ISAS 2013 Academy 1: Day 3

The ISAS students got out of bed very early this morning to catch a 7:30 am flight to San Jose, California. From there they traveled to the location of the NASA Ames Research Center. This is where the students will be able to tour many of the testing facilities and scientific labs that have played a large role in bringing us the technology and scientific exploration known to us today. This is also one of the best opportunity in the academy to gain information in regards to their mission planning with many chances to speak with NASA professionals.

NASA Ames Research Center

The Vertical Motion Simulator has the benefit of testing many different flight scenarios, such as Space Shuttles, Fighter Jets, Moon Landers and 747s. Guided by Lisa Grant the students learned that this particular simulator not only gave pilots and astronauts all of the buttons and view screens of the actual vehicle, but it also simulated vehicle movement and depth perception. This simulator is the only one in the world of its kind.

Students view and step inside a Vertical Motion Simulator.

Next there was a tour of the Biosciences Lab with Tra-My J. Richardson. Students were able to see efforts to recycle air, water and solid waste. They learned about osmosis based membranes that changes sea or waste water into drinkable water. They also had the opportunity to see a compressing approach to recycling solid waste for water and radiation protection.

Tra-My J. Richardson speaking to the students on recycling air. 

Students were able to listen to a very intriguing presentation on the moon by Brian Day. He brought up various moon exploration spacecrafts such as the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS). Both of these spacecrafts were looking for more evidence of water on the moon based on theories that the poles of the moon contain frozen water.

Brian Day talking to students about developments in moon exploration.

NASA Ames Research Center is home to the 80 by 120 wind tunnel, the largest wind tunnel in the world. Bill Warmbrodt presented the students with a very fascinating presentation on this scientific apparatus. Students appreciated his approach of engaging them with questions and amusing stories. This wind tunnel uses the amount of electricity that it would take to power two cities of 225,000 people and can produce wind at 115 miles per hour. It uses hydro-electricity that comes from dams in Big Creek of Nevada and the Snake River of Idaho.

Students walking the length of the world's largest wind tunnel.

The final event of the day was a great time for the teams to take advantage of the fact they were on the site of a NASA center walking among elite scientists, engineers and other professionals. A panel of experts including Pascal Lee, Brian Day, Maria Bualat and Jake Forsberg brought a ninety minute question and answer session to the students. Questions were asked such as, "What is a reasonable budget for the mission to Mars?" And, "Between the VASIMR engine and NERVA engine, which is the best in regards to fuel efficiency and safety?" To find out about the answers to these questions and to find out what decisions the teams made on the specifics of their missions, be sure to join us for the banquet on Saturday where the teams will present their final reports.

Pascal Lee talking with ISAS students. 

Not only are these students bright, they are confident. Students did very well interacting with the expert scientists and engineers during dinner before the formal question and answer session began. And their questions were exceptionally strong and in depth.Well done students!

Please take some time to visit the ISAS Facebook and Twitter page for more pictures and updates. #isas

--Camille

ISAS 2013 Academy 1: Day 2

Students have begun putting together the specific aspects of their mission early the second day. They had a lot of ideas and there was a lot of talking and communication between the teams. It became apparent to some of the students that they needed mission guidelines, luckily Jason Budinoff of the NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center came in with just that.

Jason Budinoff assists the teams in planning their mission to Mars. 

The teams were given the Mars landing site, mission timeline and approximate number of crew.  They were also given specific objectives to be completed during the mission such as materials from the planet of the Mars needed to be brought back to Earth to study. Mr. Budinoff was also able to draw out of the teams' statements specifying missing pieces of information they may have needed from other teams to continue with their portion of the planning.  And what they in turn, as a team, were planning to contribute to the mission. This leads to the mission planning becoming a collaborative effort in which the mission develops as the teams realize how changes in the logistics and itinerary overlap and affect each team.

Teams talk to each other and begin to see their mission evolve.

