Supporting Quality Teaching and Student Engagement

Supporting Quality Teaching and Student Engagement

In 1999, SVSU secured what Gilbertson called at the time, “the largest, most important federal grant in our history.” The U.S. Department of Education awarded the university a five-year, $9.7 million Partnership Grant for Improving Teacher Quality, one of 25 granted in the nation out of more than 250 applicants. The faculty and administration in the College of Education, the College of Arts & Behavioral Sciences, the College of Science, Engineering, & Technology and U.S. Representatives James Barcia and Dale Kildee had proposed that the university create development teams to devise strategies to improve teacher quality.

Participation in the project extended to 16 regional intermediate school districts, 12 charter schools, the Detroit City Empowerment Zone, Clare County officials, Flint Enterprise Communities and various local businesses.

The grant impacted nearly 1,200 education students at SVSU, approximately 47,000 practicing teachers and more than 366,000 students in 147 school districts. It helped revamp undergraduate teacher preparation in core content and methods courses. Teachers learned how to incorporate technology and practical examples into their classrooms. The money provided sustained mentoring and continuing education for educators seeking to meet national and state standards and accelerated teacher certification. The project established leadership development opportunities for regional teachers and administrators.

The success led to additional federal grants—two totaling more than $3 million—that helped teachers make better use of rapidly-changing technologies.25 A 2004 National Science Foundation grant made it possible for two dozen science teachers to attend a weeklong conference addressing the challenges faced by rural and small town educators.26

SVSU also worked with local school districts on initiatives to improve students’ research and writing abilities. Beginning in 1993, SVSU, Delta College and the Saginaw Public Schools, by applying together, obtained grants from the National Writing Project to create a

Kay Harley (far right), professor emerita of English, co-directed the Saginaw Valley National Writing Project.