President Obama has declared that "Our children will compete for jobs in a global economy that too many of our schools do not prepare them for." So in order to rectify that condition and with a great deal of hope, we have seen the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The President further stated, "We'll invest in innovative programs that are already helping schools meet high standards and close achievement gaps." Secretary of Education Arne Duncan expressed his objectives by saying, "In education we must concentrate on the 4 Cs such as critical thinking, creative problem solving, communications, collaboration, and cross-cultural relationship building." Our leaders are in total agreement that investment must be made in innovative curricula and environments to assist schools in reaching higher standards. Pitsco Education and LEGO® Education stand at the forefront of these objectives enunciated by our leaders. The learning environment created by the Mission and Module curricula is the essence of the most recent research. According to Georgetown University researchers, design has a bearing on achievement, as test scores can increase 11 percent by improving a school's physical environment. With that in mind educators should design learning environments that incorporate movable furniture and connect with the wider community, thus enabling collaboration, interaction, and the gathering and sharing of information. Pitsco is a model to be followed in terms of creating such a learning world.
April 2009 "Grant Funding Leads" (PDF)
Additional Grant Resources