Help Wanted: Qualified Physics Teachers

1. Desperately Help Wanted: Qualified Physics Teachers Cornell University June 21, 2006 Ed Reinfurt, Vice President The Business Council of New York State, Inc.

2. The Business Council • 3,200 member companies statewide • Involved in major policy initiatives impacting employer community – economic development, tax, health, environmental, labor, etc. • This year witnessed a major new effort – Innovation Agenda for 2006

3. Why an Innovation Agenda? • For years our effort has been: get New York’s costs and business climate competitive with other states. We still need to do this. • But, at the same time we need to recognize and understand the world has changed faster than we have. We need to do more – much more!

4. Global Economy • Innovation – the combination of science, technology, and new ways of doing business – is driving a global economy of very rapid change. • No state is yet confronting the challenge effectively. • And that gives New York a chance to get ahead of the curve – if we rise to the challenge.

5. “Innovation is the force that will define our competitiveness, drive our economic progress, improve our quality of life, and strengthen our ability to deal with our socialproblems.”Linda Sanford, Senior Vice President for Enterprise on Demand Transformation, IBMChair, The Business Council

6. The Challenge • We need to improve the science and math skills of our future workforce – today’s students. • We need to strengthen R&D at both the corporate and university levels. • We need to make New York a mecca for high-tech investment and entrepreneurs.

7. Consider these facts • More than 50% of America’s science and engineering workforce is approaching retirement. • This state is graduating fewer than 4,000 new engineers each year – less than the mid-80’s. • New York State annually graduates twice as many psychology majors as engineers. • 2004 Survey revealed that 90% of school districts found it "somewhat difficult" or "very difficult" to recruit math and science teachers

8. Let’s look closer to home “Over the next seven years, Lockheed Martin projects that the engineers it will need to hire will equate to 1/6th of all American engineering graduates of U.S. colleges and universities.” Frank Meyer Lockheed Martin Owego, New York

9. Our Agenda for 2006 • Built around two basic concepts we believe are critical if New York is to compete and win in the global economy: • First, we must hone our capacity to innovate. • Second, we must shrink our high cost areas of doing business.

10. The 2006 Education Agenda • Continue support for high standards in the classroom. • Provide competitive scholarships for future math and science teachers. • Work with Regents to develop an information campaign on possible career options, and the required education. • 50 % tax credit for individual or corporate contributions to scholarships in math, science and engineering at New York colleges and universities.

11. Our Teaching Scholarship Proposal • Based on a model developed by the National Academies of the Sciences. • $20,000 per year for five years. • 500 Scholarship to be awarded to students who agree to teach math and science for five years in New York State schools. • Competitively based.

12. The Importance of Teachers • There is little way this nation can meet its goal of increasing the number of scientists and engineers without increasing the supply and quality of math and science teachers. • The nation’s goal for 2015 means we must be influencing today’s 4th grader – who else is going to do that?

13. What Happens to the 4th Grader? • At 4th grade level our children test well. • They are technology savvy. • By 8th grade they fall behind in math and science. • By 12th grade they fall even further behind. Why? • Courses considered either “too hard” or “not relevant”.

14. Competitively Based Scholarships – Key to Success • Key to having better teachers is attracting better students. • Scholarships can be important factor in students decision making. • Five year commitment fair – allows for other career options. • Communities must recognize and reward teacher performance.

15. New York State Budget • Created new program providing 500 scholarships to students who agree to teach math and science in New York State schools for five years. • Scholarships = $5,000 a year for up to five years. • Competitively based.

16. Scholarship Program • Competitive criteria now being developed. • Late fall applications – Spring ’06 awards. • Open to current college students and high school seniors.

17. Other Efforts Are Needed • Strengthen curriculum at both the middle school and high school levels. • Provide more information to students, educators and parents on career information and the knowledge requirements associated with these careers.

18. Career Information • Tremendous need to provide more career information to students, educators and parents. • Students need to understand earlier the knowledge requirements for the exciting careers that are out there. • No one guidance counselor can stay on top of this.

19. Career Zone • Internet based career exploration program developed by the NYS Dept. of Labor www.nycareerzone.org) • Provides students with an interest assessment survey which identifies a multitude of career links. • Provides students with the knowledge requirements of those careers.

20. Career Zone • 100,000 users per month • 500-700 new portfolios opened each day • 400,000 portfolios accounts statewide • Over 785 schools currently using program

22. Add Career Zone Info

25. Add Teacher Externships

27. Project Lead The Way • Established to help schools give students the knowledge they need to excel in high tech fields. • Provides students with an opportunity to learn math, science, and technology in a hands-on, relevant way. • Rigorous curriculum tied to real world applications.

32. Teacher Externships Attempting to expand number of companies providing teachers with exposure to their workplace and their workforce.

33. Next Steps • On Wednesday, June 21st The Business Council will host a special Business and Education meeting to showcase several initiatives that address specific needs which have been identified as educational priorities by businesses and educators. • This is part of the commitment made to Commissioner Mills at last year’s Education Summit – identifying and implementing actionable and measurable steps for educational improvement. • Our Goal: To have local business organizations engaged with their local schools in strengthening math and science programs and in expanding career information.

34. Thank You! • Have a great conference!