US Department of Education
Professional Development Information

September 1996

The US Department of Education's resource guide, Teacher Education and Professional Development, describes more than 150 federal programs that can support professional development opportunities & initial preparation for teachers. Excerpts here. Web site link will take you to the complete document.

Also included in this report:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here are some excerpts from the report. The full text -- including contact information -- is available in the US Department of Education Online Library at: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/AchGoal4/


============================
U.S. Department of Education
============================
The Dwight D. Eisenhower Professional Development Program
(Title II, Part B ESEA)

Is the largest federal program devoted to professional
development of teachers & other school staff. Provides
forumla grants to states. The reauthorized Eisenhower
Program, which replaces the former Eisenhower Math & Science
Education Program, supports state & local efforts to
stimulate & provide sustained & intensive high-quality
professional development in all of the core academic
subjects. Districts receive funding to carry out activities
consistent with local needs & have very wide discretion in
determining the activities that will best enable all
teachers to obtain the skills & knowledge they need to help
all students achieve to high standards. Eisenhower funds
must pay for no more than 2/3 the cost of activities that
they support; districts may pay the remaining costs with
funds from state & local sources, other federal funds (such
as Title I), cash & in-kind contributions.

Goals 2000 -- Preservice Teacher Education & Professional
Development Activities

Funds awarded to state education agencies &, through
subgrants, to school districts are available to help develop
& implement comprehensive state & local improvement plans
that include strategies for promoting quality professional
development. Also provides financial assistance to school
districts through subgrants from the state education agency
to support continuing & sustained professional development
programs that will increase student learning, & to improve
teacher education programs. Each state educational agency
funds these activities on a competitive, peer-reviewed,
basis out of a portion of the Goals 2000 grant that it
receives from the Department.

==============================
U.S. Department of Agriculture
==============================
Ag in the Classroom

Helps students gain a greater understanding of agriculture's
role in the economy & society, & informs students about
career opportunities in the food & agricultural sciences.

Distance Learning & Medical Link Grant Program

Provides grants to rural schools, hospitals, & other
organizations, to provide educational & medical benefits
through distance learning & medical link projects in rural
areas. Finances facilities, such as classroom video
equipment, that may be used to connect various rural sites
together or to other urban sites through existing
telecommunications networks. Has developed a number of
teacher professional development programs & tools.
Organizations such as schools, libraries, hospitals, medical
centers, or similar organizations may apply.

Infusing Aquaculture Into Agriculture Education

A 1100-page, 5-volume curriculum for teaching high school
students science & math principles related to aquatic
organisms.

National Networks for Action in Science & Technology

Strengthens links between land-grant colleges & universities
that provide technical assistance to the federally funded
children, youth, & families at-risk sites.

Teachers' Research Fellowship Program

Offers temporary employment to math, biology, or physical
science teachers at the junior or senior high school level.
Teachers work under an Agricultural Research Service
scientist on specific research problems tailored for
completion within a given time period. Provides teachers
with first-hand agricultural & food-related research
experience that can be transferred to students.

===========================
U.S. Department of Commerce
===========================
National Sea Grant College Program, Global Change Education
Program

"Training the Trainer" workshops for informal educators,
NOAA employees, & local extension leaders. Workshop topics
include natural variability, greenhouse/sea level rise,
ozone depletion, resource consumption, & decision making
under "scientific uncertainty."

National Sea Grant College Program, Operation Pathfinder Program

A 2-week summer courses that present an introduction to
oceanographic & coastal processes. Courses & teacher
training designed to enhance skills in science teaching are
available for K - grade 12 teachers in six regions.

==========================
U.S. Department of Defense
==========================
National Science Center

Offers hands-on workshops/camps for students & teachers in
science, math, electronics & computers nationwide. Lends
(to teachers that have been certified through the center's
comprehensive training program) portable planetariums for
instruction in space science, astronomy, geography, &
biology. Operates a Discovery Center that offers school
groups & the general public interactive experiences with
scientific exhibits. Operates mobile versions of the
Discover Center that travel nationwide. Reaches out
nationally with satellite teleconference programs on science
education. Offers a Science-by-Mail program that encourages
pen pal relationships between students & scientists.

