The Indiana Department of Education awarded grants to four Marion County school districts for professional development for math and science teachers.
Indiana distributed seventeen Math and Science Partnership (MSP) grants in total to districts across the state. Grant recipients will work with universities, foundations, and other local institutions to develop projects to help math and science educators improve their teaching strategies and knowledge. Past projects have involved teacher workshops, summer institutes, field trips, and pairing teachers with mentors who work in science fields.
“Focusing on STEM is vital to the future success of not only our students, but also our state,” state superintendent Jennifer McCormick said in a statement today. “I applaud the efforts these schools have shown in this area and congratulate them on receiving this grant.” STEM education refers to integrated science, technology, engineering, and math programs.
Expanding teacher development opportunities is a big goal for districts like Indianapolis Public Schools, and could help schools hold on to their teachers longer.
Under the MSP program, Indiana receives federal dollars according to its student population and poverty rates, and distributes them to selected districts with above average rates of low-income students and below average test scores in math and science. This year’s recipients were part of the program for the past one or two years. Some districts received multiple grants.
Here are the recipients and their university partners:
- Indianapolis Public Schools, University of Notre Dame: $80,000
- Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township, University of Southern Indiana Warsaw Community Schools, Ball State University: $180,000
- MSD of Pike Township, Butler University: $135,000
- MSD of Washington Township, Ball State University: $84,000
- Elkhart Community Schools, Purdue University Calumet: $180,000
- Evansville Vanderburgh Schools, University of Notre Dame: $125,000
- Evansville Vanderburgh Schools, Community Schools of Frankfort, South Vermillion Community School Corporation, $210,000
- Evansville Vanderburgh Schools, University of Southern Indiana, Butler University: $220,000
- Fairfield Community Schools, Goshen Community Schools, Purdue University: $154,652
- Greencastle Community Schools, DePauw University: $83,228
- Loogootee Community Schools, Barr Reeve Community Schools, North Daviess Community Schools, Shoals Community Schools, Washington Community Schools, Washington Catholic Schools, Indiana University: $135,000
- Michigan City Area Schools, LaPorte Community Schools, North Judson Schools, MSD of New Dunham Township, Purdue University North Central: $200,000
- Purdue University Calumet, Griffith Public Schools, School City of Hammond, Hammond Academy of Science and Technology, and Merrillville Community Schools: $80,271
- South Bend Community Schools, Indiana University South Bend: $135,000
- Spencer Owen Community Schools, Richland-Bean Blossom Community Schools, Indiana University: $200,000
- Vigo County Schools, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Indiana State University: $150,000 and $140,000.