Two San Diego County school districts will get money from the state to enhance math and science instruction for disadvantaged students.

National School District is set to receive $600,000 and San Marcos Unified School District $480,000.

They are two of the 28 school districts that will share more than $18 million in California Mathematics and Science Partnership grants, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced June 4.

“These grants will provide educators the support they need to teach California’s rigorous new standards to our most vulnerable students,” Torlakson said. “By enhancing the teaching and learning of math and science, students will gain the skills they need to prepare for college and 21st century careers in our high-tech economy.”

The partnership is a federal grant administered by the state, designed to help local school districts partner with other education groups. These groups must be interested in providing professional development for teachers in math and science, but also technology and engineering, collectively known as STEM. In order to qualify for the grant, at least 40 percent of the districts’ students must be low-income.

Science and math instruction are crucial to California’s future. The number of STEM jobs in the past decade has grown three times as fast as other fields, and experts believe that trend will continue into the next decade.

For more detailed information, visit the California Department of Education’s CaMSP funding profile Web page and the CaMSP Funding Results Web page.