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STEM E d u c at i o n Pathway to the American Recovery “...there are any number of actions we can take as a nation to enhance our competitiveness and secure a better future for our people, but few of them will make as much of a difference as improving the way we educate our sons and daughters.�

US President Barack Obama January 19, 2010

S c i e n c e , T e c h n o l o g y E n g i n ee r i n g

and

M at h em at i c s

“America needs a world-class STEM workforce to address the grand challenges of the 21st century” John Holdren Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Economic crisis and the increasing challenges facing tomorrow’s workforce have combined to create both a call for action and an opportunity for today’s educators.

In full recognition of the need for better student outcomes, educational initiatives play a prominent role in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), resulting in unprecedented amounts of funding available for improvement efforts. STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education has also been established as a priority in improving our schools.

Arne Duncan, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education said: “States and school districts have an opportunity to put unprecedented resources toward reforms that would increase graduation rates, reduce dropout rates and improve teacher quality.” This presents both an opportunity and a challenge to educators and administrators to reach these noble goals.

For over three decades, intelitek has successfully improved student outcomes in education by transforming the classroom for schools, colleges, universities and industrial training. Through our proven innovations in curriculum, training hardware, classroom management technology, assessments and teacher training, intelitek seeks to engage students, empower instructors and support administrators in the quest to equip learners of all types with relevant skills. intelitek is committed to putting the best technology at the service of educators to prepare a wider range of students with career- and college-ready skills and the desire to use such skills to improve the world around them. intelitek is your partner in meeting the challenge of identifying sources of funding, implementing a program aligning with ARRA requirements, and producing results in harmony with ARRA goals.

Contents Aligning Your Program with the Four Requirements of ARRA Funding.................... 4 1. Adopting Standards and Assessments...................................................................................... 5 2. Data Systems That Measure Student Success....................................................................... 6 3. Developing Effective Teachers and Principals...................................................................... 7 4. Turning Around Lowest-Achieving Schools.......................................................................... 8 Summary.......................................................................................................................................................... 12 About intelitek.............................................................................................................................................. 13 Overview of Funding Programs......................................................................................................... 14 Forward-Looking STEM Initiatives: Proposed for 2011.......................................................... 15

©2010, intelitek, inc.

35-ARRA-WP01 Rev-B

AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT In a global economy where the most valuable skill you can sell is your knowledge, a good education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity— it is a pre-requisite. The countries that out-teach us today will out-compete us tomorrow.

US President Barack Obama Feb. 24, 2009 The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provides approximately $100 billion for education, creating a historic opportunity to implement educational improvements that will create long-lasting results for our students and our nation.

The ARRA lays the groundwork for needed education reforms that would help ensure future prosperity by encouraging States to develop improvement plans in four key areas required to receive ARRA State Fiscal Stabilization Funds: supporting rigorous standards and assessments, improving teacher equity and effectiveness, using data to improve instruction, and turning around lowperforming schools.

The Administration also tapped $4.3 billion in ARRA funds to create the Race to the Top program, providing a significant incentive, through competitive grants, for States to develop comprehensive and innovative plans to implement major reforms related to each of the four assurances. $650 million of ARRA funds are allocated to the Investing in Innovation Fund, providing competitive grants for school districts to implement programs to improve student outcomes including increasing graduation rates, decrease dropout rates and improve teacher effectiveness. intelitek, inc. is your partner in implementing a STEM education program aligned with the four core assurances of ARRA funding programs. Read on to learn how.

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STEM Education: Pathway to the American Recovery

A ligning Your Program

with the

Four R equirements

of

ARRA Funding

“States and school districts have an opportunity to put unprecedented resources toward reforms that would increase graduation rates, reduce dropout rates and improve teacher quality.”

Arne Duncan Secretary, U.S. Department of Education The ARRA rewards schools that invest in innovative solutions in four core areas identified as most likely to improve student outcomes: 1. Adopting standards and assessments that prepare students to succeed in college and the workplace and to compete in the global economy.

2. Building data systems that measure student growth and success, and inform teachers and principals about how they can improve instruction.

3. Recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective teachers and principals.

4. Turning around lowest-achieving schools.

intelitek's programs have already helped thousands of schools nationwide achieve these very goals. intelitek's programs feature rigorous curriculum, full reporting capabilities, industry driven assessments and responsive teacher training. With these features, intelitek’s STEM Education programs are uniquely aligned with ARRA funding criteria.

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STEM Education: Pathway to the American Recovery

1. A dopting Standards

and

A ssessments

“We need tests that measure whether students are mastering complex materials and can apply their knowledge in ways that show that they are ready for college and careers.”

