This document outlines the process by which universities, colleges and other organizations may apply for funds to support professional development programs designed for Houston I.S.D. middle school mathematics and science teachers to support the HISD/NSF Urban Systemic Initiative Program.

The purpose of professional development programs supported by HU-LINC funds is to support the goals of HISD’s Urban Systemic Initiatives program, namely to:

• Goal 1: Significantly improve teaching and learning that leads to high achievement in challenging science and mathematics by all students, enabling significantly more students to pursue careers in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology.
• Goal 2: Establish and expand a unified system of coalitions that link students, teachers, families, and community members in Houston’s educational institutions with the city’s vast and diverse resources in meaningful ways.
• Goal 3: Establish an infrastructure that aligns the district’s policies, procedures, organizational structures, curricula, profession>al development and evaluation systems, and resources in order to sustain the highest quality of student learning of rigorous science, mathematics, and technology.

The details of the specified middle school science and middle school mathematics offerings are listed in the Professional Development Course Requirements (Math and Science). The offerings should include TEKS strands, content correlated with Project CLEAR and national standards, project-based learning, hands-on experiences, ways to address diverse learners, integration of technology in a one computer classroom, using graphing calculators, kits and other manipulative materials. The offerings should include transfer of knowledge from concept to application, integration of science/math concepts across the curriculum, science/mathematics vocabulary links. Teachers should produce units with specific lessons based upon the Project CLEAR instructional planning tool for teachers.

According to the HU-LINC time-line, approximately 600 middle school teachers are eligible to participate in substantive professional development before the end of Summer 2003.   All middle school science and mathematics teachers are encouraged to participate in this program. HU-LINC funds are available on a "per teacher served" basis to defray the costs of such training. Limited funds are available to support such course development. The purpose of this document is to describe the process by which an organization applies for these funds.

All professional development supported by HU-LINC funds must include the following:

Professional Development Course Requirements

• the science and/or mathematics content must be one of the identified areas of critical need;
• inquiry-based pedagogy must form the basis of the instruction;
• content must be aligned with both the TEKS and Project CLEAR; and
• a minimum of 30 contact hours.

While HISD would like for these that professional development offerings to include university course credit and academic year follow-up, funding limitations may make this difficult or impossible to accomplish, and thus neither of these are a requirement.

Organizations, colleges and universities requesting HU-LINC program funds should follow the guidelines described below under one of the two program categories.

Programs designed specifically to meet the current and critical needs of HISD middle school science and mathematics teachers, and to be funded primarily through HU-LINC funds will likely be shorter than the typical program funded by state and national agencies. HU-LINC guidelines require a minimum of 30 contact hours, usually over a one-week period of time in the summer, over a series of Saturdays or evenings during the academic year. Proposals for such programs should include a proposal following these guidelines:

A.  Request for Proposal to Offer Courses Form

B. Program Description that can be faxed or emailed.   (Follow link for details)

C. Vitae of Instructors (1 page) including a description of all university and other professionals who are/will be involved in the program development and delivery. A one- or two-page curriculum vitae should be included in the proposal for each of the key personnel involved in the proposed project, included those for any K-12 master teachers who will provide instruction in the program.  (FAX to 713-892-7126 or E-mail to Charlotte Haynes at chaynes@houstonisd.org

For organizations whose professional development programs have already been reviewed and funded by another recognized funding agency such as the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (Eisenhower funds), the National Science Foundation, or the U.S. Department of Education.

Such programs should submit a complete copy of the funded proposal—as it was submitted to the primary funding agency and a Request for Proposal to Offer Courses Form for supplemental HU-LINC support for professional development in science or mathematics, which describes why the supplemental funds are needed, how they will be used, and includes a proposed detailed budget for the requested HU-LINC funds.

HU-LINC funds are available as follows

• $500 per participating teacher to be used primarily to provide program instruction and course materials or $6000 for at least 12 participants
• $300 stipend for participating teachers provided through HISD’s payment system to the teachers following program completion. The stipend will be provided only to teachers who participate in the full program of activities. To allow some flexibility for unforeseen circumstances, teachers must be present for a minimum of 25 contact hours, regardless of the total number of hours of the proposed program and still qualify for the stipend. Attendance for less than 25 hours disqualifies the teacher from receiving any stipend. Stipends are not provided on a per day basis.
• $250 maximum per participating teacher for kits, manipulatives, etc. that the teachers will bring back to their classroom to support mathematics or science instruction.
• $6,000 maximum for the development of a new course, less for revision/modification of an existing course, depending on the amount of revision. No development funding will be granted for an existing course that meets the required objectives. A complete description should be provided to justify funds requested for course development. It is understood that such funds can only be requested once, for a particular course, and that the new course should be offered in succeeding semesters to merit the course development support funding.

HISD teachers report for duty in mid-August each year.  Current HISD calendar may be found at:  http://www.houstonisd.org (see CALENDARS on menu) so you may allow for teacher work schedules in your plans.

All submitted applications will be reviewed and program directors can expect a response from HU-LINC no later than two weeks following the deadline of submission.

Charlotte Haynes, HU-LINC Project Director
C/o Houston I.S.D.
3830 Richmond Avenue
Houston, TX 77027-5838

E-mail: chaynes@houstonisd.org
Fax: (713) 892-7126
Phone: (713) 892-6922