California Mathematics and Science Partnership

Introduction

The Mathematics and Science Partnership – Part B of Title II, Improving Teacher Quality Grant Programs, were an important component of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation, funding partnerships between high-need local educational agencies (LEA) and institutions of higher education (IHE) to provide research-based professional development for teachers of mathematics and science. The California Mathematics and Science Partnership (CaMSP) grants were not reauthorized under the Every Student Succeeds Act.

The primary purpose of the CaMSP Program was to increase the body of research on professional development models that:

• Impact teachers’ content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and instructional strategies.
• Improve student achievement in the content areas of mathematics and science as measured by state and local assessments and enrollment in advanced courses.
• Result in change to the institutions involved in the project, including change to the IHEs and professional development providers.
• Train mathematics and science teachers and develop programs to encourage young women and other underrepresented individuals to pursue:
  • secondary mathematics, science, and engineering courses of study, and
  • mathematics and science careers (including engineering and technology) and/or postsecondary degrees in majors leading to such careers.

Teacher participants of these grants were expected to utilize their enhanced content knowledge and newly acquired instructional teaching skills into their classroom practice. As a result, teacher participants would be better able to stimulate student interest and achievement in mathematics or science potentially motivating students to pursue postsecondary degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors and ultimately leading to careers in STEM.

CaMSP Grant Program

Request for Applications 2018-19
CaMSP funding is contingent upon receiving California state spending authority. The CDE application for state spending authority is currently pending. Grant awards will not be issued unless or until CDE receives California state spending authority. The CaMSP program will accept applications only from partnerships that were previously awarded Cohort 10, 11, 12, and 13 grants to improve the academic achievement of students in mathematics, science, engineering, and/or technology. The previously funded Lead LEA must meet all eligibility criteria including the 40 percent free and reduced priced meals. All eligible Lead LEAs are on the List of Eligible Lead Agencies.

Request for Applications 2015-16 (Posted 15-May-2015)
Request for Applications (RFA) for Cohort 13 out of 2015-16 funds for January 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017. The due date was September 1, 2015.

NCLB, Title II, Part B, Legislation
Full text of Title II, Part B.

Statewide Evaluation Reports
Evaluation of CaMSP is conducted at the local project and statewide program levels. Statewide evaluation has been conducted by Public Works for Years 1-8 of the CaMSP. These evaluation reports include information on how the projects are addressing the key features of CaMSP, and identify best practices, findings, and recommendations.

CaMSP Curriculum Products (PDF)
During the 12-year evaluation partnership, Public Works created a database of partnership curriculum resources, professional development learning tools, and best practices. This is a summary presentation of these tools and resources.

Funding Results (FY 2018-19)
Funding results for Cohort 14.

Funding Results (FY 2016-17)
Funding results for continued funding for Cohorts 10, 11, and 12.

Funding Results (FY 2015-16)
Funding results for continued funding for Cohort 10 and new funding for Cohort 13.

Total Funding Awarded All Years 2003-17

System Stakeholders Impacted All Years 2003-17

Positive Impact of CaMSP

As the transitions at both state and federal levels continues to evolve and impact schools, teachers and students, findings from the data collected by Public Works for the state evaluation of CaMSP Cohort 10 STEM projects provide an important lens about the coming opportunities to support teachers, and help students to learn in new ways. Opportunities include:

• Combining locally customized professional development models based on research and recognized strategies to support teacher learning and classroom implementation with a longer-term horizon to improve and reflect on what is working.
• Providing opportunities for teachers to understand engineering and integrated STEM learning using discipline-specific approaches, university expertise and community partners. This provides teachers with key instructional building blocks of the Next Generation Science Standards and the Common Core State Standards, including design and implementation of new activities, and real and practical understandings of engineering to develop student thinking.
• Allowing opportunities for collaboration and teacher leadership to develop and adjust professional development approaches over time to meet teacher needs. Examples include grade level teams, lesson study groups and individual coaching support.
• Embedding formative and summative evaluation support and technical assistance provides another lens to measure, improve and fine tune implementation. Consistent measurement of teacher content knowledge for science and math provides an opportunity to examine progress and customize and refine each professional development model and implementation.
• Strong partnerships and a structure for implementation offer better chances for long-term success and retention of teachers.