BOUCHER ANNOUNCES NEARLY $1 MILLION FOR SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA TEACHERS

$992,501 Grant Will Be Used to Advance K-12 American History Programs

            (Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Representative Rick Boucher announced today that, at his urging, the U.S. Department of Education through its Teaching American History Grant Program is providing a federal grant in the amount of $992,501 to advance the professional development of American history teachers in Southwest Virginia schools. The grant will be used to provide graduate courses from the University of Virginia and UVA Wise, workshops and field experience to American history teachers in sixteen counties throughout Southwest Virginia.

            "This major provision of federal funding will help ensure that Southwest Virginia teachers have the best possible resources to help their students excel in American history courses," Boucher said.

            The federal grant has been provided to Norton City Schools in partnership with the Southwest Virginia Public Education Consortium, UVA Wise, the University of Virginia and the Virginia Historical Society. With the benefit of the federal funds, teachers in the Cities of Norton, Bristol and Galax and Lee, Wise, Dickenson, Buchanan, Scott, Russell, Tazewell, Washington, Smyth, Wythe, Grayson, Carroll and Bland Counties will be offered courses in American History for graduate credit towards a Masters degree in Education. Additionally, teachers will attend workshops, participate in field trips and experience other hands-on learning opportunities.

            These new professional development opportunities will allow teachers to provide a better American history education to their students. Courses will be offered to cohorts of 15 teachers at a time, focusing first on teachers of grades 5 and 6. By the end of the three year program, more than 350 teachers of all grade levels from the sixteen localities in the Southwest Virginia Public Education Consortium will have participated.

            "I am pleased that the Department of Education has provided this measure of federal funding to promote American history understanding and achievement in Southwest Virginia's schools. Students are the key to our future, and we must prepare them for that future by providing them with the resources necessary to meet their educational needs. Today's announcement will further this goal," Boucher concluded.

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