For Immediate Release
February 18, 2005
Illinois State Board of Education announces Mathematics
and Science Partnership grants
SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois State Board of Education
has announced more than $5.2 million in educational grant
awards for 20 partnership projects in Illinois. The awards
are part of the 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science
Partnerships (IMSP) program, a highly competitive grant
program designed to enhance the content knowledge and
teaching skills of classroom teachers.
The unique partnerships were designed to increase the
academic achievement of students in mathematics and science
by improving teacher quality. IMSP programs offer additional
training for nearly 1000 teachers in more than 130 districts
and require participants to attend two-week institutes
this summer and four follow-up sessions during the 2005-2006
school year. Participating teachers become part of a statewide
research team and test their new learning in the classroom.
“These grants provide great professional development
opportunities for teachers,” said Randy Dunn, State
Superintendent of Education. “They bring together
knowledge and technology with the ultimate goal of creating
exciting learning experiences for students. The expertise
and enthusiasm that each partner brings to the table is
carried through to classrooms and, most importantly, to
kids.”
The grants are federally funded through Title II, Part
B of the No Child Left Behind Act. Many of the programs
receive recommendations for multiple-year funding, pending
continued federal appropriation and program success.
The Illinois program includes a special evaluation component
to be coordinated through Northern Illinois University.
The partnership provides evaluation advice and analysis
for decision-making in mathematics and science efforts.
Partnerships supported by this year’s grants are:
- Chicago Academy of Sciences, the Peggy Notebaert Nature
Museum and the University of Illinois at Chicago with
20 elementary teachers from Chicago;
- Blackburn College, Hurst Rosche Engineering Company,
Christian-Montgomery Regional Office of Education (ROE)
and ROE #40 for Calhoun, Greene, Jersey and Macoupin
Counties with 50 teachers from 24 districts and the
two Regional Safe Schools;
- DePaul University Master of Science degree program
with 25 public and private Chicago area middle school
teachers;
- Des Plaines Community Consolidated School District
#62, National Louis University, Oakton Community College,
Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce and the North Cook Intermediate
Service Center with 48 teachers from three school districts;
- East Richland School District #1 in Olney, local district
parents, Eastern Illinois University, Southern Illinois
University and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources
to expand their existing partnership with the Embarrass
River Management Association;
- Eastern Illinois University and Southern Illinois
University in Edwardsville with 30 elementary teachers,
mentored by colleagues from their own middle or high
schools;
- Staff from the Mt. Vernon office of the Hamilton-Jefferson
Regional Office of Education, with 45 teachers from
11 districts;
- Joliet District #86, St. Francis University, Argonne
Laboratory, UC Yerkes and Joliet Park District with
40 teachers from seven elementary and middle schools;
- Kankakee Community College, Olivet Nazarene, Bunge
Oil, Cognis Corporation, Texas Instruments, Riverside
Health and St. Mary’s Hospital with 30 teachers
from 21 school districts;
- Lee-Ogle Regional, Rock Island Offices of Education
(ROE), Northern Illinois University and Western Illinois
University with area teachers;
- Loyola University Center for Science and Math Education
with 24 middle schools from Chicago Public Schools;
- Northern Illinois University, with 40 teachers from
the Glen Ellyn and Addison School Districts and 20 teachers
from the Aurora East School District;
- Proviso Township, Loyola University Departments of
Chemistry and Physics, University of Illinois-Chicago
Departments of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer
Science and Texas Instruments with 60 teachers from
six school districts working toward advanced certification
in mathematics and science;
- Richland 88A, Illinois State University, Argonne National
Laboratory and Texas Instruments with Lockport Consortium
of Schools high school district and seven elementary
districts;
- St. Clair and the Monroe-Randolph Regional Offices
of Education, Missouri Botanical Gardens, Camp Wartburg
and Lindenwood University with 60 teachers from 18 districts;
- Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville and Boeing
Corporation with 30 Collinsville teachers;
- The Teachers Academy of Mathematics and Science in
Chicago, National Louis University and Governor’s
State University with 35 math teachers from five school
districts;
- University of Chicago, Yerkes Observatory and Will
County Regional Office of Education with 24 teachers;
- Regional Office of Education in Ullin, Regional Offices
of Franklin/Williamson Counties and Jackson/Perry Counties,
Shawnee Community College and Southern Illinois University
in Carbondale with 75 teachers; and
- Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora,
Illinois Institute of Technology and Warren Township
District #121 High School District in Gurnee.
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