After three hours of mission planning the students were taken on a tour of Boise State University's College of Engineering. They visited different labs to learn about different instruments and research projects. Instruments such as the Personal Monitoring Unit in the System Integration Lab that combines the skills of
Computer Programming and Electrical Engineering to determine air quality. They also visited the Magnetic Shape Alloy Lab where they learned a little bit about changing atomic structures with energy such as heat. The students were able to learn about Micro Propulsion which, while the thrust would not be able to lift anything here on earth, in space these little thrusters would be easily able to orient spacecraft to where they needed to be. Students were also able to view a Scanning Electron Microscope and ride a Segway.

Students rode the segway around the courtyard.

After lunch the students were greeted by Dr. Amy Moll, Dean of the College of Engineering and Dr. Tony Roark, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, who talked about degree programs and student life at Boise State University. They also met service-dog-in-training Jelly who definitely made the students smile a few times during the presentation.

Dr. Amy Moll and Dr. Tony Roark meet with ISAS students. 

Next were the rockets. Students entered the room and were surprised to see a seventeen foot tall rocket standing in the corner. Corey Morasch and J.C. Worthen of the Tripoli Idaho Rocketry club brought in a few rockets and explained the launch stages. Students seemed to really enjoy this presentation.

Corey Morasch and J.C. Worthen give students a run down of rocket launches. 

Dr. Henry Charlier came in and introduced the topic of poster presentations. Students may well remember Dr. Charlier as one of the most engaging and insightful speakers.  They learned about the importance of outlining their presentation, minimizing text and using pictures, as well as avoiding distracting backgrounds. The students were encouraged to draw their audience in with their own enthusiasm for their project.  Posters will be a part of the final presentation on Saturday and we hope to see you there.

Dr. Henry Charlier give students tips on how to create an engaging  poster presentation. 

The final event of the day was a three hour session on robotics with Woody Sobey of the Discovery Center of Idaho. The students needed to build and program their robots. Their objectives were to get it to move, run a certain length and make a square. Then students added LED lights and programmed the robot to blink these lights. Next the robot needed to make a sound and then the sounds were programmed into a song. The songs that were played varied from a simple scale to Mary Had A Little Lamb. The next challenge was to add a light sensor and to program in a thermin which would allow a tone to vary based on how much light was on the sensor. And finally the different teams challenged each other's robots in a sumo match.

Students working with robots take a picture with Barbara Morgan.

These ISAS students are working very hard and have accomplished much this second day of the academy. They are incredible students who enjoy working together and learning new things. Tomorrow will  be another jammed packed day as we will be taking an early flight to visit the NASA Ames Research Center in California. Be sure to check out the Facebook and Twitter pages for more photos and updates. #isas

--Camille

ISAS 2013 Academy 1: Day 1

Hello and welcome to family members, friends and others who are following the activities of the Idaho Science and Aerospace Scholars.
My name is Camille Eddy and I will be writing the blogs, posting media updates and photographing the events that happen at the Academy as well as the many students, professionals and other individuals who make up this program. I am a former ISAS Academy participant myself (ISAS 2012) and in the fall I will be attending Boise State University majoring in Mechanical Engineering. I hope to give you more than just a glimpse of how much fun these students are having every day at the Academy. You can check out many more photos on the ISAS Facebook Page and receive frequent updates as they are happening on the ISAS Twitter page.

The Idaho Science and Aerospace Scholars Summer Academy was formed in 2010 based off similar programs in both Texas and Virginia. It is a competitive academy for high school juniors. Students apply for the program prior to their second semester of their junior year. After completing a semester of course work, the top students are chosen to join the week long program. This week they will help create a mission to Mars, tour NASA Ames Research Center in San Jose, California, and explore the potentials of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers.

Around eleven o'clock today students began arriving and checking in to Kieser Hall. After check-in the students had time to meet each other and group into their teams. Then the time finally came for the students to make the short walk to the Discovery Center of Idaho where the fun began. They had the chance to look around the Discovery Center and experience the different exhibits it had to offer.

Students make a structure using thin wooden blocks.

