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FOR RELEASE
September 7, 1999
Contact:
Jane Glickman (202) 401-1307
Stephanie Babyak (202) 401-2311
ED FUNDS FIRST PARTNERSHIP GRANTS
TO IMPROVE TEACHER PREPARATION
U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley today announced the award of $33 million for 25 grants under a new program to better prepare new teachers to meet the many demands of today's classrooms.
"Effective teaching starts with effective training," Riley said. "Through partnerships between universities and school districts whose student populations face many learning challenges, these grants will revamp teacher preparation programs to ensure that tomorrow's teachers have the knowledge and skills to understand every child's strengths and weaknesses and to help each one reach his or her potential."
The 25 grants support partnerships between one or more college or university teacher preparation programs, the school of arts and sciences at the school, and a high need school district. In the case where a school that prepares teachers does not have a college of arts and sciences mainly because they are graduate-level teacher preparation programs, the arts and sciences partner can come from another campus.
A public school district is considered high-need if at least one of its elementary or secondary schools has a high percentage (40 percent or more) of students from families with incomes below the poverty line; a high percentage of its secondary school teachers (34 percent or more) are not teaching in the content area in which they were trained to teach; or there has been a high teacher turnover rate (15 percent or more in the last three school years).
The goal of the partnership program is to bring about fundamental change and improvement in traditional teacher education programs. The grants aim to:
Partnerships must match their federal grant with either cash or in-kind support at 25 percent for the first year, 35 percent for the second year, and 50 percent for the third, fourth and fifth years of the grant.
These 25 partnerships grants are intended to become models of excellence in teacher education. The overarching goal is to improve student achievement among our elementary and secondary students by providing them with the highest quality teachers. It is expected that through conferences, technical assistance, site visits, and outreach to organizations and groups committed to high quality teacher preparation, the promising practices and lessons learned from these grants will be disseminated around the country to a far larger number of teacher education programs that produce our Nation's classroom teachers.
In mid-September, Secretary Riley is convening a summit of college and university presidents to discuss the steps they can take to improve teacher preparation on their campuses.
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Note to editors: Following is a list of teacher preparation grants, with contact, amount, partners, and a summary of each.
TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM
PARTNERSHIP GRANTS
ALASKA
Anchorage
Lead Partner: University of Alaska/Anchorage $1,084,457
G. Williamson McDiarmid
907/786-7710
afgwm@uaa.alaska.edu
Other partners: Anchorage school district; Kashunamiut Schools, Yupitt School District; and Lower Kuskokwim School District.
The project will redesign the University?s teacher preparation program with a focus on broadening participation, including Alaska Natives in this effort. An expanded and intensified clinical experience for pre-service teachers is part of the redesign.
ARIZONA
Tempe
Lead Partner: Arizona State University $2,557,786
James Middleton
480/965-0767
james.middleton@asu.edu
Other partners: Northern Arizona University, University of Arizona, Maricopa and Pima Community Colleges, Dine College; Creighton, Osborn, Amphitheather, Flowing Wells, Sunnyside, and Ganado school districts.
This project intends to improve student achievement levels in math and science in high need schools by improving the recruitment, preparation, and retention of quality pre-service teachers in these critical core academic areas. Other university partners also involved in the project.
COLORADO
Pueblo
Lead Partner: University of Southern Colorado $749,159
Victoria Marquesen
719/549-2681
marquese@uscolo.edu
Other partners: Pueblo and Lamar Community Colleges; Trinidad and Otero Junior Colleges; 16 school districts.
University of Southern Colorado?plans to develop a "community of learners" by the use of telecommunications and other techniques resulting in improved recruitment and retention strategies for pre-service teachers.
FLORIDA
Coral Gables
Lead Partner: University of Miami $1,976,707
Janette Klinger
305/284-5937
jklingner@miami.ir.miami.edu
The project focuses on a redesign of elementary education so that students will have a dual major in arts and sciences and education along with preparation to work with diverse students and use technology in the classroom. The LEA partner is the Miami-Dade County School District.
ILLINOIS
Normal
Lead Partner: Illinois State University $2,413,734
W. Paul Vogt
309/438-8575
wpvogt@ilstu.edu
Other partners: Northern Illinois University, University of Illinois, Loyola University, Roosevelt University, Northwestern University, City Colleges of Chicago; Chicago public schools and 5 other Leas.
The partnership, composed of five public and private universities, seven community colleges, and high need LEAs, state agencies, and business, will focus on improving the preparation of teachers with strong content and pedagogical and technological skills.
