Faculty members in Marshall University’s Graduate School of Education and Professional Development have received five grants totaling $409,447 to support professional development for teachers.
The grants were received through the Improving Teacher Quality State Grants Program (Title II). The initiative is part of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which emphasizes teacher quality as a factor in improving student achievement. The Title II program focuses on preparing, training and recruiting high-quality teachers and principals and requires states to develop plans to ensure all teachers teaching core academic subjects are highly qualified.
The projects funded at Marshall include:
- Using the Next Generation CSOs to improve the Achievement for Secondary Students in Clay County – $94,490 (Dr. Yvonne Skoretz, assistant professor)
This project is the second of a two-part summer institute with follow-up activities. Participants will be introduced to new instructional strategies designed to reinforce and extend content knowledge and strategies learned in the first session to increase college success and career readiness for high school graduates.
- Writing in the Common Core: Capacity, Commitment, Collaboration – $61,400 (Dr. Barbara O’Byrne, professor and literacy education program director)
This project targets high school and middle school English and social studies teachers in Kanawha County. The intensive, research-based professional development will prepare participants to develop, deliver and evaluate writing instruction to support state standards.
- Improving Mathematics Instruction in the Standards-Based Classroom (Grades K-2) in Cooperation with Mingo County Public Schools – $87,356 (Dr. Lisa Heaton, professor and elementary and secondary education program director)
This project is designed to provide professional development in mathematics for 30 Mingo County elementary educators. Program activities will reinforce the use of standards-based instruction and assessment to support the new math standards, and provide books and materials to support content learning and skills development.
- Standards–Based Learning in the Science Classroom (Grades 3-6) in Cooperation with Mingo County Schools – $87,356 (Dr. Lisa Heaton, professor and elementary and secondary education program director)
This project will provide professional development in science for 30 elementary teachers. The focus on standards-based instruction will use inquiry and problem-based learning through hands-on experiences to demonstrate the integration and application of scientific literacy in everyday life.
- Using Next Generation CSOs to improve Middle and High School Students’ Achievement in Roane County – $78,845 (Dr. Elizabeth Campbell, assistant professor)
This project will provide professional development for 25 Roane County teachers in English, language arts and mathematics. Participants will use Next Generation CSOs strategies and skills to help with the implementation of the new state standards geared towards increasing college success and career readiness for high school graduates.
The grant funds are administered through the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.
