FY 2008 NEW Professional Development Grant Abstracts
Salish Kootenai College (Montana)
S299B080040
Salish Kootenai College (SKC) is proposing the creation of a professional development project that would support Native American students seeking certification to become licensed elementary teachers. SKC's course requirements are designed to improve the academic success for Indian students by offering pre-service Native American students living stipends, affordable tuition, effective student services, and competency based/culturally relevant instruction. Mentoring teachers will also assist in the graduation and induction of 20 Elementary Bachelor Degree students who are eligible for Montana K-8 certification.
Number of participants: 20
Stone Child College (Montana)
S299B080024
Stone Child College will implement a program in which a minimum of 20 students will receive support to pursue a Bachelors degree in Education and certification as a teacher in Montana by the end of the project period. The project will enhance the knowledge, skills, and abilities of participants to enable them to provide high quality education to American Indian youth. During this period the college will work collaboratively with Montana State University-Northern. Each participant will receive monthly mentoring support from the faculty. The final year of the project the college will provide induction services to include: mentoring, professional development, and cohort meetings for the new teachers.
Number of participants: 20
Oglala Lakota College (South Dakota)
S299B080010
Oglala Lakota College will recruit and select a cohort of 21 Native American participants to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in education and South Dakota teacher licensure. The project will enhance the knowledge, skills, and abilities of participants to enable them to provide high quality education to American Indian youth. The curriculum utilized will be based on best practices in collaboration with local school districts. Feedback loops will be employed as part of the intensive mentoring provided throughout the project. Induction services will be offered upon licensing and employment in the area in which each participant is certified.
Number of participants: 21
University of Alaska-Fairbanks (Alaska)
S299B080022
The University of Alaska-Fairbanks (UA) will recruit Native American individuals into a professional cadre of educators and education leaders. The project will provide support and pre-service training to 27 qualified individuals so they will earn bachelor's degrees in education or bachelor's degrees in endorsable areas with full state teacher certification. Graduates will offer induction services to successfully transition into the teaching profession in schools with significant Native American student populations. The School of Education at UA will provide a state approved, nationally (NCATE) accredited program to prepare graduates to teach students to district, state, and national standards.
Number of participants: 27
Pennsylvania State University (Pennsylvania)
S299B080016
The primary goal of this project is to prepare a cohort of Native Americans to be effective leaders in schools that serve significant numbers of Native Americans students. A national recruitment effort will identify, select and admit 8 highly qualified Native Americans into the Educational Leadership / American Indian Leadership Programs. Each of the 8 participants will earn a Master's of Education degree in Educational Leadership and be certified as a school principal. Induction services will be provided to help ensure a successful and effective transition from an academic program to an educational leadership position.
Number of participants: 8
July 7, 2008
2007 Project Profiles
Diné College - Center for Diné Teacher Education
Tsaile, AZ
The Navajo School Administrator Preparation Project conducts coursework, mentoring and internships in the first three years, leading to a Master's degree in Educational Administration and Arizona teacher licensure. The final year of the project focuses on induction for each participant employed within a school on the Navajo Nation. This project supports15 teachers in K - 12 schools on the Navajo Nation. Throughout the project, Navajo instructors will engage students in culturally relevant issues, social responsibility and community service through action research projects, internships, and other coursework.
Project duration: 48 months, 7/01/07 - 6/30/11
Contact: Janel Hinrichsen (928) 724-6703
Diné College - Center for Diné Teacher Education
Tsaile, AZ
The Integrity and Distinctiveness Model is a collaborative effort of Dine College and Arizona State University. The model supports 45 individuals to achieve a BA degree in Elementary Education (K-8), certification; the final year will include induction. An additional 15 students who already possess a BA and require certification and induction are also supported. The project supports Dine language, history and culture and prepares individuals for employment in a multi-cultural and technological world.
Project duration: 48 months, 7/01/07 - 6/30/11
Contact: Janel Hinrichsen 928-724-6703
Montana State University-Bozeman
Bozeman, MT
The Early Childhood Education Distance Partnership expands an existing network of Montana tribes' Head Start efforts that will result in the graduation of a new cohort of Tribal Head Start teachers with a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education. The project will support the award of degrees to 20 - 25 current or prospective Head Start employees and will support these graduates through their first year of post-baccalaureate teaching. Students will develop skills in a wide range of early childhood areas as well as skills in assessment to document children's progress, parent/family needs and follow up referrals.
Project duration: 48 months, 7/01/07 - 6/30/11
Contact: Laura Massey at (406) 994-3300
Montana State University-Bozeman
Bozeman, MT
The I LEAD Project is a consortium between the University, Fort Peck Community College and Poplar Public Schools that provides American Indian teachers with access to a graduate degree program in school leadership. The project serves 30 American Indian educators via distance learning and local coursework, seminar and field experiences based on cultural issues, and theory and practice. Academic courses will be team taught by a university instructor and a current administrator from a school with high concentrations of American Indian students. Feedback will be gathered from students, instructors and mentors throughout the project and induction year support will be provided.
Project duration: 48 months, 7/01/07 - 6/30/11
Contact: William Ruff (406) 994-4182
Turtle Mountain Community College
Belcourt, ND
This project supports American Indian students pursuing an Elementary Education degree and ND licensure. Twenty one students will be supported through their first year of teaching. Culturally grounded concepts that emphasize collaboration and teamwork are utilized throughout the project. Activities such as tutoring, computer/counseling and study skills are emphasized. Local schools are also involved as cooperating members in students' preparation by identifying existing teachers to serve as mentors.
Project duration: 48 months, 7/01/07 - 6/30/11
Contact: Les LaFountain (701) 477-7862
University of Northern Colorado
Greely, CO
This project is a collaborative effort between the university and eight school districts to implement training for American Indian paraprofessional employees in the K - 12 partnership schools in Arizona and Colorado. The project supports attainment of a Bachelor degree and teacher licensure in the fields of language arts, mathematics and science, and social studies as well as native language and culture instruction. The project will assist a cohort of at least 18 paraprofessionals to become fully certified in these areas and will include supervision of the induction process for new teachers. Project activities include the writing of curriculum for on-line, on-site, and summer institute instruction.
Project duration: 48 months, 7/01/07 - 6/30/11
Contact: Michael Welsh at (970) 351-2223
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR
The Sapsik'wala Project is a collaborative effort between the University of Oregon and nine federally recognized tribes in Oregon. The project conducts recruitment, pre-service preparation and induction mentorship for American Indian teachers. Participants in this project will earn a master's degree and Oregon teacher licensure. This project serves 15 students in either regular or special education at the elementary or middle/high school levels. It integrates concepts to promote a cultural community, collegial relationships, and a 'communities of practice' approach whereby students share challenges regarding practices arising in the classroom.
Project duration: 48 months, 7/01/07 - 6/30/11
Contact: Patricia Rounds at (541) 346-1056
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT
The Utah American Indian Teacher Training Program provides training, certification, and a one year induction for ten (10) American Indian secondary mathematics and science teachers. Its goals and activities to support the students include: the creation of resource group leaders to assist Indian pre-service teachers in reading and analyzing data to improve student achievement and to use appropriate methodological tools; the creation of a course on American Indian science, math and education that will be institutionalized within the University of Utah; and the development of a series of publications and presentations to assist institutions that are training American Indian teachers.
Project duration: 48 months, 7/01/07 - 6/30/11
Contact: Gwen Mudrow (801) 581-5877
(February 27, 2008)
