Nebraska Wesleyan University is teaming up with Lincoln Public Schools to provide more opportunities in the social studies department for teachers and students with a $1.9 million grant.
The grant awarded to NWU by the U.S. Department of Education will fund a three-year partnership program between the two institutions to provide free dual-credit and Advanced Placement courses for students, and allow current social studies teachers to apply for free college credit hours through the university.
Thousands of students across all middle and high schools at LPS will be impacted, said Jaci Kellison, K-12 Social Studies Curriculum Specialist.
The program aligns with LPS’ All Means All Action Plan by not only making advanced honors courses more accessible to students, but by giving teachers a cost-free opportunity to learn, too, Kellison said.
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“It's going to remove barriers for them,†she said. “They can have access to really high-quality materials, high-quality teaching, that can continue through the opportunities that this grant is going to provide.â€
Starting in January, LPS middle and high school teachers who teach social studies can apply for the 60 available spots to earn 18 free hours of college credit at NWU.
Classes are set to begin next summer and will take place outside of teachers’ regular contract time during the school year so anyone can take advantage of the opportunity.
The classes are designed to prepare teachers to meet the needs of all students enrolled in social studies honors courses at LPS.
Those who successfully complete the program may be eligible to teach in the Wesleyan Honors Academy, a dual-credit program for students.
Kellison said she is excited to see social studies teachers from across the district come together through the program.
“We already have a great community of social studies teachers in Lincoln Public Schools,†Kellison said. “No matter what school you teach at, no matter what grade level you teach at, you're going to have the opportunity to network and collaborate with folks from across the city.â€
In terms of students, the funding will provide scholars the opportunity to take college-level courses at Nebraska Wesleyan for dual credit at no cost.
The grant also covers the nearly $100 fee to take AP exams for students in United States history, human geography and American government.
LPS students will be able to attend free exam preparation sessions at NWU on Saturdays during the spring semester. There, they will have the chance to work with faculty to prepare for the tests, said Kevin Bower, professor of history at the university.
Bower, who leads the project, said the process to apply for the federal grant was strenuous. Nebraska Wesleyan and LPS began working on the application in May and didn’t submit it until July, he said.
“It really becomes almost a full time job for a number of people," Bower said.
Nebraska Wesleyan's was one of 25 awarded by the Education Department, and the $1.9 million it received makes it the largest competitive federal grant the university has received in a decade.
Now, Bower is just ready to get the program started.
“My teaching has been enhanced, and my career has been enhanced, by working with LPS teachers for the last 17 or 18 years,†he said. “The chance to have all those folks in one place again, learning from one another, working together to figure out how to serve students, that generates a lot of excitement.â€