$3.3 Million Grant Will Focus on Teacher Development, Curriculum for High-Needs Schools in Modesto

California State University, Stanislaus has partnered with Modesto City Schools and UC Berkeley as recipient of a $3.3 million grant to recruit, develop and retain teachers at "high-needs" schools.

The grant from the United States Department of Education will allow CSU Stanislaus to update teacher preparation programs at every stage and to model, teach and support culturally responsive instructional methods, as developed by the Center for Research on Education, Diversity & Excellence (CREDE) at UC Berkeley. The program, scheduled to start at CSU Stanislaus this month with a planning session, will track and support teachers as they enter the profession at schools with diverse student populations.

"This grant offers the opportunity to recruit and support beginning teachers from this area," said Joan Wink, CSU Stanislaus Professor of Teacher Education and program coordinator. "By creating this program, we hope to not only retain great new teachers, but also enhance the learning of local public school students."

Wink said the program will focus on those students with the greatest academic needs. CREDE is a research and development center that focuses on improving the education of students who are challenged by language or cultural barriers, race, geographic location or poverty.

The grant will involve 75 teachers who instruct students from multi-cultural or English-as-a-second language backgrounds. These teachers will learn to use CREDE's instructional model for diverse students. Heavy emphasis will be placed on academic and language development skills through use of interactive instructional methods.

CSU Stanislaus faculty also will help teacher education students at the undergraduate and teacher credential graduate levels turn CREDE's instructional model into practical and effective instructional curriculum. A number of Modesto City Schools teachers also will receive CREDE coach training and eventually serve as mentors at their campuses to help other teachers develop similar curriculum.

Program progress will be monitored and researched to determine the effectiveness of producing student academic success in the classrooms.

"Our goal is to create a more seamless program for students through their undergraduate years, into and through the credential program, and continuing through the first two years of teaching," Wink said.

More information on the CREDE program is available on the web at: www.crede.org.

Media contact: Don Hansen, (209) 667-3997