The nonprofit set the ambitious goal of recruiting 700 new EnCorps STEM Fellows for high-need California schools by 2026. During its fiscal year ending June 2023, EnCorps attracted 84 STEM professionals ready to explore a career transition to teaching.

LOS ANGELES, CA – August 15, 2023 – EnCorps Inc, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that offers an innovative solution to the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) teacher shortage by recruiting and preparing STEM professionals to become STEM teachers in under-resourced communities, reports promising recruitment numbers in the first of a four year $2.8M California State Grant. For the fiscal year ending June 2023, EnCorps recruited a total of 84 STEM professionals: 33 have been accepted to EnCorps’ STEM Teachers Program®— an unpaid fellowship that provides guest teaching opportunities in many California priority schools, professional development and one-on-one credentialing guidance — and 51 future candidates are currently in EnCorps’ highly-selective process.

According to a July 2023 Learning Policy Institute report, the teacher shortage is resulting in teaching positions going unfilled or classes being taught by teachers who are not fully credentialed. In California, 22.5% of math teachers are not fully credentialed, 24% of science teachers and 49.2% of computer education teachers have not been cleared by the state. (source)

“To tackle the STEM teacher shortage, EnCorps focuses on an untapped pool of candidates. We are committed to increasing the number of qualified STEM teachers entering the profession by recruiting and preparing STEM professionals who can link theory and practice to improve student outcomes,” explains Katherine Wilcox, EnCorps Executive Director.

Data shows that EnCorps brings highly-qualified and diverse STEM professionals to STEM teaching. EnCorps Fellows have an average of 15 years of STEM industry experience and 64% hold a Master’s or PhD. 

55% of EnCorps Fellows are male, compared to 26% of teachers in the state and 51% identify as a person of color, compared to 39% of teachers in California (source). Research shows that teachers of color increase the academic performance of students of color and also positively impact the students’ social-emotional well being resulting in less absenteeism and suspension. (source) 

In addition, EnCorps attracts STEM professionals from a variety of industries, including engineering, computer science and information technology, as well as the healthcare sector, bringing real world STEM experience and knowledge to the classroom.

Additional impact data as well as key facts can be found on the EnCorps website.

About EnCorps STEM Teacher Program® 

The EnCorps STEM Teachers Program recruits, selects and supports STEM professionals and experts in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields as well as individuals who possess an advanced STEM degree to transition to teaching as an innovative, long-term solution to the STEM teacher shortage and to counter the alarming lack of math proficiency of middle and high school students nationwide. Program participants have the opportunity to guest teach for 10 weeks in a high-need school, gain access to online and in-person professional development as well as receive personalized support from a dedicated Program Coordinator in order to navigate the teacher credentialing process and to explore financial support opportunities, including the Golden State California Grant. 

About EnCorps, Inc.
Founded in 2007, EnCorps Inc. is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit with operations in California as well the greater Denver, Colorado and New York City areas. EnCorps connects highly effective STEM educators with public school students to counter the systemic injustice preventing children in under-resourced communities from accessing a high-quality STEM education. The EnCorps STEM Teachers Program® recruits, selects and supports STEM professionals and experts in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields as well as individuals who possess an advanced STEM degree to transition to teaching as an innovative, long-term solution to the STEM teacher shortage and to counter the alarming lack of math proficiency of middle and high school students nationwide. The EnCorps STEMx Tutors Program matches middle school students, currently under-performing in math, with volunteer STEM professionals, subject-matter experts and STEM college students to increase math skills and confidence prior to students entering high school. EnCorps is pronounced like the word encore. It sounds like ahn-kor!

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