The No Child Left Behind act (NCLB) requires that all teachers be declared Highly Qualified (HQT). The definition of this varies from state to state, and is described by the "high objective uniform state standard of evaluation" document (HOUSSE). Here is a data base of these.
The rules vary widely from state to state, but for a number of them there is a point system, where a teacher adds up the various credentials earned, for length of service, performance in administrative roles, mentoring, ..., and knowledge of the science content, acquired through taking courses or professional development. The courses and workshops we offer would certainly qualify towards providing these credentials.
With support from the Fund for the Improvement of PostSecondary Education (U.S. Department of Education) we have developed our physics curriculum. Our goals have been to improve the science content knowledge of inservice teachers through courses that address the National Curriculum Standards in a coherent way. We teach through hands-on activities because this is the right way to learn science, and because this provides a syllabus that the teachers can subsequently use in their own classrooms.
Learn more about our courses and professional development program