The students were then brought to a classroom in the Center where they would construct a planetary lander. This lander needed to deliver a payload safely to the ground. In this case the payload was an egg. The students were given a limited amount of materials to work with and had to come up with a design themselves. This then led to the launching of the planetary landers from fifty feet in the air. Each team was able to successfully launch a lander without breaking an egg. Special thanks to Carl Baker of Quality Electric and Corey Morasch of Micron for making this launch possible.

Students explain their team's planetary lander to the rest of the group before the launch.

A little bit later it was time to introduce each other to the group. Students were given a random name tag and then had to find that person to learn a few things about them to say before the group. The introduction concluded with the student's hometown being pinned on the board.

Each Academy member was introduced by another student who placed their pin on the map.

The map of our 2013 Idaho Science and Aerospace Scholars.

Then they continued with the introduction of team names, patches and white pages. Each presentation was well thought out, with very relevant and purposeful team names like "Destination Red" from the Red Team or "Habiture Aster" from the Green Team meaning, 'living among the stars. All of the patches were well designed and we hope to see you at the banquet on Saturday where you can see these patches up close. White Team made a first for the Academy in that they put their patches on buttons to wear.
Each white page for the teams needed to detail the parameters in which they will be working, as each team has a specific part of the mission to work on. Blue Team, who will be focusing on working on Mars, concentrated on how Mars will benefit us as humans, and how much more we can accomplish with this new area of exploration.

Soon after this the students participated in the Ping Pong Triathlon facilitated by Woody Sobey of the Discovery Center of Idaho. Each team was given materials to construct a cantilever, a free standing structure the extended up and away from a base and a ping pong at the end. They constructed a catapult that sent the ping pong into the air and they also constructed a ping pong rocket that would be propelled by a stomp launcher.

White Team works on their catapult. 

As you can see ISAS students are launched into rigorous activities right away. And today was a great example of fantastic students easily interacting with each other and engaging enthusiastically with the activities of the academy. They have begun to form good team relationships and an awareness of the hard work it will take to successfully plan a mission to Mars, and all on the first day!


--Camille

IDAHO STUDENTS TO STUDY WITH NASA EXPERTS THIS SUMMER

Nearly 90 students from across Idaho will spend their summer planning a mission to Mars.

As part of the fourth annual Idaho Science and Aerospace Scholars Program Summer Academy, students will spend a week of the summer in Boise and at the NASA Ames Research Center in California studying space exploration with NASA officials and Idaho experts in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

“The Idaho Science and Aerospace Scholars Program is an unprecedented opportunity for Idaho’s high school students to work side-by-side with experts in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics from within our state and at NASA,” Superintendent Luna said. “As we work to provide equal access and opportunities to all Idaho students, no matter where they live, this program is a great example of how education and industry can partner to create better opportunities for all students.”

The Idaho Science and Aerospace Scholars Program (ISAS) began in 2009 after Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna and Barbara Morgan, astronaut and Boise State Distinguished Educator-in-Residence, worked together to create this competitive program that exists in only three other states. Through this program, high school juniors can take an engaging online course developed by NASA and Idaho Digital Learning Academy during the school year and then compete for the opportunity to attend the Summer Academy, where they work on developing a mission to Mars.

“Boise State University is delighted to be collaborating in this outstanding program,” Morgan said. “ISAS engages our next generation in the fascinating worlds of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”

The Idaho Science and Aerospace Scholars Program is a partner with the NASA Aerospace Scholars Program and supported by a NASA grant.

In the first year, 44 students attended the Summer Academy. This year, 88 students will be able to participate in the Summer Academy, which will be held twice this summer. Forty-four students will attend the first Summer Academy July 7-13, 2013, and an additional 44 students will attend the second Summer Academy July 21- 27, 2013.

The Summer Academies will take place partly at Boise State University, Micron Technology and the Discovery Center of Idaho, and partly at the NASA Ames Research Center in California.

At the Summer Academy, students are immersed in a simulated NASA mission to Mars, problem-based engineering design challenges, and science explorations.  These Idaho students will be guided by STEM experts, teachers and student teachers.

Keep up with the Summer Academies throughout both weeks via live updates on this blog.

