It was in this context that the NRC convened a two-day planning meeting at the Beckman Center in Irvine, California to study the feasibility and potential design of a project which would offer displaced aerospace and defense personnel an opportunity to become well-qualified, effective mathematics and science teachers. Scientists and engineers leaving the military, defense-related industry, aerospace careers, and national laboratories were assumed to represent a potentially large pool of talent for career teachers who can teach according to the guidelines in the national standards for mathematics and science education. Appendix B is the report from the planning meeting. The issues addressed at the planning meeting were:
-
types of alternative teacher certification programs that existed, primarily in California;
-
credential or licensure requirements for teachers who enter the teaching work force through alternative certification programs;
-
placement and employment opportunities in schools for scientists and engineers after the retraining period;
-
support needed from the current employers of scientists and engineers wishing to make a shift into teaching careers;
-
appropriate role(s) for the various players, including the NRC, colleges and universities, state credential board, cooperating school systems, federal agencies and laboratories, industry, and others; and
-
key elements of successful certification programs.
PROGRAM SCOPE
The DRI project was divided into five phases plus the pre-award activities described above, as indicated in the following chronology of events.
Pre-award Activities
|
1993 |
October |
Feasibility Discussion Group Meeting, Beckman Center |
Phase I
|
1994 |
November |
Initial Contract with DOD awarded Staff hired and DRIAB appointed |
|
1995 |
February |
First DRIAB Meeting |
|
March |
Haberman Interview Training Workshop |
|
|
April |
Applicant files reviewed |
|
|
May |
Interviews with applicants |
|
|
June |
Schools secured Evaluator selected Fellows accepted |
Phase II
|
July |
Fellows began CSULB program Second DRIAB Meeting |
|
August |
RFP for second cohort credential program issued |
|
September |
Informational meeting for Proposal for Second Cohort |
|
October |
Professional Development Seminar at California Museum of Science and Industry, Reception for Los Angeles Dignitaries |
|
|
November |
Third DRIAB Meeting |
Phase III
|
November |
Site for Second Cohort selected Professional Development Seminar at California Institute of Technology |
|
|
1996 |
January |
Workshop for Cooperating Teachers |
|
June |
Fellows began Student Teaching |
|
|
August |
Fellows completed credential program Fourth DRIAB Meeting Professional Development Seminar at Discovery Museum’s Launch Pad |
|
|
September |
Most Fellows began teaching |
Phase IV
|
November |
First Saturday Seminar for Fellows |
|
|
1997 |
February |
Saturday Seminar for Fellows |
|
April |
Two Saturday Seminars for Fellows Paper presented at National Association for Alternative Educator Preparation, Certification, and Licensure meeting, Norfolk, VA |
|
|
May |
Fifth DRIAB Meeting Saturday Seminar for Fellows |
|
|
August |
Summer Workshops for Fellows |
|
|
September |
Two Saturday Seminars for Fellows |
|
|
November |
Saturday Seminar for Fellows |
|
|
1998 |
February |
Sixth DRIAB Meeting (half-day) Two Saturday Seminars for Fellows |
|
March |
Two Saturday Seminars for Fellows |
|
|
May |
Saturday Seminar for Fellows |
Phase V
|
September |
Final DRIAB Meeting Final Report Drafted Two Saturday Seminars for Fellow (following amendment to contract) |
|
|
December |
Mentoring Workshop for Fellows (following amendment to contract) |
