FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
S
TATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
F. PHILIP HANDY,
Chairman
T. WILLARD FAIR,
Vice Chairman
Members
DONNA G. CALLAWAY
JULIA L. JOHNSON
ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ
PHOEBE RAULERSON
LINDA K. TAYLOR
John L. Winn
Commissioner of Education
CONTACT PERSON
NAME:
Michelle Reaves
PHONE:
850/245-0765
SUNCOM:
205-0765
EMAIL:
Michelle.Reaves@fldoe.org
K12:
2005-171
M E M O R A N D U M
TO:
District School Superintendents
FROM:
Cheri Yecke, K-12 Chancellor
DATE:
December 13, 2005
SUBJECT: MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE PARTNERSHIPS – NEW
COMPETITIVE GRANT OPPORTUNITY
We are pleased to announce that Florida has received $8,600,000 for a third round of funding
under Title II, Part B of the
No Child Left Behind Act
to improve the quality of instruction in the
areas of mathematics and science. These funds will be used to award grants on a competitive
basis to partnerships which must include a science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics
(STEM) department of an institution of higher education, a local educational agency (LEA), and
a high-need LEA. A high-need LEA is defined as a district in which:
no less than 40% of the children are from families with incomes below poverty
teachers are in need of content and/or pedagogical professional development in mathematics
and science
there are schools which did not make Adequate Yearly Progress, and/or received a grade of a
“D” or “F"
It is recommended that the above partnerships consist of schools within the “high-need LEA”
which:
CHERI PIERSON YECKE, PH.D.
CHANCELLOR, K-12 PUBLIC SCHOOLS
325 W. GAINES STREET • SUITE 514 • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0509 • www.fldoe.org
District School Superintendents
December 13, 2005
Page Two
have high potential for developing a replicable prototype, received Title I funding, did not
make Adequate Yearly Progress, and/or received a grade of a “D” or “F"
Consistent with the State Board of Education’s Strategic Imperatives, these competitive
grants are designed to:
improve and upgrade the quality of mathematics and science teaching by encouraging
institutions of higher education (community colleges and universities) to assume greater
responsibility for improving mathematics and science teacher education
aid in the establishment of a comprehensive, integrated system of recruiting, training, and
advising mathematics and science teachers
A successful proposal will:
focus on the education of mathematics and science teachers as a career-long process that
continuously stimulates the intellectual growth of teachers and upgrades their knowledge and
skills
include a broad-based public engagement campaign to bring attention to the need for better
mathematics and science education
develop a major academic research base to improve the knowledge of what increases student
learning in mathematics and science in the classroom
Grant applications that bring mathematics and science teachers in elementary schools
and secondary schools together with scientists, mathematicians, and engineers from
institutes of higher education to increase the subject matter knowledge of these
teachers are strongly encouraged.
An Intent to Apply is requested by December 30, 2005. The Request for Proposal (RFP)
for these competitive grants is attached and due on or before January 30, 2006. The
RFP is also available at http://www.firn.edu/doe/curriculum/titleiib.htm.
CY/mrf
Attachment
cc: Dr. Mark Rosenberg, Chancellor, Universities
David Armstrong, Chancellor, Community Colleges
Assistant Superintendents for Curriculum and Instruction
District Mathematics Contacts
District Science Contacts