U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will deliver remarks and congratulate teachers on Thursday, June 28 at the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching award ceremony at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C. Duncan will discuss the importance of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and the need to reform and rebuild the teaching profession.
The U.S. Department of Education recently launched the RESPECT project, a national conversation led by active classroom teachers, working temporarily for the Department, to help inform the administration's proposals and the broader effort to reform teaching. The goal of RESPECT; which stands for Recognizing Educational Success, Professional Excellence and Collaborative Teaching; is to work with teachers and principals in rebuilding their profession and to elevate the teacher voice in federal, state and local education policy.
The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching is awarded annually to outstanding K-12 science and mathematics teachers from across the country. The winners are selected by a panel of distinguished scientists, mathematicians and educators following an initial selection process done at the state level. Winners of this Presidential honor receive a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation to be used at their discretion. They also are invited Washington, DC, for the awards ceremony and several days of educational and celebratory events, including visits with members of Congress and the Administration.
President Obama has committed to strengthen science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and prepare 100,000 effective science and mathematics teachers over the next decade. These commitments build on the President’s “Educate to Innovate” campaign, which has attracted more than $700 million in donations and in-kind support from corporations, philanthropies, service organizations and others to help bolster science and technology education in the classroom.