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

Achieving the Goals: Goal 4 Teacher Professional Development - August 1996

National Science Foundation

* - designates programs that have a particular usefulness at the school or school district level

Alliances for Minority Participation Program

The Alliances for Minority Participation (AMP) Program is a multi-disciplinary comprehensive undergraduate program designed to increase substantially the quality and quantity of students receiving baccalaureate degrees in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology and subsequently, to increase the number of students entering graduate schools to obtain the doctorate in SMET fields normally supported by NSF. The AMP program focuses on removing barriers that prevent full preparation for a participation in the SMET work force by all students. The program focuses on those students who are underserved by our current educational system, including those who are economically disadvantaged, have low participation in SMET enterprise, and are in educational settings that do not encourage full use of their academic potential to succeed in SMET fields. The AMP program supports undergraduate systemic reform in alliances that include partners from both two- and four-year higher education institutions, businesses and industries, national research laboratories, local state, and federal agencies. The AMP program supports a teacher preparation (AMP-TP) initiatives focused specifically on attracting more individuals from groups under represented in the science and mathematics teacher work force into undergraduate teacher preparation programs.

Alliances for Minority Participation
Division of Human Resources Development
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22230
Phone: (703) 306-1633

Applications of Advanced Technology Program

Provides research and development grants to examine the strengths and weaknesses of new, innovative applications of advanced technologies, and to lay the foundations and knowledge necessary for the use of new, revolutionary computer and telecommunications systems and related technologies for teaching and learning science and mathematics. Individual institutions or groups of institutions within the United States.

Nora H. Sabelli
Program Director
Applications of Advanced Technology Program
Division of Research, Evaluation and Communication
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, Virginia 22230
Phone: (703) 306-1650 Achieving the Goals: Goal 4 Teacher Professional Development

Collaboratives for Excellence in Teacher Preparation Program*

The NSF Collaboratives for Excellence in Teacher Preparation Program supports projects aimed at major changes in approaches to the undergraduate preparation of future teachers of elementary and secondary science and mathematics. This includes development of new institutional structures, the production of creative materials, courses and curricula for teacher education, and research on factors affecting the recruitment and preparation of teachers. Projects demonstrate leadership by the scientific discipline departments, and emphasize a solid foundation in science or mathematics and rigorous attention to effective teacher practices, including the use of advanced instructional technologies. Special interests include multidisciplinary projects and initiatives for recruiting members of under represented groups into the teaching profession. Collaborations among scientists, science educators, teachers, and other educational leaders, within and among institutions of higher education and school systems, are encouraged in the planning and implementation of projects. Colleges and universities or their consortia that have the capacity to prepare significant numbers of highly qualified teachers are eligible to submit proposals.

Collaboratives for Excellence in Teacher Preparation
Division of Undergraduate Education
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22230
Phone: (703) 306-1668 Achieving the Goals: Goal 4 Teacher Professional Development

Comprehensive Partnerships for Minority Student Achievement Program*

The Comprehensive Partnerships for Minority Student Achievement Program supports comprehensive precollege education reform programs targeted at school systems having significant minority student populations. City and county school systems, which are the units of change, are expected to link with institutions of higher education, businesses, professional organizations, community-based, and other education organizations in the design and implementation of in-school student and teacher enhancement activities and informal education efforts. The program's goals are to improve student achievement in mathematics and science courses, to enhance teacher knowledge and skills, and to expand student interest in science, mathematics, and technology as career choices. Academic institutions and nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply for funding through this program.

Betty Jones
Comprehensive Partnerships
for Minority Student Achievement Program
Division of Human Resource Development
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22230
Phone: (703) 306-1633

Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching*

These awards are designed to demonstrate the importance of good teaching by explicitly recognizing and rewarding the excellence achieved by exemplary mathematics and science teachers, K-12. Four teachers per year per state are selected as Presidential Awardees in elementary mathematics, elementary science, secondary mathematics, and secondary science. These teachers constitute a national network of outstanding leaders in science and/or mathematics education. Teachers can be nominated by colleagues, administrators, students, or parents of students. Eligible teachers include those whose primary responsibility is classroom teaching of science or mathematics in a public or private, elementary, middle/junior, or senior high school in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Department of Defense Dependant Schools, or the U.S Territories (Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Northern Marinas, and the Virgin Islands). A minimum of five years of teaching experience is required.

Emma Walton
National Science Foundation
Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching
Division of Elementary, Secondary and Information Education
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Alexandria, Virginia 22230
Phone: (703) 306-1613

Program for Persons With Disabilities*

The NSF Program for Persons With Disabilities has recently been expanded and is committed to bringing about change in academic and professional climates, developing new methods of teaching science and mathematics, increasing the awareness and recognition of the needs and capabilities of students with disabilities, promoting the accessibility and appropriateness of instructional materials and education technologies, and increasing the availability of mentoring resources. Though the Foundation encourages persons with disabilities to participate fully in all NSF-supported programs, its Human Resource Division has initiated efforts focused on (1) eliminating barriers to the participation of students with disabilities in science, engineering, and mathematics studies; (2) changing the attitudes of the education community and the public in general about the potential of persons with disabilities; and (3) offering aid for adaptive technologies and assistance to allow students, scientists, engineers, and mathematicians to participate in NSF-supported research.

