentoring and intensive content-oriented professional development opportunities throughout the academic year.
• Work closely with pre-service and early career teachers to foster a supportive environment for the next generation of STEM teachers.
• Receive a $15,000 stipend per year over 4 years for participation in the program (total compensation of $60,000 per Master Teacher).

Master Teacher Fellows will attend regular cohort meetings as well as participate in and lead several professional development sessions each year. They will also participate in the training of pre-service and early career educators as part of the Master Teacher program.