INDIANA
Muncie
Lead Partner: Ball State University $509,936
Thomas Schroeder
765/285-5452
Tschroed@gw.bsu.edu
Other partners: Anderson, Indianapolis and Muncie school districts.
The Title II project will develop a model teacher preparation program by implementing a standards-driven reform of teacher education and continue the growth and maturation of a network of professional development schools.
IOWA
Lamoni
Lead Partner: Graceland College $177,124
Sharon Kirkpatrick
816/833-0524
kirkpat@graceland.edu
Other partners: Independence School District.
The funded project will meet critical regional shortages of teachers by recruiting prospective candidates from both high schools and community colleges and preparing them for service in redesigned pre-service and Master?s level programs.
KANSAS
Manhattan
Lead Partner: Kansas State University $1,114,008
Gail Shroyer
785/532-6294
gshroyer@ksu.edu
Other partners: Geary, Manhattan-Ogden, and Kansas City (KS) school districts.
Using national standards, this partnership will develop a performance-based teacher preparation program designed to graduate new teachers with the content knowledge, technological capabilities, and teaching skills necessary to teach all students, especially those with the greatest needs.
KENTUCKY
Bowling Green
Lead Partner: Western Kentucky University $1,146,097
Roger Pankratz
270/745-4662
roger.pankratz@wku.edu
Other partners: California State University-Fresno, Eastern Michigan University, Emporia State (KS), Kentucky State, Longwood College (VA), Middle Tennessee State University, Millersville University (PA), Southeast Missouri State University, University of Northern Iowa; school district partners of each participating university.
The lead university and its partners plans to redesign teacher preparation programs "to shift from delivering instruction to producing student learning for all students." The multi-university project will serve LEA partners in a number of states.
MARYLAND
Baltimore
Lead Partner: Johns Hopkins University $2,357,370
Ralph Fessler
410/516-8921
fess@jhu.edu
Other partners: Morgan State University, University of Maryland-Baltimore County; Baltimore City schools and four suburban Maryland school districts.
The partnership intends to recruit, prepare, mentor, and retain 1,390 teachers mainly for Baltimore?s highest need schools. Project features include: developing teachers? technology competencies and developing an evaluation system to review teacher candidates? portfolios. Partners include Morgan State University, the University of Maryland-Baltimore County and the Baltimore City schools.
MASSACHUSETTS
Chestnut Hill
Lead Partner: Boston College $1,404,153
Dennis Shirley
617/552-4200
dennis.shirley@bc.edu
Other partners: UMass-Boston, UMass-Amherst, Northeastern University, Wheelock College, Lesley College, Clark University; Boston, Springfield and Worcester Public Schools; Massachusetts Business Alliance.
This partnership, composed of seven private and public institutions of higher education, 18 urban school districts, as well as business and community partners, is designed to develop more powerful forms of instruction and clinical experiences so that new teachers will be prepared to teach all urban students to achieve to high levels.
MICHIGAN
University Center
Lead Partner: Saginaw Valley State University $1,796,881
Robert S.P. Yien
517/790-1296
rvien@svsu.edu
Other partners: 15 regional independent school districts and 12 charter schools.
The University will carry out a variety of activities with its partners to redesign teacher preparation programs including developing new course models, especially for reading/ writing, math, and science. In addition, sustained mentoring and induction programs will be developed.
MISSISSIPPI
Jackson
Lead Partner: Jackson State University $582,678
Vivian Taylor
601/968-2336
Other partners: Hinds Community College; Jackson Public Schools, Mississippi Association of Educators, Mississippi Teacher Center.
This partnership will establish and institutionalize a comprehensive intervention model designed to improve teacher preparation, working closely with its LEA partners.
Mississippi State
Lead Partner: Mississippi State University $1,736,695
Esther Egley
662/325-3717
ehe@ra.msstate.edu
Other partners: Alcorn State University; 24 school districts.
This project will assist teacher preparation reform efforts in the state by working with partners to change the way that teacher candidates are prepared and how they will teach students in high need schools.
MISSOURI
Springfield
Lead Partner: Southwest Missouri State University $600,598
George Calhoun, Jr.
417/836-6980
gec919@mail.smsu.edu
Other partners: Springfield, Cabool, Fair Play, Miller, Sheldon, Shell Knob and Wheaton school districts.
Southwest Missouri State University, the "Ozarks Partnership", includes seven partner school districts and is designed to improve teacher preparation with an aim of providing a quality education for K-12 students in rural Ozark communities.