=========================
U.S. Department of Energy
=========================
Better Education for Students & Teachers (BEST)

Gives teachers (grades 7-12) opportunities to conduct
research or participate in curriculum development activities
at approved DOE laboratories. Special emphasis is placed on
incorporating the teachers' lab experiences into science &
mathematics activities they can use in their classroom.

Chicago & National Science Explorers Program

Uses PBS "New Explorers" videotapes to present science
concepts to students. Teacher guides are available for use
in the classroom & in collaboration with museums & other
science institutions.

Hands-On Universe

This Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Program makes cutting-edge
astrophysics research tools & technologies available to a
wide audience. Via microcomputers & electronic networks,
participants can request astronomical images created from
the Laboratory's professional-grade telescopes. The lab is
developing resources for teacher professional development.

National Teacher Enhancement Program (NTEP)

A multilaboratory 3-year program for teams of pre-college
teachers. The purpose of the program is to improve K-12
science instruction by creating a cadre of lead teachers who
will serve as role models & mentors for their colleagues &
who will be district leaders in systemic reform initiatives.
NTEP is being held in the following labs:

* Brookhaven National Laboratory -- Is centered on a
3-week summer Energy & Technology Institute. Upton, NY.

* Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory -- The NTEP
workshop focus is environmental studies. Berkley, CA.

* Los Alamos National Laboratory -- A 3-year science
enhancement & leadership program for teachers of grades
4-6. Los Alamos, NM

* National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) -- Is an
opportunity for a teacher (or teams of teachers) to
conduct scientific investigations in a Dept. of Energy
Lab with guidance from scientists/mentors. Golden, CO.

* Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory -- "Global Energy &
Environmental Solutions" is a 3-year teacher institute
designed for science & mathematics teachers of grades
5-8, & features an integrated mathematics, science, &
technology curriculum, as well as assessment techniques
& leadership skills. Princeton, NJ.

* Sandia National Laboratory, California -- LASER
(Leadership Academy for Science Education Reform) is a
3-year institute for teacher leaders. Livermore, CA.

Science at Home

Partners teachers, parents, & students to help improve
scientific literacy & to promote scientific curiosity
through fun, easy-to-do science activities.

Standard Model of Fundamental Particles & Interactions

DOE, through Lawrence Berkeley Lab & the Stanford Linear
Accelerator Center, has sponsored production & distribution
of this instructional packet to provide teachers with
methods for presenting up-to-date ideas on quarks & leptons.

Summer Teacher Enhancement Program (STEP)

These 4-week summer institutes expose teachers to
cutting-edge science in specific content areas & show
teachers how to incorporate what they have learned into the
classroom. Topics include materials, environmental & earth
sciences, physics, & forensics. Math, science & technology
teachers may apply to these programs at the following labs:

* Argonne National Laboratory -- This is a 4-week
intensive summer course on the utilization of
instrumentation based on a multi-disciplinary theme or
forensics. Follow up activities include visits & an
equipment loan program from Argonne National
Laboratory's Instructional Van. Argonne, IL

* Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) -- Manufacturing
Opportunities through Science & Technology (MOST) is a
teacher development program for middle & high school
science, mathematics, technology & vocational education
teachers as well as administrators & guidance
counselors. Oak Ridge, TN.

* Pacific Northwest Laboratory -- The National Teachers
Institute in Materials Science & Technology Teacher
Training brings together teams of teachers &
administrators to work with PNL researchers in
materials, science, & technology. The Institute covers
the fundamentals of ceramics, glass, metals, polymers,
& composites. Richland, WA.

Teacher Environmental Assessment & Modeling (TEAM)

Summer institute for high school science, math, computer, or
technology teachers. Participants learn how to facilitate
student water quality experiences. Los Alamos, NM.

