RI higher education partnership grants
Program: The attached guidelines provide directions for eligible partnerships to make application in Rhode Island for federal funds available under the higher education portion of Title II, Part A, of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The program replaces the Dwight D. Eisenhower Professional Development Program, which began in 1985 and ended in 2001.
Purpose: Higher Education Partnership Grants are intended to provide funding for competitive grants for professional development activities (consistent with the Rhode Island Quality Standards for Professional Development) in the nine core academic subjects to ensure that highly qualified teachers, paraprofessionals, and (if appropriate) principals have subject matter knowledge in either the academic subjects they teach or in computer-related technology to enhance instruction. Grants are awarded to eligible partnerships (see below).
Eligibility: Eligible partnerships must include the following three partners:
1) the division of a private or state institution of higher education (IHE) that prepares teachers and principals,
2) an IHE’s school of arts and sciences, and
3) a high-need local educational agency (LEA).
An eligible partnership also may include other partners, such as another LEA, a public charter school, an elementary school or secondary school (including private schools), an educational service agency, a nonprofit educational organization, another IHE, a school of arts and sciences within that IHE, the division of that IHE that prepares teachers and principals, a nonprofit cultural organization, an entity carrying out a pre-kindergarten program, a teacher organization, a principal organization, or a business.
Submission: Proposals must be received at the Rhode Island Office of Higher Education by 4:00 p.m. on March 29th, 2010.
Letters of Intent: Partnerships planning to submit a proposal are requested to submit a Letter-of-Intent to the Rhode Island Office of Higher Education by 4:00 p.m. on March 5th, 2010.
RFP/Grant Proposal Application for 2010-2012
Improving Teacher Quality
State Grant, August 17, 2006
Higher Education Partnership Grant Awards for 2008
To read last year's RFP/Grant Proposal Application
1 . Curriculum Development with Guided Inquiry-Based Integrated Science (GIBIS)
High-Need Local Education Agency Partners: Central Falls School District, Newport School District, Pawtucket School District, Woonsocket School District
Other Partners: Salve Regina University Department of Education, Salve Regina University Departments of Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematical Sciences
Curriculum Development with Guided Inquiry Based Integrated Science addresses the need for a program that assists teachers in curriculum development aligned with Rhode Island’s Proficiency-Based Graduation Requirements (PBGRs). This hands-on, technology-rich program enables teams of teachers to draw upon the expertise of their peers while working to develop activity-based projects that address mathematics and science concepts that their classes are investigating. The program provides teachers with the opportunity to teach activity-based lessons to a class of high school students and witness the conceptual understanding that the students develop. The program also provides participants with useful methods, materials, lessons and activities that they can use in their own classrooms.
For more information, contact Dr. Sandor Kadar (401-341-3125; kadars@salve.edu).
2. Discovery of Rhode Island Coastal Environments II
High-Need Local Education Agency Partner: Newport School District
Other Partners: Middletown School District, Portsmouth School District, Roger Williams University Department of Education, University of Rhode Island Office of Marine Programs
The Discovery of Coastal Environments II (DOCE) is an integrated experience in classroom and field-based marine science and technology for elementary teachers. A priority of DOCE is to expand teacher knowledge and understanding of science, technology, and inquiry-based pedagogy in order to implement more fully the state and national science education standards. Pre-service and in-service teachers will collaborate to produce classroom activities that follow the RI Department of Education’s template for science instruction. DOCE assists teachers across the state to implement instruction that targets the Rhode Island grade-span expectations (GSEs). An updated and enhanced DOCE Web site will include an interactive atlas allowing for comparisons of ecosystem parameters and visualizations permitting the visitor to explore RI coastal environments as though they were there, choosing the direction they travel, the flora and fauna they examine, and images they wish to capture.
For more information, contact Christopher Knowlton (401-874-6481; cknowlto@gso.uri.edu).
3. Using Modern Tools of Computational Chemistry to Teach High School Science
High-Need Local Education Agency Partner: Providence School District
Other Partners: Rhode Island College Feinstein School of Education, Rhode Island College Physical Science Department
The purpose of this project is to enhance teachers’ and students’ content knowledge by engaging teachers and high-school students in the solution of unique scientific problems. As national science standards indicate, science is a practical endeavor that involves sophisticated and complex ideas and methods, which are best learned through experience – by doing. The project aims at helping chemistry teachers to use modern tools of computational chemistry to solve scientific problems and equipping them to use those tools for discovery experiments in high school classes. An additional goal of this project is to train teachers to mentor students as they work on scientific projects. A third goal is to inspire students, particularly women and underrepresented groups, to pursue an education and career in science by giving them a vision of what can be accomplished through science, exposing them to the excitement of scientific presentations and inquiry, and providing them with direct contact with the scientific community.
For more information, contact Dr. Glennison de Oliveira (401-456-8396; gdeoliveira@ric.edu).
4. Using Tools and Strategies to Build a Professional Learning Community
High-Need Local Education Agency Partner: Central Falls School District
Other Partners: Rhode Island College Feinstein School of Education, Rhode Island College Mathematics Department, Principals Association
The collaborative project will provide an intensive professional development for district and school leaders, teachers, and School Improvement Teams in all schools in Central Falls. The purpose is to advance Central Fall’s plan for improvement and develop Professional Learning Communities. The project will focus on assessment and intervention. The project intends to move the district’s reform agenda forward and foster student gains by developing a culture that builds professional capacity to enable the effective monitoring of student progress.
For more information, contact Dr. Susan Gracia (sgracia@ric.edu).
5. Large Molecule-Small Molecule Interactions: Studies of DNA and Protein Binding to Small Organic Molecules
High-Need Local Education Agency Partner: Providence School District and Pawtucket School Districts
Other Partners: Rhode Island College Feinstein School of Education, Rhode Island College Physical Science Department
The project will provide the basis for enriching the chemistry and biology laboratory program at the participating schools, which will expose more students to DNA and protein biochemistry, at a level not currently done, and hopefully foster greater interest among students in science. Teachers will receive instruction in and participate in experimental and theoretical biochemistry for six weeks during the summer and will continue the projects during the school year. Part of experiments and their subsequent analysis can take place in the high school classroom. Other aspects of the research require the instrumentation provided by the college thus increasing contact and collaboration between the investigators and the high school teachers.
For more information, contact Dr. John Williams (jcwilliams@ric.edu).
Last updated February 16, 2010
