Sept. 1, 2006 -- The College of Education at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro secured almost $500,000 in outreach grants this past summer. The funds will be utilized to enhance professional preparation for educators in the Delta region.

The grants have come from both private foundations and governmental sources.

“These grants, adding up to almost a half million dollars, demonstrate Arkansas State University’s commitment to schools in the Delta, northeast Arkansas, and Jonesboro,” according to Dr. John Beineke, dean of the College of Education. “The emphasis on math and science, professional development of teachers, and school/university partnerships are all critical elements for enhancing learning for students in ASU’s region of service.”

Lumina Foundation

The Lumina Foundation has granted $172,800 over the next two years for the purpose of assisting public schools in their efforts to provide access and success for post-secondary education students.

Activities include awareness, confidence building, information, and opportunities for students and parents to understand the value of improved rigor in the curricula. Motivating at-risk students to enroll in more challenging classes is the focus.

In addition, the Lumina grant is providing continued support for the Advanced Placement (AP) Institute which has provided training for over 650 AP/Pre AP teachers over the past three summers. The Institute is an intensive, week-long training session that trains public school teachers in strategies for creating and sustaining success in the Advanced Placement classroom.

Education Renewal Zone

A grant from the Arkansas Department of Education in the amount of $129,000 will support outreach activities through the Education Renewal Zone program for the 2006-2007 school year.

The purpose of this grant is for institutions of higher education to form partnerships between schools in school improvement and education cooperatives. These partnerships will work at bringing available resources from all partners to bear on school improvement.

A director and administrative assistant of the Education Renewal Zone project will be hired this fall to direct the program. The Educational Renewal Zone at ASU will serve schools in the Delta and Northeast Arkansas.

Math and Science Institutes

Two new grants have been received by the Delta Institute for Math and Science and the Northeast Arkansas Rural Institute for Math and Science. These two grants, totaling $172,850, will address the needs of math and science education in the schools of northeast Arkansas and the Delta. These grants are in addition to the ongoing work of the two Institutes in their goal to enhance student learning in these two critical disciplines.

Kellogg Foundation

A fourth grant, in the amount of $40,000, from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, is being used to support existing university/school partnerships in the Jonesboro area in addition to reaching out to private schools to assist in professional development and accreditation processes. Support for in-service meetings to provide current information on partnership schools is included, in addition to incentives for the schools to encourage further involvement in partnering with the university.

Sept. 1, 2006 -- The Arkansas State University Museum has completed a new permanent exhibition on the Civil War. is welcome. For more information call the museum at (870) 972-2074.