Alabama A&M University has secured a $77,770 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to participate in a national research project aimed at improving STEM teacher preparation, effectiveness, and retention in high-need school districts. The funding is part of a larger $1,232,951 NSF Track 4 Noyce Research grant led by Middle Tennessee State University. The project will run from September 2025 through September 2028.
Unlike previous grants that focused on scholarships, this award supports a multi-institutional Community of Practice intended to enhance research and collaboration among science and mathematics teacher educators across the United States. Alabama A&M joined the initiative after completing its previous Noyce scholarship grant and was invited by the lead institution to participate in this new research effort.
Dr. Salam Khan, professor of mathematics at Alabama A&M, serves as co-principal investigator for the project. Dr. Samantha Strachan, associate dean for student success and associate professor of secondary education in science at Alabama A&M, acts as co-investigator.
The consortium aims to tackle ongoing national issues related to recruiting, preparing, and retaining effective secondary STEM teachers in high-need districts. Through data-driven research and ongoing collaboration between participating institutions, the study will analyze factors influencing teacher persistence and classroom effectiveness while identifying strategies to improve STEM teacher preparation programs.
Research activities will involve working with science and mathematics educators—including former Alabama A&M Noyce Scholars now teaching in high-need schools—collecting large-scale data sets, conducting both quantitative and qualitative analyses of teacher experiences, observing classrooms, surveying student perceptions, and interviewing early-career STEM teachers. Findings will be integrated to determine which aspects of these programs contribute most significantly to long-term classroom success.
Nine universities are involved in the consortium: Central Washington University; North Dakota State University; University of Colorado Colorado Springs; University of Houston; University of Nevada-Reno; University of Texas at Austin; University of Texas Rio Grande Valley; Middle Tennessee State University; and Alabama A&M.
The project’s results are expected to inform evidence-based practices for recruiting and supporting STEM teachers working in high-need schools nationwide. The Community of Practice framework is designed to encourage professional development opportunities as well as shared learning among participating institutions. This work is funded through the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program.
“This project allows us to contribute to national research while learning directly from science and mathematics teachers who are working in high-need classrooms, including our own Noyce Scholars,” Strachan said. “By collaborating with educators and institutions across the country, we are helping to strengthen STEM teacher preparation and improve outcomes for students who need it most.”
