Exxon Mobil Corp. is launching a national program aimed at improving the way math and science are taught in U.S. schools and getting more students to take challenging coursework.
The giant oil and gas company plans to spend $125 million to create the National Math and Science Initiative, said Kenneth Cohen, chair of the company's charitable foundation.
Other foundations active in education reform are expected to contribute too, Cohen said.
The program will focus on preparing existing and new teachers to teach college-level, or Advanced Placement, courses.
A second effort will focus on encouraging college students majoring in math and science to become teachers. The program will give them access to education courses and financial assistance during school and upon graduation if they go into teaching.
Cohen said the effort was in part a response to a federal report that said the nation has to invest more heavily in math and science -- subject areas that are key for many of today's jobs.
Recently released results of a national math test showed that nearly 40 percent of high school seniors scored below the basic level. Almost half of the 12th-graders taking a national science test fell short of showing basic science skills.
Exxon Mobil Corp., headquartered in Irving, Texas, is the world's largest publicly traded energy company. It recorded $39.5 billion in profits last year.
AP
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