A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Biennial Evaluation Report - FY 93-94

Chapter 612

National Writing Project

(No CFDA No.)

I. Program Profile

Part K of Title X of the Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965, as amended, P.L. 103-382 (20 U.S.C. 8331) (expires September 30, 2000).

Purpose: To support in-service teacher training programs, including the dissemination of effective practices and research findings, regarding the teaching of writing and related skills (in language arts subjects and across the curriculum) at all educational levels, and to disseminate classroom research regarding effective teaching practices and methods, including the documentation of student performance.

Funding History

Fiscal Year Appropriation
1991 $1,952,000
1992 2,500,000
1993 3,212,000
1994 3,212,000

II. Program Information and Analysis

Population Targeting

The program supports professional development for teachers of writing and teachers of other subjects who are interested in writing, including teachers who serve students at the preK-12, postsecondary, and adult education levels. The program is also authorized to award grants for classroom research projects conducted by elementary and secondary school teachers.

Services

The National Writing Project (NWP) competitively awards about 50 new contracts each year. The NWP currently supports projects at 163 sites, including 5 overseas projects (which receive no Federal funds). NWP sites and the national office train over 100,000 teachers each year. There are currently no grants awarded to individual teachers using Federal funds.

Program Administration

The legislation directs that all Federal funds (NWP has other funding sources) be awarded via a noncompetitive grant to the National Writing Project, Inc., a nonprofit international educational organization located in Berkeley, California. While an independent organization, NWP is affiliated with the OERI-sponsored National Center for the Study of Writing and Literacy at the University of California at Berkeley.

NWP lets contracts to local sites--usually postsecondary institutions, school districts, or other nonprofit educational providers--to operate in-service teacher development programs. Federal funds may be used for no more than 50 percent of the cost of the programs run by NWP contractors, and no more than 10 percent of the Federal share of total funding may be used by NWP or any contractor for administrative costs. The award to any one contractor may not exceed $40,000, or $200,000 in the case of a contractor that operates a Statewide program (defined as at least five separate sites within a State). Local sites provide programs for teachers in nearby school districts and postsecondary institutions.

The legislation permits NWP to use up to 5 percent of its annual Federal funding for competitive grants to K-12 teachers to conduct classroom research on improving the teaching of writing. Grants to individual teachers may not exceed $2,000. NWP has not elected to conduct such a competition, and no such awards have been made.

NWP has established and maintains a national advisory board, as required by the legislation.

Outcomes

In 1992-93, NWP trained 147,804 teachers.

Management Improvement Strategies

The program views the current legislation as permitting virtually no latitude in modifying this assistance relationship or in changing and improving program management. In accordance with advice from the program office, NWP plans to conduct a self-evaluation (not using Federal funds).

III. Sources of Information

  1. Program files.

IV. Planned Studies

None.

V. Contacts for Further Information

Program Operations :
E. Stephen Hunt, (202) 219-1882
Program Studies:
Joanne Wiggins, (202) 401-1958

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