The American Physical Society (APS) and the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) honored Illinois State University as one of only eight institutions in the nation to graduate five or more highly qualified physics teachers in the 2019-2020 academic year.
Known as “The 5+ Club,” the award comes from the Physics Teacher Education Coalition, a joint project of APS and AAPT. Illinois State graduated seven physics teachers in 2019-2020.
Illinois State tied with Rutgers and Brigham Young University for the second-highest number of physics-teacher graduates in the United States for 2019-2020. This is the fifth recognition by APS and AAPT for ISU, which consistently has made the list since 2015. “Perennially appearing on this list is a testament to our internationally recognized program,” said Professor of Physics Dan Holland.
The Illinois State Physics Education program is one of the largest in the country, and consistently graduates certified physics teachers. Of the approximately 1,400 new teachers hired to teach physics each year, only 35 percent have a degree in physics or physics education.
The National Task Force on Teacher Education in Physics reported the need for qualified teachers is greater now than at any previous time in history.
Visit Illinois State’s Department of Physics website for information about the program, or call (309) 438-8756.