Arne Duncan

intelitek’s programs deliver quality curriculum aligned to national standards with embedded assessments and full tracking capabilities.

The Learnmate LMS has proven itself in thousands of classrooms as the strongest tool available for competency and skill tracking. Our curriculum is currently mapped to existing National STEM Standards including Atlas of Science, ITEA and NCTM. All content can be linked to specific standards, with detailed reporting on activity.

This enables full creation, delivery and tracking of computer-based assessments. LearnMate is a valid assessment instrument capable of measuring students level of understanding and skill, whether through authentic or asynchronous assessments. Employing a high level of interactivity and a wide variety of test question types beyond multiple-choice, LearnMate assessments ensure an accurate read of a student’s technical knowledge and skill. Every question can be linked to a specific skill standard and responses are recorded in student grade books for full reporting, from skill exposure to skill mastery.

...it’s just a better assessment. Students related to it better than any other assessment they have taken. It was so nice to have the results in the same day! This seems like the way to go with assessments in the future.”

Dave Owens Barry Tech, NY Most importantly, LearnMate provides the ability to custom-map any content to any set of standards. The challenge of education reform may lead to changes in the landscape of national education standards. This is why the Learnmate LMS can be such a powerful tool in your arsenal - it is designed with the flexibility to accommodate change. With LearnMate as your LMS, if your state adopts a new set of standards, you will be equipped to manage the transition.

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STEM Education: Pathway to the American Recovery

2. Data Systems That M easure Student S uccess

“We need to do a much better job of tracking students….

Teachers need this data to better target instruction to students.”

Arne Duncan intelitek’s learning management system (LMS) enables comprehensive tracking of student progress with easily accessible reporting capability.

The LearnMate LMS is the heart of intelitek’s STEM offerings, enabling seamless classroom management. As the administrative office of the virtual classroom, the LearnMate LMS allows teachers to track student progress easily in real time. LearnMate goes beyond reporting what content a student has covered. Students are appraised on their demonstrated level of competency, from exposure to proficiency.

All of this valuable data is easily accessible. Detailed reports on grades, transcripts, enrollment and more are all available through the LMS. Customized reporting capabilities ensure your classroom management can grow with changing demands. LearnMate LMS capabilities may be implemented at whatever level you choose - school, district, or state.

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STEM Education: Pathway to the American Recovery

3. D eveloping E ffective Teachers

and

Principals

We’re challenging states to raise standards, to use data to better inform decisions, to recruit and retain more good teachers, and to promote stronger curricula that encourage young people to not only learn the facts in a textbook, but to explore and discover the world around them.

US President Barack Obama Jan 6, 2010

intelitek’s STEM programs feature embedded resources to support teacher effectiveness. continuous support including teacher training and ongoing professional development. intelitek’s STEM curriculum features embedded resources for teachers including instruction and tips from fellow teachers, college faculty, engineers and mentors. An online community is available for collaboration and sharing successful practices. These resources, intrinsic to the program, enable teachers to be as effective as possible in the classroom. intelitek’s commitment to support for our programs after implementation is second to none. We provide installation service along with comprehensive on-site training in the use and function of the LMS and curriculum delivery. Once your program has been implemented, our Professional Development program is available to help your faculty fully understand and put to use the capabilities of the LMS . This “Train the Trainer” program includes annual training at intelitek’s training facilities in various levels of program implementation. Customized and individualized training can be initiated to ensure the success and sustainability of your program.

In addition to our Professional Development program, our customer service is ready to assist you. From simple questions to unexpected problems, help is a toll-free call away.

Our experienced service technicians and factory-trained dealers in the field are available either over the phone or through on-site support visits to help ensure the continuous effectiveness of your program.

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STEM Education: Pathway to the American Recovery

4. Turning A round Lowest-Achieving S chools

Strategies for Turning Around Lowest-Achieving Schools In handling lowest-performing schools, each school district is required to demonstrate its commitment to raising student achievement by implementing one of the following rigorous interventions: Turnaround Model, Restart Model, School Closure or Transformational Model.

intelitek’s programs are ideal tools for implementing comprehensive reform, improving outcomes for students and offering easy integration of new teachers and staff. intelitek’s programs deliver STEM education for all learners.

