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TPI receives ARC grant to improve rural Alabama schools
August 2006
Rural school systems have difficulty in recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers. To help remedy this problem, the Truman Pierce Institute (TPI) in Auburn University's College of Education is expanding professional development opportunities for several key groups in Alabama.
Through Appalachian Regional Commission funding, TPI has been awarded $200,000 for its rural school improvement initiative "Sustaining School Success." This initiative will provide opportunities to build instructional leadership potential among administrators, teacher leaders and student leaders in four rural Alabama school systems in Fayette, Hale, Macon and Tallapoosa counties.
"It is the college's goal to develop competent, committed and reflective professionals," said Education Dean Frances Kochan. "Through the Truman Pierce Institute initiatives and ARC funding we are able to achieve that goal by serving those in critical education positions, not to mention current students, who represent the region's future."
A series of monthly sessions with current principals and central office administrators will focus on identified areas of need, action planning, communications and mentoring. A second series of monthly sessions will be designed for teacher leaders. A student leadership component comprised of traditional and non-traditional student leaders will meet monthly in half-day sessions and participate in two weekend retreats.
Specific goals of this grant include; improving kindergarten through twelve grade instruction, assisting first year educators and administrators transition into their new roles, reducing the dropout rates and increasing the number of students seeking higher education. Sustaining School Success is an expansion of TPI's Instructional Improvement Institute (I3) program, which was established in 2004.
"It is a long term goal of this program as well as the Truman Pierce Institute to provide these dedicated and talented teachers and administrators the tools they need to continually improve the quality of education for all students," said Dr. Cindy Reed, Director of the Truman Pierce Institute.
The Truman Pierce Institute is named in honor of Dr. Truman M. Pierce, who served as dean of the College of Education for two decades and credited with improving education at the state, regional and national levels. TPI strives to foster collaboration between higher education and public schools, develop partnerships, provide leadership capacity building programs for schools, and improve conditions within schools and communities that influence the effectiveness of leadership. Former TPI initiatives such as the Instructional Improvement Institute (I3) and the West Alabama Learning Coalition served to provide professional development opportunities for administrators, teachers and student leaders in rural areas of Alabama. Current TPI initiatives continue this work through Sustaining School Success, in addition to other programs such as 21st Century after school program, Connections, the Auburn City Schools Leadership Capacity Building Program and supporting the efforts of the Alabama Black Belt Superintendents' Association.
Each year ARC provides funding for several hundred projects throughout the Appalachian Region. These projects create thousands of new jobs, improve local water and sewer systems, increase school readiness, expand access to health care, assist local communities with strategic planning, and provide technical, managerial, and marketing assistance to emerging new businesses.
Last Updated: May 12, 2011
