AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS INITIATIVE U.S. Department of Education

AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS INITIATIVE  Commit $5.9 billion in FY 2007, and more than $136 billion over the next 10 years.  Designed to improve learning and instruction in mathematics and science.

AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS INITIATIVE Initiative Components  National Math Panel  Similar to the National Reading Panel  Convene experts to evaluate the effectiveness of various approaches to teach mathematics.  Create a research base to improve instructional methods.  Lay groundwork for Math Now program.  Math Now for Elementary School Students  Similar to Reading First in Design  Promote research-based practices in mathematics instruction.  Prepare students for rigorous course work in middle and high school. (Algebra by 8 th grade)

AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS INITIATIVE Initiative Components  Math Now for Middle Schools Students  Similar to Striving Readers Initiative  Develop a systematic way to diagnose students’ deficiencies in mathematics in order to enable them to take and pass Algebra.  AP/IB Incentive Program  Train 70,000 teachers to lead AP/IB math and science courses.  Increase student participation to 1.5 million over 5 years.  Triple the number of passing test-takers to approximately 700,000.

AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS INITIATIVE Initiative Components  Evaluation of federal STEM programs  Evaluate federal programs to determine which are most effective and make the most use of taxpayer funds.  Align all math and science federal programs to support the goals and aim of NCLB.  Including Science Assessments in NCLB  NCLB requires every state to develop and administer science assessments once in each grade span by the school year.  Include these assessments in the accountability system.

AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS INITIATIVE Adjunct Teacher Corp  $25 million FY’ 2007 request for competitive grants.  Encourage 30,000 qualified math and science professional to become adjunct high school teachers by  Draw on skills of well-qualified individuals with subject – matter expertise to meet specialized teaching needs in the nation’s secondary schools.  Partnerships of LEAs or States (or to LEAs and appropriate public or private institutions).  Adjunct teachers might teach one or more courses on a part- time basis, teach full-time while on leave from jobs, or on-line or through other distance learning arrangements. Initiative Components

AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS INITIATIVE Current Programs and Initiatives  Deficit Reduction Act  Signed into law February 8, 2006  Funding Academic Competitiveness grants for low-income first-year college students who completed a rigorous high school curriculum.  $750 for the first year  $1,300 to second year students who completed a rigorous program and maintained at least a 3.0 GPA in college.  SMART Grants for college juniors and seniors studying math, science, or a critical need foreign language.  Teacher Loan Forgiveness program  Offers up to $17,500 (up from $5,000) in loan forgiveness for qualified math, science and special education teachers serving in challenging, low- income schools and communities.

AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS INITIATIVE Current Programs and Initiatives  Mathematics and Science Partnership program  A formula grants program to the states designed to support professional development programs in mathematics and science for elementary and secondary teachers  Designed to improve the academic achievement of students in mathematics and science by providing teachers with quality and ongoing professional development opportunities.  Partnerships between high-need school districts and the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty in institutions of higher education are at the core of these improvement efforts.Funding 2002: $12.5 million2003: $100 million 2004: 150 million2005: $180 million 2006: $182 million

AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS INITIATIVE Additional Initiatives High School Reform Initiative Provide targeted interventions to improve the performance of at risk students. Expand high school assessment to help increase accountability and meet the needs of at-risk students. National Language Security Initiative Address the shortage of people who speak languages critical to national security. Encourage earlier and stronger course work in foreign language.

AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS INITIATIVE Additional Questions Pat O’Connell Ross Web Sites for Additional Information