Advocate Program

STEP UP is a national community of physics teachers, researchers, and professional societies. We design high school physics lessons to empower teachers to inspire students to pursue physics in college.

Goal: STEP UP 2026-27 Advocates cohort will join a growing, regional community of teachers and pre-service teachers to implement STEP UP curriculum in their classrooms to inspire all students to pursue physics. Selected teachers will join a cohort of nearly 200 teachers from three specific regions centered around Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City. See Eligibility below. 

The application will be open on Feb 27, 2026

Eligibility: 

• Apply anytime between February 27, 2026 - March 29, 2026

• Teaching at least one section of physics during the 2026-27 academic year

• Able to attend the in-person Advocate Summit for your region (Review the dates in the table below)

• Willing to provide feedback about your and your students’ experiences with the STEP UP lessons 

• Teaching in one of the regions below during the 2026-27 academic year:

Los Angeles Region	Chicago Region
Los Angeles Metropolitan, including Anaheim, Long Beach, and Orange counties	Greater Chicago area, including ISTA Regions 1 (Chicago) and 7 (Suburban Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, or Will County
New York Region
New York City, Northern New Jersey (counties shown on the map), Westchester, Suffolk, and Nassau counties Acceptance of Advocates is dependent on availability of Ambassador support in that area. Emails with final acceptance information will be sent in April 2026.

The accepted advocates who complete the program will earn a $750 stipend. The STEP UP program staff will train Advocates on the STEP UP curriculum at an in-person regional STEP UP Summit (See below for date/time) in the summer of 2026.

Advocates earn their stipend by:

• Time of year	Advocate Program Task
  April 2026	Welcome to the Cohort 4 Advocate Program for 2026-27
  June 2026	Attend a one-day in-person training on the STEP UP curriculum (summer 2026) Los Angeles Regional Summit: Saturday, June 13 (Location and time TBA) Chicago Regional Summit: Saturday, June 6 at North Central College (time TBA)  New York Regional Summit: Saturday, June 13, 2026 at Stony Brook Manhattan (time TBA)  Complete Advocate pre-surveys
  September - October 2026	Administer pre-surveys for students
  September 2026 - March 2027	Use the STEP UP Careers in Physics & Women in Physics lessons with your students Utilize the Everyday Actions Guide in your classroom Attend optional in-person and virtual community events in your region
  April 2027	Complete Advocate post-survey; Administer student post-survey
  May - June 2027	Receive stipend for your time and dedication

Clip from our Summer 2024 New York Regional Summit

Advocate Program FAQs: 

1. Can I apply if I'm retired / taking a leave of absence / on special assignment / not in a high school classroom?

• No, the Advocates earning stipends must implement the STEP UP curriculum in a classroom during the 2026-27 school year. Our support is limited to current teachers that can work directly with their students throughout the year.
  

2. I am just graduating from a teacher credential program, can I apply? 

• Yes! If you are applying for jobs in one of the three regions (Check the maps) to teach physics during the 2026-27 school year, please apply. We would love to have you in the community. 

3. If I can't attend the in-person STEP UP Summit training, can I still apply?

• No, attending the in-person summit is required to be part of the program. Please note that this year (2026-27) the regional teams are not offering any make-up sessions.

4. Should I have delivered the STEP UP lessons before?

• No, we're excited to welcome folks who know about STEP UP but haven't done the lessons yet!

• Also, if you have delivered the STEP UP lessons, you are still welcome to join us!

5. I don’t know my teaching schedule for the 2026-27 school year. Can I still apply? 

• Yes, just be sure you expect to teach at least one physics-related class. Email the STEP UP team (STEPUPphysics@aps.org) with additional questions.

6. I might be changing schools for the 2026-27 school year, but will remain in one of the regions of focus. Can I still apply?

• Yes, you can answer the questions in the application that address your current school or your best approximation of your future school.