Review Agenda Item

Meeting Date:

6/2/2023 - 7:00 PM

Category:

Teaching, Learning and Leadership

Type:

Info

Subject:

National Institute of Health AIM-AHEAD Federal Grant

ACPS 2025 Strategic Plan Goal:

Goal 1: Systemic Alignment

ACPS will build a culture of continuous improvement and design equitable systems for school and instructional improvement.

Goal 2: Instructional Excellence

ACPS will ensure that all students have access to and engagement with high-quality instruction.

Goal 3: Student Accessibility and Support

ACPS will ensure students have equitable access to and engagement with programs and supports that reduce barriers to learning.

Goal 4: Strategic Resource Allocation

ACPS will strategically provide differentiated resources and supports to schools and departments.

Goal 5: Family and Community Engagement

ACPS will ensure that all families and community members feel welcomed, respected, and valued.

Policy:

IGBJ - Academic Excellence and Educational Equity

Funding Source or Fiscal Impact (where applicable)

File Attachment:

230602_Memo_NIH_Continuation_Grant_2023-24_v2.pdf

Agenda Item Summary:

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) has been the recipient of a National Institute of Health Grant beginning on September 16, 2022. This grant has a main focus to encourage young girls from underrepresented communities to become more involved in STEM as a career pathway; namely a Health Sciences STEM pathway. This grant has provided after-school middle school activities in conjunction with George Washington University and the Immersive Lab Center that was recently highlighted in the ACPS Insider. ACPS has been invited to reapply for this grant for another year of this pilot program and to propose an expansion of this program and to be a leader in providing high technology STEM-H opportunities to other school divisions with high numbers of disadvantaged inner city youth and students in rural communities.

Background:

The purpose of this grant program is to assist students from disadvantaged backgrounds to enter and successfully complete health professional schools. The STEM Club created this year was proposed to prepare students to be exposed and encouraged to continue in STEM in order to continue to the next level of their education and strongly consider health professions as a viable pathway. The goals of this grant are to: -Improve recruitment into STEM-H pathways, -Matriculation, -Retention, and -graduation rates

Recommendation:

The Superintendent recommends that the board review the information in this brief.

Approvals:

Recommended By:
Signed By:
	Dr. Wendy Gonzalez - Chief

Signed By:
	Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt - Interim Superintendent