Grant
Opportunity
- Maintaining
high expectations for all students...
- Creating
greater access to learning...
- Valuing
differences...
- Achieving
standards...
- Making
accommodations and modifications as needed…
What
do these activities have in common? They are all part of the vision
of Wright State University's CLASS Project, an initiative funded
by grants from the National Science Foundation. For several years,
the CLASS Project has been sponsoring two-week summer workshops
for science teachers and students with physical disabilities from
around the country. The goal of these workshops has been to teach
middle and high school science educators how to make their classrooms
and labs more accessible to students with disabilities, thereby
increasing the likelihood that these students will develop and
maintain an interest in the field of science.
Now, the CLASS Project is expanding its efforts to serve teachers
and students in our local school districts by offering grants
for up to $5,000.
Grant
Availability and Eligibility
Wright State University's CLASS Project will award competitive
grants of $5,000 to middle schools and/or high schools. Any public
or private middle school or high school is eligible to apply.
Priority will be given to those schools who directly serve students
with physical and other disabilities within the general education
science classroom.
Grant
Includes:
- A
full day of inservice training for the grant team in philosophy,
methods and strategies used by the CLASS Project; to be held
on the WSU campus
- A
resource guide and lab book containing information and lessons
taught in the CLASS Project summer workshops
- Ongoing
consultation by WSU science and special education faculty
- A
$5,000 grant award
Grant
Funds May Be Used For:
- Science
equipment/materials or other resources that can be adapted
for use by students with disabilities
- Stipends
to pay science and special educators for additional time (outside
of contract time) spent in planning for co-teaching, modifications
and accommodations, etc.
- Professional
Development in areas of inclusive education, science, and/or
mathematics
- Paying
for paraprofessionals as needed
- Contracting
with speakers on topics related to successful inclusion of
students with disabilities into general education science
classes.
- Paying
for other staff and/or parent workshops or awareness sessions
IMPORTANT:
Use of all funds must directly relate to CLASS goals and objectives.
Grant
Requirements
All
educators awarded a grant will be required to:
- Create
a team consisting of at least one science educator and one
special educator to coordinate the implementation of an inclusive
science education program
- Obtain
the support of the building administrator
- Provide
three dates when a CLASS Project committee member will observe
lessons using adaptive technology/strategies. This may occur
in person or via video conferencing.
- Share
their experiences as a result of this grant with the rest
of the school staff in an organized way, such as an inservice,
in order to facilitate the further development and support
of inclusive learning environments
- Give
WSU's CLASS Project Committee permission to use the grant
recipient's work in their research and future publications,
with the understanding that full acknowledgement for unique
efforts and products will be forthcoming
- Submit
periodic status reports in a timely fashion and maintain contact
with assigned staff
- Submit
a final program and fiscal report before implementing proposed
plan
How
and When to Apply:
To
be considered for a grant award, each school must print out and
complete the CLASS Grant Application in its entirety and return
it postmarked no later than February 28 (Online
Application Process Available Soon!).
Three copies of the completed application must be
sent to:
Mary
Ellen Bargerhuff, Ph.D.
320 Allyn Hall
3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy.
Dayton, OH 45435-0001
If
you have any questions regarding the application form or the grant,
please contact Mary Ellen Bargerhuff via e-mail at mary.bargerhuff@wright.edu
or by calling at (937) 775-2022.
Review
Process and Selection Criteria:
All
applications will be reviewed by the CLASS Project Committee.
The review team will evaluate applications based on answers to
questions contained in the application form. The criteria to be
used in reviewing applications include:
- A
demonstrated need for an inclusive science program that serves
students with physical and other disabilities
- A
commitment to the long-term goal of providing all students
optimum access to the field of science
- A
commitment to forming a Grant Team that will coordinate, implement
and evaluate the plan of action stipulated in the grant application
- Commitment
of the school administrator to supporting the Grant Team
The
CLASS Project Committee reserves the right to ask applicants to
clarify information regarding their application after the deadline
date.
Notification
of Grant Awards
The
CLASS Project Committee will announce the names of grant recipients
on March 29. Written notification will be sent to all applicants
indicating whether or not their application will be funded.
