It pays to listen to your evaluator.
No, really, it literally paid Clemson University $2.3M when the extremely talented PI, Co-PI, Drs. Emily Howell and Rebecca Kaminski keenly listened when I slightly nudged them to consider applying for another National Professional Development (NPD) grant during our luncheon session at the April 2022 OELA grantee-conference held in Arlington, Virginia.
“Isn’t it a bit soon? We were awarded our first NPD grant in October 2021,” they remarked with a hint of doubt.
“It’s the right time,” I said. “You are running such a good program. It is and will benefit so many more educators serving English Learners (ELs) across the school districts in South Carolina.”
“Well, that’s true. There is a huge and growing need. The funds can help enhance our ongoing efforts. We have a good study design. We have the capacity and are very motivated. Let’s put our heads together and plan the design for this new grant.”
And we did! It turned out to be a truly working lunch session between Clemson and MNA.
On October 13, Clemson was among the 44 newly funded NPD grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Titled, “Building Capacity for Early Language Learners: Bridges between Reading Recovery and ESOL”, the 5-year NPD project will provide a master’s degree in literacy with an ESOL focus and literacy teacher, coach, and ESOL certification to 50 teachers across high-need districts in SC. MNA will formatively and summatively assess this professional development grant as well as a caregiver course that will serve 50 caregivers of ELs.
The NPD program provides grants to eligible Institutions of Higher Education and public or private entities with relevant experience and capacity, in consortia with states or districts, to implement professional development activities that will improve instruction for English Learners (ELs). Following the education priorities of the Biden-Harris Administration as stated by Secretary Cardona, these grants align with his call to boldly address opportunity and achievement gaps by investing in, recruiting, and supporting the professional development of a diverse educator workforce, including bilingual educators so education jobs are ones that people from all backgrounds want to pursue.
It pays to listen to your evaluator.
