The University of Missouri has received $18.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to expand the educational development program in rural Kansas and Missouri schools. In addition, it received $3.8 million in private sector matching funds to develop an educational technology professional program.
The grant will be used by the university to research and strengthen STEM-friendly technologies and education in classrooms and double its research efforts in the next five years.
“Teachers and students throughout Missouri’s 114 counties depend on the MU College of Education’s outreach programs to support teachers and enhance the educational process,” Chancellor Alexander Cartwright said.
The grant will mainly focus on increasing STEM education across 58 rural middle schools in the next five years, which will benefit 26,796 students and 406 educators. Also, the fifth graders in seven districts in rural Missouri, which has high poverty rates, will receive active learning in science and math’s classrooms.
“This funding facilitates an incredible collaboration among researchers and practitioners in learning technologies, problem-based learning, social-emotional learning and STEM education to enhance teaching and learning environments in rural communities,” said Kathryn Chval, dean of the College of Education.
Pertinently, the grant is one of the largest in the college history.