News Release

George Mason University awarded $28.5 million grant to improve science education in Virginia

US Department of Education grant requires 20 percent private-sector match by Sept. 8

Grant and Award Announcement

George Mason University

George Mason University has been selected to receive a $28.5 million Investing in Innovation (i3) grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant will fund the Virginia Initiative for Science Teaching and Achievement (VISTA), a partnership among 47 Virginia school districts, six universities, SRI International and the Virginia Department of Education. University partners include the College of William & Mary, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Virginia, Virginia Tech and James Madison University.

"I want to congratulate George Mason University on receiving this award, which will put Virginia at the forefront of the national movement to better prepare K-12 students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)," says Governor Bob McDonnell. "Targeting rural and underperforming schools, schools that are too often overlooked, the VISTA program will go into classrooms all across the Commonwealth to implement innovative learning and teaching in science education. In our competitive global economy, it is absolutely critical that we educate Virginia's students for the high-demand, high-paying jobs that center around the STEM subjects."

The VISTA project will be led by Donna R. Sterling, professor of science education and director of Mason's Center for Restructuring Education in Science and Technology (CREST). The goal of VISTA is to improve science teaching and student learning throughout Virginia, especially in high-need (high-poverty, high-minority) schools.

The VISTA project is based on, and expands, prior research and active learning programs conducted within Mason's College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) and CREST over the past 15 years. VISTA will build an infrastructure to provide sustained, intensive science teacher professional development to increase student performance.

"Science teaching in Virginia is hindered by two fundamental, unmet needs. Elementary school faculty often lack a solid grounding in the inquiry-based nature of science, while on the secondary level, teacher shortages have led to the hiring of uncertified teachers," says Sterling. "Our model to improve K-12 science teaching was previously incorporated into two programs that have produced statistically significant gains in teacher instruction and student achievement."

The competition for i3 funds, which are part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), was open to school districts, nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education working in partnership with public schools. Of the nearly 1,700 applicants, 49 applicants were selected to receive a share of the $650 million in i3 grants. However, in order to guarantee receiving the funding, the university must now secure a 20 percent private-sector match by Sept. 8, 2010.

"This landmark collaborative project has the potential to impact nearly every student in the Commonwealth of Virginia," says Mark Ginsberg, dean of CEHD. "By building an infrastructure to support science teaching and learning, we have the ability to increase interest in science early and prepare students for a career in science or other STEM fields."

"I am proud that Professor Sterling and her colleagues have been selected to spearhead this innovative STEM initiative," says Alan G. Merten, president of George Mason University. "At a time when our K-12 schools are lagging behind our international counterparts, the need to support improved science teaching and learning has never been greater. Now is the time for us to invest in the future of Virginia and its students."

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About The College of Education and Human Development

The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) is a dynamic academic unit that provides leadership in the transformation of schools, organizations and communities. In response to the complexity of a pluralistic society, CEHD infuses diversity into its academic programs and research. The college provides an ideal site for educational researchers and scholars who have an applied, collaborative orientation and an interest in preparing education professionals for the challenges of the 21st century. CEHD is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, and all licensure programs have been approved by the Virginia Department of Education.

About George Mason University

Named the #1 national university to watch in the 2009 rankings of U.S. News & World Report, George Mason University is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with global distinction in a range of academic fields. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., Mason provides students access to diverse cultural experiences and the most sought-after internships and employers in the country. Mason offers strong undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering and information technology, organizational psychology, health care and visual and performing arts. With Mason professors conducting groundbreaking research in areas such as climate change, public policy and the biosciences, George Mason University is a leading example of the modern, public university. George Mason University—Where Innovation Is Tradition.


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