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Private Universities To Offer High School Teachers Free STEM Courses

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A group of private universities is making some graduate level classes free for high school teachers that teach dual credit science, technology, engineering or math. The program, new this spring, is already maxing out in enrollment.

As of last year, Indiana’s thousands of dual credit teachers must have a master’s degree in their content areas to continue to teach high school.

This new requirement leaves many dual credit teachers in need of more education, making it a costly change. The Independent Colleges of Indiana, or ICI, a group of private universities, asked the state legislature for money to offer free graduate level classes to these teachers.

ICI president Richard Ludwick says this money will provide a few semesters of free classes for teachers that should last four semesters, but his group wants to see it continue.

“We consider it a socially responsible cause,” Ludwick says. “We’re approaching foundations to say this is a real need that our communities have, and we’re providing a cost effective solution would you like to partner with us?”

This spring, the program covered more than 300 teachers. Numbers for the summer aren’t available, but Ludwick says the classes are already waitlisted.

Classes will also be available for the fall semester.

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