Open Letter from 100Kin10:

If We Want to Promote Innovation, We Must Support Teachers

There are frontiers, on the edge of what we know, where we are learning. Here, in contact with the ocean of the unknown, shines the mystery and the beauty of the world. And it’s breathtaking. — Adapted from Carlo Rovelli

It is hard to think of a more urgent priority for the country and planet than science, technology, engineering, and math (or STEM) education. Our most pressing challenges — from climate change to economic growth and advancing opportunity — and our most potent opportunities require problem-solvers and innovators equipped with STEM skills. Knowledge in math, technology, and the sciences, pure and applied, is central to the jobs of tomorrow; indeed, ten of the top 14 fastest-growing industries require STEM training.

Fortunately, our country was founded on innovation. We are a nation of problem-solvers and tinkerers, of dreamers and trailblazers.

To produce big ideas, solve our biggest challenges, and keep America competitive on a global scale, students need excellent educations — in STEM especially. As leaders deeply invested in the 100Kin10 effort — a nonpartisan, multi-sector, national network committed to recruiting and preparing 100,000 excellent K-12 STEM teachers by 2021 — we know that teachers are the cornerstone of our education system. Teachers support and inspire millions of children every day. Teachers produce the future’s doctors, engineers, architects, inventors, entrepreneurs, and, of course, educators; they power the possible and empower future generations to imagine and achieve what now seems impossible.

Yet many STEM teachers aren’t receiving the essential preparation, resources, and encouragement to do their jobs effectively. In fact, we face a great shortage of qualified STEM teachers nationwide. This need for excellent STEM teachers long preceded the most recent election, and, if we don’t all take action, it will extend well beyond the next four years.

That’s why 100Kin10 formed, stirred to action by a call in President Obama’s 2011 State of the Union address and by decades of research pointing to STEM teachers as the critical lynchpin to securing America’s future well-being. This ever-present need for excellent STEM teaching is why some of the country’s most innovative, powerful, and forward-thinking people and organizations came together five years ago and committed to improving STEM education across the country. To bring about the kind of change and support we need in our STEM education system, it’s going to take an all-hands-on-deck approach.

In just a few years, we have trained over 40,000 new STEM teachers, inspired nearly 300 best-in-class organizations to make and fulfill commitments, launched an annual Fellowship Program, delivered just under $400,000 to fuel nearly 90 collaborations, and awarded over $6 million in grants to seed new innovations. But we have many obstacles to tackle, and 100Kin10 and our allies understand that reaching this ambitious goal requires identifying and addressing the deep-rooted, systemic challenges that have plagued our education system for decades, including the underrepresentation of women and minorities in STEM fields; lack-luster enrollment for teacher-preparation programs; the high rate of teacher leavers; and an acute need for more early childhood STEM education.

We the undersigned are proud to be part of a robust network of STEM education advocates and experts that transcends party lines, sectors, and generations — for the future of STEM affects us all. In a polarized country, STEM education is one of the few nonpartisan, multi-sector, urgent issues of our time. We are committed to playing our part. We are on track to reach our goal of preparing 100,000 new STEM teachers by 2021 — and we will do whatever it takes to ensure a strong STEM education for all children across America.

Please join us in amplifying this important message by adding your name to this letter.

Sincerely,

· 100Kin10

· Sehreen Noor Ali, Founder, EdTechWomen

· American Association of Physics Teachers

· Eden M. Badertscher, Ph.D., Principal Investigator/Senior Project Director, EDC, Inc.

· Tracy Bame, President, Freeport-McMoRan Foundation, Freeport-McMoRan Inc.

