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PSS receives website funds
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Posted on May 19 2000
The U.S. National Center of Education Statistics this week issued a $20,000 check to the Public School System for the enhancement of its recruitment and information website meant to lure more teachers into exploring career opportunities in the CNMI.
The existing PSS website is currently lacking data to give non-CNMI residents a clear picture of the state of the local public school system.
CNMI and another school in California are only two among 56 states and insular areas that have been granted the web development contract for two consecutive years.
“We are doing well on this area. We are actually competing against California and this is a rare thing,” said Federal Programs Coordinator Bill Matson.
The development of the online site is mainly aimed at attracting individuals who might be interested in applying for teaching positions at PSS, Mr. Matson added.
“Instead of using PSS money, we got the federal government to agree to help us out by sending us money. And we will store a lot of data in the site,” he said.
The webpage will include statistical data on number of classrooms, students, teachers, staff, and other relevant information.
PSS is also set to post the Stanford Achievement Test-9th Edition (SAT9) results at the site to keep the public informed of where CNMI students are in terms of the national standards.
Accessible to the public, the school system is also looking at creating a separate link at the website to make it more appealing to children.
“I think this is a good idea as we struggle to make our kids more technologically literate. And this would be really fun for them at the same time, they’re learning,” said Mr. Matson.
In addition, the site would also serve as a good public resource where PSS data can be conveniently acquired, he added.
This July, PSS may finally initiate the actual website development through the NCES funding.
The highly competitive funds are available for projects in 56 states and insular areas and may only be awarded for programs related to educational data improvements.
PSS worked with U.S. Department of Education officials to “stretch” the program area to include the display of information via the website. (MM)
