University of St. Francis, Joliet Grade Schools participate in $6.99 million federal grant for teaching high-needs students
The University of St. Francis in collaboration with Joliet Grade School District 86 will participate in a $6.99 million grant program from the U.S. Department of Education’s Teacher Quality Enhancement Program (TQE) awarded to the Associated Colleges of Illinois (ACI).
The University of St. Francis is part of a consortium of 24 private, liberal arts-based colleges and universities that will use the grant to launch ACI’s Center for Teaching and Learning in High-Need Schools. The five-year project is a sweeping effort to improve achievement among low-income students by transforming how teachers are prepared to serve them.
"This is another example of an excellent collaboration with the University of St. Francis," said District 86 Superintendent Phyllis Wilson. "It will have an impact on the delivery of instruction that will allow our students to be even better served. Our teachers are very excited about the opportunity and look forward to receiving information on how to better meet the individual needs of our students. The grant solidifies even more our commitment to provide the best educational experiences possible," she said.
USF will work with District 86 to develop Professional Development Schools at Farragut and A.O. Marshall Elementary Schools. Professional Development Schools are innovative institutions formed through partnerships between professional education programs and P–12 schools. USF College of Education Dean John Gambro worked with Carol Sossong, District 86 assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, and teachers to develop a plan that would meet the needs of district students as well as enhance the teacher preparation opportunities and experiences of USF teacher candidates.
"This grant is an exciting opportunity to enhance our already outstanding teacher preparation programs," said Gambro. "We are proud to be able to work so closely with Joliet School District 86 and toward our mutual goal of providing excellent educational experiences for their students and our teacher candidates. The grant also embodies our Franciscan tradition of serving the community."
The program provides candidates with authentic field experiences in the company of master teachers who are life-long learners and who model best practices. "This means that our teacher candidates will have even better preparation," said Gambro. "They will be immersed in K-5 classrooms and collaborate with teachers as they work side-by-side teaching curriculum designed to improve achievement among Joliet’s students."
Additional initiatives include health screening services provided by USF’s College of Nursing and Allied Health; academic assessment screening; and social work services provided by USF’s Social Work Department.
Gambro collaborated with ACI and seven other deans/chairs of education to develop a vision of transforming teacher preparation in high-need urban schools. The result is ACI’s new Center for Urban Research in Education which will explore educational issues affecting diverse metropolitan regions. USF as part of the ACI initiative will collaborate with more than 40 other partners–from high-need school districts and community colleges to major businesses—to develop and launch new strategies for preparing teachers for high-need schools. The new center will coordinate these projects, disseminate new ideas and best practices across the initiative’s partners (and nationwide); offer teacher and faculty professional development programs; promote technology in teaching and learning; provide technical assistance to partner schools and colleges; recruit business partners to the initiative; and develop new projects to serve high-need schools in the future.
USF is developing projects for center funding, including pre-service teachers immersion experiences at Farragut and A.O. Marshall Professional Development Schools (Joliet School District 86), where master teachers will model best practices for candidates as they work side-by-side teaching curriculum designed to improve achievement by Joliet’s students.
Four community colleges including Joliet Junior College, will partner with ACI institutions to create new links that ease the transition from lower division classes at community colleges to teacher education programs at ACI member colleges and universities.
The 24 private colleges and universities of the Associated Colleges of Illinois graduate nearly 20 percent of the state’s new teachers.
The University of St. Francis, at 500 Wilcox St. in Joliet, serves more than 4,300 students nationwide. The university offers more than 60 areas of undergraduate study and 10 graduate programs.