Western Governors University Named Partner in 100Kin10, A National Network to Grow STEM Teaching Force

Online university joins elite group committed to recruiting, preparing, and retaining 100,000 science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) teachers in 10 years

NEW YORK, Jan. 31, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Western Governors University (WGU), www.wgu.edu, has been named a partner in 100Kin10, a multi-sector network addressing the national imperative to train 100,000 science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) teachers by 2021. The nonprofit, online university joins nearly 200 100Kin10 partners unified by a single, ambitious goal: to prepare all students with the high-quality STEM knowledge and skills to equip them for success in college and the workplace.

Organizations are accepted as 100Kin10 partners following a rigorous vetting process conducted by a team of partner reviewers and the University of Chicago. Reviewers are looking for organizations that bring innovation, boldness, and a proven track-record to their commitment(s) toward expanding, improving, and retaining the best of the nation's STEM teaching force, or building the 100Kin10 movement. 

"WGU is honored to join this premier network of institutions that share our commitment to and focus on increasing the number of high-quality STEM educators in our K-12 classrooms," said Dr. Philip Schmidt, Dean of WGU's Teachers College. "We look forward to working together to reach the network's goal, which is key to our nation's continued success and prosperity."

WGU's Teachers College, the first online teachers college to earn accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), offers degrees leading to teacher licensure as well as master's degrees in education and education administration. Established in 2003 with the support of the U.S. Department of Education, the Teachers College has more than 11,000 enrolled students and an additional 11,000 graduates. In 2013, WGU was the only online university to be recognized by the National Council on Teacher Quality's Honor Roll. The university is nationally recognized for its math and science education programs, and WGU is currently the top producer of master's degrees in mathematics education.

About 100Kin10
100Kin10 is a multi-sector network that responds to the national imperative to train and retain 100,000 excellent science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) teachers by 2021. As 100Kin10 partners fulfill their ambitious commitments and work together to spark innovation, they have access to exclusive opportunities—including competitive research opportunities, solution labs, collaboration grants, a growing research and learning platform, and a funding marketplace. Each of these is designed to foster collaborative problem-solving and support partners in fulfilling their ambitious commitments.  A complete list of partners is available on the 100Kin10 website.

In January 2014, 100Kin10 launched its third fund with $5 million and leadership from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, and the Overdeck Family Foundation. To date, 100Kin10 funding partners have committed more than $57 million in support of the work of the partners. Over $31 million has already been distributed to partner organizations in 99 grants since the first fund launched in June 2011.

In the first two years of the effort, 100Kin10 partners who have committed to increase the supply of great STEM teachers have recruited and prepared 12,412 teachers. They are projected to prepare just shy of 37,000 teachers by 2016, five years into the project's ten-year timeline. The network's continued growth (through organizations such as those announced here) will add to this total number. In addition, nearly 75 partners are working to support and improve existing teachers so that more of them stay in the profession, with the goal of over time reducing the need for so many new teachers entering the workforce.

About Western Governors University 
Recognized by President Obama as an innovative university that "awards credits based on learning, not seat time," Western Governors University is the only university in the U.S. offering accredited, competency-based bachelor's and master's degree programs at scale. Named one of  Fast Company's "Most Innovative Companies for 2013," WGU has been featured on NPR's "All Things Considered," NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, CNN's "Schools of Thought," and in The New York Times.

WGU was established in 1997 by a bi-partisan group of U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education. Today, WGU enrolls more than 43,000 students in all 50 states and has more than 30,000 graduates nationwide. The university is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

Western Governors University has partnered with five states to establish state-based universities aimed at adding affordable capacity to state higher education systems. WGU Indiana, WGU Missouri, WGU Tennessee, WGU Texas, and WGU Washington are key elements in their states' strategies for increasing the percentage of adults with bachelor's or master's degrees. These state-endorsed universities offer degree programs that are accredited through WGU.

The university has earned the support of more than 20 leading corporations and foundations, including AT&T, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lilly Endowment, HCA, Hewlett-Packard, Lumina Foundation, Microsoft, Oracle, SunGard Higher Education, and Zions Bank. More information is available at www.wgu.edu or by calling 866.225.5948.

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SOURCE Western Governors University