Cypress College’s CTE Teacher Prep Pipeline Grant Extended Through CCCCO Program
Cypress College’s CTE Teacher Preparation Pipeline grant has been extended for an additional year through the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. The $150,000 extension focuses on Career Technical Education and the STEM disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
“Seeking to increase the number of teachers with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), K-12, adult education, and career technical education (CTE) qualifications, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office today announced it has awarded $1.2 million in grants to 10 community college districts with existing Teacher Preparation Pipeline programs in order to more effectively recruit and train students for careers as teachers in these disciplines,” the CCCCO said in a news release issued on Thursday. “The California Community Colleges STEM Teacher Preparation Pipeline grant addresses the critical need for teachers with STEM backgrounds in California. California’s demand for new math and science teachers in the next 10 years is expected to exceed 33,000, far surpassing the number of STEM teachers that the state is expected to produce. In addition, an estimated 51,500 openings for elementary school teachers and 31,100 jobs for secondary school teachers will occur statewide between 2010 and 2020.”
According to the release: The California Community Colleges STEM Teacher Preparation Pipeline grants extend program funding through late 2015 for a network of community colleges that includes Cabrillo College, Cerritos College, College of the Canyons, Grossmont College, Cypress College, El Camino College, Rio Hondo College, Saddleback College, City College of San Francisco, and Lemoore College.
“If we want more diversity in the STEM technician occupations that drive many of our regional economies, like those in biotech, healthcare, and energy, let’s inspire students by giving them diverse role models in STEM teaching positions,” said California Community Colleges Chancellor Brice W. Harris. “Cultivating an innovation worker begins with the effective recruitment and training of STEM teachers. Our community colleges reflect the diversity of California and are well-positioned to train the next generation of STEM teachers.”