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.