CONGRESSMAN MORELLE ANNOUNCES $2.5 MILLION GRANT TO BROADEN STEM OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS IN HIGH-POVERTY AREAS

(Rochester, NY) – Today, Congressman Joe Morelle announced that the University of Rochester has been awarded a $2.5 million grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The grant will utilize findings from the University's partnership with East High to further expand STEM participation, particularly for vulnerable and economically marginalized students.

"I'm delighted that the University of Rochester has been awarded this significant grant which will help more students of diverse backgrounds learn about the STEM field," said Rep. Morelle. "I'm particularly pleased that this will build upon the successful partnership between UR and East High School to further uplift vulnerable students across our community. I'm grateful to the National Science Foundation for their support and congratulate the University of Rochester on this outstanding opportunity that will help prepare our students for the jobs of tomorrow."

"This project will build from the UR-East partnership's sustained and successful effort to provide students in high-poverty settings with a challenging mathematics curriculum," said Jeffrey Choppin, Ph.D., Professor & Chair of Teaching and Curriculum at the Warner School of Education and Human Development at the University of Rochester. "The project team, which includes myself, East Superintendent Shaun Nelms as well as Warner professor Cynthia Callard, will study the East mathematics program to develop a model that can be shared across other schools and districts in high-poverty settings who wish to challenge their students with a rigorous mathematics program. I want to thank Representative Morelle for his incredible support for both the UR-East EPO and the National Science Foundation."

This project, entitled "Creating a Model for Sustainable Ambitious Mathematics Programs in High-Need Settings: a Researcher-Practitioner Collaboration," will study a successful, ambitious mathematics reform effort in high-needs secondary schools with the goal of developing resources and tools to support other high-needs schools and districts in transforming and sustaining their mathematics programs. The model focuses on the resources required for change and the aspects of the organization that support or constrain change in mathematics teaching and learning. The project team includes school district partners that have successfully transformed mathematics teaching to better support students' learning through the East High School-University of Rochester partnership.

More information on the project and the grant award can be found here.

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