PITTSBURGH-ASSET STEM Education „¢ (Achieving Student Success through Excellence in Teaching) is partnering with Freeport-McMoRan Foundation to develop elementary and middle school math educators across Grant County, New Mexico's schools. The three-year program is funded through the Foundation's Math Professional Development Initiative. ASSET, a national STEM education improvement nonprofit, will deliver professional development, math content and pedagogy, and strategies for developing math teacher leaders for sustainable education advancement in New Mexico.

€œThe Freeport-McMoRan Foundation is pleased to make this investment in math professional development for Grant County, New Mexico teachers, € said Tracy Bame, President of the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation. €œFostering opportunities for rural teachers to advance their knowledge of mathematics teaching, the basis of STEM education, supports our goal to help improve professional development opportunities in the communities where we operate. €

Throughout the program, ASSET will:

· Impact teacher confidence and efficacy related to math content and pedagogy;

· Develop math teacher leaders for sustainable growth; and

· Increase student achievement, efficacy and engagement in math

“ASSET is honored to be given the opportunity to develop math teacher leaders in a rural and underserved area of New Mexico,” said ASSET Executive Director Dr. Cynthia Pulkowski. “Our staff looks forward to advancing teaching and learning in Grant County.”

The program will be delivered by ASSET educators in-person, via videoconferencing and online through the Teaching Channel TEAMS site.

About ASSET STEM Educationâ„¢

Founded in 1994 by the Bayer Corporation and a coalition of community partners, ASSET STEM Educationâ„¢ has grown from a local education improvement nonprofit to a national leader in science, technology, engineering and math education. The organization provides more than 130 different professional development courses to more than 7,000 educators annually. ASSET also equips classrooms and educational programs with hands-on, minds-on STEM materials. Each year, these activities impact nearly 225,000 school-aged youth.

ASSET's holistic approach to STEM education fosters youth interest, engagement, and achievement in other subjects as well, including reading. Independent evaluations have demonstrated ASSET's potential to help educators impart youth with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the 21st century.