ASSET Unveils $26 Million Investing in Innovation (i3) Grant Program

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 3, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Today ASSET Inc. (Achieving Student Success through Excellence in Teaching) unveiled its premiere Advanced Professional Development (PD) Program made possible through a federal Investing in Innovation (i3) Grant. During an information and application seminar, Pennsylvania school district leadership learned how this program can improve teacher effectiveness and advance student achievement. Approximately 400 science teachers will be selected to participate in the fully funded program, with priority given to high-needs and rural schools.

The i3 grant enables ASSET to build upon the infrastructure already established through the statewide Science: It's Elementary initiative, which the education improvement nonprofit designs and manages in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The Advanced PD program will provide teachers with access to the higher-level professional development necessary to change classroom practice, enhance student learning, and ultimately advance STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education.

"ASSET is honored to be one of 49 organizations nationwide selected to receive a coveted i3 grant from the U.S. Department of Education," said Dr. Helen Sobehart, executive director at ASSET. "With this $26 million grant program, we have an extraordinary opportunity to not only improve teaching and learning in Pennsylvania, but also to serve as a model for the nation."

To be eligible to apply, schools must have participated in Science: It's Elementary or ASSET for at least one year, be using hands-on science curriculum materials in the classroom, and have at least 80 percent of science teachers receiving baseline professional development through ASSET. Complete application eligibility and program requirements are available at www.assetinc.org.

In addition to the Advanced PD Program, ASSET will use grant funds to operate Regional Professional Development Centers in western, central and eastern Pa. (each with corresponding satellite sites), enabling schools to have ready access to ASSET's hands-on, inquiry-based professional development and materials.

During the seminar, Sobehart said that ASSET will continue utilizing its Professional Development Center in Pittsburgh but will leverage innovative partnerships to establish new centers and satellite sites. She announced that ASSET's Professional Development Center in eastern Pa. will be located on Penn State Great Valley's campus in Malvern. The Professional Development Center in central Pa. as well as the satellite sites are yet to be determined.

For more information regarding ASSET's i3 grant program, please visit www.assetinc.org.

About ASSET Inc.

Established in 1994 by Bayer Corporation and several community partners, ASSET Inc. is an education improvement nonprofit that supports school districts in implementing a standards-based science education program through teacher professional development aligned with hands-on curriculum materials for grades K-8. In partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Education, ASSET also designs and manages Pennsylvania's Science: It's Elementary initiative. Independent evaluation results show that 4th-grade students in ASSET member schools scored statistically significantly higher than their peers in science and significantly higher in reading and math. ASSET currently impacts 180 school districts, 5,000 teachers and 142,000 students. For more information, visit www.assetinc.org.

The contents of this news release were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Investing in Innovation (i3) Program. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal government.

SOURCE ASSET Inc.