Early application period for DREAM-Math project now open

Dreaming of a career change? The early application period for the DREAM-Math project is now open.

Thanks to a collaborative effort between Auburn University’s College of Education, College of Sciences and Mathematics, Tuskegee University and other partners throughout the state, STEM-educated professionals now have a unique opportunity to make a career change.

The Developing, Recruiting and Empowering Alabama Mathematics Teachers, or DREAM-Math, project addresses the critical shortage of mathematics teachers in Alabama while streamlining the process and removing roadblocks for people interested in becoming mathematics teachers.

The program is for those who have never been teachers but who have a STEM degree that includes at least 12-15 hours of mathematics at or above Calculus I.

“I know firsthand that there are many paths that can lead someone to become a mathematics educator,” said Marilyn E. Strutchens, Emily R. and Gerald S. Leischuck Endowed Professor and Mildred Cheshire Fraley Distinguished Professor of Mathematics Education in the College of Education. “The DREAM-Math project opens the door to a meaningful, rewarding and exciting career for STEM-educated career-changers and others who may not have considered a career in teaching before now.”

Funded by a $3.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s Noyce Scholarship Program, DREAM-Math will provide participants a scholarship of more than $35,000 to complete a full-time, four-semester master’s-level teacher certification program. It also will support new teachers in launching their careers, including a $10,000 annual stipend as they complete four years of teaching in a high-need school.

The DREAM-Math project is accepting applications through Feb. 28 for early admission to the Summer 2023 cohort. Enrollment is limited to 24 participants. Visit the DREAM-Math website, https://dream-math.org, to learn more or apply for the program.