Governor Cuomo Announces Selection of 228 Additional New York State Master Teachers
September 27, 2019
From the office of Governor Cuomo
Total Number of Outstanding STEM Teacher- Leaders Earning Master Teacher Recognition Over 1200
New Application Round for K-12 STEM Applicants Now Open Until February 22, 2020
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the selection of 228 educators from across the state to join the New York State Master Teacher Program. One third of the new Master Teachers announced are elementary teachers, expanding the network of outstanding teacher-leaders to include K-12 STEM educators, and 27 percent are teachers in high needs school districts, including the Yonkers, Syracuse, Rochester, Albany, Binghamton and Buffalo City School Districts.
"I salute these brilliant and dedicated teachers who have made an incredible, lasting impact on New York's future leaders," Governor Cuomo said. "These 228 new members of the Master Teacher Program will join the ranks of the state's top educators, a group who strive every day to enrich and expand the horizons of countless students in every corner of the Empire State."
"Teachers dedicate their lives to educating our youth and inspiring them to succeed inside and outside the classroom," said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. "I congratulate the 228 new teachers who will join the New York State Master Teachers program for their invaluable leadership and skills in STEM education. The Master Teachers program continues to expand, recognizing professionals' growth and commitment to educating students in the fields of the future."
The incoming group of Master Teachers includes 14 teachers with multiple teaching certifications, four teachers certified in Special Education and/or Students with Disabilities and 18 teachers certified in Technology Education who are offering various courses in Computer Science and Technology including Robotics, Drone Design, Advanced Placement Computer Principles and Computer-Assisted Manufacturing.
These educators will join the network of Master Teachers created in 2013, bringing the total number of selected NYS Master Teachers across New York State to over 1200.
SUNY Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson said, "We are proud to host the state's Master Teacher Program that provides innovative solutions to combat the chronic shortages of educators in our highest need areas throughout the state. By helping to increase our pool of talented teachers, we can ensure that more students, beginning at younger ages, can receive the highest quality education they deserve. I applaud the Governor for always recognizing the contributions and hard work of our educators. Congratulations to all the winners."
The 228 Master Teachers are dedicated professionals who teach science, technology, computer science, robotics, coding, engineering, math, and integrated STEM courses across grades K-12 including Advanced Placement, Honors, Regents and International Baccalaureate levels.
The selected Master Teachers have been teaching an average of 15 years. More than 76 percent have been in the classroom for ten or more years, and 25 percent have been teaching for more than 20 years. The 228 Master Teachers represent 129 school districts.
All Master Teachers are active beyond their classrooms, serving as curriculum department leaders or members of district and State level committees. They are also sponsors of Future Cities and Science Olympiad competitions, school gardens, Robotics teams, Coding Clubs, community service organizations as well as coaches, and PTA members. The Master Teachers hold leadership roles in New York State STEM professional associations, and lead professional development workshops for regional and statewide educator conferences. Many of the 228 Master Teachers have received awards and public recognition for their teaching from their peers, local communities, or professional associations.
In nine regions across the State, the Master Teacher Program is hosted at a SUNY campus to leverage the expertise of the University's faculty and existing educator preparation programs. The number of teachers from each regional cohort and the respective partner SUNY campus are:
- Capital Region: 111 (University at Albany)
- Central New York: 121 (SUNY Cortland)
- Finger Lakes: 111 (SUNY Geneseo)
- Long Island: 90 (Stony Brook University)
- Mid-Hudson: 62 (SUNY New Paltz)
- Mohawk Valley: 75 (SUNY Oneonta)
- North Country: 52 (SUNY Plattsburgh)
- Southern Tier: 143 (Binghamton University)
- Western New York: 109 (SUNY Buffalo State)
- New York City: 52 (in partnership with Math for America)
A full list of Master Teachers and their school districts is available here.
Throughout their four-year participation in the Program, Master Teachers:
- Receive a $15,000 stipend annually;
- Engage in peer mentoring and intensive content-oriented professional development opportunities throughout the academic year;
- Work closely with pre-service and early career teachers to foster a supportive environment for the next generation of STEM teachers; and
- Attend required regional meetings at their SUNY campus, participate in and lead several professional development sessions each year.
Governor Cuomo also announced the opening of the next round of applications for K-12 STEM teachers in all regions. K-12 STEM teachers are asked to review the eligibility requirements at www.suny.edu/masterteacher.
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2022, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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Holly Liapis
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