Programs to Bolster Math Education, Early Literacy, and Attention to Underserved Students
New York University’s Steinhardt School of Education received three separate grants from the United States Department of Education in September 2005 - all designed to improve the state of education in New York.
-“The Gateway Project,” a $3.12 million, three-year grant to Steinhardt and the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences will support a teacher quality enhancement program for mathematics. Joseph McDonald, Steinhardt’s associate dean for academic affairs; Ken Goldberg, professor of mathematics education in Steinhardt’s Department of Teaching and Learning; Fred Greenleaf, Courant professor of mathematics and Chuck Newman, director of the Courant Institute, are the co-principal investigators on this grant.
-“New York City Early Reading First Partnership,” a $2.9 million, three-year grant to Steinhardt’s Child and Family Policy Center, will create five New York City preschool “Centers of Excellence” that demonstrate exemplary supports for children school readiness. This is the second grant for the Center from the U.S. Department of Education on early literacy. The first grant was for $1.9 million over three years. The new grant will implement and evaluate the new curriculum and program as developed by the Center. Sheila Smith, research scientist, is the principal investigator on the grant. Smith is an early child researcher in Steinhardt’s Child and Family Policy Center directed by LaRue Allen, Raymond and Rosalee Weiss Professor in the Department of Applied Psychology.
-“Equity Assistance Center,” a $2.4 million grant, three-year grant to Steinhardt’s Metro Center to provide support to minority students in underserved populations at hundreds of schools in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, is set to ensure an equitable educational opportunity to gifted students. Pedro Noguera, professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning, is the principal investigator; Joan Dawson of the Metro Center is project director.
“Research and preparing high quality teachers have been a part of the Steinhardt mission for over 115 years,” said Steinhardt Dean Mary Brabeck. “The funding from these grants enables us to carry that tradition forward.” Perry Halkitis, director of research for Steinhardt, said, “Most of the research we conduct at Steinhardt is community-centered; these three grants are perfect examples of how theory and practice inform each other and how leading research works to enhance communities. The work ahead will have clear and important implications for schools.”