Holcomb Middle School will join 56 middle schools in Missouri and Kansas participating in a federal Department of Education Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) grant. The SEED grant program provides funding to increase the number of highly effective educators by supporting the implementation of evidence-based preparation, development, or enhancement opportunities for educators. This project, entitled “Innovation in the Heartland,” encompasses 50 districts in Missouri and Kansas. When completed, the project will have impacted nearly 400 teachers and more than 26,000 students over five years.
The SEED program requires all grantees to secure private sector support. eMINTS received more than $4 million dollars in matching funds through cash donations and in-kind contributions from contributors such as Kansas City Audio-Visual, Vivacity and VeriQuest. Project partners include the American Institutes for Research (study evaluators), Greenbush Southeast Kansas Education Service Center, Southwest Plains Education Service Center, and the Missouri State University Agency for Teaching, Leading and Learning.
This eMINTS SEED project will build on more than a decade of research demonstrating the positive impact of the eMINTS program on student achievement and teacher practices. The project combines eMINTS best practices for technology integration with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) professional development for teachers. Seventh and Eighth grade teachers in grant schools will participate in over 140 hours of professional development and classrooms will receive technologies including Chromebooks, 3D printing, scientific probeware, 3D video cameras and software, and GPS technologies.Students in the project will use an engineering design process to identify and solve problems in their local communities.
Educators at Holcomb Middle School aim to utilize the learning through the grant to enrich the educational experiences of all students and to use technology to extend learning beyond the classroom. We are excited to see the positive impact on learning this multi-year process will have at HMS.
About the eMINTS National Center:
Founded in 1999, the eMINTS National Center at the MU College of Education offers evidence-based professional development to educators across the United States and in Australia. It plays an important role as part of the MU College of Education’s mission to support educators and administrators in PreK-12 settings. For additional information about the SEED project or eMINTS, email emints-info@missouri.edu or call (573) 884-7202.