About PRISM
Vision: Increase science and mathematics achievement for all P-12 students in order to improve their readiness for post-secondary education and careers by enhancing teacher quality, raising expectations for all stakeholders, and closing the achievement gaps through the collaboration of P-16 partners.
Goal 1: Raise expectations and achievement in science and mathematics in P-12 schools, while closing achievement gaps among demographic groups by:
- Providing challenging science and mathematics curricula and materials for all students.
- Raising the awareness of students, parents, and the community of the need for all P-12 students to complete challenging courses and curricula in science and mathematics.
Outcomes and Benchmarks
- Student achievement in science and mathematics will increase at all grade levels.
- Percent of students taking challenging science and mathematics courses increases.
- Percent of students meeting or exceeding standards on the state's criterion referenced competency tests (CRCTs) in science and mathematics increases for all demographic groups.
- Percent of students passing the high school graduation test in science and mathematics increases for all demographic groups.
- Achievement gaps in science and mathematics will decrease among all demographic groups of P-12 students.
- Gaps decrease among demographic groups as to percent completing (with grade C, or better) challenging SM courses.
- Gaps decrease among demographic groups as to percent meeting or exceeding standards on science and mathematics CRCTs.
- Gaps decrease among demographic groups as to percent passing the high school graduation test in science and mathematics.
- College readiness in science and mathematics of high school graduates will increase for all demographic groups.
- Percent of students completing Algebra I in 8 th grade (with grade C, or better) increases for all demographic groups.
- Percent completing the science and mathematics college preparatory curriculum increases for all demographic groups.
- Percent of students requiring Learning Support in college decreases for all demographic groups.
Goal 2: Raise student achievement in science and mathematics in P-12 schools through increasing and sustaining the number, quality, and diversity of P-12 teachers teaching science and mathematics by:
- Providing high quality professional development to current P-12 teachers who teach science and mathematics.
- Strengthening the content and pedagogy in science and mathematics for pre-service teachers.
- Ensuring a sufficient pipeline of highly qualified and diverse science and mathematics teachers to meet demand.
- Providing incentives for teacher assignment and retention to ensure access to highly qualified and experienced science and mathematics teachers by students who need them most.
Goal 3: Raise student achievement in science and mathematics in P-12 schools through increasing the responsiveness of higher education to the needs of P-12 schools by:
- Increasing the participation of science and mathematics faculty in teacher preparation and professional development
- Providing incentives for science and mathematics faculty members to engage in research with P-12 schools on effective practices in science and mathematics.
Outcomes for Goals 2 and 3
- The SM content knowledge of in-service P-8 teachers will increase.
- The pedagogical skills of in-service teachers teaching science and mathematics will improve.
- The SM content knowledge of pre-service P-8 teachers will increase.
- The pedagogical skills of pre-service teachers aspiring to teach science and mathematics will improve.
- The number and diversity of P-12 teachers prepared to teach science and mathematics will increase.
- The number of qualified and experienced science and mathematics P-12 teachers assigned and retained in hard-to-staff (urban and remote rural) schools will increase.
- The numbers of science and mathematics faculty members working in teacher preparation will increase.
- The numbers of science and mathematics faculty members working in the schools will increase.
- The numbers of science and mathematics faculties working in the schools that receive promotion or tenure will increase.
- The amount of collaborative research between higher education and P-12 science and mathematics faculties will increase, contributing to the teaching and learning knowledge in science and mathematics.