Some STEM programs target the top achieving students, leaving under-served student populations behind. intelitek’s programs truly deliver STEM education to any learner. By means of blended learning with relevant activities, and a multimodal approach that connects with varied learning styles, intelitek curriculum enables learners of all levels to succeed. intelitek’s programs have also had excellent success in helping girls develop an interest in STEM careers and college opportunities. intelitek programs have succeeded as gateway courses at both the high school and middle school level. In middle schools, intelitek’s technology programs have provided students with exploratory exposure to technology career fields and college opportunities that they may not have otherwise considered. Robot Boot Camp, for example, is an exploratory engineering course harnessing relevant activities with robotics that can help students in grades 6 through 8 to see science, technology, engineering and math applied in an exciting, engaging way. Relevant activities have proven to open students eyes to their own potential. This can help to break the stubborn cycles that often contribute to low student achievement.

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STEM Education: Pathway to the American Recovery

4. Turning A round Lowest-Achieving S chools (continued)

“We want you to expand and improve your science, technology, mathematics, and engineering programs so that all students are succeeding in them. Our country's future economic security depends on all of our students succeeding in these fields.”

Arne Duncan In transforming low achieving schools, the ARRA directs districts to address the following specific areas: Developing teacher and school leader effectiveness.

Implementing comprehensive instructional reform strategies.

Extending learning and teacher planning time and creating community-oriented schools.

Providing operating flexibility and sustained support. intelitek’s programs are uniquely equipped to address each of these areas, as described on the following pages.

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STEM Education: Pathway to the American Recovery

4. Turning A round Lowest-Achieving S chools (continued) “invest more effectively on professional development that provides teachers and leaders with the real support they need to succeed” Arne Duncan

Developing teacher and school leader effectiveness.

intelitek’s programs equip teachers with the sustained resources to succeed.

Even the highest quality teachers need the resources and support to improve student outcomes. That support must include training in the curriculum and technology systems used in delivering instruction. It is easier to retain effective teachers when they can see the educational program they are invested in is supported and others are also invested in their success.

Our curriculum features embedded resources for teachers including instruction and tips from fellow teachers, college faculty, engineers and mentors. An online community is available for collaboration and sharing successful practices.

In addition, intelitek’s Professional Development program for teachers and administrators supports the implementation of STEM programs. We provide installation service, comprehensive on-site training and a Professional Development program to ensure teachers are effective in all the elements of our STEM programs.

Customized and individualized training can be initiated to ensure the success and sustainability of your program.

In addition to our Professional Development program, our customer service is ready to assist with questions and unexpected problems. Our experienced service technicians and factory-trained dealers in the field are available either over the phone or through on-site support visits to help ensure the technology involved in our programs always assists, and never hinders, instruction.

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STEM Education: Pathway to the American Recovery

4. Turning A round Lowest-Achieving S chools (continued) Implementing comprehensive instructional reform strategies.

intelitek’s programs provide a vehicle for comprehensive strategies. intelitek offers an extensive library of high-quality standards-aligned educational topics and programs for schools implementing comprehensive reform. Content can be custom-mapped to any set of standards, accommodating schools adopting a new set of standards as part of a comprehensive strategy.

In addition, the LearnMate LMS can deliver any SCORM-compliant content, making the LMS a valuable resource between school departments. This can play an important role in enabling schools to pool resources and promote school-wide improvement.

Extending learning and teacher planning time and creating communityoriented schools.

The LearnMate LMS enables teachers to focus on the most important tasks and also provides a community for teachers, administrators and parents.

The LearnMate LMS manages mundane tasks enabling teachers to focus on teaching and planning time. Instead of spending time entering data teachers are provided data they can put to use in planning more effective teaching.

Online community forums can be accessed by students, teachers, administrators and parents, ensuring programs can be effectively implemented. Teachers can share resources through the online community, enabling a dynamic environment for communication, collaboration and improved instruction.

Providing operating flexibility and sustained support.

intelitek’s programs provide a flexible educational delivery option.

Programs powered by LearnMate allow unmatched operational flexibility for teachers and administrators in implementing and administering instructional programs.

Anytime, anywhere access for students and full control over enrollments, permissions, and grading for teachers ensures the program will fit the needs of the school.

In addition, intelitek’s Professional Development program for teachers and administrators supports the implementation of STEM programs. We provide installation service, comprehensive on-site training and a Professional Development program to ensure teachers are effective in all elements of our STEM program.

Customized and individualized training can be initiated to ensure the success and sustainability of your program.

All this results in a program that is flexible enough to survive attrition and other changes that may derail other more rigid programs. New teachers easily assimilate into the program. Varying student progress during courses is managed with the flexible delivery system. This flexibiliy makes intelitek’s programs well-suited for recommended reform strategies.

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STEM Education: Pathway to the American Recovery

S ummary intelitek: A well-equipped vehicle for the Pathway to American Recovery With our well-aligned STEM education programs and our decades of experience implementing STEM education in thousands of schools, intelitek is a uniquely qualified partner for those implementing ARRA funding and reforms.

