Two days after Governor Rick Scott urged the Florida Legislature to support a $2,500 pay raise for Florida teachers, he visited Dixie Hollins High School to launch Algebra Nation – a groundbreaking University of Florida program to assist teachers and students with the Algebra 1 End-of-Course (EOC) exam.

Governor Scott said, “Providing support for teachers and students in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math is one of the most important things we can do to prepare Florida students to pursue the career of their dreams.”

Algebra Nation – an accessible, free, 24/7 online preparation resource and supplemental teaching tool – is the creation of the UF Lastinger Center, a national educational innovation hub, and Study Edge, a Gainesville-based educational technology firm.

Responding to Governor Scott and the state legislature’s challenge to universities to champion STEM education, UF and Study Edge built Algebra Nation to encourage learning and teaching beyond the traditional classroom. Through this program, students can work problems and ask questions online and teachers can connect with other teachers to share insights and successful strategies with their peers across the state.

Florida students must pass the Algebra 1 EOC to earn a high school diploma.

“The University of Florida Lastinger Center is grateful to Governor Scott for his strong advocacy of STEM education and his support of education innovations that benefit teachers and students,” said Don Pemberton, Director of the University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning and Founder of Take Stock in Children. “Algebra Nation is a direct outcome of Governor Scott’s challenge to universities to harness their intellectual resources to improve math and science teaching and learning in Florida.”

“Algebra Nation is based on the latest research and best practices,” Study Edge founding director Ethan Fieldman said. “And it features some of Florida’s top math teachers.”

An easy-to-use e-learning ecosystem, Algebra Nation represents the first phase in an initiative to accelerate and upgrade learning throughout Florida. UF and Study Edge plan to create and roll out Geometry Nation, Biology Nation and other EOC exam preparation resources next year.