[Ike] FW: Possible Grant Opportunity

[Weinand, Stacey]

> NSF Program Funds Training Of Science, Math Teachers
> Education Daily
> 07/27/2001
> 
> K-12 Districts, Postsecondary Institutions Will 
> Partner To Address Community Needs
> 
> In response to the critical need for science and
> math educators, the National Science Founda-
> tion (NSF) is seeking applications under a new
> program to produce and retain well-qualified
> K-12 teachers.
> 
> The Science, Technology, Engineering and
> Mathematics Teacher Preparation program
> will support partnerships between institutions
> of higher education and K-12 school districts.
> Partnerships will address local needs in re-
> cruiting teachers with strong backgrounds in
> science and mathematics into teacher certifica-
> tion programs and in retaining them in the
> teacher workforce.
> 
> Program officer Joan Prival notes that the con-
> cept of the program is not new to NSF; it was
> built on goals from previous NSF programs.
> 
> What is new is a requirement that the leader-
> ship team of principal investigators overseeing
> the program include at least one faculty mem-
> ber from SMET (science, mathematics, engi-
> neering and technology) disciplines, one fac-
> ulty member from teacher education, and a
> school district representative.
> 
> The program's teacher preparation projects
> "must demonstrate the involvement of SMET
> faculty in all stages of the education of future
> teachers and provide evidence of a preservice
> curriculum that features a strong foundation
> in SMET content knowledge that is linked to
> effective pedagogical strategies," the solicita-
> tion explains.
> 
> It also notes that "SMET majors and SMET
> professionals seeking a career change are spe-
> cific targets of the program."
> 
> Another essential feature of the program is
> forging local partnerships among stake-
> holders-including two- and four-year institu-
> tions of higher education, school districts and
> other local partners, such as informal science
> education institutions (museums, for example)
> and local businesses.
> 
> One benefit created by these partnerships is a
> continuum of teacher education that extends
> through the induction years and beyond, help-
> ing facilitate teachers' transition from prepa-
> ration to practice.
> 
> The committee stopped accepting comments
> last Friday, and spokesman Mike Reynard
> said staff will be reading through the sugges-
> tions well into the August recess. "They're
> Approximately $6.5 million is anticipated to
> fund some 12 grants ranging from $300,000 to
> $1 million each. Two types of programs will be
> funded: baccalaureate and five-year degree
> programs for preK-12 SMET teachers, and
> model alternative certification programs to
> prepare individuals who possess SMET bacca-
> laureate degrees for K-12 math and science
> teaching.
> 
> Applicant partnerships should address local
> needs, such as diversifying the teaching work-
> force; producing teachers skilled at SMET edu-
> cation for students with disabilities, students
> for whom English is a second language or
> other special-needs populations; and meeting
> staffing requirements resulting from state or
> local education policy reforms, such as student
> learning standards, class-size reduction, in-
> creased graduation requirements and in-
> creased access to Advanced Placement classes.
> 
> Projects may address elementary, middle or
> high school levels, but individual projects need
> not encompass the full preK-12 range.
> 
> The Science, Technology, Engineering and
> Mathematics Teacher Preparation projects will
> complement the activities of the NSF Mathe-
> matics and Science Partnership Initiative
> (EGA, May 4), and should test strategies that
> could be widely adopted.
> 
> NSF is requesting an optional letter of intent
> by Aug. 31. Full proposals will be due Oct. 25
> and must be submitted using the NSF elec-
> tronic FastLane system.
> 
> For the solicitation, access the Internet at
> www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?nsf01136. For
> information, contact Dr. Joan Prival, Under-
> graduate Education, (703)292-8670, e-mail,
> jprival at nsf.gov.
> 
> -Katie Chase
>