Michael & Susan Dell Foundation Funds Statewide Tools for Teaching Excellence Project Expansion to Five Texas Districts

AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to help school districts improve student achievement and teacher satisfaction, the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation has committed $5.5 million for the Statewide Tools for Teaching Excellence (STTE) project in five Texas public school districts. Designed to help participating districts build the capacity for performance management through the use of research-based indicators to identify areas of improvement, districts will be provided with research-based interventions to maximize the potential for improvement in the classroom and individual students.

Edvance Research, Inc., a San Antonio-based education research organization, provides project management and technical assistance for the project.

The five Texas districts located throughout the state that are participating in the STTE project include Beaumont, Conroe, Galena Park, Lubbock, and Northside (San Antonio).  These districts were selected for STTE due to their demonstrated commitment to Performance Management -- a leadership practice dedicated to positively affecting student achievement through the use of technology to gather, share and act upon relevant and timely information.

With the capability provided by performance management, districts can make broad-sweeping adjustments or very specific course-corrections based on variables they are able to assess. For example, districts can see high-level data that indicates they need to focus on improving math and science scores. They determine how best to address that issue through data gathering, analysis and developing a plan of action enabled by the STTE project's clearinghouse of evidence-based interventions that target specific indicators to help educators identify potential action they can take to help students succeed.  Districts are able to continually assess, plan, implement and adjust to meet their needs.

"This project brings together a team of progressive education leaders who understand the value of incorporating performance management to positively affect change," said Janet Mountain, executive director, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. "The real value of a project of this kind is in the classroom where we can empower teachers with the knowledge they need to intervene early on when students are at risk and completely change the outcome of their students for the better."  

The STTE project is part of a larger scope of work at the foundation aimed at improving student achievement by getting timely and historical information to the fingertips of administrators and teachers how and when they need it most. The foundation has committed more than $140 million in education initiatives in Texas to date. For further information about these projects, please visit www.msdf.org.

Visit www.pmvillage.org to learn more about the STTE project and performance management.

Michael & Susan Dell Foundation

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation (www.msdf.org) is dedicated to improving the lives of children living in urban poverty around the world. With offices in Austin, TX, Cape Town, South Africa and New Delhi, India, the Dell family foundation funds programs that foster high-quality public education and childhood health, and improve the economic stability of families living in poverty. The foundation has committed more than $650 million to global children's issues and community initiatives to date.

Edvance Research

Edvance Research is known nationally as a provider of research that meets the highest standards of rigor. Edvance supports educational organizations in learning about evidence-based practices and using that information to improve their work and results. (www.edvanceresearch.com )

SOURCE Michael & Susan Dell Foundation