If you or a student you know are interested in the Idaho Science and Aerospace Program, visit our website to learn more!

Idaho nonprofits receive $30,000 in grants from CenturyLink Middle School Philanthropy Program

CenturyLink, Inc. recently donated $30,000 in grants to 36 nonprofit organizations around Idaho as part of the company’s Middle School Philanthropy Program. Students at 10 middle schools across the state were given the opportunity to distribute $3,000 per school among local nonprofits impacting their particular community.

As part of the program, students in selected classes at the schools picked each nonprofit after doing research on the various organizations and voting as a group on how to allocate their funds. The program’s purpose was to increase awareness among middle school students of various needs in their communities. In addition, the program aimed to create a lifelong interest in volunteerism and community involvement, develop skills to allocate limited resources and increase civic engagement.

“CenturyLink is dedicated to enhancing the communities we serve in a meaningful way,” said Jim Schmit, vice president and general manager for CenturyLink in Idaho. “This program is a unique opportunity to enable students to connect with their community in a way that will raise awareness of needs and hopefully plant a seed with them for a lifelong interest in giving back.”

The 10 schools that awarded grants to nonprofits were:

• Crossroads Middle School in Meridian: Students in Jason Dransfield’s class awarded $1,000 to Camp Erin, $1,000 to Camp Rainbow Gold, $500 to the Women’s and Children’s Alliance and $500 to the Idaho Food Bank.
• Idaho Virtual Academy: Students in Lisa Frost’s class awarded $600 to the First Tee of Idaho, $600 to the Idaho Doghouse Project, $600 to the Haven Shelter, $600 to Simply Cats and $600 to the Canyon Animal Shelter. 
• Jerome Middle School in Jerome: Students in Kim Lickley’s Advisory class awarded $1,020 to South Central Community Action Partnerships, $1,140 to St. Luke’s Magic Valley Health Foundation and $840 to the Jerome Animal Shelter.
• Kimberly Middle School in Kimberly: Patricia Weber’s Student Leadership Team awarded $1,500 to the Boys and Girls Club of Magic Valley and $1,500 to the Fifth Judicial District CASA program.
• Madison Middle School in Rexburg: Students in Michael Bone’s class awarded $700 to Four Paws Pet Adoption, $700 to the Rexburg Community Theatre, $450 to the Idaho International Summerfest, $450 to the Orphanage Support Services Organization (OSSO), $350 to the Rexburg Police Department’s DARE program and $350 to the Madison Education Foundation.
• Ririe Middle School in Ririe: Students in Ken Craner’s class awarded $1,000 to the Ririe City Public Library and $2,000 to the Ririe Senior Center.
• Rolling Hills Public Charter School in Boise: Students in David Shubert’s Community Service class awarded $1,000 to Meals on Wheels, $500 to the Idaho Humane Society, $250 to the Boys and Girls Club, $250 to the American Kestrel organization, $250 to the Genesis Service Dogs, $250 to the Make A Wish of Idaho, $250 to Computers For Kids and $250 to the Women’s and Children’s Alliance.
• Vallivue Middle School in Caldwell: Students in Britney Barton’s Leadership class awarded $1,500 to the Canyon County Animal Shelter and $1,500 to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. 
• Vision Charter School in Caldwell: Students in Mark Boothby’s class awarded $1,500 to the Canyon County Animal Shelter and $1,500 to the Treasure Valley Down Syndrome Association.
• William Thomas Middle School in American Falls: Students in Melanie Williams’ class awarded $1,500 to the Katherine Winter Davis Little Theater and $1,500 to the South Eastern Idaho Community Action Agency. 

“The Philanthropy Program gave my students an opportunity to look beyond their own needs by focusing on the needs of others,” Dransfield said. “This helped them learn to be more community minded. I have students who were so interested in some of the groups we studied that they have inquired about volunteer opportunities. I had other students who already do volunteer work with local charities and they were able to share with the rest of the students why they are so involved in the different groups. Overall, I think this program is a great way to get students to focus on helping others, and I’m thankful to CenturyLink for making it possible.”

