The Refining the Finest program is the collaboration between Regent University and Norfolk Public Schools to recruit and retain highly qualified mid-career professionals as mathematics teachers in Norfolk Public Schools (NPS). Regent University will recruit and prepare annually 20 middle or high school teachers of high-need subjects (10 of whom will be math teachers) for Norfolk Public Schools, for a total of 80 teachers. The participant goal is to prepare 20 per year for a total of 100 over the life of the grant. This collaborative endeavor will provide Praxis II classes; full preparations for teaching in urban classrooms; interview training; an expanded mentoring program; and long-term professional development. Additionally, math teachers in NPS will be offered retention bonuses to encourage teacher retention. Refining the Finest is designed to address the critical need to fill classrooms with caring and talented teachers who are highly qualified to meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 and its specific mandates to ensure that all teachers of core academic subject areas are highly qualified to provide children with an opportunity to achieve high standards.