Career Awards for Science and Mathematics Teachers

How should the applications be formatted?

All documents should be in 12 point font and have one-inch margins.  All required documents must be submitted and uploaded to proposalCENTRAL as Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files. Standard word processing software (e.g., MS WORD, WordPerfect) can be used to prepare the attachments; however, all documents must be converted from standard Word processing format to Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files prior to being uploaded to proposalCENTRAL. 

Do North Carolina public charter schools  teachers qualify to apply for these awards?

Teachers from charter and magnet schools in North Carolina are considered public school teachers and are eligible to apply for the Career Awards for Science and Mathematics Teachers. 

What type of licensure is required to apply for the Career Award?

Teachers with the following license may apply: Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics, a Comprehensive Science License (secondary), or middle grades science.  Mathematics teachers can hold a license in either secondary or middle grades mathematics.  Elementary teachers should hold an elementary (K-6) license and must spend at least 30 percent of their time teaching science or  mathematics . If a teacher is effectively integrating science and mathematics in the classroom and would like to apply for the award highlighting both areas, licensure will be required as described previously noted.  

Can a teacher currently not teaching in the classroom apply and return to the classroom if the award is received?

The Career Award for Science and Mathematics Teachers is available to teachers who are currently in the classroom at the time of application. 

Can teachers from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics apply?

NCSSM is a public residential high school and supported primarily by state funds, therefore teachers from this school can apply for Career Awards for Science and Mathematics Teachers.

Do I need to outline all professional development activities over the entire five year period?

Applicants do not need a detailed professional development plan for all five years - as it may change depending on what is learned through opportunities in year one and year two.  The committee anticipates all applications will have a clear plan for year one and year two and "options" for years three through five. 

Must I decide in advance what equipment to purchase in each of the five years and include all of that information in the proposal?

Applicants do not need a detailed budget for all five years of the award.  Applicants should have a clear budget for year one and year two of the award.  For years three through five, the budget can be general in nature and may include details on how you will decide how these future funds will be utilized.

How will the funds cover fringe benefits?

The teacher salary allocation:

• $10,000 stipend will be provided to supplement the teacher's annual salary or for fringe benefits, such as retirement or insurance. Discretion should be used by the teacher and principal in deciding how these funds could be used.  If a teacher is satisfied with current fringe benefits (health, dental, etc. coverage) then the money can be used strictly for salary support. If the teacher would like for the award to cover fringe benefits, this too is an option. This award is flexible in allowing a teacher and principal to determine what works best for the school's budget on behalf of this teacher.  The goal is to provide the teacher with additional income.
• $5,000 will be contributed annually to an annuity or savings account to be given to the teacher at the conclusion of the five-year award.
• The State Board of Education (SBE) will provide extra salary support to ensure that award recipients will receive a 12-month contract. If the teacher is currently under a 10 or 11-month contract, the SBE will distribute additional funds to the LEA to provide funding for the additional  month (s) salary.
  

Can the professional development portion of the annual grant installment be used by the recipient teacher as a learning experience for several teachers in his/her school or school district?

The Career Award for Science and Mathematics Teachers provides $10,000 annually for professional development.  These funds are flexible and may be used at the discretion of the teacher for personal professional development activities, travel and registration to meetings or conferences, or hiring substitutes.  If the teacher would like to expand professional development to a team of teachers to create networking opportunities with colleagues and to build capacity at his/her school or school district, the award allows this expansion. 

Is the LEA responsible for funding the additional two months of salary for teachers who received this award?

The State Board of Education has approved the additional salary support for award winning teachers.  The Department of Public Instruction will use an allotment process to issue these funds to the LEA for the additional months of employment for the teacher.

Who should write the training plan? 

Ideally, the training plan should be developed by the teacher with support and input from the principal and/or superintendent.  Both the principal and superintendent should clearly endorse the plan in their letter of nomination and notate how they support the teacher in his/her efforts.

Is the sample lesson plan and sample of student work limited to five pages?

Yes.

Do you need to have five complete years of teaching experience at the time of application?

Applicants for the Career Award for Science and Mathematics Teachers are required to have completed five  years of teaching prior to September 15th.  Therefore, teachers beginning their fifth year of teaching in the 2009-2010 school year are not eligible.  Applicants must be active classroom teachers.

When will the decision be announced?  When will the award commence?

Recipients of the Career Award for Science and Mathematics Teachers will be notified of their awards by late February  2010.  The award will commence June 1, 2010.