California Schools Receive Math Software Grants
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Seventy schools in Orange County, California will be receiving free math instructional software and professional development, thanks to a $10 million, five-year program from the Orange County Math Initiative.
The OCMI is a partnership between the Orange County Department of Education, non-profit education publisher MIND Research Institute (publisher of Algebra Readiness and ST Math), and various businesses that contribute to support math education, in part to bolster the skills of their potential future workforce.
"Local industry has a serious problem with the need for young adults throughout the workforce to arrive with math skills. These corporations recognize the severity of the issue and the potential impact it can have on our County's economy," said Ted Smith, chairman of the board of MIND Research Institute. "Roughly half of our students in Orange County and California are not proficient in math. The Orange County Math Initiative represents the community working together, with teachers and principals, to help elevate students' math achievement. More corporations are encouraged to join the program."
According to MIND, the group invited 164 schools in Orange County to apply to participate in the program back in February, and all those who qualified will be funded. Funding includes math software, training, support, professional development, and outcomes reports.
"The Orange County Math Initiative project gets it right!" said Orange County Superintendent of Schools William Habermehl in a statement released Thursday. "The Orange County Department of Education is proud to be a collaborative partner in this great program. It will make a huge difference in our schools. Math scores go up with the MIND Research approach and students love the program."
Schools in the following Orange County school districts: Santa Ana Unified, Anaheim City, Magnolia, Cypress, Orange Unified, Westminster, Capistrano Unified (where this writer spent 12 years of his life), La Habra City, Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified, and Newport-Mesa Unified.
The program will begin in fall 2008.
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About the author: David Nagel is the executive editor for 1105 Media's online education technology publications, including THE Journal and Campus Technology. He can be reached at [email protected].
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