Since 2009, $2.1 million has been distributed to schools in a seven-county area for projects that involve science, technology, engineering, arts and math concepts.
That effort, which is organized by the Allegheny Intermediate Unit with funding from the Grable and Benedum foundations, is about to crank up a notch.
A recent $1 million grant from the Grable Foundation includes $133,000 in each of the next two years for salary and benefits for a director of instructional innovation who will facilitate the development and expansion of innovative best practices and programs for students in grades K-12.
“The addition of a director of instructional innovation is an exciting next step that reinforces our commitment to remake learning in the region,” said Rosanne Javorsky, AIU assistant executive director for teaching and learning.
In addition, the AIU has plans to form a Western Pennsylvania League of Innovative Schools, which will offer membership to schools “that think about learning in a transformative way,” Mrs. Javorsky said.
The Western Pennsylvania league would be similar to the national Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools, a group of 57 public school districts in 27 states that are using technology to transform education. Three local districts — Avonworth, Elizabeth-Forward and South Fayette — are members of the national league and will help to organize the local league.
“We want to catalyze the educational innovation and excellence in our region and be an integral part of the national conversation,” Mrs. Javorsky said.
The $1 million Grable grant will be used to provide two years worth of $20,000 grants to districts — 17 grants for next school year and 16 for 2016-17. It also includes $20,000 per year for the Western Pennsylvania League of Innovative Schools.
Mrs. Javorsky said she hopes to interview candidates for the director of instructional innovation by mid-March and to have the position filled by the end of the school year. She said it’s possible the best candidate — an individual who understands how to implement technology in the classroom — could come from one of the area school districts.
That person will serve as a liaison with school districts on technology and innovation issues and as a conduit between the districts and outside organizations, including business and higher education entities.
In addition to the Grable grant, the AIU has a pending grant application with the Benedum Foundation.
Districts will be able to apply for the next round of STEAM grants in April when the AIU will send out a request for proposals to superintendents in Allegheny, Fayette, Greene, Washington, Beaver, Butler and Westmoreland counties.
Grant proposals will be due at the beginning of May, and awards for the 2015-16 school year will be made at the beginning of June.
In recent years, the grants were awarded to districts for projects that involved creating new spaces for technology in the schools. But this year, the requirements are more open-ended, Mrs. Javorsky said.
Mary Niederberger: mniederberger@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1590.
First Published: March 6, 2015, 5:00 a.m.
