The College of New Jersey continues to burnish its credentials as a producer of teachers as The Physics Teacher Education Coalition has once again recognized the college with the 5+ Award for graduating six well-prepared physics teachers in the 2023-2024 academic year.
TCNJ’s School of Science and School of Education is helping to address the national shortage of physics teachers by graduating qualified educators at a pace that ranks among the best in the nation.
The 5+ Award, the highest award available for teacher preparation, is given to the 0.1% of all U.S. institutions that graduate five or more future high school physics teachers in a single year. In 2023–24, only six institutions achieved this distinction.
TCNJ is the only institution in New Jersey, and one of only two in the country, to earn the 5+ honor each of the last five years.
“The need for highly qualified high school physics teachers remains critical in the United States,” said Nate Magee, chair of TCNJ’s physics department. “Continuing to grow our program and produce outstanding candidates to combat this shortage remains a priority and we are proud to once again earn this national distinction.”
Of the approximately 1,400 new physics teachers who are hired each year in the U.S., only 35% have a degree in physics or physics education according to the American Institute of Physics.
“Great teachers have the power to inspire the next generation of students to develop a genuine excitement for physics,” said Tabitha Dell’Angelo, dean of TCNJ’s School of Education. “Without strong, enthusiastic educators in the classroom, students not only miss out on deep preparation in the subject, but may also be less likely to see physics teaching as a rewarding career path for their own futures.”
The American Physical Society and the American Association of Physics Teachers launched PhysTEC to address the physics teacher shortage. Since 2001, PhysTEC has supported more than 60 universities to transform their physics teacher education programs into national models and established a coalition of over 300 institutions committed to improving physics teacher education.
The college was founded in 1855 by an act of the state Legislature as the New Jersey State Normal School, the first teacher training institution in New Jersey and the ninth in the nation. It changed its name from Trenton State College to The College of New Jersey in 1996.
