Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation Math and Science Partnership (MSP) Program A Research and Development Effort Joyce B. Evans Senior Program Director

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation   A research & development (R & D) effort at NSF for building capacity and integrating the work of higher education with that of K-12 to strengthen and reform mathematics and science education   Launched in FY 2002 as a key facet of the President’s NCLB vision for K-12 education   Strongly reauthorized as part of the America COMPETES Act of 2007

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation Website for MSP: Click on Program Area – Education Click on Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) Click on Math and Science Partnership Program

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation New Solicitation: Math and Science Partnership (MSP ) NSF

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation Through the Math and Science Partnership program, NSF awards competitive, merit-based grants to teams composed of institutions of higher education, local K-12 school systems and supporting partners. At their core, Partnerships contain at least one institution of higher education and one K-12 school system.

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation   Seeks to improve student outcomes in mathematics and science for all students, at all K-12 levels   Is a coordinated effort between NSF and ED, who together have defined the program linkages necessary to manage investment for greatest effectiveness

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation What distinguishes NSF’s MSP Program?  Substantial intellectual engagement of mathematicians, scientists and engineers from higher education in improving K-12 student outcomes in mathematics and the sciences

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation “Unless we are willing to apply the same rigorous standards of scholarship to issues related to learning and teaching that we regularly apply to more traditional research, the present situation in …education is unlikely to change.” Lillian McDermott APS News 7 (1) 1998

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation What distinguishes NSF’s MSP Program?   Depth and quality of creative, strategic actions that extend beyond commonplace approaches   Breadth and depth of Partnerships – Partnerships between organizations, rather than among individuals only

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation What distinguishes NSF’s MSP Program?  Organizational/institutional change driven by Partnerships  Degree to which MSP work is integrated with evidence; degree to which the work of the Partnerships is itself the work of scholars who seek evidence for what they do

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation NSF In this solicitation, NSF seeks to support six types of awards:  Targeted Partnerships  Institute Partnerships  MSP-Start Partnerships  Phase II Partnerships  Research, Evaluation and Technical Assistance (RETA)  Innovation through Institutional Integration (I 3 )

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation FY’08 Targeted Partnerships Focus on:  Specific elements/issues in K-12 mathematics or science teaching and learning, where analysis of the data indicates that a concentrated effort would result in the greatest improvement.  Proposals that develop and study approaches which foster inventiveness and innovation in teaching and learning for K-12 students, clearly articulating what they will know and be able to do.

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation FY’08 Targeted Partnerships  Engage teachers and/or students studying to become teachers in a multi-year program, based on contemporary research findings on effective classroom practice and the science of learning, that provides in-depth study within a particular discipline.  Contribute evidenced-based findings to the knowledge base about teacher and student learning.

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation FY’08 Institute Partnerships  Institutes will be multi-year programs of coherent study within a particular discipline plus a leadership component.  Contribute evidenced-based findings to the knowledge base about teacher leadership and its impact on student learning.  K-12 core partners are:  Districts from which participants are selected, and  Required to grant sufficient non- classroom time for participants to carry out responsibilities

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation FY’08 MSP-Start Partnerships  Seeks to include institutions of higher education of varying scope, size, experience and perspectives emphasizing minority- serving institutions (e.g., Tribal Colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions), community colleges and primarily undergraduate institutions.  Conduct the data collection, analysis, team building and evaluation necessary for developing a proposal for a full MSP Targeted or Institute Partnership.

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation FY’08 MSP Phase II Partnerships  From any institution of higher education partner in a previously funded Comprehensive or Targeted Partnership whose work began in 2002 or  Concentrate on analysis, adaptation, dissemination and use of existing innovative practices developed through prior MSP support.  Phase II Partnerships must include:  Some, but not necessarily all, of the original partners and the rationale for the new Partnership,  One or more research questions, in conjunction with appropriate research methodologies,  Detailed Evaluation Plan with benchmarks and measures that will demonstrate results, and  Plans to continue longitudinal analyses on aspects of the prior work and must continue to contribute data to the MSP Management Information System.

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation FY’08 Partnerships   The PI of each Partnership must be a faculty member in a mathematics, science or engineering department in a higher education core partner.   One or more co-Principal Investigators must be representative(s) from the K-12 core partner organization(s).

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation FY’08 Partnerships Core partners Core partners share responsibility and accountability for the MSP project, ARE REQUIRED to provide evidence of their commitment to undergo the institutional change necessary to sustain the partnership effort beyond the funding period. Core partners Core partners in each Partnership MUST include:  At least one institution of higher education (including 2-year and 4-year colleges and universities) AND  At least one K-12 local school district.

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation FY’08 Partnerships CORE partners CORE partners may include other stakeholders who are also expected to participate in the coordinated institutional changes SUPPORTING partners SUPPORTING partners include entities that are important contributors but are not required to commit to institutional change

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation Key Features  Partnership-driven, with significant engagement of faculty in mathematics, the sciences, and engineering  Teacher quality, quantity, and diversity  Challenging courses and curricula  Evidence-based design and outcomes  Institutional change and sustainability

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation Overarching Principles that Provide Guidance Throughout   NSF Merit Review Criteria: Intellectual Merit & Broader Impacts   Depth and quality of creative, strategic actions that extend beyond commonplace approaches   Emphasis on evidence-based design and outcomes throughout   Commitment to high quality scholarship in all aspects of proposed work

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation Additional Review Criteria Consider the following questions: Consider the following questions:   How well does the proposal address the MSP Key Features?   Is the proposed work strategic and innovative, and informed by the current research literature on teaching and learning?   Is the evaluation plan comprehensive in nature, including both formative and summative components, and to be conducted by objective experts external to the project?