NEW JERSEY
Union
Lead Partner: Kean University $1,574,713
Ana Maria Schuhmann
908/527-2136
aschuhma@turbo.kean.edu
Other partners: Rowan University, William Patterson University; Bridgeton, Camden, Garfield, Newark, Passaic, Patterson, Perth Amboy, Plainfield, Rahway and Vineland school districts.
Kean University, with its partners, seeks meet state standards by requiring that all pre-service teachers take 12 credits of math and science, engage in a intensified clinical experience, and prepare to acquire skills in technology for use in high need classrooms. Two other universities and high need LEAs working closely with each university comprise the partnership.
NORTH CAROLINA
Durham
Lead Partner: North Carolina Central University $705,419
Sammie Parrish
919/560-6466
Other partners: Durham Technical Community College, Piedmont Technical Institute; Durham, Warren, Weldon, Wake, Person and Franklin school districts.
This partnership will work to meet local, state, and national needs for increased numbers of highly qualified teachers over the next decade who are reflective of increasing student diversity.
OHIO
Youngstown
Lead Partner: Youngstown State University $262,249
Barbara Brothers
330/742-3409
barbara.brothers@ysu.edu
Other partner: Youngstown School District
Youngstown State University will establish a summer camp program to provide intervention for high need students as one component of its overall project to improve teacher education in science, math , and language arts through the integration of content and appropriate active learning strategies.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Columbia
Lead Partner: University of South Carolina $967,994
Therese Kuhs
803/777-6231
therese@vm.sc.edu
Other partners: Benedict College, Furman University, Winthrop University; Richland, Greenville, Anderson, York, Lancaster and Chester school districts.
With its university and LEA partners, the University of South Carolina will redesign current teacher preparation programs at four partner institutions by establishing an accountable standards-based model, developing model clinical sites and field experiences.
Orangeburg
Lead Partner: South Carolina State University $1,745,658
Earline M. Simms
803/536-7062
esimms@scsu.edu
Other partners: Claflin College, Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College; Calhoun, Marion, Orangeburg, and Sumter school districts.
South Carolina State University, working with other university and LEA partners, will reform teacher education by developing professional development schools, improving clinical experience, restructure graduate teacher education, provide improved induction, and enhance leadership skills of all LEA principals.
TENNESSEE
Chattanooga
Lead Partner: University of Tennessee at Chattanooga $648,759
Mary Tanner
423/755-4249
mary-tanner@utc.edu
Other partners: University of Tennessee-Knoxville; Hamilton and Knox county school districts.
This project will redesign the teacher preparation curriculum at two universities, working with local LEA partners, to enable faculty to model technology proficient instruction, include parental involvement training, establish a focus on diversity issues, and improve clinical experience at high need urban schools.
TEXAS
Austin
Lead Partner: Texas A&M University System $2,550,605
William E. Reaves
512/475-3408
wreaves@tmail.tea.state.tx.us
This partnership includes nine universities, 47 school districts, two professional associations, and two business partners. Key project goals include preparing more teachers for high need school districts and providing leadership for innovation in state teacher preparation reform.
San Antonio
Lead Partner: Our Lady of the Lake University $1,335,632
Jean Kueker
210/434-6711
kuekj@lake.ollusa.edu
Other partners: Alamo Community College, San Antonio College, Palo Alto College; Edgewood, Southwest, Floresville, Marion and Poteet Independent School Districts.
Our Lady of the Lake University, through its partnership will reform teacher education by engaging in close collaboration with schools to develop the use of technology in high need classrooms, and to strengthen mentoring and induction processes for new teachers.
WASHINGTON
Pullman
Lead Partner: Washington State University $1,969,070
Edwin Helmstetter
509/335-2525
helmstetter@wsu.edu
Other partners: Northwest Indian College; Grays Harbor, Clark and Lower Columbia Community Colleges; Takoma, Yakima, Spokane and eight other school districts; four Indian school districts.
Washington State University will redesign and implement high quality teacher preparation through increased collaboration with a broad range of partners. Key objectives include improving coursework, clinical experience, and induction for teachers, as well as creating professional development schools at a number of sites, including Northwest Indian College.
WISCONSIN
Milwaukee
Lead Partner: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee $1,445,018
Chancellor Nancy Zimpher
414/229-4331
zimpher@uwm.edu
Other partners: Milwaukee Area Technical College; Milwaukee Public Schools, Milwaukee Teachers? Association.
This partnership will develop the Milwaukee Academy for Teacher Quality that is designed, in part, to expand the role of higher education faculty in K-12 reform initiatives. The high need LEA partner is the Milwaukee School District.
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