Gov. Gregoire, Microsoft award $2.5 million grant to Eastern Washington University and Cheney School District

For Immediate Release: June 7, 2005

OLYMPIA � June 7, 2005 � Gov. Christine Gregoire and Microsoft today awarded a $2.5 million grant to Eastern Washington University (EWU) and the Cheney School District to help teachers learn how to best tailor their classroom instruction to meet students� individual needs in reading, writing and math.

The grant is the first in Washington from Microsoft�s Partners in Learning initiatives, which seek innovative technology-based approaches to improving student achievement. Washington is one of only five states selected to participate in this public-private partnership within the broader $250 million Partners in Learning program.

The EWU and Cheney School District project, called Learning Transformed, will find ways to change the traditional �one size fits all� classroom by using technology and data to help teachers tailor instruction to meet unique learning needs of each student. A priority will be placed on addressing the needs of students who have failed at least one WASL (Washington Assessment of Student Learning) test.

�We have an unacceptably high rate of high-school dropouts � about 30 percent,� Gregoire said. �We must find ways to give teachers the tools they need to provide a level of tailored instruction that will help each student be successful not only in school but as they move into the work world.�

The governor said the grant to Eastern Washington University and the Cheney School District will culminate with extensive research about the effectiveness of reading, writing and math remediation and intervention materials and strategies. She added, �This can create a model that will enable teachers to make the best decisions for individual students.�

The Learning Transformed project will result in best-practice findings that will be used to identify the ways that technology-based assessment and instructional tools can be best used for individualized intervention and remediation efforts.

�Learning Transformed will help us gain a deeper understanding of the effectiveness of a range of remediation and intervention materials and strategies and will enable us to put those strategies into use immediately,� said Dr. Valerie Appleton, dean of the College of Education and Human Development at EWU. �The end product will be a professional K-20 collaborative culture that leads to continuous improvement.�

Other components of the Learning Transformed program will include efforts to create resources for students, teachers and parents, including:
� Extensive, ongoing professional development for teachers through EWU.
� Restructuring classes to make the best use of technology.
� Increased availability of notebook computers for use by families.
� Supplemental online instruction and homework assistance for students.
� Online portals that provide access to student assignments and curriculum for parents.
� A student performance database accessible to students and teachers.
� Greater pre-teacher preparation and collaboration between EWU and the school district.
� Creation of a methodology for continuous improvement of student learning and student educational practice.

�The Learning Transformed program is a great example of how technology and academic research can be used creatively to restructure teacher-education programs and go beyond theory to help teachers meet the real and immediate needs of students,� said Linda Zecher, vice president of the U.S. Public Sector at Microsoft. �Microsoft is excited to have this opportunity to support the governor and the teachers, students and administrators who are part of this innovative community effort and the evolution of technology and institutional collaboration.�

Over the five-year period of the project, progress will be shared continuously with key Washington state education agencies and associations, including the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Association of Washington School Principals and the Washington Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.