McSiip receives $2.5 million NSF, Math Science Partnership  grant to work with Bridgeton, Millville, Toms River, and Vineland school districts

Rowan University has been awarded $2.5 million to work with four southern New Jersey school districts in reforming mathematics and science instruction. As a partner in a $12.3 million grant to Rutgers University from the National Science Foundation, Rowan will also collaborate with Kean University and eight other NJ districts.
The Rowan, Rutgers and Kean partnership was one of seven nationwide proposals awarded the NSF grants announced Monday, September 30. The funds, which will be disbursed over five years, will be used to unite the activities of higher education institutions, pre-kindergarten through high school systems and other partners to support better teacher development in math and science, and raise student achievement.
The Math and Science Partnership in southern New Jersey will be administered through the Mathematics, Computer, and Science Instructional Improvement Program (McSiip), which is part of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Institute at Rowan University.
"We are extremely excited to be a part of this initiative to improve the quality of math and science instruction in Southern New Jersey," said Jay Harper, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Rowan University. "Our Liberal Arts and Sciences Institute has been conducting projects in the area of math and science education for many years and this
grant reinforces the wonderful work the Institute has been doing."
For 19 years, McSiip has served as the umbrella group for mathematics and science education projects under the direction of Janet Caldwell, providing content-based professional development activities for K-12 teachers in the South Jersey area. Caldwell, professor of mathematics at Rowan University, will oversee the Math and Science Partnership in South Jersey.
"We are extremely happy to have this opportunity to collaborate with Bridgeton, Millville, Toms River, and Vineland," said Caldwell. "This grant will enable us to build much stronger partnerships with all of these districts so as to raise student achievement and improve teacher preparation."
"The Toms River Regional School District is truly excited to embark on this quest in a partnership with Rowan University," said William Cardone, the Assistant Superintendent in charge of elementary education for the Toms River Regional Schools. "The Math Science Partnership (MSP) will be a leap forward for our district in supporting standardized based instruction. Through this partnership all students will have greater opportunities to achieve high levels of performance in mathematics and science."
The Math and Science Partnership will have two primary goals. First it will attempt to increase achievement and reduce achievement gaps in science and mathematics by helping districts provide professional development for principals and teachers, such as leadership training and intensive workshops on content and instructional strategies.
Second, it will attempt to increase and sustain the number, quality and diversity of mathematics and science teachers by providing potential teachers with experiences designed to make teaching seem attractive as a career, improving teacher's knowledge of math and science, and supporting new math and science teachers with mentoring programs.
The Math and Science Partnership builds on 10 years of success of the New Jersey Statewide Systemic Initiative (NJSSI), a partnership of schools, districts, colleges and universities, science centers and museums, business and industry dedicated to strengthening mathematics, science and technology education for all students in New Jersey.
Along with Caldwell and Cardone, the Math Science Partnership leadership committee includes William Firestone, professor of education at the Rutgers Graduate School of Education, who will be principal investigator on the project. Deborah Cook, principal investigator at NJSSI at Rutgers, will oversee all project operations. Sharon Brendzell, professor of science education at Kean University, will coordinate her university's contribution to teacher education and improvement. Larry Leverett, superintendent of Plainfield schools and former assistant commissioner of urban affairs at the New Jersey Department of Education, will represent district interest and concerns.