CEHD Receives Second I3 Grant Of $12M

Thanks to a $12 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, faculty scholars in the College of Education and Human Development will begin a five-year study focused on best practices in literacy-infused science for English language learners and economically challenged middle school students in rural, suburban, and urban school districts across Texas.

Six faculty across the college are collaborating on the grant, which was awarded through the Office of Investing in Innovation (i3).

· Dr. Rafael Lara-Alecio – Center for Research and Development in Dual Language and Literacy Acquisition

· Dr. Beverly Irby – Center for Research and Development in Dual Language and Literacy Acquisition & Education Leadership Research Center

· Dr. Fuhui Tong – Center for Research and Development in Dual Language and Literacy Acquisition

· Dr. Robert Jones – Education Leadership Research Center, Department of Educational Administration & Human Resource Development

· Dr. Mary Margaret Capraro – Aggie STEM, Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture

· Dr. Robert Capraro – Aggie STEM, Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture

Literacy-Infused Science Using Technology Innovation Opportunity (LISTO): A Five-Year Validation Project will focus on innovations at both the teacher and student level including standards-aligned science curriculum, virtual professional development as well as mentoring and pedagogical observations, and Scientists as Role Models and Mentors (SRM2) which connects university students to grade-level students.

Project LISTO will be implemented and validated across 70 randomly-assigned rural, urban, and suburban schools in Texas with 11,200 students and 560 teachers.

“Our research is nationally recognized and is impacting students, teachers and administrators not only across Texas, but also the nation and beyond,” said Dr. Lara-Alecio, Regents Professor and Principal Investigator.

This is the second i3 grant awarded to the college in four years making Texas A&M the only university in the nation to be selected and recommended for funding at the validation level. The first grant, totaling $16.3 million, was awarded in 2012 to examine the achievement gap between English language learners and their native English speaking classmates.i3 grant awarded to the college in four years making Texas A&M the only university in the nation to be selected and recommended for funding at the validation level. The first grant, totaling $16.3 million, was awarded in 2012 to examine the achievement gap between English language learners and their native English speaking classmates.

“I truly thank Texas A&M and the i3 sponsoring agency for supporting our efforts,” added Dr. Lara-Alecio. “This socially responsible project is the continuation of over 70 combined years of work developing, implementing, and validating curriculum, psychometric instruments, and technology to better equip the new generation of English language learners, economically challenged students, teachers, administrators, and parents.”