EDC Receives Education Innovation Research Grant from U.S. Department of Education

WALTHAM, MASS | In an announcement by the U.S. Department of Education, Education Development Center (EDC) has been awarded a Mid-Phase Education Innovation Research (EIR) grant to build capacity across urban, rural, and suburban regions in Illinois for implementing the Math for All professional development program. EDC was awarded the $7.9 million grant after a highly competitive, rigorous process.

Math for All assists schools in planning and implementing high-quality, standards-based mathematics education for students with a range of strengths and needs, including learners with disabilities. It provides elementary school teachers and leaders with a shared framework and the tools to plan and implement personalized mathematics instruction. The program expands on a previous study conducted in collaboration with Chicago Public Schools, which found that Math for All improved teachers’ self-efficacy and classroom practices as well as students’ mathematics achievements.

“Research shows that teacher quality is the single most powerful influence on student learning,” said EDC’s Babette Moeller, principal investigator. “Often, teachers do not feel prepared to implement standards-based mathematics education with the heterogeneous groups of students found in general education classrooms. This grant will allow us to build local capacity and infrastructure to provide teachers with the ongoing support they need for personalizing mathematics instruction for diverse learners.”

An estimated 140 schools from 54 high-need school districts across four Illinois regions will be selected for participation, with the aim of reaching 1,280 teachers and 50,000 students over the five-year period of the grant. Ninety percent of the total project cost ($7,858,604) will be financed with federal funds, with the remaining 10 percent ($785,860) financed by nongovernment sources.

“We are very excited to be able to build on our successes with Math for All during the past four years.” said Jessica Mahon, executive director of STEM, Chicago Public Schools. “This EIR grant will allow us to build capacity among our general education and diverse learner teacher leaders, which will help us to broaden and deepen the implementation of Math for All across a large number of schools in our district.”

“Rural education settings provide unique opportunities and challenges, and we are excited about the prospect of Math for All helping us meet some of those,” said Anji Garza, professional development director, Illinois Regional Office of Education #47. “Mathematics and special education both need a boost in Illinois, and this EIR grant will help us bring them to the forefront so that teachers can better serve their students.” 

Partners on this collaboration include Bank Street College of Education; Deacon Hill Research Associates; Abt Associates; Teachers College, Columbia University; Chicago Public Schools; Illinois Regional Offices of Education #39, #47, and #50; and The Center: Resources for Teaching and Learning.

Education Development Center (EDC) is a global nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity. Since 1958, we have been a leader in designing, implementing, and evaluating powerful and innovative programs in more than 80 countries around the world.