Presidential Awards for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching

Recipients of the award receive the following:

• A certificate signed by the President of the United States.

• A paid trip to Washington, D.C., to attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities.

• A $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation.

• An opportunity to build lasting partnerships with colleagues across the nation.

Applicants must: 

• teach science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science as part of their contracted teaching responsibilities at the K-6 grade level in a public (including charter) or private school;
• hold at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution;
• be full-time employees of the school or school district as determined by state and district policies, with responsibilities for teaching students no less than 50% of the school's allotted instructional time;
• have at least five years of full-time employment as a K-12 teacher prior to the current academic school year during which science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science has been a part of the applicant's teaching duties each of the five years;
• teach in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Department of Defense Education Activity schools, or the U.S. territories as a group (American Samoa, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands);
• be U.S. citizens or permanent residents; and
• not have received the PAEMST award at the national level in any prior competition or category.