For immediate release
March 15, 2018
DPI Seeks Proposals for Coding and Mobile App Grants
State Superintendent Mark Johnson announced today that the
Department of Public Instruction is now accepting grant applications for a new
round of the state’s Coding and Mobile App Development competitive grant
program, totaling $800,000 in awards for the 2018-19 school year.
The second year of the initiative will fund up to $80,000
per school to provide opportunities for middle and high school students to
learn computer science, coding and mobile app development to help them gain the
skills needed to contribute to the digital economy and engage as informed
citizens. All district and charter schools are eligible, including schools that
received grants for the current year.
For the current school year, $400,000 in total grants was
awarded to 15 district and charter schools, each individual award ranging
between $10,000 and $40,000. The General Assembly provided funding for the
initiative, with expansion to $800,000 for the 2018-19 school year.
“I know that this year’s grant recipients are helping students gain skills that are now just essential for many jobs in our digital world,” Johnson said. “I’m looking forward to seeing these opportunities provided to even more schools and students in 2018-19.”
Through public-private partnerships with school districts
and charter schools, industry, and community leaders, the program aims to help
build local capacity and curricular programs through three key approaches:
·
Professional development for teachers and
administrators
·
Development of locally relevant digital computer
science curriculum that is part of kindergarten-career pathways for students
·
Engagement of industry professionals to ensure a
partnership that supports connections between local school curriculum, future
career opportunities for students, and industry demand
The deadline for schools to submit applications is May 15.
School districts and charter schools can use grant funds to purchase equipment,
digital materials, and for other purposes, including teacher professional
development. Grant recipients will be
announced in the summer and will implement their programs in the fall. Applications and instructions are available here.
By law, grant recipients will represent a diverse pool of
North Carolina’s public schools. The budget the General Assembly passed in 2017
gives the superintendent of public instruction the responsibility to choose
which entities will receive the grants and instructs the superintendent to
ensure diversity in “geographic location, the positive impact on the community
of industry partnerships, and the size of the student population served by the
recipient....”
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