“Helping facilitate students in developing a deeper understanding of philanthropy was much more rewarding than I had initially planned,” said Weber “This small group of students took the lead in every aspect of this project: learning about nonprofits, developing a mission statement and criteria, researching nonprofits in the area, presenting to our staff, presenting to our student body and managing a small fundraising component for selection purposes. I’m grateful to CenturyLink for encouraging our young people to have opportunities for authentic projects of this magnitude.”

ELEVEN SCHOOLS SELECTED AS STATEWIDE TECHNOLOGY PILOTS

Today, eleven schools across Idaho will begin putting their vision for the next-generation classroom into action, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna announced today. The goal is for these schools to utilize $3 million in state funding to pilot innovative technologies that, if successful, might later be duplicated in every school across the state to give Idaho teachers the tools they need to help raise academic achievement.

It’s part of the Idaho Technology Pilot Program, which the Idaho Legislature established earlier this year.

“This is another step forward in providing equal access and opportunity to all Idaho’s students,” Superintendent Luna said. “The demand for technology in our schools continues to grow. Through these grants, we will be able to meet the needs of just some. In the future, we will take what we learn from these pilots and expand our efforts so all students – not just those who are fortunate enough to attend these schools – but every student in Idaho has equal access to the best educational opportunities.”

The Idaho State Department of Education received applications from 81 schools across Idaho, totaling $19.5 million in requests for grant funding. The Department worked with a committee of experts in education technology to design the application process and then appointed a committee of educational stakeholders to review the applications and select schools to award.

To be eligible, a pilot project had to be a full integration model and designed to improve student academic growth and financial efficiencies throughout an entire school. The project had to be scalable to other schools in Idaho and demonstrate sustainability statewide after the technology pilot period ends. Each application also included a research component so the Idaho State Department of Education can evaluate the pilot projects and identify best practices.

The eleven selected schools represent a cross-section of schools in Idaho because they are made up of all different grade levels, demographics and from different regions of the state.

The following schools were selected: Beutler Middle School in Dayton, Compass Public Charter School in Meridian, Discovery Elementary School in Meridian, Idaho Distance Education Academy based in Deary, Kuna Middle School in Kuna, McCall-Donnelly High School in McCall, Middleton High School in Middleton, Moscow Middle School in Moscow, Park Intermediate School in Weiser, Parma Middle School in Parma, Sugar Salem High School in Sugar City.

The grant funding for the pilot projects will be for one fiscal year. Local school districts were given the option to plan to implement the pilot projects over a one-year or two-year period.

Here is more information about each of the schools selected for the Idaho Technology Pilot Grant Program:

Beutler Middle School, West Side School District: $138,718.74
This rural school has a strong focus on digital learning and high expectations for their students to participate in dual credit opportunities when they reach high school.  This pilot project will implement a one-to-one ratio of iPads at the middle-level to ensure proficiency in Idaho Core Standards, participation in digital coursework, and preparation for dual credit opportunities students will encounter when they reach high school.  Additionally, all teachers, students, and parents will receive training on digital citizenship.

Melissa Waddoups with West Side School District accepted on behalf of Beutler Middle School.

Compass Public Charter School: $180,000.00
Compass Charter is creating a next generation learning environment where students are prepared to meet the learning challenges of the 21st century.  This pilot project will use three computer labs and three classroom sets of iPads to enhance instruction and student engagement, to participate in virtual field trips, to use online methods for collaboration and communication.

Greg Cordero and his team at Compass Public Charter School accepted on behalf of the entire school.

Discovery Elementary School, Meridian Joint School District: $370,501.35
This pilot project will use a classroom rotational model of shared devices to individualize instruction and create innovative, self-directed learners that will become productive, successful citizens.  Students will focus on critical thinking skills through the creation of content with digital tools.  The technology will also allow the school to be an outreach center where community members, like those at the fire training center, can be trained in the use of technology in the evenings and on weekends.

Teachers at Discovery Elementary celebrated their application being selected today.

