State Commission Awards $14 Million In Grants To Schools To Improve Teaching

The California Postsecondary Education Commission has granted over $14 million in grants to higher education institutions and local education agencies to improve subject matter competence and instructional skills of prospective and current California elementary and secondary school teachers. The projects, with grants ranging from about $45,000 to $663,000 annually, are for a three-year funding period.

Designed to increase the number of highly qualified teachers, especially in the subjects of mathematics and science, several of the projects include activities for school administrators and parents. Other programs integrate the use of technology to increase the number of teachers served -- especially those who work in rural areas.

The programs focus on districts and schools with a high percentage of students from low-income families, or that have many non-credentialed teachers. Funding for the projects is provided to the Commission under Title II of the omnibus federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. For nearly twenty years, the Commission has conducted grant competitions and supported initiatives to improve curriculum knowledge and instructional competence for California teachers. Over 200 competitive grants, totaling $90 million, have been awarded in the areas of teacher preparation and professional development.

“The quality of the teacher is the single most important factor in determining student success. We are extremely pleased to be involved in the development and implementation of professional development activities that enable students to have more highly qualified teachers,” said Robert Moore, Executive Director of the Commission.” These grants, using federal dollars, are especially important during these tough fiscal times,” he said.

The California Postsecondary Education Commission advises the Governor and Legislature on higher education policy and fiscal issues. Its primary focus is to ensure that the state’s educational resources are used effectively to provide Californians with postsecondary education opportunities. More information about the Commission and its work in improving teacher quality can be found on its website at www.cpec.ca.gov, or by contacting Linda White, the program’s administrator at (916) 322-7984.

The following table shows funded projects, the higher education institution and local education agency receiving a grant, and the three-year dollar amount for each.

Press releases announcing each individual grant and appropriate project contacts are available on the Commission’s website at http://www.cpec.ca.gov/PressRelease/PressRelease.ASP.

Contact: Murray Haberman, CPEC, (916) 322-8028, mhaberman@cpec.ca.gov