Teacher Research Associates (TRAC) Program

Provides outstanding middle & high school science,
mathematics, & technology education teachers with scientific
& engineering experience through summer research at 1 of 8
participating Energy Dept. laboratories, facilities, &
energy technology centers.

Teacher Research Internship (TRIP)

Provides summer & year-long research opportunities for
teachers with follow-up activities. Includes curriculum
development & classroom transfer. Nearly 50 teachers
participate annually. Livermore, CA.

Teaching Radiation, Energy, & Technology (TREAT)

A 5-day course designed to provide middle & high school
teachers with a accurate & up-to-date information,
materials, & hands-on techniques for teaching radiation,
energy, & related technology. Aiken, SC.

============================================
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
============================================

Minority High School Student Research Apprentice (MHSSRA) Program
for In-service Teachers

For minority teachers or teachers who teach large numbers of
minority students in cutting-edge biomedical research.
Teachers work with biomedical investigators who are
committed to broadening teachers' scientific knowledge &
understanding of technical skills in the hopes that it will
transfer into the classroom.

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
Summers of Discovery Environmental Science Education Outreach

For precollege science teachers & high school through
graduate school students who are interested in pursuing
careers in the biological sciences. Matches participants
with volunteer mentors from the intramural program to spend
2 to 3 months in the mentor's lab working on a research
project related to some of the latest biomedical, molecular,
& cellular techniques. Research Triangle Park, NC.

Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA)

Supports the development of model programs that join working
scientists & educators in enhancing the precollege science
areas such as: molecular biology; molecular genetics;
immunology; neuroscience; knowledge about the brain &
behavior & their relation to addiction & mental disorders;
bioinformatics; ethical issues; the benefits & risks of
genetic engineering; & the role of environmental health.
Applications from educational institutions with significant
minority enrollments, & from applicants who are women or
minority group members, are especially encouraged.

===============================
U.S. Department of the Interior
===============================
Earth Science Information Centers (ESICs)

Offers nationwide information & sales service for U.S.
Geological Survey map products & Earth science publications.
This network of ESICs provides information about geologic,
hydrologic, topographic, & land-use maps; books & reports;
aerial, satellite, & radar images & related products; Earth
science & map data in digital format & related application
software; & geodetic data. Provides information on private
& public producers of Earth science-related products
throughout the United States.

Natural Resources in Mathematics for Science for BIA Schools

Provides educators at BIA schools with both reference
information & curricula-inspiring expertise to help 6th
through 12th grade Native American students attending BIA
schools understand the importance of the petroleum industry
to the American society; how oil & natural gas are formed &
produced; & the economic impact of oil & gas revenues to
Tribal governments & individual mineral owners.

Parks as Classrooms

Offers teachers an opportunity to use the national parks to
augment classroom instruction. Emphasis in most locations
is on ecological & biological principles, while at fewer
locations geological, meteorological, & oceanographic
principles are specified. The National Park Service offers
workshops to encourage teachers to build their curricula
around park resources.

Project Archeology "Intrigue of the Past" Workshops

Activities for increasing a variety of skills such as math,
science, writing, & reading. The activities are based on
archeology & use both technical & analytical aspects.

Project Learning Tree

An award winning environmental education program uses the
forest as a "window on the world" to increase students'
understanding of our complex environment, stimulate critical
& creative thinking, develop the ability to make informed
decisions on environmental issues.

=============================================
National Aeronautics & Space Administration
=============================================
Aerospace Education Services Program

Provides information about U.S. aeronautics & space research
& development activities & their results, to enhance the
knowledge of students & teachers & motivate them in science
education & careers, to enrich the regular curricula, & to
assist with in-service teacher training.

===================================
The National Endowment for the Arts
===================================
ArtsEdge: National Arts Education Information Network

A national arts & education information network provides
content on educational reform, curriculum, promising
programs & practices, & new research.
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org

========================================
The National Endowment for the Humanities
=========================================

Administers 16 programs that offer fellowships to teachers
that promote the humanities.

