>> I'm interested in the Virginia Teach Program, but I don't want to be forced to move to a particular city or county in order to teach in a high-needs school.

You may be surprised at the number and location of schools that qualify as "high-needs" for the Virginia Teach Noyce Scholarship Program. A school district is classified as high-need if there is at least one school in that district whose percentage of students eligible for free or reduced lunch exceeds 50%. Within that district, an eligible school is one that serves grades 7-12 and whose percentage of students eligible for free or reduced lunch exceeds 33%. Districts can also be classified as high-need based on a high teacher attrition rate (greater than 15% over the past three years) or based on a high out-of-field teaching rate (greater than 34%). The map below shows the eligible districts in Virginia based only on free and reduced lunch eligibility. Counties in black are ineligible. A list of eligible schools by district can be found here.

>> I grew up in a middle-class environment. I'm not sure how comfortable I'll be teaching in a high-needs school.

Part of the Noyce Scholarship Program is to prepare teachers for a high-needs environment. In addition to regular course work, the Virginia Teach program includes colloquia addressing student concerns and job-placement assistance to make sure teachers are placed in districts that are a good match for their personalities, educational philosophies, and geographical preferences. Scholars will benefit from yearly trips to the VCTM conference during which they can meet dedicated inspiring teachers throughout the state. Most importantly, students in the Virginia Teach program will gain experience and mentorship from working in a closer relationship with teachers in high-needs schools and Virginia Tech faculty throughout their preparation.

>>What if I'm not currently a math major at Virginia Tech?

The Noyce Scholarship Program is designed to encourage students with strong math and science backgrounds to teach in our high-needs public schools. In order for a student to become eligible for the Virginia Teach program, the student must be a math major by their junior year at Virginia Tech. Students in engineering or science programs may be able to change their major to math or double major without much additional course work. Students at other colleges or universities would need to transfer to Virginia Tech by the beginning of their junior year. Please contact Katy Ulrich or Sue Hagen for more detailed information about the program requirements and the possibility of transferring or changing majors.