Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) and City University of New York (CUNY) to Strengthen Pathways into STEM Teaching

The National Center for STEM Education is launching a new partnership with Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) and the City University of New York (CUNY) to strengthen pathways into STEM teaching and address persistent shortages of qualified middle and high school STEM educators.

The three-year initiative, Building Onramps to STEM Teaching, is supported by a $2 million investment by the Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation and will focus on recruiting STEM majors into teaching careers through targeted recruitment and innovative, low-barrier opportunities to explore the profession.

The project reflects the center’s core priority of building stronger talent pipelines into STEM education careers while helping colleges and universities expand capacity to attract, prepare, and retain the next generation of STEM teachers.

A partnership with potential for national impact

Across the country, schools continue to face shortages of certified STEM teachers. At the same time, research and experience from across the national UTeach network demonstrates that about a third of STEM majors express an interest in teaching but never encounter a clear pathway to explore it as a career option.

Through newly developed Exploring Teaching courses, students will gain firsthand exposure to the profession while learning about pathways to certification and careers in education.

Officials note that the project brings together institutions with significant reach and influence in teacher preparation.

Central serves nearly 9,500 students and has a strong tradition of community engagement and educator preparation. CUNY, the nation's largest urban public university system, prepares more than one-third of all new teachers hired annually by New York City Public Schools.

“Central has always had strong relationships with local school districts in Connecticut, and this project is another opportunity for us to deepen those partnerships and better address persistent teacher shortages across the state through building on our strong preparation foundation in ways tailored to meet the needs of our STEM major population,” says Dr. Paula Talty, special assistant to the provost.

Together, Central and CUNY will develop recruitment strategies, establish introductory teaching experiences, strengthen teacher preparation pathways, and improve transitions from community colleges into bachelor's-level certification programs.

The project aims to enroll approximately 360 students in the new Exploring Teaching courses over the grant period, creating a pathway for many of those students to continue into formal STEM teacher preparation programs.

The universities also plan to establish permanent recruitment structures and program improvements that will continue after grant funding concludes.