ARRA Requirement

intelitek’s Solution

1. Adopting standards and assessments that prepare students to succeed in college and the workplace

intelitek’s quality curriculum is developed to national standards with embedded assessments and full tracking capabilities.

2. Data systems that measure student growth and success, and inform teachers and principals about how they can improve instruction

intelitek’s learning management system (LMS) enables comprehensive tracking of student progress and skill mastery with easily accessible reporting capability, providing teachers and administrators the information needed to improve instruction.

3. Recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective teachers and principals

intelitek’s programs feature embedded resources that support teacher effectiveness and continuous support including teacher training and ongoing professional development.

4. Turning around lowest-achieving schools

intelitek’s STEM education is for all learners, featuring blended active learning, a multimodal approach for varied learning styles. With the differentiated learning approach of intelitek’s curriculum, learners of all levels can succeed.

4A. Developing teacher and school leader effectiveness

Teacher effectiveness is accomplished through ongoing professional development coupled with an LMS that frees teachers so they can focus on teaching, and assessments that provide feedback for improving instruction.

4B. Implementing comprehensive instructional reform.

intelitek’s extensive library of high-quality standards-aligned educational topics and an LMS that can deliver any SCORM-compliant content enables comprehensive reform.

4C. Extending learning and teacher planning time and creating community-oriented schools.

The LearnMate LMS manages mundane tasks enabling teachers to focus on teaching and planning time. The LMS also provides data that can put to use in planning more effective teaching. Online community forums enable teachers administrators and parents to collaborate.

4D. Providing operating flexibility and sustained support.

Anytime, anywhere access for students, full control over enrollments, permissions, and grading for teachers, and an online community for collaboration ensures full operating flexibility, while intelitek’s Professional Development program provides sustained support.

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STEM Education: Pathway to the American Recovery

A bout

intelitek

Our Mission intelitek’s mission is to improve student outcomes in education by transforming the classroom for schools, colleges, universities and industrial training. Through our proven innovations in curriculum, training hardware, classroom management technology, assessments and teacher training, intelitek seeks to engage students, empower instructors and support administrators in the quest to equip learners of all types with relevant skills. intelitek is committed to putting the best technology in the hands of educators to prepare a wider range of students with career- and college-ready skills and the desire to use such skills to improve the world around them. intelitek is committed to engaging and inspiring learners of all types by delivering standard-based curriculum that unveils student potential, exposes students to challenging and rewarding career opportunities, and instills a desire in students to use their knowledge and skills to improve the world around them.

intelitek seeks to enable the continuous measurement of outcomes by developing high-quality aligned assessments that measure student progress and are supported by industry, education and policy-makers. intelitek’s goal is that any program of instruction may demonstrate levels of success and improvement and identify essential needs, as well as provide valid measures of student competency.

intelitek seeks to improve learning outcomes by means of its innovative classroom management system that equips teachers and administrators with tools that enable them to focus on teaching and effectively reach students.

By delivering instruction through technology that enables hybrid learning for digital-age learners intelitek seeks to empower a wider range of students with relevant career- and college-ready skills. intelitek is committed to providing data that enables instructors and administrators to make better decisions, track improvement and reward success.

intelitek seeks to empower instructors through sustained professional development aligned with their unique instructional program. intelitek is committed to ensuring every instructor is fully supported and equipped for exceptional and effective instruction that can increase student achievement and instill a desire for further study and progress.

Our Programs From Mathematics to Mechatronics, Science to Civil Engineering, intelitek has a program to fit your STEM education needs. Built on the power of the LearnMate™ E-Learning platform, intelitek’s blended-learning programs deliver comprehensive, standards-based instruction via hands-on activities and compelling online curriculum.

At intelitek, we provide far more than lab equipment and curriculum. Each program we implement is a partnership fully backed by our sustained support and professional development. Everything we provide is for the purpose of an improved educational outcome for all those invested in education, from students and parents to teachers and administrators.

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For more information, contact intelitek using the information below, or visit www.intelitek.com.

R e c o v e r y e d b y

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STEM Education: Pathway to the American Recovery

O verview

of

Funding Programs There’s a lot of money available in the Recovery Act ...

I want to work with you to put the very best technology at the service of educators.”

Arne Duncan Secretary, U.S. Department of Education

The Table below gives an overview of the current funding programs available for fiscal year 2010.

