This grant supports the continuation of the teacher enhancement project of The Teachers Academy for Mathematics and Science in Chicago. Elementary schools in the city of Chicago are participating in this school-wide program which provides meaningful in-service to every teacher, K-8, from a participating school. These teachers come to the Academy for an Intensive Program for two days per week every week for sixteen weeks. Cooperating teachers replace these participants during their absence from the classroom. Implementation Specialists remain in the school for a year following the Intensive Program to provide resource help and information for the teachers. Since the schools in Chicago are mandated to have a Local School Council (LSC) to manage the learning and teaching environment, the LSC and the school administration must choose to participate in the program and accept the responsibility of continuing and ongoing support for it. This project has been designed to complement the education reform in the city. The Academy staff and curriculum reflect the philosophy of experiential science and mathematics that is consistent with current literature. The project has supported 29 schools and over 400 teachers to effect these changes in their schools. This grant will enable an expansion of that effort. The project is also being funded by the Department of Energy, the city of Chicago, the state of Illinois and by private foundations and industry.
