SD Counts is a statewide initiative to improve mathematics achievement among South Dakota students in grades K-5 through a comprehensive professional development program focused on best practices in teaching mathematics. Effective implementation of the math strategies is not tied to any specific math curriculum or program.
Learning Power is a program for engaging high school students in online Advanced Placement (AP) courses in mathematics, science, and English. Courses are taught by South Dakota teachers. Students may earn $100 cash awards for scores of 3 or higher on College Board end-of-course exams. Funded in part by the National Math and Science Initiative, Learning Power is supported by a group of business, industry, and education partners from across the state. NSU’s e-Learning Center provides courses, South Dakota’s DOE makes courses available through the Virtual School, and TIE administers the program.
Mountains of History: American History Through the Black Hills.
An American history professional development opportunity for ESA 7 teachers; the institute will focus on the history represented by the four presidents at Mount Rushmore with a parallel focus examining Native American history as reflected by Crazy Horse Memorial. Teachers will be put in the role of historian as they analyze various documents and other resources, participate in Socratic seminars, conduct their own historical research and explore effective, engaging learning strategies for the teaching of American history.
Project PRIME (Promoting Reflective Inquiry in Mathematics Education) is a five-year, targeted Mathematics and Science Partnership (MSP) project aimed at improving the academic achievement of all students in the Rapid City Area Schools.
Thinkfinity is a partnership between Verizon and leading educational organizations that produces quality, standards-based, commercial-free Internet content for the K-12 classroom, accessible through seven discipline-specific educational web sites.
Classroom Connections is part of Governor Rounds’ 2010 Education Initiative. The goal of the initiative is to support one-to-one laptop programs for high school students. Currently, teachers and students in forty-one high schools across the state are participating in the project. The overall goal of the project is for educators and students to use one-to-one technology to increase student learning of core subjects, to advance 21st Century literacy/content, to improve thinking and learning skills, and to differentiate instruction, curriculum and assessment.
Dakota Character is a comprehensive K-12 school improvement process serving twenty-five school districts in ESA 5, 6 & 7. Dakota Character will provide schools with a framework to reduce discipline problems, improve academic achievement and help students develop positive character traits. Dakota Character will support schools and communities as they teach and demonstrate core ethical concepts, such as civics; citizenship; justice; responsibility; and respect themselves and others.
The purpose of Dakota ASSETS is to recruit, prepare, certify, support, and retain candidates to fill teaching positions in high need schools in South Dakota. Scholarships are available to qualified candidates to help pay for tuition, transportation, childcare, and living needs.
