FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Tuesday, August 7, 2007

For More Information Contact:

Jonathan Burman or Tom Dunn at (518) 474-1201

Internet:  http://www.nysed.gov

State Education Department Awards $2.5 Million to

Support Improved Instruction and Learning in Math and Science

The State Education Department has awarded grants to colleges and universities throughout the State to fund summer programs that will improve math and science instruction in New York’s schools. These grants are administered through two new programs, “The 2007 Summer Mathematics and/or Science Programs for Middle School Students” and “Summer 2007 Classes and/or Institutes for Teachers in Mathematics and/or Science.”

State Education Commissioner Richard Mills said, “The leaders in the global economy are those with the most advanced math and science skills and knowledge. These grants help give more New York teachers and students those critical skills.”

The Education Department distributed just under $2 million in grants to colleges and universities throughout the State under the “Summer 2007 Classes and/or Institutes for Teachers in Mathematics and/or Science.” This grant program funds 50 percent of the costs of teachers attending university or college-based summer classes and/or institutes. The classes must be designed to improve the teachers’ professional content knowledge and to refresh their ability to apply state-of-the-art technology in the areas of math and/or science. The classes the teachers attend must be directly related to their current or likely future teaching assignments. Selected colleges and universities must partner with one or more public school districts and serve teachers from within the districts. Teachers from charter schools and non-public schools located within the partnering school districts must also be allowed to participate.

Nearly $470,000 was distributed to community colleges throughout New York under the Math and Science Program for Middle School Students. These grants support improved achievement of middle school students in math and/or science through hands-on, engaging summer programs. The colleges must partner with one or more public school districts and serve middle school students from those districts. The programs are aligned with New York’s learning standards and with the intermediate level core curricula in math and science. These programs are available to students who completed grades five, six, seven, or eight in June 2007, and must be offered at no cost to the participating students. Middle school students from charter schools and non-public schools located within the partnering public school districts must also be allowed to participate.

              A list of award recipients for each of the Summer programs follows.

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Summer 2007 Classes and/or Institutes for Teachers in                         Mathematics and/or Science

The 2007 Summer Mathematics and/or Science Programs for Middle School Students