See this news article from WSLS TV 10, Roanoke, VA about grants totally $2.7 million to help Virginia Teachers. Mathmatics is the focus of the grants to Patrick County Teachers.
STEM grants to help Virginia teachers improve Science, math skills
By WSLS-TV Staff Reports
Published: May 09, 2011
More than $2.7 million in grants will go to Virginia universities, colleges, school systems, and teachers to help improve classroom skills in science, technology, engineering, and math.
Known as STEM grants, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) hopes to use the grants to improve training and content for teachers.
"Teacher content knowledge is a critical component of effective instruction," Superintendent of Public Instruction Patricia I. Wright said in a news release. "Knowledgeable and confident teachers are essential to prepare students for post-secondary studies and STEM-related careers."
"Strengthening STEM instruction and successfully implementing the rigorous new science and mathematics Standards of Learning are priorities of Governor Bob McDonnell and the Board of Education," Wright said. "These Mathematics and Science Partnership grants will provide in-service training for nearly 1,400 teachers across Virginia to help our public schools achieve these objectives."
Here's a look at grants with local impact from the VDOE news release:
A. Five new partnerships will provide STEM-related professional development encompassing mathematics and science content, scientific investigation, the nature of science, engineering design, mathematical analysis and problem solving, and appropriate technology (lead higher-education partners listed first):
1. Central Virginia Collaborative for Developing STEM Lessons to Improve Learning in Grades 4 and 5 - Sweet Briar College and five school divisions: Amherst County, Appomattox County, Bedford County, Campbell County and Lynchburg; as well as Holy Cross Regional Catholic School, James River Day School and Lynchburg College; $199,502 to serve 138 teachers.
2. Inquiry by Engineering Design in Middle School Science and Mathematics - Virginia Tech and Montgomery County Public Schools; $140,000 to serve 20 teachers.
3. STEM Kairos: Engineering Everywhere for Grades K-3 - Longwood University and 17 school divisions: Amelia County, Brunswick County, Charlotte County, Colonial Heights, Cumberland County, Danville, Dinwiddie County, Halifax County, Hopewell, Lunenburg County, Martinsville, Mecklenburg County, Nottoway County, Pittsylvania County, Powhatan County, Prince Edward County and Sussex County, as well as ODU's Batten College of Engineering and the Danville Science Center; $103,106 to serve 32 teachers
B. Continuation grants totaling nearly $1.5 million were awarded to nine projects providing in-service training on the 2009 Mathematics SOL. School divisions began introducing new and revised content from the 2009 mathematics standards this school year. In 2011-2012, all SOL mathematics tests will be based on the revised standards. The partnerships receiving second-year funding are as follows (lead higher-education partners listed first):
1. Collaborative for Math Professional Development: Teaching the 2009 K-3 Mathematics SOL in Southern Virginia - Longwood University and 16 school divisions: Appomattox County, Buckingham County, Charlotte County, Cumberland County, Danville, Dinwiddie County, Halifax County, Henry County, Hopewell, Lunenburg County, Mecklenburg County, Nottoway County, Patrick County, Pittsylvania County, Prince Edward County and Sussex County; $58,524 to serve 20 teachers.
2. Emory & Henry Regional Mathematics Professional Development Center - Emory & Henry College and 19 school divisions: Bland County, Bristol, Buchanan County, Carroll County, Dickenson County, Galax, Giles County, Grayson County, Lee County, Norton, Pulaski County, Radford, Russell County, Scott County, Smyth County, Tazewell County, Washington County, Wise County and Wythe County; $189,427 to serve 25 teachers.
3. Process Standards Approach to Build Bridges from Arithmetic to Algebraic Thinking, Grades 4-6 - University of Virginia (UVA) and 13 school divisions: Albemarle County, Arlington County, Bedford County, Campbell County, Charlottesville, Culpeper County, Fauquier County, Fluvanna County, Frederick County, Gloucester County, Loudoun County, Spotsylvania County and Stafford County; $159,240 to serve 38 teachers.
4. Southwest and Southside Virginia Secondary Mathematics Professional Development Center - Radford University and 14 divisions: Craig County, Floyd County, Franklin County, Giles County, Grayson County, Martinsville, Montgomery County, Patrick County, Pittsylvania County, Pulaski County, Radford, Roanoke, Roanoke County and Salem; $200,000 to serve 20 teachers.
5. 21st-Century Teaching Leads to 21st-Century Learning: Functions Algebra Project - UVA and 16 school divisions: Albemarle County, Alexandria, Arlington County, Campbell County, Charlottesville, Culpeper County, Fauquier County, Fluvanna County, Frederick County, Gloucester County, Loudoun County, Page County, Spotsylvania County, Stafford County, Staunton and Westmoreland County; $200,000 to serve 55 teachers.