Program for Persons With Disabilities
Division of Human Resource Development
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22230
Phone: (703) 306-1637

Program for Women and Girls*

The goal of the Program for Women and Girls is to elicit projects that have high potential for effecting both short- and long-term changes in the representation of women in science, engineering, and mathematics careers, and in the overall science, engineering, and mathematics education of women and girls. Efforts involved in the initiative address educational issues from preschool through the graduate level, as well as professional issues. Three program activities--Model Projects, Experimental Projects, and Information Dissemination Activities for Women and Girls--accomplish this goal.

Lola Rogers
Program for Women and Girls
Division of Human Resource Development
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22230
Phone: (703) 306-1637

Rural Systemic Initiatives Program*

The Rural Systemic Initiatives Program (RSI) is an effort on the part of the National Science Foundation to address barriers to systemic and sustainable improvements in science, mathematics, and technology education in rural, economically disadvantaged regions of the Nation. The RSI is designed to fund projects from coalitions in regions defined by similarities in social, cultural, and economic circumstances, rather than by governmental boundaries. The program supports activities that lead to formation of partnerships and coalitions; determination of present needs and resources and of future educational goals; implementation of strategies directed toward systemic educational reform, (such as: professional development for teachers and administrators that is aligned with National science and mathematics standards); adaptation of high quality, challenging curricula to address cultural diversity; and formulation of appropriate assessment strategies that can measure gains in achievement for all students regardless of socioeconomic status.

Rural Systemic Initiatives
Division of Educational System Reform
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 875
Arlington, VA 22230
Phone: (703) 306-1684

Statewide Systemic Initiatives Program*

The Statewide Systemic Initiatives Program (SSI) is a major NSF effort to encourage improvements in science, mathematics, and engineering education through comprehensive systemic changes in the education systems for the states. The SSI program represents a strategy to strengthen the infrastructure for science and mathematics education through alignment of state policies and resources. This requires the collaboration of educators at all levels, business and industry, parents, and the community-at-large. States were selected for funding through a rigorous merit review process that included preliminary proposals, panel reviews of full proposals and site visits. Selection was based on: (1) State commitment to fundamental reform of mathematics and science education; (2) new directions in state vision for mathematics and science education that includes curriculum goals, assessment, teacher development, equity, governance and improved outcomes; (3) consensus on the current status of science and mathematics education and on the identification of the most serious problems that need to be addressed; (4) partnerships that enable the effort to succeed; 5) a plan for effective management and oversight, and 6) an evaluation plan that encourages mid-course corrections. Twenty-five states and Puerto Rico received five-year awards.

Statewide Systemic Initiatives
Division of Educational System Reform
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 875
Arlington, VA 22230
Phone: (703) 306-1684
Fax: (703) 306-0456

Teacher Enhancement Program*

The Teacher Enhancement (TE) program provides professional development opportunities that broaden and deepen the disciplinary and pedagogical knowledge of teachers to improve their ability to deliver rich and challenging science, mathematics, and technology (SMT) education to all students. Through active involvement of administrators, projects develop school cultures that provide necessary resources to implement classroom improvements and sustain professional development for teacher participants. Increasing emphasis is given to projects utilizing teacher enhancement as the primary vehicle to implement systemic change in SMT education in school districts that are themselves engaged in renewal. The first systemic projects target SMT education for grades K-8 and mathematics for grades 7-12. All such projects must implement exemplary instructional materials that are aligned with standards and participate in a standardized evaluation. The TE program also supports projects that seek to develop lead teachers and provide research experiences as vehicles for enhancement; projects that provide requisite resources for sustaining and accelerating the rate of SMT education reform; projects to develop instructional materials for teachers; and projects that employ other strategies for the professional development of teachers. Eligible organizations include school districts, colleges and universities, state and local education agencies, professional societies, museums, research laboratories, or other private or public organizations whether for profit or non-profit.

Teacher Enhancement Program
Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 885
Alexandria, VA 22230
Phone: (703) 306-1613

Teacher Preparation in Undergraduate Programs

In addition to the NSF Collaboratives for Excellence in Teacher Preparation, other programs in the Division of Undergraduate Education support teacher preparation. In particular, the Course and Curriculum, Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement, and Undergraduate Faculty Enhancement Programs support projects which improve the undergraduate preparation of future K-12 teachers. The Advanced Technology Education program targets technicians being educated for the high performance work place of advanced technologies. The program supports technical experiences for students and faculty and K-12 teacher development, development of instructional materials, and instrumentation and laboratory improvement, as well as National/Regional Centers.

Division of Undergraduate Education
Directorate for Education and Human Resources
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22230
Phone: (703) 306-1666

Urban Systemic Initiatives Program*

The Urban Systemic Initiatives (USI) Program in science, mathematics, and technology education is a comprehensive and systemic effort designed to enable fundamental reform of K-12 science and mathematics education in large urban school systems. Eligibility for the program is limited to school systems in the 25 cities having the largest numbers of school-aged children (ages 5-17) living in poverty as determined by the 1990 Census. Built upon experience gained from the Statewide Systemic Initiatives (SSI) program and the Comprehensive Regional Centers for Minorities (CRCM), the program provides significant support for 5 years to cities that have completed comprehensive planning and demonstrate readiness to make systemic and sustainable changes in the policies, practices, and procedures of urban school systems. At present, 16 eligible cities have received awards.

Urban Systemic Initiatives
Division of Education System Reform
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22230
Phone: (703) 306-1684
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