Idaho Distance Education Academy: $67,754.60
The Idaho Distance Education Academy (IDEA) will implement I-DEA 2.0, a two-year project to redefine the way the school uses technology for instruction, assessment, enrichment, and increasing efficiency among teachers. Key components of the IDEA’s pilot project include expanding the schools instructional management system, piloting digital textbooks, providing students access to a digital library, and integrating the use of next generation hardware and video systems. Ultimately, IDEA hopes to use this technology to build a unified distance learning environment that will encourage and support higher student achievement as well as increased learning, communication, and collaboration.

Josh Femreite with IDEA joined Sen. Goedde, Superintendent Luna, and Rep. DeMordaunt after the announcement.

Kuna Middle School, Kuna School District: $891,200.20
At Kuna Middle School, students have struggled in mathematics and in writing. To help address these challenges, two teachers piloted small laptops called Chromebooks to provide one device to each math student and individual access to web-based math instructional resources. They saw great success! Based on this data, the school leadership team realized that the student-centered, collaborative, creative, and rigorous learning environment they had long envisioned could be achieved through 1:1 implementation of Chromebooks. With this grant, the teachers and staff at Kuna Middle School will pilot Chromebooks across the school and work to improve student learning in mathematics and writing.

Kuna Middle Principal Deb McGrath spoke about how Chromebooks will be integrated in her school.

McCall-Donnelly High School, McCall-Donnelly School District: $150,000.00
McCall-Donnelly High School’s pilot project is the brain child of high school student Brooke Thomas. As a junior, she asked her principal for an iPad and received it on the condition that she use it to answer this question: “How could this technology change the way students ‘do school’?” Brooke spent the year working on her iPad and developed a vision that will now be put into action schoolwide. Through this project, every student at McCall-Donnelly High School will have access to iPad technology. A student-led iClub will work directly with teachers and other students to make the use of this technology as effective as possible in helping students at McCall-Donnelly High School “do school.”

Student Brooke Thomas speaks about her vision for the integration of iPads at McCall-Donnelly High.

Middleton High School, Middleton School District: $427,878.32
For students at Middleton High School, it is all about going on. The school is part of the Go On Idaho initiative and has a partnership with the Idaho Department of Labor to mentor students to go on after high school. Now, Middleton High School will change its culture by implementing a one-to-one laptop program called Go One-Go On with Lenovo ThinkPads. The program will expand the school’s Career Information System, promote increased communication and collaboration, and foster critical thinking, creativity, and a positive digital footprint through the creation of a four-year website portfolio that articulates a student’s academic growth.

Middleton Superintendent Rich Bauscher gave kudos to his great team at Middleton High School and the district office.

Moscow Middle School, Moscow School District: $180,000.00
Moscow Middle School is working to create more open learning environments for every student where teachers can “flip” the classroom to better meet the needs of students coming from a wide variety of challenges, whether it is related to learning, behavior or socio-economic. Moscow Middle School will pilot the use of interactive whiteboards where every time a teacher “goes to the board,” that instruction is digitally document for future access through the use of student-specific logins and cloud technology. The school also will integrate formative assessments and clickers, among other technologies, to measure individual student, group and whole class learning. 

Moscow Middle teacher Rachel Aiello and Moscow Superintendent Dale Kleinert accept their check.

Park Intermediate School, Weiser School District: $54,596.00
The teachers at Park Intermediate School are enthusiastic about the possibilities technology can bring to the classroom. Through this pilot project, Park Intermediate will set up a Chromebook lab and a Mobile Android 4.0 lab to help transform classrooms and provide teachers the opportunity to design individualized instructions for every child. Teachers see the great opportunities for how these technologies can be integrated in science, language and mathematics lessons. With the implementation of new Idaho Core Standards next year, the school will largely focus on how these new technologies can help improve students’ writing.

Park Intermediate teacher Lisa Alder spoke about how excited her colleagues are to begin implementation.

