| SEARCH OnWEAC |
|---|
From the governor's office
Governor Doyle announced Wednesday (June 4, 2008) that he is awarding $10 million to the Milwaukee Mathematics Partnership for an initiative to raise the quality of education by promoting math achievement in Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS). The governor’s biennial budget contains the funding for improving pupil academic achievement in Milwaukee Public Schools beginning July 1, 2008.
"Anyone who knows me knows that education is my No. 1 priority,” Doyle said. “The most important investment we can make is in our public schools. We have made tremendous progress improving public schools in Milwaukee, but we must continue to raise the standards and quality of the education we are providing the kids of this city."
The governor made the announcement at Lincoln Center of the Arts in Milwaukee, which currently has a Milwaukee Mathematics Partnership (MMP) pilot program to improve math skills. The MMP program has three main goals:
Because of the governor’s effort to secure $10 million for this initiative, MPS chose to move forward this spring and hire 100 new math teacher leaders and eight new math teaching specialists and begin training nearly 3,500 teachers.
The award will also be used to build leadership skills in math, develop a districtwide approach towards improving student proficiency in mathematics, and provide print and online materials that aid in teaching math and assess student learning. MPS will be partnering with UW- Milwaukee and MATC to build research-based teaching strategies.
On 2007 test scores, 48% of 4th-grade MPS students were not at grade level in math, but the percentage not at grade level increases to 60% by 8th grade and 70% by 10th grade.
MPS is providing approximately $2.8 million in local funding to assist with the initiative.
Posted June 5, 2008