===========================
National Science Foundation
===========================
Collaboratives for Excellence in Teacher Preparation Program

Supports projects aimed at making major changes in the
undergraduate preparation of future teachers of elementary &
secondary science & math. Colleges & universities or
consortia having the capacity to prepare significant numbers
of highly qualified teachers are eligible.

Teacher Enhancement Program

Develops school cultures that provide necessary resources to
implement classroom improvements & sustain professional
development for teacher participants. Increasing emphasis
is given to projects using teacher enhancement as the
primary vehicle to implement systemic change in SMT
education in school districts that are themselves engaged in
renewal. All such projects must implement exemplary
instructional materials that are aligned with standards &
participate in a standardized evaluation. Eligible
organizations include school districts, colleges &
universities, state & local education agencies, professional
societies, museums, research laboratories, or other private
or public organizations whether for profit or non-profit.

=======================
Smithsonian Institution
=======================
MicroObservatory

Focuses on grades 9-12 & will develop a network of portable,
automated, CCD-based (charge-coupled device) reflecting
telescopes, accessible to students at their schools & over
the Internet. A prototype instrument has been built, & 5
have been assembled to form a nationwide pilot network.

National Science Resources Center (NSRC)

Maintains a comprehensive & growing collection of effective
science teaching resource materials. Housed at the Arts &
Industries Building of the Smithsonian Institution, the
collection holds more than 5,000 volumes. The collection is
cataloged & accessible through computerized information
databases that include annotations as well as bibliographic
data. The Resource Center has also produced an annotated
guide to elementary science resources, "Science for
Children: Resources for Teachers." The revised & updated
2nd edition is available under a new title, "Resources for
Teaching Elementary School Science." A companion volume for
middle schools is also under development.

NSRC Elementary Science Leadership Institutes

Provide teams of administrators, curriculum specialists,
teachers, & scientists from school districts across the
country with the information & skills they need to develop &
maintain effective hands-on elementary science programs.
The Institutes are staffed by science educators & scientists
who have implemented exemplary elementary science programs
in their districts. This Initiative includes technical
assistance to school districts across the country that are
working to reform their elementary science programs.

Science & Technology for Children

A curriculum project of NSRC, is producing a complete
program of science instruction for children in grades 1-6.
The 24 units involve children in hands-on investigations of
scientific phenomena that enable them to learn by doing.

Project ARIES: Astronomy Resources for Intercurricular Elementary
Science

Funded in 1992 for three years, its initial focus is grades
3-4. Is developing a modular, hands-on, discovery-based,
intercurricular, multicultural physical science program
using astronomy as the focus. Teacher enhancement videos
are being be developed in parallel with the curriculum.

Project Designs (Doable Engineering Science Investigations Geared
for Non-science Students)

An NSF-funded project to develop modules of design-based
activities using design-to-constraints & testing against
nature, for grades 6-9. The program consists of technology
education & physical science courses.

Project IMAGE: Investigative Materials About Global Environments

Focuses on grades 7-12, with an emphasis on grades 7-9. The
project developed & field-tested 17 hands-on, investigative
activities using satellite & high altitude imagery to
confront students with the problems & challenges of our
global environment. A manual of these activities with a
teacher's guide will be published in late 1995.

Project SPICA: Support Program for Instructional Competency in
Astronomy

Provides astronomy education support to precollege teachers,
particularly in grades K-9. Has prepared some 180 expert
teachers in 41 states to provide workshops to other teachers
who want to enhance their use of astronomy in their
classrooms. The SPICA agents may be contacted through the
project office. In addition, a manual containing 37
astronomy activities for grades 2-12, "Project SPICA: A
Teacher Resource to Enhance Astronomy Education," is
available from Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.



Home | Latest Updates | Newswatch | MiddleWeb Index | Reforming Schools | Links | Search