Parma Middle School, Parma School District: $83,567.59
At Parma Middle School, educators are working to not only bridge existing gaps in student achievement but also to lay the groundwork for the paths students will take as they step forward in the workplace or through leadership roles in the mid-2020s.  They understand the important role technology can play in accomplishing these goals in the classroom. Parma Middle will pilot an interactive online curriculum, multi-touch interactive surface display tables, and training for all instructors in the inter-relationships of technology, instruction, and achievement. They will work to integrate these technologies and transform the classroom to help address current shortcomings in standardized test scores, grades, absenteeism, and behavioral misconduct.

Parma Middle School Principal Peg Sharkey and Parma Superintendent Jim Norton accept their check.

Sugar Salem High School, Sugar Salem School District: $454,783.20
This rural school district is utilizing technology to afford their teachers, students, and parents with equal access to the academic opportunities that 21st century technology can provide, regardless of geography or socioeconomic status.  Through a one-to-one laptop initiative with HP 4440s notebook computers and a wireless network, this pilot project will create a New Generation Learning Environment with learning opportunities both in the classroom and beyond the walls of the classroom.

Sugar Salem Superintendent Alan Dunn speaks about his high school's technology pilot program.

WHAT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS AVAILABLE OVER THE NEXT YEAR?

At the last meeting of the Task Force for Improving Education, task force members discussed the Idaho Core Standards, and the conversation quickly turned to professional development.

Specifically, what resources and funding are available to districts, schools and teachers in the coming year?

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna detailed how nearly $22 million will be available for professional development in the coming year, funded out of new and existing resources from both the state and other partners.

Most people had heard about a line item of nearly $4 million specifically dedicated to Idaho Core Standards professional development because this funding was new funding, but they were unaware of the other resources that would be made available to schools and districts.

Here is a breakdown of all the funding related to Idaho Core Standards that will be provided from state funding and other resources in the coming year: 

• Idaho Core Standards Professional Development Funding: $3.755 million in new funding was appropriated in the FY2014 Public Schools Budget for the Idaho State Department of Education to deliver professional development to schools and districts. The state is organizing focus groups with teachers and school administrators to ensure this funding is spent in a meaningful and effective way. Total: $3.75 million
• Excellence in Teaching Awards Funding: $21 million was appropriated in the FY2014 Public Schools Budget to be distributed directly to local school districts and public charter schools to use for differential pay and professional development. Of the total $21 million appropriated, districts/charter schools can spend up to 40% (or $8.4 million) on professional development, including buying time. Total: $8.4 million
• House Bill 65: House Bill 65 dealt with funding in the FY2013 Public Schools Appropriation that remained after the repeal of the Students Come First laws in November 2012. Through HB 65, an estimated $5.4 million in state funding was shifted from other programs to be distributed directly to local school districts and public charter schools to be used specifically for professional development activities related to the implementation of Idaho Core Standards, the transition to the new assessment, and the integration of digital content in the classroom. This funding will be distributed to school districts in two disbursements: a $15,000 base allocation in the current FY2013 to each district or charter school to develop a three-year Professional Development Plan and a secondary allocation in FY2014 based on the number of instructional staff in a local school district or public charter school. Total: $5.4 million
• JKAF Matching Funds in Public Schools Budget: $4.5 million was appropriated in the FY2014 Public Schools Budget to be used on the implementation of the statewide instructional management system, known as Schoolnet. An estimated $1.5 million of the $4.5 million appropriated will be used to continue a statewide contract with Discovery Education and the development of examples of curricular materials and assessments available in Schoolnet. These resources assist teachers with implementation of Idaho Core Standards at the local level as they work to adopt and develop curriculum and curricular materials that best meet their students’ needs. Total: $1.5 million
• Idaho Leads Project: The Idaho Leads Project has received nearly $3 million in funding from the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation to continue its efforts over the next year in working with specific school districts and public charter schools. Over the next year, Idaho Leads will focus on the implementation of Idaho Core Standards in these participating school districts. Total: $2.85 million

When combined, the funding from these programs and resources totals an estimated $21.9 million in new and existing funding that is now available to help provide professional development to Idaho teachers and school administrators on the Idaho Core Standards over the next year. Of this total, $13.8 million will flow directly to school districts and public charter schools to be used at their discretion.