Houston ISD awarded $7.7 million grant

The Houston Independent School District was recently awarded a $7.7 million teacher incentive fund grant intended to attract, reward and retain top science and math teachers.

According to a press release, the district is just one of 35 schools around the nation to receive the grants, which were chosen due to students struggling to meet state minimum academic standards in science and math.

The grant will benefit 25 schools in the district through offering teachers financial incentives, providing teachers with instructional materials necessary to conduct authentic problem-based learning science, technology, engineering and math projects, developing and delivering specialized training for teachers through partners such as Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine, and hiring additional math and science coaches to assist teachers at participating schools.

"Nothing we can do has more impact on our goal of providing every child with an academically rigorous education than placing effective teachers in every classroom," said Terry Grier, superintendent of Houston Independent School District, in the release. "These teachers deserve much more than we are able to pay them, and this grant will help us compete to keep the best talent in Houston ISD classrooms."

For more information, visit houstonisd.org.