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TIERNEY IN ACTION

 

Conversations with Congressman Tierney featuring guest Elizabeth Warren

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TIERNEY ANNOUNCES TEACHING AMERICAN HISTORY GRANT FOR BURLINGTON SCHOOLS
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Washington, DC - Today, Congressman John F. Tierney (D-MA) announced that the Burlington Public Schools will be awarded a $979,475 Teaching American History (TAH) grant through the United States Department of Education. The award will go toward increasing teacher knowledge of American history in order to raise student achievement and encourage teaching American history as a separate subject, especially within elementary and secondary schools. Burlington's professional development program, Making Freedom: Evolution and Revolution in the Realization of an American Ideal, hopes to serve approximately 360 teachers.

"There is no easier way to plot a successful path for the future than by understanding our past. This grant will go a long way toward ensuring that our youth have the solid foundation that they need to make the crucial decisions of their time," said Congressman John F. Tierney.

TAH grants encourage professional development in collaboration with outside organizations. Applicants for the grant must agree to complete their proposed activities in partnership with an institution of higher education, library, museum or nonprofit history or humanities organization. Burlington schools will be partnering with Tufts University, Harvard University, the National Heritage Museum and Minute Man National Historic Park. This specialized partnership will lead to a deeper understanding of a focused topic within U.S. history, and encourage teachers to see U.S. history as a separate subject within their larger curriculum.  By engaging teachers with American history at a deep level, the grants are intended to create a passion for American history that is passed on to students, raising their achievement levels while raising their interest.

Jane Hundley, a Burlington School System Social Studies K-8 Curriculum Coordinator, added, "The Burlington Public Schools is excited to announce that it was awarded a Teaching American History grant by the United States Department of Education.  During the three year grant period, Burlington will collaborate with the school districts of Woburn, Bedford, Lexington, and Somerville as well as Tufts and Harvard Universities to provide professional development courses designed to enhance teachers' American history content knowledge.  Additional partners in the grant are Minuteman National Historical Park, Museum of Our National Heritage, and Primary Source; a well-respected professional development organization in Watertown.  The grant award, close to $1 million dollars, also includes teacher study tours.  A tour of Washington D.C. and Philadelphia will focus on our county's founding leaders, documents, and events in early American history, while a Civil War and Civil Rights tour of the southern United States, will highlight America's struggles and growth toward a more perfect union.  Burlington Public School staff and all of the district partners are looking forward to participating in the grant and enhancing their instruction for students."

This year, the Department of Education awarded over $117 million dollars in TAH grants, averaging around $900,000 for a new award. 121 TAH grants were awarded in 2008 to local educational agencies in 39 states and one territory. Previous recipients from the Sixth district include the Beverly Public Schools, which received an award in 2007, and the Reading Public Schools, which received an award in 2006.

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