Helping Public School Teachers Earn Free Master’s Degree
Spring 2020 | By Jalen Bass
Elementary school teacher Kimberly Rougeux 鈥�01 鈥�19MEd聽had always wanted to earn a master鈥檚 degree. But as a聽full-time teacher and a busy parent, she struggled to聽find the time and resources. That all changed when the聽Lockheed Martin/91吃瓜网 Academy allowed Rougeux, along聽with 97 other local public teachers, to earn her 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚听诲别驳谤别别 for free.
The Lockheed Martin/91吃瓜网 Academy developed the聽Master of Education in K鈥�8 Mathematics and Science聽program, which is focused on bolstering STEM education聽and retaining current teachers while building the talent聽pipeline.
Last December, 20 Orange County Public School聽teachers became the first class to graduate with all costs聽covered.
Kimberly Rougeux 鈥�01 ’19MEd was one of 20 OCPS teachers who graduated in December with a free Master鈥檚 in Education聽in K-8 Mathematics and Science from 91吃瓜网.
鈥淟ockheed Martin invests in master鈥檚 degrees for聽educators because we believe in the power of teachers to聽inspire the next generation of students who will become聽tomorrow鈥檚 engineers, scientists and technologists that鈥檒l聽shape the future of our world for decades,鈥� says Tom聽Mirek, vice president of engineering and technology at聽Lockheed Martin.
The program aims to facilitate Florida鈥檚 goal of聽increasing student math scores, a move that should聽prepare students for what is projected to be a 10 percent聽growth in STEM jobs nationally between 2018 and 2028.
As for Rougeux, a 17-year teaching veteran, she鈥檚 already聽seen an impact in how she teaches.
鈥淎 lot of what I learned 20 years ago is not relevant,鈥澛爏ays Rougeux, who鈥檚 teaching her students to understand聽math rather than just memorize it. 鈥淭here鈥檚 that aha!聽moment when they realize they understand the concept.聽I tell my students I don鈥檛 want you to have that moment聽in college. I want you to have that now.鈥�
To be eligible for the program, teachers must teach in an elementary school or teach math or science in a middle school. Priority is given to those in Title I schools, which have high concentrations of students in need, and who will commit to continue teaching for at least three years after earning their master鈥檚 degree.
鈥淭raining high-quality math and聽science teachers is an investment聽in our instructors as well as [our]聽students for years to come.鈥�Barbara Jenkins 鈥�83 鈥�86MEd 鈥�96EdD, superintendent for Orange County Public Schools