UH-Clear Lake receives $1.5 million grant

The University of Houston-Clear Lake School of Education has been awarded a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to provide professional development activities focusing on improving classroom instruction in math and science for those students learning English.

The Collaborating in the Academic Success for All grant has partnered with five area independent school districts, including Alvin, Clear Creek, Deer Park, Galena Park and Pasadena, to recruit teachers and administrators for the program.

UH-Clear Lake bilingual and multicultural studies professors Laurie Weaver and Judith Marquez are the parties responsible for getting the grant.

"There's a shortage of bilingual education, English as a second language, mathematics and science teachers in Texas," explained Weaver in a news release. "This shortage comes at a time when the number of English learners has increased dramatically -- 51 percent nationally in the last decade. Today, more than 10 percent of the PK-12 populations in Texas schools are English learners."

Currently, there are more than 26,500 English learners in the five participating school districts.

"When school districts are looking for teachers, high-need areas are bilingual, math and science," added Marquez. "CASA will provide current teachers with background in these areas so that they can become leaders on their campus."

The CASA grant provides 30 teachers from within the five school districts full scholarships to complete a master's degree in multicultural studies with certification in bilingual education or ESL and with an emphasis in either mathematics or science; provides 30 school administrators professional development to support bilingual and ESL-certified teachers; and provides assistance to UHCL faculty in integrating instruction in their teacher preparation courses.

The program will start in the fall of 2013 with two cohorts of 15 students.