Frequently asked questions.
If you have questions that aren't addressed here, please contact us.
What is NC-PIMS%3f
What are the strategic points of focus for NC-PIMS%3f
What is an NC-PIMS Facilitator%3f
What is the role of the University Center/Hub%3f
What is the nature of the partnership for school districts%3f
What is a Lead Teacher%3f
What is the role of the District Leadership Team%3f
How is funding distibuted within NC-PIMS%3f
What are the material benefits to a School District Partner%3f
How can my School District become involved in NC-PIMS%3f
How can I become involved with NC-PIMS%3f
1. What is NC-PIMS%3f
NC-PIMS
is the North Carolina Partnership for Improving Mathematics and
Science. The partnership consists of 12 school districts in eastern
North Carolina, the University of North Carolina, the North Carolina
Mathematics and Science Education Network, the North Carolina
Department of Public Instruction, North Carolina State University, East
Carolina University, Fayetteville State University, University of North
Carolina Wilmington, University of North Carolina Pembroke, University
of North Carolina Greensboro, and the North Carolina Community College
System. The project is jointly funded by the U.S. Department of
Education and the National Science Foundation. The goal of the project
is to improve student achievement in mathematics, while simultaneously
closing the achievement gap between ethnic and racial populations.
2. What are the strategic points of focus for NC-PIMS %3f
The
project seeks to make improvements in the teaching and learning of
mathematics by focusing on three strategic areas. The first is the
professional development of teachers; the second is student
encouragement through parental and community activities; and the third
is policy and leadership at the state and district levels.
3. What is a NC-PIMS Facilitator%3f
The
project supports 11 Facilitators, each specializing in mathematics and
focusing on grade levels K-5 or 6-12. Facilitators are assigned to one
or more school district partners. For administrative and program
purposes, each Facilitator is also assigned to one of three university
centers (East Carolina University, Fayetteville State University or
University of North Carolina Wilmington). A Facilitator plays a key
role in coordinating and planning professional development in
mathematics within the 12 school districts and in setting up community
activities for parents and students. Each facilitator reports to the
project director.
4. What is the role of the University Center/Hub%3f
There
are three university centers, or hubs, that are geographically well
situated to serve the 12 county school district partners. Each of the
universities houses a center that supports the teaching and learning of
mathematics, and is a hub of the North Carolina Mathematics and Science
Education Network. A Site Coordinator at the center manages the
material, supply and communication needs of the Facilitators assigned
to the center. The Site Coordinator is the main university contact for
Facilitators and the Project Director for center activities. The
universities also provide faculty to plan and deliver the courses
supported by the project, meeting space for planning and development,
and coordination and distribution of stipends to teachers for
participant support activities.
5. What is the nature of the partnership for school districts%3f
A
school district partner has made the improvement of student achievement
in science and mathematics a top priority in its strategic plan that
includes professional development of all teachers of mathematics. The
school district receives support for its professional development of 12
hours per year for its teachers of mathematics. The district cooperates
in identifying Lead Teachers to participate in course work and to
deliver the professional development to its teachers. The district
agrees to cooperate with the evaluators of the project and assist in
making data available to evaluate the project. The teachers receive
professional development that supports the changes in the mathematics
curricula and the new North Carolina mathematics tests. School
districts play an important role in planning the project with members
of the NC-PIMS management team and the Facilitators.
6. What is a Lead Teacher%3f
A
Lead Teacher is a teacher who has been selected as a school resource
and leader for mathematics, who has the respect of her or his
teacher-colleagues in the subject area specialty, who has formally
agreed to participate in specified coursework and leadership training,
and who has agreed to work with NC-PIMS Facilitators and to provide
their teacher-colleagues with support in professional development. The
Lead Teacher structure represents a sustainable resource for school
districts as a means to build teacher leadership at the school house
district level. The Lead Teacher is under a formal agreement to fulfill
these and other specific tasks in support of improving student learning
of mathematics and/or science.