Program

2010 Funds Available

Description

State Fiscal Stabilization Funds (SFSF)

$53.6 billion

The State Fiscal Stabilization Fund program is a new one-time appropriation of $53.6 billion. Of that amount, $48.6 billion is appropriated to governors by formula in exchange for a commitment to advance essential education reforms to benefit students from early learning through post-secondary education, including: college- and career- ready standards and high-quality, valid and reliable assessments for all students; development and use of pre-K through post-secondary and career data systems; increasing teacher effectiveness and ensuring an equitable distribution of qualified teachers; and turning around the lowest-performing schools. The program may also help support the modernization, renovation, and repair of school and college facilities. The remaining $5 billion is awarded competitively under the “Race to the Top” and “Investing in What Works and Innovation” programs.

Race to the Top Funds (RTTP)

$4.35 billion

The Race to the Top program challenges schools to ensure our students are prepared for success in a competitive 21st century economy and workplace. Race to the Top aims to better engage and prepare students for success in college and careers. This competitive grant rewards schools that invest in innovative strategies in the four core areas identified as most likely to improve student outcomes:

Investing in Innovation (I3)

$650 million

The Investing Innovation Fund supports competitive grants to LEAs and partnerships between non-profit organizations and LEAs that have made significant progress in improving student achievement or other areas to scale up their work and serve as models of best practices. Funds support (1) the evaluation of promising new initiatives and approaches to determine if they are suitable for scaling up; (2) expanding the implementation of effective practices across districts and States; (3) supporting the development of “model districts” that use multiple evidence-based strategies to increase student achievement; and (4) leveraging partnerships with the private sector and the philanthropic community to develop, scale up, document, and disseminate best practices for improving student achievement.

Title 1 Part A

$10 billion

Title I helps students achieve proficiency on challenging State academic achievement standards. Title I schools with percentages of low income students of at least 40 percent may use Title I funds to operate a “schoolwide program” to upgrade the instructional program for the whole school. Title I schools with less than 40 percent low income students or that choose not to operate a schoolwide program offer a “targeted assistance program” in which the school identifies students who are failing, or most at risk of failing, to meet the State’s challenging academic achievement standards.

$650 million

The primary goal of this program is to improve student achievement through the use of technology in elementary and secondary schools. Additional goals include helping all students become technologically literate by the end of the eighth grade and, through the integration of technology with both teacher training and curriculum development, establishing inmovative, research-based instructional methods that can be widely implemented.

Enhancing Education Through Technology (Ed-Tech, EETT or Title II-D)

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STEM Education: Pathway to the American Recovery

Forward -Looking STEM I nitiatives: Proposed

for

2011

The 2011 federal budget request includes several activities that support President Obama’s “Educate to Innovate” campaign aimed at (1) increasing STEM literacy so that all students can master challenging content and think critically in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields; (2) moving American students from the middle of the pack to the top of the world in STEM achievement over the next decade and preparing the next generation of American scientists; and (3) expanding STEM education and career opportunities for underrepresented groups, including women and girls.

The Table below gives an overview of the proposed funding programs for fiscal year 2011.

Program

2011 Budget Proposal

Purpose

Race to the Top Funds (RTTP)

additional $1.35 billion

See previous page

Investing in Innovation (I3)

$150 million

Of the $500 million proposed 2011 budget, $150 million is dedicated to STEM projects.

Title 1 Part A

$14.5 billion

Reauthorized as “College and Career Ready Students Program”

Effective Teaching and Learning: STEM program

$300 million

A newly authorized program to improve the teaching and learning of STEM subjects by supporting professional development for STEM teachers, the implementation of high-quality assessments and instructional materials, and improved systems for linking student data on assessments with instructional supports such as lesson plans and intervention strategies.

Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) STEM initiative

$25 million

A new STEM initiative to identify and validate more effective approaches for attracting, retaining, and teaching undergraduates in STEM fields. Part of a coordinated Federal strategy developed in collaboration with the Institute of Education Sciences, the National Science Foundation, and other Federal agencies.

Women’s Educational Equity program

$2.3 million

Gives priority to projects aimed at improving the achievement of women and girls in science and mathematics, with the goal of closing gender gaps in the STEM disciplines and improving the career prospects of women and girls in STEM fields.

Assessing Achievement authority

$450 million

Helps States develop or implement assessments aligned to college- and career-ready standards, and to develop and implement formative as well as end-of-course and other assessments.

Effective Teachers and Leaders program

$2.5 billion

Helps States and LEAs increase the effectiveness of teachers and principals by providing teachers and school leaders with high quality professional development opportunities.

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STEM Education: Pathway to the American Recovery

“America's leadership tomorrow depends on how we educate our students today, especially in math, science, technology, and engineering.�

US President Barack Obama