· Steven Barbato, Executive Director/CEO, ITEEA-International Technology and Engineering Educators Association

· Teresa Barnett, Executive Director, Community Resources for Science

·Alissa Berg, Network Science Coordinator, Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL)

· NancyLee Bergey, Associate Director of Teacher Education (and PreK-8 science methods instructor), GSE, University of Pennsylvania

· Kimberly Brenneman, PhD, Program Officer, Education, Heising-Simons Foundation

· RiShawn Biddle, Editor, Dropout Nation

· Maureen Bisognano, Senior Fellow and President Emerita, Institute for Healthcare Improvement

· Blair Blackwell, Manager, Education & Corporate Programs, Chevron

· Dionn N. Brown, Director of S.T.E.M Initiatives, Urban Teachers

· James Brown, Executive Director, STEM Education Coalition

· Fernand Brunschwig, President, STEMteachersNYC

· Thomas J. Bussey, Assistant Teaching Professor, University of California, San Diego

· Kristine Callan, Teaching Associate Professor, Colorado School of Mines

· Arthur H. Camins, Science Educator, Education Policy Writer

· Monica Cardella, Director, INSPIRE Research Institute for Pre-College Engineering, Purdue University

· Michelle Chang, Principal, Corporate Social Responsibility, CA Technologies

· Erica Christensen, VP, Corporate Social Responsibility, CA Technologies

· Marqueritha Clarke, Supervisor of Instruction STEM, Cliffside Park School District

· Geraldine Contreras, Business Education Partnerships, Manager Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce

· Linda Coyle, Director of Education, Science Foundation Arizona

· Becky Crowe, Education Consultant

· Patrick D’Amelio, Chief Executive Officer, Washington STEM

· Danielle M. Dana, Executive Director, Science Friday

· Pradeep (Max) Dass, Director, Center for Science Teaching and Learning Northern Arizona University

· Christine Brennan Davis, Director of New Site Development, National Center for Teacher Residencies

· Mark DeLoura, Former White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Senior Advisor for Digital Media

· Ed Dickey, Professor of Education, University of South Carolina

· Brianna Donaldson, Director, Math Teachers’ Circle Network

· Juliann Dupuis, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Science Education, Notre Dame of Maryland University

· Daniel C. Edelson, Executive Director, BSCS

· David L. Evans, Executive Director, National Science Teachers Association

· Julie A. Evans, Ed.D., Chief Executive Officer, Project Tomorrow

· Chester E. Finn, Jr., Distinguished Senior Fellow & President Emeritus, Thomas B. Fordham Institute

· Carol L. Fletcher, Deputy Director, UT Austin Center for STEM Education

· Robert Floden, Dean and University Distinguished Professor, Michigan State University College of Education

· Mo-Yun Lei Fong, Equity in Education Advocate, 100Kin10 Advisor

· Judith Fraivillig, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Math Education, Rider University

· John Fraser, Ph.D. AIA, President & CEO, New Knowledge Organization Ltd.

· Elizabeth Gajdzik, Assistant Director of INSPIRE, INSPIRE Research Institute for Pre-College Engineering, Purdue University

· Kumar Garg, Former White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Assistant Director for Learning and Innovation

· Karen J Garrison, Math, Science and Lego Robotics Teacher, Retired-previously The Chestnut Hill School, Newton, MA

· Lisa Ginet, Ed.D., Professional Development Committee Chair, Collaboration for Early Childhood

· Jackie Gran, Chief Policy and Evaluation Officer, New Leaders

· Janie Griswold, Director of New Teacher Development, High Tech High

· GOOD Worldwide

· Catherine Guimaraes, Educational Consultant, Teaching Channel

· Bryan C. Hassel, Co-Director, Public Impact

· Emily Ayscue Hassel, Co-Director, Public Impact

· Jeff Hengesbach, Executive Officer, American Modeling Teachers Association

· Kimberly Hughes, Director, UTeach Institute, The University of Texas at Austin

· Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

· Eric Iversen, VP for Learning and Communications, Start Engineering

· Jane C. Jackson, Ph.D., Co-Director, Modeling Instruction Program, Arizona State University

· George Johnson, Professor, University of California, Berkeley

· John Keller, Director, California State University STAR Program

· Aimee Kennedy, Ph.D., Vice President, Education, STEM Learning & Philanthropy, Battelle

· Elizabeth Parks Kibbey, Owner, Collection

· Morgan Kim, Director of Fellow Engagement, EnCorps STEM Teachers Program

· Lina Klebanov, Corporate Social Responsibility Senior Manager

· W. Brian Lane, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Physics, Jacksonville University

· Tammy Levine, Jay and Tammy Levine Foundation

· Elizabeth Lewis, Associate Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

