Federal Grants Awarded to Improve K-12 Teaching in Minnesota

Archive

3/8/2007

 

Contact: Sandy Connolly, Director of Communications
(651) 259-3902

Twenty-four grants totaling over $1 million were awarded to Minnesota higher education institutions and a nonprofit organization to support improved K-12 instruction in mathematics, science, civics and government, economics, history, and geography, the Office of Higher Education announced today.

"The funded programs provide professional development to support the distribution of highly qualified and effective teachers in Minnesota's high need schools," said Nancy Walters, Program Manager for the Office of Higher Education.

The grants to improve teacher quality through higher education--totaling $1,069,004--were made available with federal funding from the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 targeted specifically to the Improving Teacher Quality program. With the funds designated for higher education under this initiative, each state higher education agency provides competitive grants to higher education partnerships that include one or more high-needs school districts. A priority was given to grants in mathematics designed to prepare K-8 teachers to improve the preparation of students for Algebra I and more rigorous mathematics courses in high school.

Recipients under the 2007-2008 higher education program were:

• University of Minnesota received ten grants totaling $467,430;
• Bemidji State University received three grants totaling $113,508;
• The Minnesota Council on Economic Education received three grants totaling $143,196;
• Macalester College received two grants totaling $93,904;
• Augsburg College received a grant of $39,583;
• Century College received a grant of $46,601;
• Hamline University received a grant of $45,072;
• Minnesota State University, Mankato received a grant of $47,021;
• Minnesota State University, Moorhead received a grant of $32,542; and
• The College of St. Scholastica received a grant of $40,147.

The grants awarded support sustained in-service programs in mathematics, science, civics and government, economics, history, and geography for K-12 teachers and for highly-qualified paraprofessionals in mathematics. Funded projects will work with schools having the greatest need to improve student achievement.

In total, Minnesota received $37 million for 2007-2008 under the federal Improving Teacher Quality Program. The Minnesota Department of Education administers the larger portion of these funds for state and district-level teacher quality efforts. The federal award provides this state formula grant program to state education agencies, local school districts, and state agencies for higher education to help states and local school districts ensure that teachers have subject-matter knowledge and teaching skills necessary to help all children achieve high academic standards, regardless of individual learning styles or need.

The Minnesota Office of Higher Education is a cabinet-level state agency providing students with financial aid programs and information to help them gain access to postsecondary education. The agency also serves as the state's clearinghouse for data, research and analysis on postsecondary enrollment, financial aid, finance and trends.