November 10, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Greater Birmingham Mathematics Partnership (GBMP) has received a two-year, $600,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to establish a program for teachers of mathematics.

The GBMP was selected to receive the grant to implement the Robert Noyce NSF Master Teaching Fellows Program. The program is designed for teachers who teach mathematics in grades 5-8 in school districts where a high percentage of students live below the poverty line or in districts that have high teacher turnover rates.

Sixteen applicants will be selected for the program. Those selected will attend mathematics education seminars, professional conferences and institutes. They will receive a $1,000 monthly salary supplement up to $10,000 for two years. In addition, the teachers will have the opportunity to earn advanced college degrees in mathematics or in education with a concentration in mathematics. The deadline to apply is Nov. 21. Call 205-934-3738 for details.

The GBMP is a collaboration involving the UAB School of Education, UAB Department of Mathematics, Birmingham-Southern College, nine school systems in the Birmingham metropolitan area and Mathematics Education Collaborative (MEC), a Seattle-based non-profit which provides support services to education communities to improve mathematics instruction. The GBMP is supported with a $9.9 million NSF grant.