NSF Releases $160M Math & Science Partnership RFP

With the goal of supporting partnerships that unite the efforts of local school districts with science, mathematics, engineering and education faculties of colleges and universities, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has released the first request for proposals (RFP) for the $160 million Math & Science Partnerships (MSP) initiative. Involvement of additional stakeholders, especially states, is highly encouraged, according to the RFP.



The program seeks to improve student outcomes in high-quality mathematics and science at all levels, from pre-K to 12. By stressing partnerships, MSP emphasizes that mathematicians, scientists and engineers participate in the effort to impact the teacher workforce and to work with teachers and administrators to substantially improve student achievement. NSF expects teachers and higher education faculty, as well as administrators and school guidance counselors, to be significantly involved in proposal development and program implementation.

In making award selections expected to total 85-90, NSF will look for innovative approaches that effectively engage higher education institutions in addressing the program's goals. Two broad categories or types of proposals will be accepted.

• Comprehensive partnerships, comprising 25-30 cooperative agreement awards, which will be characterized by fundamental, inclusive and coordinated changes in educational practices, with strict accountability measures, at both the college/university level and the local district level. Large comprehensive MSP awards will last five years for amounts up to $7 million per year. Successful partnerships may be renewed after the first 5-year period expires. A general guideline for comprehensive award size is that there should be a 1:25 ratio between the number of preK-12 students impacted and the maximum size of the award.
• Targeted efforts should converge on a specific element/issue of the mathematics and/or science educational endeavor that requires concentrated attention in order to optimize educational improvement. As many as 60 grants will be made for targeted partnerships. Targeted awards will be made for up to a 5-year duration for amounts ranging from $100,000 to $1.5 million per year.

Each proposed partnership must include one or more institutions of higher education and one or more school district partners, which are encouraged to include other partners that bring needed human and institutional resources to the collaboration. Lead organizations — with fiscal and programmatic responsibility — must be one of the following: 1) a preK-12 local, tribal, regional or state educational system, 2) an institution of higher education, 3) a higher education system or consortium, or 4) an educational consortium, private foundation, or other public or non-profit private school or organization focused on preK-12 education.



The RFP emphasizes that projects involving fewer than 10,000 students are strongly encouraged to form larger consortia to impact more students and teachers for greater cost-effectiveness.



Responses are due by April 30, 2002, and October 15 annually thereafter. Optional letters of intent for the first year's competition may be submitted on or before March 15, 2002.



More information can be obtained from the RFP at: http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?nsf02061