CPE Awards Grants to Improve P-12 Educator Quality

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Nov. 20, 2013) — For the 12th consecutive year, the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) has awarded federal grant funds to improve P-12 educator quality through professional development programs. The University of Kentucky has received three of these Improving Educator Quality (IEQ) grants. Two ($120,000 and $130,000) were awarded to Kimberly Zeidler-Watters, director of P-12 Mathematics and Science Outreach for the UK Partnership Institute for Mathematics and Science Education Reform (PIMSER). The third ($130,000) was awarded to Rebecca McNall Krall, associate professor of STEM Education. PIMSER and STEM Education are both programs in the UK College of Education. 

The IEQ grants, totaling $839,000, were also awarded to other lead institutions in the state, including Morehead State University, Murray State University and Northern Kentucky University.

The focus of the program this year is on fully integrating the Common Core Standards and Next Generation Science Standards and related assessments in a way that assists teachers in providing intervention in content areas for students in need of accelerated learning.

“The more we improve teaching, the more we can improve student learning,” said CPE President Bob King. “Each of these grants will support our campuses’ efforts to help public school teachers continue to increase college and career readiness of Kentucky’s students.”

To be eligible, a partnership must include a postsecondary institution's school of arts and sciences, its teacher preparation program, as well as a high-need, local school district.

About the UK projects:

Success in Algebra: Improving Special Education Teaching Practice (year 2): $120,000
Kimberly Zeidler-Watters, principal investigator
UK will provide content and strategies for special education teachers to facilitate and develop effective classroom experiences for their students. The content focus will be on developing a deeper understanding for the teacher participants on number concepts as they relate to success in algebra. The interventions are necessary for special needs students who have gaps in learning so they are prepared for and can be successful in Algebra I courses. The proposal will target 20 special education middle and high school mathematics teachers. 

Integrating Engineering in the Sciences (IES): $130,000
Kimberly Zeidler-Watters, principal investigator
Through a broad partnership facilitated by PIMSER, comprised of high school science teacher teams, science educators, and scientists, the project will work to develop, pilot and revise high school instructional units of study. With the addition of Global Climate and several human health-related core ideas in the Next Generation Science Standards, high school science programs have a high need for assistance with developing units that address these concepts and integrate engineering. Participating in IES is designed to move science teachers from test preparation to designing classroom experiences that genuinely prepare students to be college and career ready.

Project-Based Investigations on Improving Water Quality in the Kentucky River Watershed: $130,000
Rebecca McNall Krall, principal investigator
This professional development project aims to improve 27 middle school teachers’ abilities to develop and implement engaging project-based learning units relating to the Kentucky River Watershed. The central goal of the project is to improve middle school teachers’ competence and confidence in teaching and applying Kentucky Core Academic Standards and Next Generation Science Standards in authentic STEM contexts that engage students in doing science and applying knowledge in authentic contexts. 

Other projects, lead institutions and grant awards are listed below:

• Collaborative for Inquiry-Based Instruction, Northern Kentucky University: $120,000—Year 2
• Algebraic Dynamic Duo: Integrating Hands-On Learning and Problem Solving to Increase Student Achievement, Morehead State University: $120,000—Year 2
• FLIP: Using Video Podcasts for Mathematics Instruction and Intervention, Northern Kentucky University: $120,000—Year 2
• Enriching Science Learning through Simulations and Interdisciplinary Problem-Solving, Murray State University: $99,000

MEDIA CONTACT: Jenny Wells, 859-257-5343; jenny.wells@uky.edu