Francis Marion University - School of Education

FMU Center of Excellence
Grant Proposal Narrative

2. Proposal Narrative

i. Benefit to K-12 Districts/Schools

The benefits to the three partner districts – Darlington, Dillon 2, and Marion 1 – will be immediate. Superintendents from all three partner districts have written letters of support for the Center (see Appendix B). By participating as partners in the Center, the districts will:

be involved in the development of new teacher preparation programs that improve the quality of their novice teachers;
have experienced teachers who are better trained in the design, conduct, and use of action research to improve the teaching-learning process;
work jointly with FMU faculty and educators from neighboring districts to solve the long-standing problems of providing quality education to children of poverty; and,
establish more meaningful and beneficial relationships between schools, parents, and communities, using community resources to benefit their students.

Benefits to the 15 participating school districts will be similar, although these benefits will begin to accrue in Years 4 and 5.