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation Evidence-Based Design and Outcomes   Understanding the research literature on science and mathematics education pertinent to partnerships’ data-based needs and goals   Incorporating the research literature into projects in a manner informed by baseline data and developing benchmarks that build from that data   Investigating the factors that contribute to projects’ outcomes to learn more about what works, where it works, and why it works

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation A Guide for Proposal Writing: 16/nsf04016.pdf 16/nsf04016.pdf Additional Resources

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation Evidence: An Essential Tool Planning for and Gathering Evidence Using the Design- Implementation-Outcomes (DIO) Cycle of Evidence NSF 05-31

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation Website for MSPnet: Knowledge Management and Dissemination MSP Portfolio

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation RETA Developed Tools Design, Validation, and Dissemination of Measure of Content Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics [University of Michigan; PI - Heather Hill] – Design, Validation, and Dissemination of Measure of Content Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics [University of Michigan; PI - Heather Hill] –   Assessment items for mathematics teachers in the upper elementary and middle school grade levels   Approximately 300 items in number, operations, pre-algebra and algebra, and geometry   Disseminated to approximately eighty projects, including ten NSF MSPs and numerous U.S. Department of Education MSPs

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation Learning Mathematics for Teaching Event: LMT Measures Workshop offered at AERA pre-session Start: Mar 23, 2008 Location: New York City, NY Description: The Learning Mathematics for Teaching (LMT) measures training will be offered at AERA on Sunday March 23rd in New York City (register at The LMT training offers background on the study and measurement of mathematical knowledge for teaching and provides practical guidance on using the LMT measures to study teachers' mathematical knowledge and growth. For more information on the LMT project visit URL:

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation RETA Developed Tools Assessing Teacher Learning About Science Teaching (ATLAST) [Horizon Research, Inc., and AAAS; PI - Patrick Smith] Assessing Teacher Learning About Science Teaching (ATLAST) [Horizon Research, Inc., and AAAS; PI - Patrick Smith]   Instruments that measure change in knowledge needed by middle school teachers in three topics of science   Provides assessment materials, scoring and reporting as part of its technical assistance   Eight of ED’s State MSP sites, and a number of NSF MSPs, are using the assessments to gauge the impact of their professional development activities   Item-writing for more than 50 directors of ED’s State MSPs

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation RETA Developed Tools Misconception Oriented Standards-based Assessment Resource for Teachers (MOSART) [Harvard University; PI - Philip Sadler] x.html Misconception Oriented Standards-based Assessment Resource for Teachers (MOSART) [Harvard University; PI - Philip Sadler] x.html x.html x.html   Content instruments for K-12 physical science and earth science, based on the research literature on students' science misconceptions   A free, open web site that provides versions of its tests to any interested party, including an online tutorial that explains how the tests were developed and their intended uses   Expertise shared with state funded ED MSPs. e.g. MSP effort for the entire state of Georgia

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation MSP Outcomes Appalachian Math and Science Partnership (AMSP)- A Comprehensive partnership: 10 institutions of higher education and over 56 school districts in 4 states (KY, TN, VA and WV)   Preservice courses   Summer Institutes-Inservice   K-12 Excel Program   Undergraduate Explorers Program   CATS Busters   Partnership Enhancement Program (PEP) $1.3 million in individual grants to school district via competitive review process   Parent Component-Pritchard Affiliates   Research Component   Partners with 5 State MSP grants in VA, TN and KY.

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation MSP Outcomes Sample Results: 2005 Summer Algebra Institutes-Pre-and post-test scores for middle and high school algebra teachers.   Southwest Virginia-gains of 24% and 18% for reasoning/problem solving and pedagogical content knowledge, respectively.   Tennessee-gains of 20% and 13% in these same domains.   Kentucky, showed gains of 13% and 23% Access to Algebra - A small number of high school students enrolled in a distance learning section of the college course.   75% of the high school students received a grade of “C” or better,   58% of the high school students received a grade of “A” as compared to only 33% of the comparison group of college students in the course.   All students taking the online course performed better than students taking the regular college algebra courses documenting the effectiveness of this online algebra course

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation MSP Outcomes Preparing Virginia’s Mathematics Specialists - A Teacher Institute at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)   A master’s degree program to be institutionalized at VCU, Norfolk State University, the University of Virginia and elsewhere in the Commonwealth   Research component   Data from the two mathematics courses in VCU’s 2005 Summer Institute document substantial and positive impacts on participants’ knowledge of mathematics content, with differences in means that constitute very large effect sizes Additional Information about this project:

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation Other EHR Funding Opportunities DRK-12 ods_key=nsf ods_key=nsf08502 Full Proposals Due Jan 28, 2008 ITEST s_id=5467&org=EHR&from=homehttp://nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pim s_id=5467&org=EHR&from=home s_id=5467&org=EHR&from=home s_id=5467&org=EHR&from=home Full Proposals Due Apr 10, 2008

Math and Science Partnership National Science Foundation Disclaimer The instructional practices and assessments discussed or shown in these presentations are not intended as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education.