The Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) awarded nearly $1.1 million in federal grant funding to improve teacher quality at its meeting last week at Morehead State University.

The funds went to eight education partnerships that will provide professional development for P-12 teachers and administrators.

The Improving Educator Quality (IEQ) state grant program provides grants to partnerships that deliver research-based professional development programs. To be eligible, a partnership must include a postsecondary institution’s school of arts and sciences and its teacher preparation program, as well as at least one high-need local school district.

“These quality proposals integrate the new Common Core Standards and will help more students graduate from high school college and career ready,” said Council President Bob King.

The Council is focusing the 10th year of the IEQ program on projects that fully integrate the new Common Core Standards in ways that assists teachers in providing intervention in content areas for students in need of accelerated learning.

The projects, lead institutions, and grant awards are listed below.

  • Reading for the 21st Century: Improving Reading Comprehension through Project-Based Learning, Morehead State University, $135,000.
  • The Active Math Project: Increasing College Readiness through Hands-On Math Instruction in Middle and High School Classrooms, Morehead State University, $135,000, Year 2.
  • Developing Standards-Based Digital Content for Next Generation Learning, Murray State University, $90,000.
  • Continuous Assessment and Algebraic Thinking: Keys for Career and College Readiness, University of Kentucky, $140,000.
  • Special Education Math Cadre, University of Kentucky, $145,000, Year 2.
  • Preparing All Students for Success: Career and College Readiness, University of Kentucky, $145,000, Year 2.
  • Collaborative Teacher Training in Content Literacy, University of Louisville, $145,000, Year 2.
  • Readers Matter: Common Goals, Core Learning, and Set Standards for Achievement, Western Kentucky University, $145,000, Year 2.