7. What is the role of the District Leadership Team%3f
The
District Leadership Team (DLT) is a group of people assembled by the
Superintendent to ensure that district planning for mathematics
professional development, textbook and material selection and
allocation of facilities and personnel is comprehensive, focused on
improvements in the quality of teaching and learning, and supports
standards-based curricula, including the N.C. Standard Course of Study.
The formation and role of the DLT is an important leadership component
of the project and is a condition for the participation of a school
district in the project as stipulated in the cooperative agreement with
the National Science Foundation. The formation and role of the DLT is
integral to the commitment of the district for providing oversight of
the general condition and health of the district's participation in the
project. The DLT is facilitated by the NC-PIMS District Contact. The
Team should choose a chair.
Typically, a District
Leadership Team consists of 5-10 members, including the superintendent,
or designee, principal, counselor, parent and a STEM professional, and
other members from the district who play a role in planning
professional development and curricula. The membership diversity of the
DLT is a means of having a balance of input and output for the role of
the NC-PIMS project in the district, especially in planning for
district professional development or troubleshooting problems. The team
should work toward ensuring that communication about the project is
maintained throughout all levels, including the school board. The team
provides direction and advice for professional development in the
project and assists in the coordination, scheduling and other logistics
of implementing the professional development. A membership list of DLT
participants should be provided annually and updated with the NC-PIMS
Project Director as needed.
Each year, the DLT is
expected to meet 2-6 times, or as often as it would be needed for the
continued smooth running of the project. It is expected that one or
more NC-PIMS Facilitators would work with the District Contact in
setting up the DLT agenda and for assisting with the logistics of the
group. Deliberations of DLT meetings should be recorded in the form of
minutes and made available to the NC-PIMS Project Director and
Evaluators.
8. How is funding distibuted within NC-PIMS%3f
Salaries:
47.7%, Teacher Stipends: 25.6%, Travel: 7.5%, Materials: 8.7%,
Consulting: 6.4%, Course Instructors: 2.1%, Miscellaneous (e.g., space
rental, communication): 2%.
Salaries include
wages and statutory benefits of NC-PIMS office staff, Facilitators,
partial salaries of co-PIs, Senior Personnel, University Site
coordinators, and Evaluators.
9. What are the material benefits to a School District Partner%3f
The
benefits include human resources, stipends for teachers enrolled in
courses and leadership training, and a commitment for the life of the
project for sustained mathematics professional development support. The
professional development for all district teachers of mathematics
includes content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge, which are
aligned with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and national
standards. This professional development also focuses on the revised
mathematics curriculum. Facilitators are a resource for districts,
schools and Lead Teachers as coordinators, mentors and advisors for
mathematics professional development.
In the
table is an “average” breakdown of material benefits for school
district partners. The amounts shown are for a district of “average”
size among the partners. The material benefits for all counties are
proportional to the number of Lead Teachers allotted (i.e., on the
number of students and teachers served by the district).
“Average” District |
Stipends, Tuition, Material Support Costs/Value
over the Life of the NC-PIMS Grant |
|
Lead Teachers |
Number |
Stipends for Grant Period |
Tuition for courses |
Course Materials |
Leadership Training Materials |
Totals |
|
K-5 |
28 |
154,000 |
22,400 |
5,600 |
20,160 |
202,160 |
|
6-12 |
9 |
49,500 |
14,400 |
3,600 |
6,480 |
73,980 |
|
Other |
12 |
8,100 |
19,200 |
4,800 |
n/a |
32,100 |
|
K-5
in years 4-5 |
28 |
18900 |
22400 |
5600 |
n/a |
46900 |
|
|
Total |
$230,500 |
$78,400 |
$19,600 |
$26,640 |
$355,140* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* Note: The range for the grand total across all districts is $129,660 -- $1,161,460
10. How can my School District become involved in NC-PIMS%3f
At this time we have an established partnership with 12 North Carolina
school districts and unfortunately due to strict program and funding
schedules participation is limited to these Partners.
11. How can I become involved with NC-PIMS%3f
If
you are a teacher of mathematics in one of our Partner Districts you
may contact the district Mathematics Coordinator for your school
district through the Superintendant's office for more information.
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