$2.5M stimulus funds OK’d for teacher development

The Board of Education and Public School System have agreed to allocate $2.5 million to the professional development of public school teachers and counselors, with the money coming from the U.S. President’s stimulus fund.

On Wednesday, the board approved the synopsis of the CNMI consolidated ARRA formula grants under Title V, which will be used from July 2009 to September 2011.

The goal, PSS and the board said, is to further enhance the capabilities of teachers and counselors so they would be better equipped to provide quality education to students.

This includes making sure that 80 percent of public school students are reading at or above grade level this school year and scoring at the 50th percentile or higher on the Stanford Achievement Test by next school year. Comes 2014, PSS and the board hope to see 90 percent of students scoring at proficient or above on the standards-based assessment.

Saipan Tribune learned that the total consolidated grant will amount to $2.552 million, of which 85 percent would go to local use and 15 percent for program administration.

For the summer seminars for teachers, teacher aides, counselors, and school administrators, the board approved an allocation of $600,000. This will enable PSS staff to become fully certified and highly qualified.

About 67 percent of the 492 public school teachers are now considered highly qualified: They have degrees, valid certifications, and have passed both Praxis tests.

The CNMI has until July 2011 to comply with the federal mandate of the No Child Left Behind Act, which will bar non-HQT personnel inside classrooms in two years’ time.

The board also approved the school leadership improvement programs, budgeted at $264,000; standards and assessments history and analysis in preparation for peer review, $180,000; development of a growth model, $120,000; teacher academy capacity building, $135,000; and school apprenticeship career building, $100,000.

PSS and the board also agreed to allocate $500,000 to help the lowest performing schools become better.

The construction of an electronic data system with a central archive and search engine, as well as the establishment of a content management Web site was also approved, with funding of $150,000 and $120,000 respectively.

Meantime, 15 percent of the $2.5 million will be used to monitor programs at 20 public schools, professional development of teachers, public education programs, and network upgrades for schools.

In Wednesday’s meeting, PSS federal programs officer Tim Thornburgh reported that the U.S. Department of Education will hold a teleconference with PSS officials about the $2.5 million ARRA grant on May 21.

Thornburgh said 12 states have already received their share of the consolidated grant under Title V.