· Rebecca Lewis, Project Director EDC, Amgen Biotech Experience Program Office

· Shari Liss, CEO, Ignited

· Anissa Listak, CEO, National Center for Teacher Residencies

· Donna Llewellyn, Executive Director, Institute for STEM and Diversity Initiatives, Boise State University

· Mimi Lufkin, Chief Executive Officer, National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity

· Anu Malipatil, Director, Education, Overdeck Family Foundation

· Dr. Lisa Martin-Hansen, Professor and Chair of Science Education, California State University, Long Beach, and former President of the Association for Science Teacher Education (2015)

· Shelly Masur, CEO, CDE Foundation

· Victoria May, Executive Director, Institute for School Partnership, Washington University

· Jennifer McCray, Principal Investigator, Early Math Collaborative, Erikson Institute

· Mercedes McKay, Co-Director, Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education, Stevens Institute of Technology

· Susan McPherson, Founder and CEO, McPherson Strategies, LLC

· Colleen Megowan-Romanowicz PhD, Senior Fellow, American Modeling Teachers Association

· Jeff Milbourne, STEM educator, Researcher, and Policy Advocate

· Ellen Moir, CEO, New Teacher Center

· Melanie P Moore, Executive Director, KDK-Harman Foundation

· Kathy Moran, PhD, Dean Emerita, University of Indianapolis

· Museum of Science, Boston

· Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago

· Imelda L. Nava, Teacher Education Faculty, University of California, Los Angeles

· Mark Neal, Director, Project Inspire Teacher Residency

· Jim Oliff, Chairman, CME Group Foundation

· Dr. Julia Olsen, Director of Teacher Development, Teachers in Industry, The University of Arizona

· Bettye H. Perkins, Ed.D., President and CEO, Today’s Students, Tomorrow’s Teachers

· Fran Peterman, National Director and Dean, Teachers College, Western Governors University

· Blair Pircon, President & CEO, The Graide Network

· Larry R. Plank, Ed.S., Director, K-12 STEM Education, Hillsborough County Public Schools

· Kristen Poppleton, Director of Education, Climate Generation: A Will Steger Legacy

· Merredith Portsmore, Director, Center for Engineering Education and Outreach, Tufts University

· Sonya Pryor-Jones, Chief Implementation Officer, Fab Foundation

· Public Education & Business Coalition (PEBC)

· Gail Richmond, Professor & Director, College of Education, Michigan State University

· Andyshea Saberioon, CEO, PledgeCents

· Deborah D. Sachs, Teach (STEM)³ Director, University of Indianapolis

· Troy Sadler, Professor, University of Missouri

· Maryann Santos, Dean and Professor, Purdue University College of Education

· Anne Sekula, Director, Remake Learning

· Jeremy Smith, Executive Director, Rainwater Charitable Foundation

· Gerald Solomon, Executive Director, Samueli Foundation

· Gayle Spencer, Educator/Consultant, Education Residency Consulting

· Tracy Stavang, MS Technology Instructor, Everett PS

· Susan Stearns, Asst Director, NWO Center for Excellence in STEM Education

· Gay B Stewart, Director, WVU Center for Excellence in STEM Education, West Virginia University

· Irina Struganova, Professor, Valencia College

· David Taus, Program & Recruitment Director — SF Bay Area, EnCorps STEM Teachers Program

· Dr. Marjorie Taylor, Executive Director, The Orchard Foundation

· Paul Teske, Senior Director of Engagement, Teaching Channel

· Dr. Melissa Rihm Thibault, Vice Chancellor for Distance Education and Extended Programs, North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics

· Frederick J. Thomas, President, Learning with Math Machines

· Sara Torres, Executive Director, Arizona Science Teachers Association

· Roberta Trachtman, Ed Tech Teacher Prep Entrepreneur, Allenwood Company LLC

· Phil Vahey, Director of Mathematics Learning Systems, SRI Education

· Ruth K. Varner, Director, Leitzel Center for STEM Education

· Samantha Parent Walravens, Partner, Co-founder, Geek Girl Rising; Writer, Forbes, Geek Girl Rising

· Katherine Wilcox, Executive Director, EnCorps STEM Teachers Program

· Laura Wilding, aggieTEACH Program Assistant, Texas A&M University

· Sissy Wong, Associate Professor, Science Education, University of Houston

· Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation