Frequently
Asked Questions
About the
Master Science Teacher Program
Legislation passed in 2003 (House Bill
411) required the creation of the Master Science Teacher
(MST) Certificate, the development of standards for
the certificate, and the development of Master Science
Teacher certification examinations in grades EC-4,
4-8, and 8-12. The Master Science Teacher certificate
was created by the 78th Texas legislature "to ensure that there
are teachers with special training to work with other
teachers and with students in order to improve student
science performance." A committee composed of
science instruction experts representing Texas public
schools, educator preparation programs, Texas citizens,
and governmental policymakers met to formulate and
refine the MST standards. After review by state and
national science experts, the standards were approved
by the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC)
at the August 2004 Board meeting.
Definition: A Master Science Teacher is an individual
who holds a Master Science Teacher Certificate and whose
primary duties are to teach science and to serve as a
science mentor to other teachers.
Purpose: The Master Science Teacher Certificate is being
implemented as a part of the Texas Science Initiative,
which offers science educators assistance to improve
student performance in science.
Eligibility: The Master Science Teacher Certificate
may be obtained by an individual who holds a teaching
certificate, has at least three years of teaching experience,
completes an SBEC-approved Master Science Teacher preparation
program, and passes the Master Science Teacher certification
exam.
Master Science Teacher standards should be integrated
into newly designed programs. The MST standards are based
on the rigorous EC-4, 4-8, 8-12 Science educator standards
and reflect the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
(TEKS) for Early Childhood through Grade 12 science.
The MST standards require mastery of:
- Content (TEKS for grade appropriate Physical,
Life, Earth and Space Sciences)
- History, Nature,
and Context of Science
- Scientific Inquiry
- Alignment
and Integration
- Safety
- Inclusive Instruction
- Learning
and Teaching Environment
- Student Assessment
- Mentoring
and Shared Leadership
Scholarship Availability: Teachers who have been members
of the Region 12 Texas Regional Collaborative for excellence
in Science and Mathematics Teaching (TRC) for two or
more years are eligible to apply for a MST scholarship.
Scholarships will be awarded based on evidence of financial
need. Any applicant meeting the above requirement is
asked to submit a letter describing financial need along
with their MST application documents.
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